Melodie Robinson

Commentator/Reporter/Presenter/Lean Change Champion, Sky Television

Melodie Robinson is a little different to some of our other emerging leaders because she established herself firstly as a world cup winning rugby player – representing the Black Ferns (New Zealand Women’s rugby team) from 1996 to 2002. She gave up her rugby boots at 28 years old because she had a dream to be the first female rugby commentator in the world. Starting out as a presenter and journalist for Sky Television in 2003 she has been influential in forging a pathway for other women passionate about rugby and sports to be accepted in a male dominated industry. And yes she commentates on men’s rugby and travels the world as a commentator for World Rugby on the Women’s Sevens Series. Recently she was selected as one of 16 woman from around the World to take part in the USA’s State Department’s Global Sports program where she was mentored at ESPN. From that program she is currently in the process of setting up an organisation to empower women in sports media. She is one paper off finishing her Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration and is looking to complete her Masters in 2018. She has two children Jenson and Freddie and a very understanding husband Marcus.