Courtney Ugle is a proud Ballardong / Wardani Noongar woman from Bunbury, Western Australia.
Understanding trauma and grief from a young age, Courtney lost her father when she was just 11 years old, and her mother 8 years later.
In 2018, Courtney moved to Melbourne to pursue an opportunity with the Essendon Bombers, which she claims changed, and saved, her life.
Football provided Courtney with a purpose and sense of community. Her leadership and talent saw her promoted to co-captain of the VFLW team in 2023, the first indigenous woman to ever fulfill this role.
Off the field, Courtney was involved in founding the First Nation’s women’s development program at Essendon for both AFLW and VFLW players.
After moving to Melbourne, Courtney began work at Djirra, formerly known as the Aboriginal Family Violence and Legal Service. Courtney now led the YoungLuv initiative at Djirra, which aims to inform young Aboriginal girls about healthy relationships.
In 2024, Courtney launched Waangkiny, as the CEO and founder. Translating to ‘speaking’ in Noongar language, Waangkiny empowers individuals and communities through storytelling in the form of workshops, keynote speeches and consultancy services.
