Gaining Ground WA Welcomes New Board Directors
Gaining Ground WA Announces Ryan Cundall as Treasurer and Abid Imam as Board Director
PERTH (15 July 2025) --Gaining Ground WA is thrilled to introduce Ryan Cundall as the new Treasurer and Abid Imam as Board Director. Ryan succeeds Board Director Jarrah Smith-Taylor, who has served in the role since April 2024.
“I want to thank Jarrah for serving as Gaining Ground's first Treasurer and setting our financial foundation," said Marly Batenburg, Chair, Gaining Ground WA. "As Gaining Ground WA heads into new areas of growth, we're excited to welcome Abid and Ryan to strengthen financial governance, build a multi-year strategic plan, and increase and enhance stakeholder engagement in Western Australia."
Ryan is a Chartered Accountant (CAANZ) and a Certified Internal Auditor (IIA) and currently corporate auditor with Chevron Australia. Ryan has had a diverse career journey, transitioning from a small retail business owner in Walyalup/Fremantle to a financial accounting, analysis, and audit professional for global energy companies. Ryan has successfully led global engagements providing critical insights into financial and operational risk management. His extensive and strategic financial leadership will guide and contribute to the organisation's risk management, policy development and governance of financial systems.
Gaining Ground WA Treasurer Ryan Cundall
"Gaining Ground’s work to promote gender equity in sport and equip young women and their clubs with the tools to succeed is important and motivated me to offer support," said Ryan Cundall, Board director, Gaining Ground WA. "I look forward to applying my finance and risk skillsets, along with my understanding of small business and its challenges, to enhance the resilience and transparency of Gaining Ground’s financial processes."
Abid is the Community Football Manager for Football West, helping grow soccer throughout Western Australia. Abid has held community engagement and development roles with Athletics WA and Gymnastics WA and most recently led volunteer and workforce management with the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023. Abid's focus on making a significant contribution to the transformative impact of sport as a positive vehicle for individuals and communities will help guide Gaining Ground WA stakeholder engagement and strategic communications.
Gaining Ground WA Board Director Abid Imam
"It's an honour to be part of an organisation focused on empowering women and girls through football,” said Abid Imam, Board Director, Gaining Ground WA. “I aim to listen, learn and contribute to a great team of people to amplify the impact of storytelling, leadership development and community building.”
Abid and Ryan join six fellow board directors and are serving one-year terms.
Learn more about the Gaining Ground WA board.
Founded in 2020, Gaining Ground is a women-led mental wellbeing not-for-profit that supports women and girls to thrive in and out of sport. By delivering mentorship programs and wellbeing workshops, Gaining Ground WA equips young leaders with the tools to build confidence, connection, and positive communication and sustain and grow their participation and leadership in sport. Dedicated to ensuring women and girls’ voices are heard and sport programs are designed to meet their needs, Gaining Ground is growing a community of women and men committed to creating a gender equitable future of grassroots sport and communities. For more information about how Gaining Ground is creating change, visit Gainingground.com.au or follow Gaining Ground on Instagram (@gaininggroundwa) or LinkedIn (LinkedIn.com/gaininggroundwa).