Richmond’s own Belinda Duarte has been nominated for the 2012 Football Woman of the Year award.

Belinda, a senior executive at the Club, is the inaugural director of the Korin Gamadji Institute.  She is also integral to the establishment and development of the AFL SportsReady’s National Indigenous Program.

Through her role with the Korin Gamadji Institute, Belinda has provided leadership development, education and training to more than 1500 young Indigenous men and women.

Belinda also has been instrumental in the development of the Career Oriented Participation in Sport program for first-year AFL players, which now incorporates specific Indigenous considerations.

The award, presented by the Essendon Women’s Network, is down to just six finalists from all over Australia, who were shortlisted from a group of 16 initial nominees.

“This year’s nominees were of a diverse and outstanding calibre, with richness from the VFL level, through to various board directors,” said Jane Grover, Chair of Essendon Women’s Network.

Judging the award this year is an independent panel comprising Andrew Demetriou (AFL Chief Executive Officer), Caroline Wilson (chief football writer, ‘The Age’) and Justice Linda Dessau (AFL Commissioner).

The winner will be announced at the Grand Final Comedy Debate on Thursday, September 27 at Crown Palladium.

Richmond congratulates Belinda on her nomination and wishes her luck for the award.