Kate McLoughlin explained

Kate McLoughlin is an Australian sports administrator. She has been Chef de Mission for three Australian Paralympic Teams and has been selected to carry out this role for 2024 Summer Paralympics.^[1]

McLoughlin graduated from Ravenswood School, Sydney in 1996. She completed a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Technology Sydney, specialising in human movement and sports management.^[2] Prior to being employed by Paralympics Australia as a Senior Manager in 2009, she worked for several sports organisations including New South Wales Institute of Sport and Australian Olympic Committee. In 2009, she was the Villages Manager for the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival. McLoughlin has been a Senior Manager at Paralympics Australia since 2009. McLoughlin was selected to be the Chef de Mission of the Australian Team at the 2014 Winter Paralympics but withdrew due to family reasons.^[3]

McLoughlin has been involved in managing Australian Paralympic Teams:

• 2012 – Deputy Chef de Mission (Operations) — Australian Team at the 2012 Summer Paralympics.^[4]
• 2016 – Chef de Mission — Australian Team at the 2016 Summer Paralympics. First female to hold this position.^[5]
• 2020 – Chef de Mission Australian Team at the 2020 Summer Paralympics.
• 2022 – Chef de Mission Australian Team at the 2022 Winter Paralympics. First female to hold this for a Winter Games.
• 2024 – Chef de Mission Australian Team at the 2024 Summer Paralympics.

Prior to the 2016 Rio Paralympics, McLoughlin, team co-captain Daniela di Toro and Tim Matthews created 'The Mob' to build team spirit.^[6]

Recognition

• 2016 – Australian Institute of Sport Awards - AIS Leadership Award^[7]
• 2017 – International Paralympic Committee Best Official Award at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.^[8]

Notes and References

1. Web site: 20 June 2022 . McLoughlin Ready For Two-Year Lead-In As Paris 2024 Chef De Mission . 27 June 2022 . Paralympics Australia.
2. Summer 2016 . Chef de Mission . Semper: Bi-annual Magazine of the Ravenswood Community . 50 . 24.
3. Web site: 26 November 2013 . Nunn new Chef de Mission for Sochi 2014 . 27 June 2022 . Australian Paralympic Committee. https://web.archive.org/web/20140103035747/http://www.paralympic.org.au/news/nunn-new-chef-de-mission-sochi-2014 . 3 January 2014 .
4. Book: Media Guide : London 2012 Paralympic Games . Australian Paralympic Committee . 2012 . Sydney.
5. Web site: 15 December 2016 . McLoughlin wins AIS Award for Leadership, as Steelers triumph too . 27 June 2022 . Paralympics Australia.
6. Web site: Goodwin . Sam . 6 September 2021 . Staggering $1.2 million truth emerges about Aussies at Paralympics . 27 June 2022 . Yahoo Sports.
7. Web site: 14 December 2016 . Chalmers claims two AIS awards to complete fairy tale year . 27 June 2022 . Australian Institute of Sport. https://web.archive.org/web/20161220203617/http://www.ausport.gov.au/news/ais_news/story_654127_chalmers_claims_two_ais_awards . 20 December 2016 .
8. Web site: Australian Paralympic Team Chef de Mission Kate McLoughlin has become the first Australian to win the best official award at a Paralympic Games . 27 June 2022 . Commonwealth Games Australia. 8 September 2017 .