Teenage girls are not a problem to fix.

They are  power to listen to. 

Expert Facilitator · Speaker · Teen Girl Advocate

I’m Fiona Sanford, I help young people reconnect with their voice, power, and purpose, and create space for others to do the same.

A woman speaking on stage during a presentation with a large screen behind her displaying the text "Fi Sanford" and other text that is blurry. She is wearing a cream-colored sleeveless suit and gesturing with her hands.

Who am I?

Who am I?

I’m a heart-led change maker, two-time CEO, and expert in youth facilitation. Over the past 15 years, I’ve empowered more than 30,000 young people through transformational programs, workshops, and keynotes across Australia.

From school halls to sporting fields to boardrooms, I create spaces where girls feel seen, adults feel equipped, and everyone walks away changed.

Whether you’re a teenage girl ready to own your power, a school leader looking to engage your students, or a brand ready to create impact, you’re in the right place.

A woman in a white sleeveless dress is sitting on a stage or platform in front of an audience at an event called "The Flourish Journey," which supports teenage girls through evidence-based programs fostering self-awareness, emotional intelligence, resilience, and deep connections.

You don’t need to be perfect to be powerful. You don’t need to have it all figured out to be worthy. You just need to show up — raw, real, messy, human.​

I do this work because I learnt too late that pretending was exhausting.

I am here to smash the inner critic, tear down the masks, and help young people build real confidence from the inside out.

  • A woman with long blonde hair wearing a pink sleeveless top and white pants is sitting on a white sofa, smiling during a discussion or interview with a microphone in front of her. There is filming equipment and a blurred camera in the foreground, with a warm-toned curtain in the background.

    Advocacy & Championing Teen Girls

    Collaborate on powerful, purpose-driven campaigns and projects that put girls' voices at the centre.

    What does this look like?
  • A woman giving a presentation on stage at a conference, seen on a large screen behind her, with an audience seated in rows watching.

    Speaking & Keynotes

    Real, engaging talks that move hearts and shift perspectives. From school assemblies to leadership summits.

    Explore Topics
  • A woman in a red blazer giving a presentation to an audience in a classroom or conference room.

    Program Design & Facilitation

    Evidence-based workshops and mentoring for teenage girls, female athletes, and the adults who support them.

    How we can work together

What drives me

1 in 3

teenage girls report high to very high psychological distress — nearly double the rate of boys.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). (2023). Australia’s youth: Mental health snapshot.

64%

of girls aged 14–19 experience body image concerns, up from 48% in 2024.

Liptember Foundation. (2025). Annual Mental Health Research Report

25%

of teen girls report experiencing self-harm or suicidal thoughts, up from 16% the previous year.

Liptember Foundation. (2025). Annual Mental Health Research Report

22.3%

of CEOs in Australia are Women.

Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). (2023). Gender Equality Scorecard.

19.4%

of Board Chairs in Australia are Women.

Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA). (2023). Gender Equality Scorecard.

2x

Teen girls are dropping out of sport at twice the rate of boys by age 15.

Suncorp & The Behavioural Architects. (2019). Australian Youth Confidence Report.

94%

C‑suite female executives in Australia played sport growing up

Girls who stay in sport

report better mental health, higher self-esteem, and stronger leadership skills.

EY. (2021). Why a female athlete should be your next leader.

VicHealth. (2020). This Girl Can – Victoria Campaign summary.

As seen working with…

Logo for Foundry Athletic featuring a stylized letter 'F' in brown and the text 'Foundry Athletic' underneath.
The emblem of the Australian Olympic Change-Makers features a circular design with a green and yellow color scheme, displaying kangaroo and emu figures around a star and five Olympic rings, with the words 'Australian Olympic Change-Makers' written around the circle.
Logo for the 'Roll with the Punches' podcast featuring bold black text and a blue cursive word 'podcast' beneath.
A promotional poster for Spark TV featuring host Danielle Lewis, with a woman smiling and holding a glass of white wine on a pink background.
Cover image for a podcast titled 'KICPOP' featuring two women, Steph and Laura, smiling and standing together against a yellow background. One woman has long blonde hair and wears a pink shirt, while the other has long brown hair and wears a light blue shirt. The podcast logo and title are at the top, with a small smiling face icon at the bottom left.
Logo with an orange stylized leaf or flame and the word 'yLead' in bold blue lowercase letters
A woman with long brown hair wearing a black top and large headphones, holding a cable, looking to the side, with text that reads 'The Founder Tapes with Gal Krohn'.
A blue circular emblem with the text '4T G' in the center and the phrase 'For the Change for the Future for the Girls' around the perimeter.
Logo of the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership, featuring geometric lines and circles next to the text.
Cover image of a book titled 'Mental Toughness & Body Show' by Robb Evans, featuring a smiling man in a suit and yellow tie on a split background of black and white, with red banner text encouraging transformation.
Poster featuring a young woman with long blonde hair smiling, wearing a colorful floral top. The poster promotes Fiona Sanford as an inspirational Australian helping girls flourish, with the text and logo for the Awards Australia program.
Two men standing in front of a blue background with the text 'Accepting the Challenge', smiling. They are dressed casually, one in a dark jacket, and the other in a plaid shirt and jacket.
A circular logo with a black outer ring, a white middle ring, and a light blue inner circle containing black cursive letters 'fy'.
Youth Engagement Project logo with black text and a pink speech bubble.
Black-and-white logo with the words 'The Foursquare Journey' in stylized text.
Logo for Youth Leadership Academy Australia featuring a stylized figure with arms raised inside a blue circle, with the text 'YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY AUSTRALIA' in red and blue, and the tagline 'Inspiring Young Leaders, Igniting Change'.
A woman in a red blazer giving a presentation in a classroom with a purple banner behind her, and an audience seated in front.

Recognised as….

  • Expert Judge of the 2025 7News Young Achiever Awards

  • Women’s Agenda, Emerging Leader in the NFP Sector, Finalist 2024 

  • 7 News Young Leader Award, Semi Finalist 2024 

  • Foundation for Young Australians Young Social Pioneer, 2019

  • National Level 9 Gymnastics, Australian Champion Team Member, 2015

  • Mornington Peninsula Young Citizen of the Year, 2012 

  • Australian Olympic Committee Representative at the 8th International Pierre de Coubertin Youth Forum in Beijing, 2011

Promotional banner for the 2025 7News Young Achiever Awards with colorful logo on the left and text on the right that says "Proud judge of the 2025 7News Young Achiever Awards."