NBA-experienced high-performance leader and keynote speaker

Overview

Chelsea Lane is one of the most internationally credentialed high-performance leaders to come out of New Zealand sport. In January 2026 she was appointed Head of Performance for the Silver Ferns at Netball New Zealand, returning home from senior performance roles with NBA franchises the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors. She brings audiences hard-won insight on what it really takes to build winning teams, programmes and cultures.

Who is Chelsea Lane? Chelsea has more than 20 years' experience in elite and professional sport, including senior performance roles with NBA franchises and national sporting bodies. She helped transform the Atlanta Hawks from a low-performing franchise to a top-three NBA team in three seasons and contributed to multiple championship-era seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Closer to home she has strengthened high-performance capability at NZ Cricket and Basketball New Zealand, and mentored performance leaders internationally.

Career Highlights

• Head of Performance – Silver Ferns, Netball New Zealand, from January 2026

• Senior performance roles with the Atlanta Hawks and Golden State Warriors (NBA)

• Helped lift the Atlanta Hawks from a low-performing franchise to top-three NBA in three seasons

• Contributed to multiple NBA championship-era seasons with Golden State Warriors

• Former senior performance roles at NZ Cricket and Basketball New Zealand

• Mentor to high-performance leaders across multiple sports internationally

• Recognised for building multidisciplinary performance teams and connecting elite performance with strong governance

Key Speaking Themes

• Building and leading world-class high-performance systems

• Aligning performance, people and culture

• Lessons from the NBA: turning around an underperforming organisation

• Multidisciplinary teams, sports medicine and athlete wellbeing

• Performance and governance: what boards and CEOs need to know

What Your Audience Will Gain Chelsea brings rare global perspective to high performance, fresh from leading inside the NBA and now back working with the Silver Ferns. Audiences leave with a clearer framework for performance, culture and the systems that produce winning teams.

Ideal For

• Leadership and high-performance conferences

• CEO and board events in sport, health and corporate

• Women in leadership and women in sport programmes

• HR, people and culture summits

• Strategy days and executive offsites

Frequently Asked Questions...

What does Chelsea Lane speak about? High-performance systems, team culture, leadership, athlete wellbeing and the lessons elite sport offers business.

What is Chelsea Lane's current role? She is Head of Performance for the Silver Ferns at Netball New Zealand, appointed in January 2026.

Has Chelsea Lane worked in the NBA? Yes. She held senior performance roles with the Atlanta Hawks and the championship-winning Golden State Warriors.

What sports has Chelsea Lane worked with in New Zealand? She has held high-performance roles with NZ Cricket and Basketball New Zealand, and now the Silver Ferns.

Why is Chelsea Lane considered a leading high-performance voice? She has built and led multidisciplinary performance teams across two NBA franchises and multiple national sporting bodies over more than 20 years.

How long is a typical keynote? 45 minutes is standard with Q&A optional. Fireside chats and workshop formats are also available.