CEO Resignation Announcement - From the VSA Board

27 April 2026

The Volleyball South Australia Board would like to share with our members and wider community that Chief Executive Officer, Karla Della Pietra, has resigned from her role and will conclude her work with VSA on 2 July.

Since commencing in the role in November 2021, Karla has led Volleyball South Australia through one of the most significant growth and transformation periods in its history.

Reflecting on her time with the organisation, Karla shared:

“This hasn’t been an easy decision because it’s the people who have made this role so special. It’s because of the VSA team and broader volleyball community that I’ve shown up every day. You’ve backed big ideas, allowed me to push the limits, and supported a vision to put volleyball on the map and showcase everything about your sport that deserves to be shouted from the rooftops. It has been an absolute privilege to lead this sport and the people behind it. More than anything, it’s been a privilege to grow alongside volleyball in South Australia. Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey - our team, Board, volunteers and community - there’s so much more ahead for this sport, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.”

The Board would like to thank Karla for her leadership, commitment, and contribution to the sport across South Australia.

Karla has played an important role in guiding Volleyball South Australia through a period of significant progress and has truly changed the game for volleyball and beach volleyball in South Australia.

Under her leadership, membership has grown to the highest numbers in our history. Karla joined the organisation at the tail end of the pandemic and has led it through the post-pandemic period into a phase of strong growth, helping further establish Volleyball South Australia as a progressive, community-led sporting organisation.

Karla has also led significant progress in lobbying and advocating for the relocation and redevelopment of beach volleyball facilities from Adelaide City Beach to Bonython Park. This project alone will deliver much-needed infrastructure for our sport and a legacy that will live on.

During her tenure, VSA also overhauled the nationally aligned VSA Performance Pathway, strengthening athlete development from grassroots through to elite levels, while introducing Emerging Talent Hubs to create stronger early-stage pathways for young athletes.

Karla led an important organisational rebrand, increased commercial partnerships and sponsorship outcomes, and helped strengthen Volleyball South Australia’s governance practices and professionalism through improved policies, systems, and Board processes.

Karla has made meaningful contributions to the culture of our organisation, supporting staff, volunteers, clubs, and members across the volleyball community.

We sincerely thank Karla for all that she has done for our sport, and for the professionalism, vision, and energy she has brought to the role. We wish her every success in her next chapter.

Volleyball South Australia remains strongly positioned for the future, with a clear strategic direction, dedicated staff and volunteers, and significant opportunities on the horizon across South Australia. The Board looks forward to building on the strong foundations established over the last four years.

We will work closely with Karla and the team to facilitate a smooth transition in the coming months and will commence recruitment for the CEO position shortly. We will provide further updates to members and stakeholders in due course.

Olivia, Becchara & the VSA Board