Kayla Johnson: podcast appearances and interviews

Kayla Johnson is the Director of Population Strategy at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, where she is affiliated with Circles Grant County. Her background includes a notable career in netball, where she played at representative and national levels during her high school years. In 2008, she was selected for the New Zealand Under-21 netball team and contributed to the team's second-place finish at the 2009 World Youth Netball Championships. Johnson joined the Northern Mystics in the ANZ Championship in 2010, debuting in five matches and receiving a nomination for the competition's Best Young Player award. She was also chosen to represent New Zealand at the 2010 World Netball Series in England with the Fastnet Ferns, helping the team secure first place. Over her playing career, Johnson demonstrated versatility by operating in various court positions before establishing herself as a defender. During the 2011 season, under new head coach Debbie Fuller, the Mystics reached their first finals series, with Johnson playing in every game and starting in the grand final, which they narrowly lost. Her performances earned her recognition as part of the ANZ Championship All-Star team at wing defence and the award for Best Young Player. Johnson's experience as an elite athlete informs her role in population strategy and community development, where her leadership and strategic insights contribute to policy initiatives.