Danielle Laidley (birth name Dean Laidley) played 151 games for West Coast Eagles and North Melbourne football clubs, winning an AFL premiership with the Kangaroos in 1996. She became one of the youngest senior coaches ever at 36, coaching North Melbourne for 149 games across seven seasons from 2003 to 2009.

Building on her experience in training and developing people, Danielle moved into a leadership and management role with the Department of Justice. She was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and is now an advocate for transgender people, raising awareness in a quest for acceptance of diversity. Danielle lives in Melbourne with her partner, Donna Leckie.