Broadcaster Clare Balding will take over from former Arsenal and England captain Tony Adams as president of the Rugby Football League.
Balding will become the 30th president when she takes office next July and will be supported by Hull KR chief executive Mike Smith, who will succeed Doncaster's Carl Hall in the role of vice president as the longest-serving member of the Rugby League Council.
Both appointments were ratified at Tuesday's meeting of the council at Headingley. Balding will serve a two-year term which will include the 2021 World Cup in England.
"I am so proud to be asked to help promote the wonderful sport of rugby league," Balding said.
"As I know from my time presenting the game and following it as a fan, it is full of tradition and history but has a truly modern outlook.
"It's going global with teams from Europe and Canada alongside the great traditional clubs and I think this is a really exciting time.
"I am particularly thrilled to be involved as we head to the Rugby League World Cup in 2021, the first major international sports event to embrace the men's, women's and wheelchair tournaments together.
"Rugby league does great work in its communities and leads the way with inclusion in sport, and the growth of women's rugby league in particular has been wonderful to watch.
"I have loved it since I watched it as a child with my grandmother who used to tell me: 'Now this is a proper sport'.
"I realised how true that was when I started presenting it and have always admired the team spirit, friendly atmosphere and strong moral code that it encourages."
Meanwhile, former RFL vice president Pat Crawshaw and his honour Peter Charlesworth - who stepped down from the RFL operational rules tribunal this month after 26 years - have been inducted into the RFL Roll of Honour, along with former schoolteacher Stuart Sheard, who has worked in the professional game for Sheffield Eagles, Huddersfield and the Crusaders.