MEET THE MENTORS

Being a country girl with big dreams, I started my career before I even finished school.  I started in Insurance at 15 and finished my education at night school.  I just wanted to learn and earn!

I’m an incredibly ambitious person, and I really aspired to be in a role where I could get hands-on with clients and continually learn from them.  With Insurance Broking, my network is simply enormous.  I learn so much about industries and occupations that most people have never even heard of.

A huge milestone for me was when Taylor Made Insurance Services officially launched. 

I come from a family of entrepreneurs, so naturally I’ve always yearned to become a business owner and run my own brokerage. To have that autonomy, and to be able to shape my business into something I can be proud of, is something that I’ve always been passionate about. 

A part of my portfolio that gets me excited is my not for profit organisations and indigenous communities all around the country. As someone with an indigenous heritage, working closely with indigenous communities has given me a better understanding of my own culture and helped me grow into who I am today. 

Leading by example – Amanda

Amanda Theodosiou is Queensland State Manager for Strata Community Insurance, based in Brisbane. With an insurance career spanning 30 years, Amanda has a diverse skillset across many facets including loss adjusting, operations, claims, new business and learning & development.

Amanda is a collaborative and solutions-focused leader, who is passionate about developing and implementing successful business strategies that drive growth and create value for clients. Her deep understanding of the insurance industry, combined with her compassionate and client-centric approach, has earned her a reputation as an influential leader who is committed to achieving favourable outcomes for her clients.

Charlotta is Head of Merchandise Planning – Supercheap Auto

Multilingual retailer with robust international experience.
Successful in management and expansion of multiple segments and multi-channel retailing.
A straightforward and inspirational leader with focus on driving continuous optimization and refinement of the team with a consumer, sales & margin attention.

📌𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐬:
-Cross-functional Team Leadership
-Consumer Driven Supply Chain Planning
-Profitability Focused Problem Solving
-Strategic Partnership Management
-Driver of Performance Excellence

📌𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐚𝐦 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞:
-Empowerment, Ownership, Accountability & Results
-Ability to think Creatively, Add Value & Challenge the Status Quo
-Lead Dynamically & Collaboratively
-Continuous Development Opportunities & possibility to drive Projects
-Ambitious, Enthusiastic & Determined people walking the walk

I am passionate about managing business wide improvement projects & cost saving initiatives alongside of streamlining the daily tasks, not only of my direct team but also with our collaboration partners. Demonstrated by the several successfully completed projects in setting up brand new departments I have behind me.

Jen is the Transport Group Lead with AECOM in Southeast Queensland, leading a talented team of more than 150 Transport Infrastructure professionals delivering engineering designs for road and rail projects for State and Local Government clients. Jen is a Civil Engineer, Chartered Civil Engineer and a Fellow of Engineers Australia and has worked in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. She has been fortunate to have been involved in a variety of projects, from the design and construction of the changes required to the streets of Hamilton in New Zealand to facilitate the V8 street race (Hamilton 500) to the design Gold Coast Light Rail, a project that has provided new ways to connect communities. 

Kayla is a Senior Relationship Manager at Macquarie Bank and has been in the finance sector for the last 13 years. As part of the Professional Services team in Queensland Kayla specialising in the segments of Insurance Broking, Legal and Insolvency. During her time at Macquarie Bank, Kayla has worked across a variety of segments, and formed strong relationships with these clients over the years. It’s not enough to simply sign a business up to a product – you need to understand what makes a business tick and how you can help them build a stronger business and deliver insights.

Macquarie Bank has been providing solutions to professional services for over 35 years. We work across the board with small businesses, established large corporates, and high net-worth individuals, providing value across a wide range of product offerings. Customers benefit from access to specialist teams in accounting and financial services, legal, insolvency and insurance broking.

Kayla joined Macquarie Bank in 2014 because of the diverse range of solutions that enable customers to succeed. Kayla enjoys forging strong relationships with her clients, sharing insights on achieving faster growth and better efficiencies, as well as getting like-minded groups together to discuss big picture ideas.

Kayla relocated to Brisbane from Northern NSW to attend university obtaining a Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing at the QUT, she then spent 2 years in London before returning to Brisbane and commencing her finance career recently completing postgraduate studies with UQ a Masters in Business Administration.

Director QSelect Agencies

Melissa is enjoying a 35 year career in insurance. Her experience expands across SME to Corporate Broking.  Following several years in a Sales Management role for an Insurer she took the
plunge into her own brokerage and underwriting agency, which she has owned for the past 8 years.

She is also the Brisbane Branch Director for Business in Heels and enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience through mentoring.

Orla is a senior technology leader, skilled in leading teams and delivering large scale and transformative
national and international programs of work across multiple industries.
Recognised for talents in strategy development, innovation and delivery. A strong track record of converting
strategic plans into tactical reality through guiding and empowering teams to deliver at pace, and effectively
managing the resulting transformational change.
Experienced in utilising emerging technologies and practices to develop new digital products and experiences,
resulting in enhanced customer experiences and elevated sales conversion

Raewyn Bailey is an experienced mentor and business owner, having started, owned and operated her own multi million dollar recruitment firm for 25 years. During this period Raewyn also started two other related businesses.

Raewyn offers diverse business insights having sat on various boards  including Transport for Brisbane, Mater Foundation and start up Vspry.

As a result Raewyn was invited to be a guest speaker for the Lord Mayors Business Forum and on International Women’s day on behalf of the Premier of Queensland.

As a member of International Entrepreneurs organisation for 12 years she was the first female president in Australia and won Entrepreneur of the Year award.

Raewyn enjoys philanthropy and was the Chair of The Royal Brisbane Hospital Foundation ball for 4 years. She was credited with a Ruby membership for her achievements.

She also sat on the Variety ball committee for 7 years winning an achievement award for her contribution to this charity.

Raewyn currently mentors through Mentor Walks and sits on Sister Cities Committee representing Hyderabad in India and is an Ambassador for the Lord Mayors Charitable Trust.

Raewyn is currently the CEO of a charity – Mental Awareness Foundation after selling her business in 2017.

Tara is an experienced business and technology Manager for HP Australia. Currently managing the Customer Success teams across Australia and New Zealand for the Managed Services Business within the Global Services and Solutions group. Having over 20 years of experience in the managed print, personal systems and solutions space, Tara is responsible for leading teams and driving contractual services and solutions growth for commercial clients.

Tara leads by example with Authenticity, Integrity, and Empathy. Strongly believes effective employee coaching and development leads to high performing teams. Taking the time to teach, learn and develop builds trust, relationships, and a strong growth base of knowledgeable future leaders. 

Tara prides herself on her genuine passion for achieving best in class customer service; working with internal and external executive leadership teams to achieve financial, sustainability and operational goals.

Tara has been with HP since 2011 and previously held team and leadership positions across the ICT industry. Personally, Tara lives in Brisbane with her Husband. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, listening to music with an eclectic collection, watching movies and the odd competitive online game.

Director at The CEO Institute Geelong, she strategically invites elite business people who are in growth businesses to join.

No stranger to developing & growing businesses across the globe. As Chairman & CEO of a world-leading fashion brand of boots, Director of a sourcing company based in China, developer of Café/Play centres, glossy magazines, events, business development companies, charities, Sydney Olympics, Insurance agencies, Real Estate, published author, franchises… she is ambitious, experienced and open to a challenge.

Nominated Telstra Business woman of the year 2014 and runner up in Chamber of Commerce & Industry awards as she has a passion for exceeding expectations.

I’m her early 40’s & already has a world of practical experience, which probably shouldn’t be a surprise given at 15 years old she was the youngest drama teacher in Australia running my own school, and hasn’t stopped since. Some say she has ‘ants in her pants’, but it’s this energy and drive that gets her the results.

In my spare time I negotiate how much chocolate is appropriate after dinner is OK before bed, with my 9-year old daughter and change the dirty nappies of my 3 year old.

Learn the HARD way or the FAST way, it’s up to YOU. Experience & setbacks is hard, the FAST way is learning from others who have done it before, & fast track your success. The right education has the power to change your whole life & the lives others.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Amanda comes with a spirit of philanthropy. Amanda Nicole is a Coach, Fundraiser and Podcaster for creatives, entrepreneurs, executives and non profit organisations.

Amanda is a Professional Mentor with Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA) mentoring marketing and fundraising professionals to advance in their career, such as increased responsibility, promotion and or job change in the nonprofit sector.

Amanda as an Alumni joined Sacred Heart College Alumni Association in 2024. Amanda’s voluntary role involves fundraising consultancy, guiding the Alumni Association in their Fundraising and Alumni Engagement Activities in Mercy Education.

Amanda is committed to applying her expertise in Fundraising, Marketing and Gifts in Wills, to guide the implementation of the College’s Alumni Strategic Plan and future growth.

Amanda enjoys volunteering with local Geelong nonprofits in the area of fundraising consultancy, to direct them in the development and implementation of their Bequests / Gifts in Wills Program to inspire, solicit, and manage gifts from donors in the community.

Amanda has her own podcast, Voice of Soul with Amanda Nicole, where she talks about topics about networking, marketing, sales, mindset and social media, to help entrepreneurs fulfill their calling to serve and to grow a business that bears fruit.

Life before a career change, Amanda was a Registered Nurse for 15 years, working for some well-known healthcare organisations and more niche ones in London and Australia.

Anne has practised exclusively in family law since 2005 and has been recognised as a Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer in Regional Victoria in the 2022 Doyle’s Guide, as well as a finalist in the Partner of the Year Awards 2020. She works within our experienced Family & Relationship Law team in both the Geelong and Melbourne offices, steadfastly committed to achieving the best outcomes for every client. Anne and the family law team’s hallmark is creative, collaborative and practical solutions that help clients focus on the future. Anne has significant experience in resolving matters by negotiation through alternative dispute resolution and mediation.

Anne and her team consistently resolve complex divorce, property and parenting matters without the need to resort to costly and lengthy litigation. Where settlement can’t be reached pre-litigation, Anne’s family law expertise delivers strong, client-centric representation in court.

As an Independent Children’s Lawyer appointed by Victoria Legal Aid, Anne uses her experience, expertise and empathy to represent and promote the interests of children in family law proceedings. These cases often involve difficult issues such as high levels of conflict and allegations of abuse, neglect or family violence.

Beyond the practice, Anne is a member of the Quality and Research Committee at MacKillop Family Services and on the Board of Lazarus Community Centre. She is also a member of the Strategy and Policy Committee and on the Board for Committee for Geelong as well as a mentor for Women in Heels and a member of the CEO Institute.

Deb Fribbins is an entrepreneur, strategic planning coach,  mentor, speaker, author, social enterprise advocate and champion for equality. Her passion is to support small businesses from start up to scaleable sale to thrive and achieve their goals.

Deb enjoyed a long successful career in the corporate retail world with Myer, David Jones, Target, and Harris Scarfe over more than 30 years.  Since leaving retail she has worked extensively with small business retailers, service providers, manufacturers and wholesalers, both locally and Internationally. Servicing clients in the UK, Bali, USA and all over Australia. 

The Developing Excellencein Business  (DEB) philosophy is to empower business owners with the knowledge, skills and expertise to achieve and exceed their goals. Extensive experience in coaching and mentoring has seen great success for businesses in a wide variety of fields. The unique 5 D process is customised for each individual business needs, leading to increased sales, profits and a greater brand awareness in the market place. 

With over 25 years of experience in strategy development, budget and P&L management, customer marketing, brand building and digital strategies, I am a strategic, outcome-driven senior manager who leads by example and fosters a culture of teamwork, shared mission and excellence. Currently, I am the General Manager Analytics, Insights and Claims Integrity at Bupa, where I leverage process, system and advanced analytics to prevent benefit leakage and reduce fraud, waste, abuse and error of private health insurance claims.

I have a flair for identifying and implementing simple solutions to complex problems, and a proven track record of driving growth and value through the development and execution of successful strategies and initiatives that have a positive impact on health care cost and utilisation, representing value for members. I also have a passion for delivering customer-centric solutions that enhance the customer experience and loyalty. My goal is to use my expertise and insights to enable Bupa to operate more effectively and efficiently, and to improve the health and wellbeing of our customers and communities.

Gillian is the General Manager of The Pier Geelong, an iconic hospitality group. Experienced General Manager with a demonstrated history of working across many industries at both management and board level. Skilled in Budgeting, Business Planning, Customer Service, Team development and Solvency management.

Deputy ChairDeputy Chair Kardinia Park Stadium Trust

Deputy ChairDeputy Chair Multicultural Aged Care Services Geelong (MACS)

Liberty Adviser, Finance & Mortgage Broker, Non-Executive Director Geelong Chamber of Commerce & Business Consultant.

I am a successful Business Professional with extensive knowledge and experience in finance management and demonstrated commercial acumen. Intelligent, enthusiastic and highly motivated, with a strong task orientation and a dedication to continuous improvement through innovation. Well known for my outstanding interpersonal and presentation skills demonstrated over 20 years in management roles. I have a strong background in finance and accounts management and an excellent understanding of administrative and risk management operations.

A proven ability to lead, coach and develop others to achieve desired goals and objectives is my main priority. I believe I have the ability to effectively analyse and evaluate information and situations through anticipating, identifying and defining problems as well as taking necessary action when required.

My core competencies include:
– Leadership and Strategic Orientation
– Commitment and Results Driven
– Project Management
– Risk Management
– Excellent communication and Stakeholder Management
– Time and Priority Management
– Finance and Procurement Contract AssessmentI am a successful Business Professional with extensive knowledge and experience in finance management and demonstrated commercial acumen. Intelligent, enthusiastic and highly motivated, with a strong task orientation and a dedication to continuous improvement through innovation. Well known for my outstanding interpersonal and presentation skills demonstrated over 20 years in management roles. I have a strong background in finance and accounts management and an excellent understanding of administrative and risk management operations. A proven ability to lead, coach and develop others to achieve desired goals and objectives is my main priority. I believe I have the ability to effectively analyse and evaluate information and situations through anticipating, identifying and defining problems as well as taking necessary action when required. My core competencies include: – Leadership and Strategic Orientation – Commitment and Results Driven – Project Management – Risk Management – Excellent communication and Stakeholder Management – Time and Priority Management – Finance and Procurement Contract Assessment
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Justine Martin is the Founder/CEO of the Justine Martin Corporation (JMC),

incorporating four businesses: Juzt art, Resilience Mindset, Van-Go Decals and

Morpheus Publishing. Justine is an accomplished & award-winning artist; keynote

speaker; resilience coach; author; and podcast host. She started Juzt art 10 years

ago, and has grown to four businesses during that time.

Her personal medical battles inspired the launch of her second business; Resilience

Mindset, where she coaches, runs a resilience podcast series, is a published author

and a keynote speaker on resilience. Early 2022 saw the launch ‘Team Finger Print’

a new corporate program combining a morning of resilience team building and

afternoon of bringing the team’s vision to life through painting.

Her love of art and design inspired her third business; Van-Go Decals, colourful and

funky decals to brighten up wheelchairs, caravans, campervans, trailers, Kombi

vans to stand out on the footpaths, roads and caravan parks! Justine is redesigning

the way art is utilised, displayed and shared.

During 2022 Justine is launching her fourth business; Morpheus Publishing. Justine’s

passion for writing resilience/self-help books and the addition of writing her first

kids book; Same Same But Different, will see the launch of a publishing arm.

Throughout 2021 Justine was awarded seven national awards! Her dedication and

passion for helping & coaching others was recognised when she won Gold at the

2021 prestigious national AusMumpreneur Awards for ‘Coach of the Year’ and her

outstanding creative ability continues to shine, winning GOLD in the 2021 Roar

Awards for Creative ‘Artist of the Year’.

Julie Hope is Deakin University’s Geelong broker of business and community partnerships, leading collaborative teams to enhance community engagement in Geelong and surrounds.

Julie has connected & managed Deakin’s patronage of many key partnerships including the Geelong Cats,Deakin Cats Community Centre,Geelong Arts Centre – Deakin University Theatre Season,the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race & the Deakin University Geelong Business Excellence Awards. Julie proactively seeks ways to unite all aspects of Deakin’s business and with the community, civic and business spheres by connecting Deakin’s research, student interns, graduate employment and teaching and learning opportunities.

She endeavours to facilitate Deakin’s support of many other organisations including smaller not-for-profit organisations and local iconic festivals like Pako Festa and Gala Day.

A passionate advocate for Geelong, Julie has been a Director of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce (2 tenures) and is currently engaged as a Director of Geelong Connected Communities,

Community Advisory Sub-Committee of Barwon Health and Sport in the North Advisory Committee.

She has been an Ambassador for Project Love acknowledging her time as a patient in the Andrew Love cancer centre in 2011 and she is a Tourism Geelong and the Bellarine ‘MEET Geelong’ Ambassador.

Lisa Sweeney is CEO of Business in Heels, daily she works to fast-track women on their journey. She has 4 1/2 years of small business experience and well understands the transition from corporate to business owner.

Her expertise includes strategic planning, marketing, expansion through digital marketing, she is a strategic connector.

Her background is 25 years of corporate buying experience with expertise in strategic planning, sourcing, online retail, negotiation and she well understands the hurley burley of a corporate career.

She is passionate about making a difference for women & on a daily basis works to find solutions to levelling up the playing field. This year having launched mentoring, access to new women’s professional indemnity & superannuation solutions.

Liz Price –GM Great Ocean Road Tourism- .

Liz is a strong leader and strategic thinker and has driven the growth and profitability

of both start up and established businesses.

Liz is a strong collaborator proficient in building mutually beneficial partnerships ,

driving change and embedding a culture of innovation and capacity building that

engages both internal and external stakeholders.

Liz is the Inaugural General Manager of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, an

organisation established in 2013 by the Six Local Governments across the region to

deliver a collaborative, regional approach to building a sustainable visitor economy

for the Great Ocean Road region.

Liz has worked in tourism, hospitality & publishing for over thirty years including

as General Manager-Australia for Club Tourism Publishing, Inaugural Chief Executive

of Destination Melbourne and Executive Director of Tourism for the Melbourne

Convention and Visitors Bureau. A destination management specialist with a

passion for strategy and a love of marketing, Liz has worked extensively with

not for profits and membership based organisations.

Liz is passionate about thinking differently and challenging the status quo and enjoys

continuously learning.

Most people come to Mentoring with a sense that what is happening in their businesses or
careers is not allowing them to achieve the goals they have set for themselves, that they are
not achieving their full potential. I have been in business more than 30 years, and I have the
expertise and experience across a wide range of industries to help you change that.
I am not just about giving you tips and strategies for improvement. I am also about helping
you discover new possibilities for your business that you may not have even imagined or
thought possible. A high priority for me is helping you to discover your strengths and how
you can enhance them to achieve your goals.
I specialise in helping my mentees proactively manage the interpersonal challenges they
face in their businesses. These are the challenges they personally face as owner , for
example, managing change and disruption and stress and conflict. But also managing all the
stakeholders in your business – employees, customers, suppliers, for example, in a way that
grows you and your business.
There are six areas of business development that I consistently see as issues for women and
which they need to attend to if they want to be successful..
1. Having a business development plan.
2. Developing your network.
3. Building a social media presence.
4. Creating your professional identity – the brand called YOU.
5. Learning to self-promote.
6. Integrating work and family.

Originally from Estonia, Olga has lived, studied, and worked in Finland, England, Kazakhstan and now in Australia.

After completing a PhD in Chemistry at Oxford, Olga decided to focus on a combination of finance and innovation.

One of her mentors suggested that joining a graduate program at a Big4 accountancy firm and working as an auditor was the “world’s best MBA”. From there Olga has held a range of roles, from startup founder in the energy trading sector to 2ic of investor relations at a FSTE 100 mining company as well as an investment manager at a private equity firm. 

Recently, Olga has been working with university researchers to facilitate research investment opportunities, advising investors on mergers and acquisitions as well as mentoring and coaching start-up founders at SPARK Deakin and State Library Victoria’s StartSpace.

Developing your own business, changing careers, industries and countries is not always straightforward, so Olga knows the first-hand how even one mentoring conversation can really help.

Tina Perfrement, Business & Industry Experience, City of Greater Geelong

Tina has worked with businesses and the public sector to improve performance through sustainability, in Australia and the United Kingdom (UK).  Her approach is both strategically driven and practically focused.  This is reflected in her achievements during a career spanning more than 20 years.  Tina has been involved with developing markets for sustainable goods and services for most of her career.  At the City of Greater Geelong, she is working on a business support program, which stimulates demand for clean economy solutions and supports local suppliers to respond to this increased demand.  The work has resulted in job creation, skills development, and business expansion outcomes for the Greater Geelong economy.  Tina’s work on Procurement for Innovation has been ground-breaking in stimulating the market to develop innovative responses to unmet needs.  This work is now being shared throughout Australia and globally.  Tina is on the Board of the Victorian Cleantech Cluster, is Deputy Chair of Benefit Geelong, and a judge for the Geelong Business Excellence Awards.  She has been called on to share her knowledge of market development for sustainable goods and services in Australia, UK, New Zealand, Canada, and Europe.

Cassandra Goodman whole-heartedly believes that it’s not enough to love what we do – unless we also love who we’re being while we do it. Through her coaching, training, speaking, and writing. Cassandra empowers leaders to be true to themselves at work as the catalyst for the co-creation of workplaces where people can thrive, perform, play and belong. 

Cassandra has three decades of business experience having held many different senior leadership roles, including being appointed as Bupa’s first Global Director of Employee Experience. In this role she was focussed on the activation of the organisations’ purpose ‘Longer, Healthier, Happier Lives’ for their 86,000 employees around the world.

Today, Cassandra enjoys a portfolio career. She is the founder of The Centre for Self-Fidelity, the Chief Talent Activator at Think Talent, and a facilitator and executive coach for Thrive Global. Following the success of her first self-published book Self-Fidelity in 2020, her second book Being True was published by Hardie Grant in 2023.Cassandra was born in Sydney, but currently lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband and two young sons

Chelsea Rossney, is an accomplished senior executive & business leader, with extensive experience building & managing, diverse, high performing sales teams and cross functional units.  Significant tenure at HP and in the Tech Channel brings vast knowledge in a Multiplex organisation across SMB, Enterprise, Education, Online, Retail and Distribution segments. 

A specialist in stakeholder management, influential at all levels, with a history of expanding customers, revenue, profitability, and market share in competitive and dynamic environments. 

Known for a high level of operational rigor and financial cadence, coupled with a unique level of social awareness and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, successfully coaching multiple teams, individuals and other leaders to achieve critical business outcomes and their personal career goals. 

With over 30 years of experience in the retail industry, Deborah is a renowned executive coach and mentor supporting women navigate and build their retail careers and businesses. Deborah offers her clients a unique perspective for growth that is driven by self-reflection and goal orientation that is focused on developing the skills and capabilities to be the best person they can be for their team, their family, their friends, their customer, but more importantly, themselves. 

Starting her career in Fashion Design, Deborah developed and sustained the passion to be continually curious in understanding the evolving needs and desires of the customer and to be driven to continuously focus on delivering creative solutions that not only inspires but excites consistently customers.

Deborah evolved her retail career from Fashion Design to Executive leadership roles in Marketing, Finance, Buying, Merchandise Planning, Operations, Supply Chain and eCommerce in industry leading Specialty and ASX listed businesses including Kmart, Target, Officeworks and more recently Mecca. 

Throughout her extensive career Deborah has had an unwavering customer-centric approach which has enabled her to play an integral role in the industry leading transformation of multiple businesses through a focus on embedding a customer focused, results driven, collaborative culture within her teams. 

With customers and serving others being at Deborah’s core, she now uses her experience and expertise to support others through her coaching and mentoring business with her focus on supporting others be all that they can be for themselves and their customers. 

Secure Adaptive Infrastructure (SAI) Executive, Telstra Purple 

Gretchen currently leads Telstra Purple’s Secure Adaptive Infrastructure Practice which includes; MDN/SD WAN, Integrated Services, Professional Services, Cloud Infrastructure, Cloud Managed Services, Traditional Cloud Apps, Telstra Broadcasting (TBS), Enterprise Works, Managed Radio and Industry Solutions.  

SAI aims to help organisations achieve enterprise-wide transformation through cloud adoption, network modernisation and  Cyber Security. The practice offers customers services such as cloud strategy, readiness assessment, workload migration, cloud foundation, cloud management, cloud optimisation and cloud transformation – using Telstra’s network and security capabilities.

A highly experienced Executive and Board Member, Gretchen’s career includes 20 years at Telstra leading diverse product sales portfolios including Collaboration, Mobile and Network solutions.

She is deeply passionate about women in technology and is a strong advocate for the role technology and culture can play in transforming businesses.

Prior to her SAI appointment, Gretchen led Telstra Purple’s Next Generation Growth (NGG) team.  A group formed from expert teams from across Networks & IT, Product & Technology and Telstra Enterprise in the areas of Cloud, Security and IOT. NGG focused on responding to the rapidly evolving needs of our customers and is shifting our direction to the growth market segments that will ensure our business is successful in the future.

She also led the Victorian & Tasmanian Enterprise Customer Management teams driving them forward in our purpose to create better ways to empower businesses to thrive in a connected world. Her unique combination of industry expertise, product knowledge and leadership capability – underpinned by a customer-first obsession provides a unique perspective on how our customers can best drive productivity, efficiencies and growth.

Gretchen is a Telstra Super board member.

Jo is an entrepreneurial thought leader and business builder with 25+ years in corporate sales, marketing, operations, management, human resources, cybersecurity, cloud, digital transformation; and running her own small business in technology/cloud/cyber/business for small businesses.

Jo is currently a mentor at Wipro, and has mentored through her own small business & the Australian Small Business Advisory Services helping small start ups with GTM, digital, technology & business solutions; completed an MBA, and won a scholarship for the Women’s Entrepreneurs program through AICD.  Areas where Jo adds great value:

• Small Business start up
• Cloud Hosting & Cybersecurity
• Technology & Digital Transformation
• GTM strategies
• Sales & Marketing
• Business Coach

Malaysian-born Jocelyn Chong is an award-winning, #1 International Best-Selling Author, CEO and Founder of Seed to Sequoia. After a successful twenty-year career at Australia’s leading banks (where she generated over $200 million in revenue), she changed paths to pursue her true passion as a Certified Life and Business Coach.

Utilising her MBA and background in high-level sales, leadership and management, she has worked with over 500 entrepreneurs to date, teaching them how to earn with ease, attract dream clients, and create a life by design. Her mission is to help business leaders tap into their true purpose while scaling their business with feel-good strategies and intuitive guidance.

Her clients love her instinctive ability to uncover the core problems stifling their growth — and the practical tools she provides to unlock their full potential. She’s known for her fun, bubbly attitude and unapologetically ambitious dogma.

Jocelyn has been featured in Thrive Global, Digital Journal, FOX, Ask.com, The Times and Finance News World. When she’s not empowering her clients, you can find her working on her own self-development, enjoying nature and planning her next getaway.

Kathryn Harper brings over 20 years’ experience in executive search and consulting, building her career with boutique agencies and large international Executive Search firms.  She joined Amrop Carmichael Fisher as Partner in 2019.

Specialising in the Government sector, Kathryn has provided Executive Search services for senior level appointments including CEO, Deputy Secretary, Executive Officer, General Manager and Director mandates for various State Government departments and agencies.  Additionally, she has also managed Chair and Board appointments for several Statutory Authorities.  As a result, she brings a strong understanding of the sector and its specific requirements, including diversity, to the search and engagement of executives and non-executive directors.

Relationship management has been a major focus for Kathryn and she is passionately committed to understanding the ever-changing needs of clients and candidates, carefully assessing the capabilities of candidates to ensure a good cultural match between the two. She has a strong understanding of the importance of building lasting relationships with clients and candidates alike. Providing career advice and mentoring is an aspect of her role which she finds particularly enjoyable and rewarding.

Lyly Greca, a Vietnamese immigrant lucky enough to arrive in Australia with my mother and older brothers at the tender age of 6. Today, I’m married to a beautiful Italian man whom I met at University whilst studying my Bachelor of Economics and Finance degree and together we’re blessed with 2 amazing children living in Australia’s most livable city Melbourne.

I am the 3rd child in our family of 2 older boys and a younger half-sister. My brothers and I were raised by an incredibly strong and traditional woman with amazing smarts, fantastic work ethics and greatest generosity. From a very young age, I knew what I wanted and often map out how I’d achieve those goals. Today I operate a premium flower and gift social enterprise called “Miei Fiori”. With more than 10% of Australian population living below the poverty line and just half of those are Children, Miei Fiori was created as a vehicle to combat poverty, serve our people, support our community and protect our planet.
We do that by that by:
Donating 100% profit to children’s charities within Australia
Commit to sustainable options
Complete transparency.

My entrepreneurship started at about 15 years of age when I was able to make my very own first dollar at McDonald’s. I mapped my path to owning my first property by 18, how I’d earn 6 figures by 25 and operating a Company that is dedicated to solving some world challenges by 40. Today I’m 37 years old and couldn’t feel luckier and more grateful for everything I’ve achieved thus far with my best-friend and soul mate.
Before taking the bold step to start my own company, I had an incredible Corporate career in varying roles across many industries practicing the lessons learnt from mentors, making many mistakes along the way, solving problems and pivoted through challenges whilst having a lot of fun along the way

Megan O’Donnell-Lace is a highly accomplished professional with an impressive career spanning over two decades, predominantly within the financial services sector. With a remarkable talent for spearheading strategic initiatives and fostering operational excellence, Megan has consistently demonstrated her prowess in leadership and transformative change management.

Throughout her career journey, Megan has displayed a remarkable ability to align organisational objectives with strategic priorities, resulting in impactful outcomes. Her areas of expertise encompass strategy, operational risk management, compliance, stakeholder collaboration, and continuous process improvement. Megan’s proficiency in navigating complex challenges and leading cross-cultural teams with agility underscores her exceptional leadership qualities.

Megan’s admired career journey is a testament to her exceptional leadership, strategic acumen, and unwavering commitment to driving organisational success in the dynamic landscape of financial services. As a mentor, Megan brings a wealth of experience and insights, empowering individuals to unlock their full potential and thrive in their professional endeavours. teams. 

Nabila is a digital marketing communications expert with over 15 years of extensive experience in paid, owned, and earned communications having worked in consulting agencies and client-side. She has driven and implemented digital strategies for Australian ASX-listed companies such as BHP and Telstra and US-listed companies like Intel, LVMH, Mastercard and Cushman & Wakefield.

She is highly experienced in digital marketing and communications for industries such as mining, technology, finance, consumer, and government.

Nabila recently completed a Certificate in Cybersecurity, where she now adds python coding and cyber-attack management to her expertise. In her spare time, Nabila enjoys mentoring others in the marketing and communications field while consulting start-ups on the best practices for digital marketing.  

Nabila is a strong advocate of inclusion and diversity matters. She is a committee member for the women’s group at BHP, a platform for women in the business to advocate for each other. Additionally, Nabila is also a strong LGBTQIA+ ally and is a global committee member of Jasper, a BHP employee-led group that champions LGBTQIA+ policies and issues.

Nabila earned her Communications degree from Richmond, the American International University in London. She regards herself as someone dynamic, agile, and highly motivated. 

Nia is a dynamic, purpose-driven and collaborative leader who supports organisations using innovative design and digital transformation to execute meaningful change, and has a proven track record in large scale, consumer driven companies. Her experience spans Strategy, Management Consulting and Technology at ASX-listed consulting firm Accenture, with a foundation in Finance and Business Restructuring at market-leading accounting firm, BDO.

Nia has a reputation for successfully delivering transformational change by applying innovation at the core, with a focus on data-driven approaches and Human-Centred Design Methods. Her consistent involvement in advocating and executing strategic innovation initiatives has equipped her with a versatile set of skills and methodologies for driving new ideas to fruition.

She thrives in leading and developing others by maximising the potential of emerging leaders, having established and led Accenture’s Diversity and Inclusion capability in the Strategy and Consulting practice, and serving as a career mentor for analysts and consultants.

Nia hopes to continue challenging leaders and teams to question the status quo and think differently to deliver sustainable, meaningful outcomes for businesses and communities.

Sandymcdonald.com and charity, CreateCare Global, Sandy McDonald is an author, a TEDx speaker, and a storytelling trainer, working with business and academia to improve and enhance communication through purpose-led story.

Artwords in started out in 1992 and Twenty two years later, it had become an award-winning marketing communication solutions destination for some of Australia’s most successful enterprises. In 2008, Sandy started her first charity Knit-a-square which led to her next career. She delivered a standing ovation TEDx talk about this extraordinary adventure in 2014.

 The intersection of these two experiences was to prove pivotal to the work she does now. In ArtWords, if they couldn’t get their clients clear on what they were positioning, why, and for whom, they’d failed. This became the single most important component of their work. During the formative years of Knit-a-square, they learned that online stories with a focused purpose touched lives everywhere.

They helped build a worldwide community of 20,000 people in 71 countries which is still growing. Sandy wrote the book, Get It Right Online to detail the framework for how this was achieved.

Sharenya is an exceptional People & Culture Executive, renowned for her expertise in driving outstanding business results and fostering positive cultural transformations. With a profound commitment to reshaping the future of work, she is dedicated to revolutionising the employee experience and cultivating more inclusive and equitable workplaces.

With over 20 years of broad experience in people and culture, Sharenya has honed her skills in implementing impactful culture and transformation programs. Her career began in learning and development, where she cultivated a passion for creating enriching experiences that enable individuals to unlock their full potential. Driven by curiosity and a desire for personal growth, Sharenya fearlessly embraced new opportunities and challenges, propelling her career forward and allowing her to evolve into her most recent role as General Manager of Employee Experience.

With an impressive breadth of experience across multiple regions, including EMEA and ASIAPAC, Sharenya has gained invaluable insights into the nuances of different cultural contexts and organisational dynamics. This global perspective has equipped her with a keen understanding of the diverse needs and aspirations of individuals within the workforce.

Sharenya is now embarking on an exciting new chapter in her career, embracing the opportunity to explore her passions and expand her horizons. After recently tying the knot, she is currently taking time to travel and immerse herself in new experiences. Simultaneously, she has ventured into the realm of entrepreneurship by establishing her own business in human experience consulting.

Driven by a deep-seated belief in the transformative power of personal growth, Sharenya is dedicated to helping individuals unlock their true potential and lead more fulfilling lives. She possesses a profound understanding of the intricate connection between values, work, and personal fulfillment, and she guides others to align their aspirations and passions with meaningful and purposeful careers.

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Having started my career in retail stores as a “fill in time”  role post High School, I quickly realised the retail sector was one I wanted to explore.

Working my way from the shop floor to management roles within the store portfolio, and then into a trainee buyer ship in HQ at Coles Myer. I learnt very quickly that the customer is at the forefront of everything we do. NO MATTER WHAT! 

18 years of Womenswear buying within Kmart- across Lingerie, Sleepwear, Active wear, Denim, Dresses and Knits/ Jersey followed- ensuring a variety of departmental variances keeping me challenged and interested. To add to that I finished my career at Kmart as a Senior Buyer myself, mentoring up and coming buyers in training.

From Kmart I had an amazing opportunity at Sussan Corporation- with an incredible mentor in Felicity McGahan- leading the way in leadership for Women!

10 years at Witchery gave me incredible design and sourcing opportunities- a role I relished with the support of Iain Nairn- MD Witchery at the time.

I finished my “rag trade” career at Just Jeans- a volume driver in the Australian marketplace.

My current role at T2 as Head of Product- 5 years has been an exceptional learning experience and change of pace and process from the clothing industry I was immersed in. One which I absolutely adore and am supported across the board by the leadership team at T2.

Mentors like Nicky Sparshott and Georgie Poulos were and continue to be inspirational female leaders- at the forefront of leadership, equality, diversity and inclusion, a voice for change and always thinking outside the box.

The retail landscape continues to evolve, and I look forward to the many challenges and changes that brings!

Throughout my career in New Zealand and Australia, my passion and focus have been working with organisations to achieve their strategic growth goals and hone their greatest competitive advantage – their people.

As an executive mentor and leadership coach, I have worked with other business leaders in their personal develop as they too contend with the challenges of leadership during uncertainty and on the journey of organisational change and service excellence.

 a business leadership perspective, many of the roles I have undertaken have come as the result of being appointed to lead organisational change – even during times of volatility and uncertainty.  I have learned that to achieve significant, sustainable success and growth you must focus on the customer experience and outcome – continually delivering a better service today than yesterday.

As an executive mentor and leadership coach, I have worked with other business leaders in their personal develop as they too contend with the challenges of leadership during uncertainty and on the journey of organisational change and service excellence.

She is a Partner at SLF Lawyers who has over 12 years of experience in commercial litigation during which time I have focused predominantly in practice areas of property, strata, debt recovery and insolvency. She is passionate about achieving results for her clients and willing to face the challenges of litigation head-on.

Some of her time is spent teaching with the Australian National University in their post-graduate law courses where she enjoys enabling the next generation of lawyers. Being fluent in Italian has also enabled her to assist clients and mentees from a non-English speaking background in resolving their legal disputes and navigating their way through the legal system.

Annie commenced her career in Recruitment in 1994 and over the past 20 years prior to co-founding Sprout Recruitment Annie held Senior Management roles within some of the worlds largest recruitment organisations including Select, Manpower and People Infrastructure.

Annie has delivered successful business outcomes for organisations from small family businesses to global organisations across a diverse range of industries.

Holding formal qualifications in Communications, Psychology and business management Annie is Passionate about leadership, people and believes that communication is the key to both personal and business success.

When not working Annie enjoys time with her family and friends on the beautiful NSW Central Coast and has a keen interest in Horse Racing. Annie is passionate about PT by the waterfront and skiing in Winter to maintain balance in a hectic crazy world.

Celine Dickson is currently the National Manager of Allianz Financial Institutions Partnerships Division, leading a sales team of 25 people, 23 banking Partnerships and a business portfolio in excess of $286 Million.

Celine’s record of success has been achieved in driving growth for both direct, intermediated and partnership channels which has been underpinned by a diverse range of interpersonal, strategic and technical skills developed over 18 years.

In 2017, Celine was selected to lead a major Global Transformation project leading to the merger and acquisition of one of the US leading InsureTech companies which redefined customer experience and growth in the insurance industry.

Katrin has been Chief Operations Officer at Steadfast Underwriting Agencies between April 2018 and April 2022, where she has led multiple performance enhancing projects, particularly within the technologies and robotics space.

Steadfast Underwriting Agencies is the largest insurance underwriting agency group in Australasia with 24 agencies and 100+ products.

Katrin is well recognised for her technical insurance knowledge, her ability to challenge the status quo and to drive new business enhancing solutions. She believes that technology should take away the ordinary tasks and enable people to do the extraordinary.

Katrin has been recognised as one of the “Elite Women in Insurance 2021” in the 10.04 issue of the “Insurance Business Australia” magazine.

Katrin is also a strong advocate of the DiveIn festival, a global festival which supports diversity and inclusion in insurance.

In addition, she was a committee member of Steadfast’s Reconciliation Action Plan, which aims to encourage a deeper understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Lastly, Katrin is an ambassador for the Children’s Cancer Institute, CEO Dare to Cure event. The number one priority of the Institute is to deliver the research that will lead to ZERO childhood cancer.

Kris has been a health & wellness advocate since she was 15! She has studied Science, Exercise Physiology, PE and nutrition, and spends her time writing, speaking, and consulting on all things health, wellness, Travel & Spa. 

Her career in the health and fitness industry spans 30 years, accumulating a wealth of knowledge and experience, including facilitating health & wellness workshops in both Australia and over seas.

She has authored several books, with her latest book, The Low HI Diet (New Holland) has sold globally.

She publishes Travel, Wellness & Spa magazine and blog (travelwellnessandspa.com.au) a media platform  inspiring readers to achieve an abundance of vitality and wellness in their everyday lives. And owns a results-driven fitness studio (icycleinside.com) which feeds her love for helping people push beyond their comfort zone.

For more of Kris’s work, to join her blog, to try one of her programs or join one of her retreats visit krisabbey.com.au or follow @spagirlkris.

She is a people and culture expert and Founder, Human Art – Career and Leadership Coaching. Leesa has over 15 years in Human Resource and Organisational Development with a strong track record leading strategic business partnering, diversity and inclusion, and culture transformation projects in complex, challenging and ambiguous circumstances.

Her key strengths are helping leaders and organisations navigate change and uncertainty, connecting people, ideas and opportunity. Leesa has worked in multiple industry sectors including IT, government, private education, financial services, property, telecommunications, and managed services. Prior to working in HR, Leesa managed a number of key change projects and led high performing operational teams in sales and customer service.

Leesa is an IECL Level 2 Certified Executive Coach, and is also Certified in Career Coaching, Mental Health First Aid, Psychological Safety, DiSC and the Hogan Personality Inventory. Leesa set up her own consulting, career and leadership coaching business – Human Art, 6 years ago. Her coaching practice is heart centred and leverages the latest research in neuroscience, and future of work studies.

She loves working with forward thinking leaders, emerging talent and start up founders, helping them create and craft their own style of leadership and entrepreneurship. Leesa is passionate about enabling individuals and organisations to reimagine and create a more positive and productive relationship with work. Leesa also enjoys mentoring women, youth and refugees on a pro-bono basis. She is an accomplished speaker and facilitator.

Chief Executive OfficerChief Executive Officer RSL & Services Clubs Association

Currently the Chief Executive Officer of RSL & Services Clubs Association, Margot has worked in a range of membership, engagement, events, marketing and customer service roles for 25 years.

She has enjoyed a long history giving back to professions at Chartered Accountants, Law Society of England and Wales, Finsia, Governance Institute and the Institute of Managers and Leaders (formerly the Australian Institute of Management).

Margot has extensive volunteer, fundraising and mentoring experience, and has a real passion for giving back. Margot holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology & Education), a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration (Management), an Advanced Diploma in Events, Certified Chief Happiness Officer certification, a Certificate IV in Training & Assessment, a Certificate in Governance and has undertaken the Company Directors Course.

Moran emphasizes the importance of equipping women with the right skills, tools, and resources they need to navigate complex workplace dynamics and achieve their professional and personal goals.

As a coach, trainer, and facilitator, Moran works with businesses to upskill and empower CEOs, executives, and emerging leaders to lead with clarity, courage, and confidence.

Moran is a thought leader who teaches and writes about the topics of Self Leadership and Self-Empowerment. She holds a Bachelor of Human Resources from the University of Haifa, Israel and an MBA from the University of Technology, Sydney. Moran is a Certified Woman-Centred Transformational Leader, Coach, and Facilitator.

Moran is a Certified Woman-Centred Transformational Leader, Coach, and Facilitator.

In her free time, Moran enjoys raising her two children, traveling, and mentoring high school girls on a volunteering basis.

Currently working as a Principal Consultant in Cybersecurity and Risk Services, Peta is heavily involved in helping clients navigate the ever changing regulatory and compliance landscape in Australia and New Zealand. An effective and efficient Security posture is the foundation Peta utilises to help clients successfully manage their transition to the cloud.

With a career spanning over 20 years in the IT industry Peta, has experience across a broad range of sectors with particular interest in legislative and regulatory compliance in the Cloud. Technology has come a long way and continues to develop at faster and faster rates, making the need to be on top of these changes more important now than ever before. Peta loves a challenge and being able to work out all the puzzle pieces to a client’s situation to determine the best solution for them.

Peta looks forward to being able to pay it forward with helping other women in their career journeys and sharing advise and her experiences along the way.

Rebecca Moroney brings over 20 years of ICT experience, having worked for some of the largest global brands and her own consultancy business, helping clients to develop transformation strategies within their own environment and initiatives those organizations can take to market.

Bek’s is currently ANZ Director, Strategic Pursuits Practice at VMware – leading a broad team of consultants, architects and commercial analysts to strategically pursue larger transformation engagements in VMware’s top 26 clients. Prior to that, Bek was State Government and Health Industry Leader at IBM, where she was responsible for the leadership of key pursuit initiatives and brand differentiation to Market. Prior to IBM, Bek was Northern Region Business director at HP, where she was responsible for the strategy development and team build of the Managed Services business for End User Compute, leading the business to 200% growth YoY over 5 years and teams to acquire several >$100mil new logo business deals. Bek’s professional passions are engaging with and building successful teams, developing pursuit initiatives that are unique to each client and leading businesses to successful change.

Empowering women to be who they are, and do what they want, without the self-sacrifice that is engrained in many of us is a mission close to my heart. I am fulfilled when I can help facilitate someone to first understand and then breakthrough what has been holding them back.

I have led teams in global and regional senior leadership positions in the technology industry, I have developed many training and development programs and mentoring programs, and most recently in the middle of a pandemic, decided to throw it all in to follow my dreams of being a coach and running my own business. From imposter syndrome, perfectionism, self-judgment, our inner-critic, conditional self-esteem, our fear of “being seen”, caring what others think, the worry of being misunderstood, feeling unheard…. I’ve seen, and experienced it all.

Now as a coach, my unique approach promotes shifts in thinking and behavioural patterns getting at the heart of what has been getting in my clients way, and helping women to move from uncertain to unstoppable leadership by building the clarity, confidence, communication skills and capability needed for success.

I look forward to giving back through Mentor Mornings, and look forward to meeting you soon.

As the Head of Alliances and Marketing of Outcomex in Australia, Sharlie Raymond works with technology vendors to best position their products within her company’s portfolio. Having completed a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in IT Project Management, Sharlie leverages her decade of experience to develop new partnerships with key industry players, and to increase brand awareness, loyalty, and credibility. Alongside these responsibilities, she manages a team, distributed across three states, and encourages them to find innovative ways to promote the value of Outcomex’s solutions for customers.

In recognition for her contribution to the technology industry, Sharlie was awarded ARN’s Emerging Leaders Award: 30 under 30 in 2019, and was a finalist for the ARN Women in ICT: Rising Star award in 2017 and 2020.

Sharlie is dedicated to promoting the next generation of women and give them the confidence and guidance to achieve their own goals and realise their full potential.

Shilpa is an Executive Architect for Oracle’ Strategic Clients in APAC. She works with her clients as a trusted advisor to help them make the right choices for their business when partnering with Oracle across data, applications, platform, infrastructure and industry solutions.

She has over 20 years of global experience with large organizations in a variety of consulting, strategy and delivery roles. She has helped multiple clients shape their investments to achieve strategic business outcomes and realize sustainable long term value from their technology investments.

Shilpa is a thought leader with extensive experience in Financial Services & Banking. With a customer centric approach, she is passionate about solving complex problems for enterprises.

Shilpa holds a Bachelor’s in Finance and Master’s in Computers. She grew up in India and lived in the UK before moving to Sydney. She enjoys playing board games and travelling with family in her spare time. She is always ready for a good chat – work or otherwise.

Simone Filetti is passionate about people, partnership and teams in the ICT industry. Simone has consistently brought her energy, skills and capabilities to her roles to effectively contribute to business operations and play an active part in fostering work cultures of inclusivity and empowerment. She strives in building high performance teams and driving customer value through innovation.

Simone also supports and encourages a balance of genders and generations, and different cultural, religious and educational backgrounds. Simone leads working groups across the business to highlight the importance of diverse teams which in turn enable outstanding results and creativity.

Simultaneously to this, Simone is active in her leadership and participation in HPE-partner events like Lean In Circles and Virtual Coffee Session, as well as community activities including volunteering at the Smith family, Our big Kitchen and Foodbank.

In addition to the above, Simone also makes herself available to coach and mentor young employees and early career hires through one-on-one sessions. Not only does she offer this opportunity to team members within the organisations where she has worked, but also broadly to anyone in the ICT industry, often at times connecting through social media or via word-of-mouth recommendations from her current and previous colleagues.

After partnering with Jeep, United Colors of Benetton, and Sesame Street, I built a global manufacturing company in my twenties. Collaborating locally to secure media coverage, distribution in David Jones, Target, and Big W plus a promotion with Huggies Nappies enabled me to turn over $1+million in my first year, before scaling to a global company.

After successfully selling my first company, I moved into ecommerce with $500m ASX listed company, Grays Commerce Group I led partnerships and social revenue before moving into a General Manager role in their jewellery division – selling over $7 million worth of precious diamonds and gems nationally.

I now work with the big brands collaborating with The Block, Selling Houses Australia, Three Birds Renovations, and identities like Shelley Craft to secure these high-profile brands a constant stream of content, build credibility, and grow sales.

I am an engaging, passionate speaker, mentor to women in small business, and ambassador for Inspiring Rare Birds.  At home in Sydney, you’ll find me playing Rummy with my two teenage sons while my husband is in the garage restoring his vintage car or enjoying a cocktail by the harbour with my girlfriends.

Senior Solutions Consultant | Adobe

As one of the founding directors of EACCI, Virge has dedicated her efforts to laying strong foundations for the organisation to ensure its future growth and success. Virge brings with her strong expertise in the areas of marketing, CRM, e-commerce and event organising. 

Virge came to Australia in 2000, having left behind a rapid career in Estonian logistics industry where she was part of setting up a local branch for large European transport company. Virge is a solutions oriented individual with talent for organising and drive to deliver results.

Talent Development at Adobe APJ, is a strategic business executive with extensive experience creating and delivering impactful people and organisational change outcomes that build success. I have built a strong reputation for delivering value to the business with a professional approach that is commercial, creative and collaborative.

I have worked in Australia, the United Kingdom, Europe and across Asia with multi-national businesses and iconic Australian organisations.

Aurora Sassone is the Head of Communications for Oracle ANZ, where she is responsible for the regional brand and reputation of the company.  With a unique blend of digital marketing and b2b storytelling expertise, Aurora has an impressive track record of building world-class brands and teams from fast growing start-ups to globally iconic companies.

Prior to joining Oracle, Aurora lead marketing and communications for ABB Australia Process Industries. She also spent time on the agency side at Edelman where she lead account teams for clients such as Adobe, GE and Unilever.

Aurora is a fierce advocate for diversity and inclusion, and passionate about mentoring and helping others to be successful. She is also passionate about corporate social responsibility, sustainability and the environment and regularly volunteer her time and skills to several conservation orgnaisations.

My name is Bronwyn Reid, and I am a small business enthusiast, or nut, depending on your perspective. I’m a serial small business owner who has started three award-winning businesses from Regional Queensland, proving to myself (and others) that being a woman small business owner in a regional area is actually a valid lifestyle choice.

Apart from starting and running businesses, I was a part-time university lecturer for 12 years. Now, I can combine my two main drivers – education and small business success (particularly in regional areas), through my speaking, writing, workshops, training programs, and advocacy.

My specialty, and the subject of my first book,Small Company, Big Business, is the relationship between big companies and their small company suppliers. These two parties need each other, but they speak different languages. My job is to help them understand each other, and create valuable commercial relationships.

I believe that without a vibrant small business sector, our societies have no heart. It is small businesses that make communities successful. My second book ‘Small Company, Big Crisis: How To Prepare For, Respond To, And Recover From A Business Crisis takes on that theme – creating sustainable businesses.

LINKS

Website:                       https://bronwynreid.com.au/

LinkedIn:                       https://www.linkedin.com/in/bronwynreid/

Parents At Work Founder and CEO Emma Walsh is recognised globally as a pioneer in the development and implementation of inclusive workplace policy. For over two decades, Emma has been a clear voice on the social, economic and business benefits of inclusive workplaces, advocating for the widespread implementation family[1] inclusive workplace policies and practices to improve gender equality, child and work-life wellbeing outcomes.

As the CEO of Parents At Work, Emma helps employers navigate the changing expectations of business to address barriers to an inclusive workplace, and to bridge the evolving work/home divide, providing the framework, tools and training to help workplaces and families build a better future together. In 2021, Emma was instrumental in developing a set of National Work + Family Standards providing employers with a benchmark to foster a family friendly culture. She led the charge in launching the Family Friendly Workplaces Certification program to recognise employers who meet the Standards.

Emma has been formally recognised by the Australian Human Rights Commission with a finalist business Award in 2015, has been shortlisted for the Telstra Business Woman of the Year and was a Winner of the Visa Business Awards. Parents At Work has also been named as a top 200 ‘Businesses of Tomorrow’ by Westpac. Emma herself is a mum of three – twin boys and a daughter. She lives in Sydney, Australia and is an author, international speaker, advocate and campaigner for improving parental leave rights for families.

I have 25yrs leadership experience in the not for profit sector This includes working with new leaders to support them to develop their leadership style, to understand why they lead the way they do and to see what else is possible.

As a mentor I enjoy listening to the stories of others, supporting them to think about what else is possible, asking powerful questions that challenge their thinking and give some examples within my experience that relate to the issue the mentees wants support with. This includes where I have got it wrong, where I have got it right and those in between.

I want to be a resource to others, a tool in their tool kit. A support that can identify with the mentee their strengths and provide some practical outcomes that work for the mentee. I will be agile in my mentoring, that is I can change my style to suit the mentee. I will be open, honest and respectful. As a mentor I want the mentee to come away with, new skills, understanding their values, have clarity about their direction, and be curious about what is possible in the future.

Philanthropy and Fundraising Strategist

Known as a change maker and advocate for growing women’s philanthropy, Kimberly is a strategic thinker and communicator with executive management skills.

As CEO of The Australian Gynaecological Cancer Foundation, she is passionate about the cause and driving change. She is known as a result driven senior strategist and engagement specialist, and is an expert at driving through change by bringing all stakeholders together in positive, creative environments.

With over 30-years’ experience in fundraising, philanthropy and management, Kimberly is a recognised accomplished senior fundraising strategist with extensive experience and global voice on philanthropy in Australia. She tailors best-practice methodologies with organisational ethos and values to create a sustainable culture of philanthropy.

She has done extensive study on creating a culture of philanthropy and the motivations behind women’s giving.

She has published a research report on The Role and Influence of Women in Australian Philanthropy and is a co-author of the book Rise Above, Beyond Ordinary.

Kim has served on several NFP Boards and is currently a Co-Chair of the Australian Pituitary Foundation. She is also a specialist consultant for Giving Connect.

She has a history of presenting at EducatePlus, Fundraising and Philanthropy, Philanthropy Australia and CASE Conferences.

COO of Business in Heels, today she works with professional & business women to understand and articulate their value and how to make a difference in their profitability.

Kistin Gunnis has worked internationally and domestically in the Telco Industry and knows how hard it can be to succeed as a woman and on your merit. 

Kistin is passionate about supporting women to get the rewards they deserve. With over 25+years of experience within Operations Management, she has seen it all.

She is an experienced mentor working with professional women to carve out the career they desire and encouraging them to negotiate for the rewards they deserve.

People and Culture Expert and Founder, Human Art – Career and Leadership Coaching

Leesa has over 15 years in Human Resource and Organisational Development with a strong track record leading strategic business partnering, diversity and inclusion, and culture transformation projects in complex, challenging and ambiguous circumstances.

Her key strengths are helping leaders and organisations navigate change and uncertainty, connecting people, ideas and opportunity.

Leesa has worked in multiple industry sectors including IT, government, private education, financial services, property, telecommunications, and managed services.

Prior to working in HR, Leesa managed a number of key change projects and led high performing operational teams in sales and customer service. Leesa is an IECL Level 2 Certified Executive Coach, and is also Certified in Career Coaching, Mental Health First Aid, Psychological Safety, DiSC and the Hogan Personality Inventory.

Leesa set up her own consulting, career and leadership coaching business – Human Art, 6 years ago. Her coaching practice is heart centred and leverages the latest research in neuroscience, and future of work studies. She loves working with forward thinking leaders, emerging talent and start up founders, helping them create and craft their own style of leadership and entrepreneurship.

Leesa is passionate about enabling individuals and organisations to reimagine and create a more positive and productive relationship with work. Leesa also enjoys mentoring women, youth and refugees on a pro-bono basis. She is an accomplished speaker and facilitator.

Leesa is highly experienced in workplace coaching and mentoring for individuals, teams, management and executive leaders going through change due to vocational progression, career transition, performance, restructure and for those preparing strategies to work differently or set up a new business venture.

She has a proven ability to deliver short individual programs right through to designing and delivering large scale people and culture transformational projects.

She is an absolute advocate of nurturing win:win relationships for all stakeholders, using multimodal techniques including experiential learning, systemic wisdom and co-creation as tools to stimulate conversation and positive change.

Linley Watson is owner and CEO of Peak Performance International and founder of REIDARTM. Over the past two decades, Linley and her team has assessed, trained, mentored, coached or advised over ten thousand leaders in a wide range of industry sectors including finance, telecommunications and professional services.

Linley has seen firsthand how the relentless demands of professional life can negatively impact people’s health and wellbeing, their relationships and their performance. That’s why she created REIDARTM Holistic Executive Coaching, to help leaders achieve success in all areas of their life.

Business leader, wife, mother of four (including triplets), walking enthusiast, aspiring yogi and Reiki practitioner are some of the roles and experiences that Linley brings to REIDARTM.

Alongside her professional qualifications that include a Bachelor of Commerce, ICF accredited Diploma in Leadership, Coaching and Mentoring, certificates in Neuro Coaching, Emotional Intelligence, Reiki Science and more, Linley has invested thousands of hours in her own personal development. Balancing her career ambitions, hectic home life and personal wellbeing has always been core to who she is.

Now Linley and her team of holistic coaches are combining their passion for coaching and energy healing to empower professionals to live a more balanced, healthy and happy life.

She is the Regional Director for South-East Asia and Oceania at WEConnect International, a global nonprofit network that works with multinational corporations and multilateral organizations to generate market-access opportunity for women’s business enterprises in over 125 countries through supplier diversity.

The organization identifies, educates, registers, and certifies women’s business enterprises based outside the U.S. that are at least 51% owned, as well as managed and controlled, by one or more women, and then connects them to qualified buyers across the globe. WEConnect International’s network of corporate members, primarily Fortune 500 companies, represent over $1 Trillion in annual purchasing power.

Over the last twelve years, Mrinalini has engaged with large corporates, government agencies, SMEs and community organizations to provide them with a platform to create measurable social impact. She speaks regularly at community events, corporate events, and conferences about the role that gender equality plays in achieving a more sustainable world for everyone.

Mrinalini has been awarded the Singapore Women’s Weekly’s Great Women of Our Time award in the Public Service and Education category and has been nominated as one of Cleo Singapore’s 2016 top ten Changemakers.

GAICD  Program Communications LeadProgram Communications Lead  University of Technology Sydney

I am senior business marketer with an agile and solutions-orientated approach and proven expertise in leading and delivering complex programs, events, and campaigns to effect change, build advocacy, enhance brand reputation, and generate strong ROI.

With more than 10 years’ experience in strategic communications, publishing, and brand experiences, I have a strong commercial orientation, and am adept at developing enduring and mutually rewarding relationships.

She is the Head of Corporate Sales at Medibank.  She is a self-motivated and driven Sales Leader with over 20 years of sales experience.  As an empathic leader, Natalie chooses to lead from the front and in doing so has had the opportunity to work in several industries managing diverse groups of people.  She is an example of how good leadership skills can be transferred from one industry to another and highlights the importance of an open mind.

Natalie’s great passions are personal development, constant learning and health and fitness.  She is always looking for opportunities to learn and develop both personally as well as a leader.  Her current role merges her passions and gives her the platform to engage with organisations on how best to support their employee’s health and wellbeing.

Natalie is also an active member of her community volunteering her time when she can.  She is the President of the P&F committee at Mentone Grammar where both her boys attend, and she gives her time to help develop the school community.

SandyMcDonald.com and charity, CreateCare Global, Sandy McDonald is an author, a TEDx speaker, and a storytelling trainer, working with business and academia to improve and enhance communication through purpose-led story.

ArtWords in started out in 1992 and Twenty two years later, it had become an award-winning marketing communication solutions destination for some of Australia’s most successful enterprises. In 2008, Sandy started her first charity Knit-a-square which led to her next career. She delivered a standing ovation TEDx talk about this extraordinary adventure in 2014.

The intersection of these two experiences was to prove pivotal to the work she does now. In ArtWords, if they couldn’t get their clients clear on what they were positioning, why, and for whom, they’d failed. This became the single most important component of their work. During the formative years of Knit-a-square, they learned that online stories with a focused purpose touched lives everywhere.

They helped build a worldwide community of 20,000 people in 71 countries which is still growing. Sandy wrote the book, Get It Right Online to detail the framework for how this was achieved.

The principles that informed this govern what she did then, and still does: Clarity: getting people clear on purpose, principles, people, product, and positioning Curiosity: keeping them in pursuit of their truth Coherence: helping them articulate their purpose and brand promise truthfully and consistently. In 2012, Sandy started to coach others as a clarity guide. Soon people asked for her help to tell their stories which lead to her career today.

She has spent a major portion of her career life in the United Arab Emirates as a serial entrepreneur & a creative thinker. She has been contributing to the creative advertising & events technology industry for the last 23 years, with her current position as the Global Executive Vice President @option1live.

Besides her professional career, her passion for arts & craft is showcased through her brand, Candescent Art Connoisseur; an artistic candle company. Sheetal’s creative mind has helped her pave her path in the entertainment industry catering to corporates & government entities through Option 1 Group, an illustrious events technology & content company.

Being part of the founding member of this organization has helped her grow and explore her entrepreneurial skills over the past 2 decades as she actively contributed to the global growth and spearheaded several business verticals.Her passion and exposure to the knowledge and experience in the industry has motivated her to facilitate women empowerment and guide those who need a little boost to increase their confidence in being successful.

Sheetal has a knack for making meaningful connections with audiences and an insatiable appetite for helping others maximizes her potential, to rock a platform, connect with a crowd and provide guidance so that others can effectively do the same.

Sian is a regular volunteer mentor with:

• Institute of Managers and Leaders ANZ
• Business in Heels.

And is a Committee Member for Melbourne Business Network, supporting all business across Melbourne and Victoria.

Stephanie Lee is an experienced professional with track record across a diverse range of industries and business contexts. Her experience in sales, business development, international business expansion and outsourcing services, particularly in the financial services, information technology, and international payment domains makes her a versatile contributor for businesses looking to start, build, and grow.

Stephanie’s experience working in different countries allow her the ability to navigate cultural differences, open doors, build relationships with stakeholders, and transformed diverse sales teams. She has networking and stakeholder management experience where she helped SME clients expand their business in and out of Asia through involvement in strategy, incorporation, outsourcing of finance, and HR functions.

Stephanie has delivered innovative and transformational technology programs to banks. Her experience working with regulators, banks and FinTech’s to rollout payment products to local markets.

Her knowledge of market dynamics and industry trends in technology and payments can provide insights to emerging technologies, consumer preferences and regulatory needs.

Stephanie’s 26 – year international corporate career experience allows her to navigate through corporate ladders and provide life experiences support for women to succeed in their careers. Her open-minded approach to continuous learning and her willingness to share her knowledge, insights, and networking make her a strong mentor to professional women.

www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieyllee

In her current capacity as Broker Solutions Manager QLD, Tiana Iuvale leads a team of market-facing Account Partners and Business Relationship Partners, who are the face of the CGU brand in broker offices as far north as Cairns and as far south as Northern NSW.   Her role encompasses key metrics focused on building strong partner relationships, sustainable growth, and profitability through authentic leadership, to bring to life the IAG purpose of making our world a safer place.

After graduating with a Degree in Communication she gained leadership experience in operations, finance, project management, sales and marketing across a range of industries including advertising, retail, wholesaling and premium funding. Prior to taking on a state leadership role, Tiana gained valuable experience working as a BDM and National Key Account Manager at CGU.

As a working mother of two wonderful young gentlemen, Tiana has a deep personal interest in all aspects of diversity and inclusion.  Speaking from the heart, she is determined to share her career and life experiences truthfully and honestly in the hope of inspiring future generations of leaders to create balanced, equitable and flexible workplaces where everyone can thrive.