SA’s 26 most inspiring women for New State of Mind campaign
From the space industry to emerging big screen stars, these are the 26 South Australian women paving the way in their chosen field.
Lifestyle
Don't miss out on the headlines from Lifestyle. Followed categories will be added to My News.
From global leaders in engineering and the space industry, to disability advocates and emerging big screen stars, South Australia has become the destination of choice for the country’s gamechangers.
The state government’s New State of Mind campaign shines a light on the remarkable people who call SA home, including these 26 women who are leaders in their field.
The group embodies the spirit of the campaign, which showcases SA as the perfect place to build a career and make a difference.
“You can have a global career in SA, living, studying and working alongside the world’s current and emerging leaders, coming together to achieve great things,” said Premier Peter Malinauskas at the campaign launch.
There’s no better examples of this than the following list of Adelaide-based high achievers, who have been featured as part of a partnership with NewsCorp SA.
Inspired [Filled with purpose]
Christina Vithoulkas
The paraplegic drift car racer and influencer is breaking down the stigma of spinal injury. Vithoulkas – who was injured in a 2018 accident – uses her social media to normalise disability.
Farida Ayubi
The founder and joint owner of Parwana restaurant specialising in Afghani cuisine that has hosted sold-out fundraising dinners in aid of those left behind in Afghanistan, providing emergency relief to hundreds of thousands of people.
Alison Hams
Acclaimed musician and dedicated philanthropist has dedicated her life to making a difference through music. As co-owner of Stormfront Productions, Alison provides opportunities for First Nations, disadvantaged, and special needs students through education and mentoring.
Mary Kelly
An innovation ecosystem leader and founder passionate about sustainability, addressing single use plastic waste through her tech-based circular economy start-up, recently launched on Kangaroo Island.
Elsy Wameyo
Self-managed artist. During Covid-19, she applied for a grant through Carclew and purchased a home studio. With determination, Elsy had produced a six-track Extended Play. Elsy hails from the Nilotic tribes of Kenya. She won Best Hip Hop artist at the 2019 SA Music Awards.
Alex Bruhn
Alex is a Sociology/Anthropology student at the University of Adelaide with a keen interest in work and play in the construction of human identity. She is also the Community Builder at Youth Inc., a member of Global Shapers, recently attending the World Economic Forum.
Marceline Overduin
Marceline is a Senior Mechanical Engineer with a strong focus on sustainable, human centred design. With international experience in the Netherlands, she has experience in areas including water management infrastructure, district heating distribution and custom solution; two of her prototypes for Solidworks are currently in use.
Anika Talukder
A Project Engineer at BAE in the Tonsley Innovation District working on robotics at line zero. With a first-class honours in Bachelor of Engineering (Biomedical) (Honours), Master of Engineering (Biomedical), in her final year she designed and developed a wearable device to monitor lower limb impact dose in netball players and a deep learning CNN engine for the reconstruction of a real face using a thermal image.
Unexpected [To be creative, to challenge what is known]
Shantae Barnes-Cowan
The star of the ABC’s Total Control, this Adnyamathanha woman from Whyalla now stars in fantasy TV series Firebite, with film Wyrmwood Apocalypse and miniseries Sweet As due in 2022.
Bianca Nilsson
Established her company Renegade Records in 2015, aged just 18, as an independent recording label with artist management, music publicity and sync licensing thrown in.
Anika Johnstone
Co-designed MOD. (a STEM-focused museum) with young adults aged 15-25 to create a space for them to be inspired about science, technology, engineering and maths.
Georgia Davies-Thain
Campaigner for sex worker rights, Union organiser and researcher, is the Convenor of the Sex Industry Decriminalisation Action Committee of SA, campaigning for sex worker rights in SA.
Taylah Suridge
Started La Strand Hair and Body in 2017 to provide an affordable salon experience and support the local economy by using SA products. Taylah employs 10 staff, including three apprentices and has grown her business from $0 to $900,000 turnover
Katherine Sortini
An emerging actor, writer and theatre-maker. She founded Deus Ex Femina, whose first original work ‘All the Things I Couldn’t Say’ will debut in the 2022 RUMPUS Season. An Honours Degree graduate from the Flinders Drama Centre who received the highly competitive Carclew Fellowship for 2022, where she will undertake mentorship with award-winning playwright Emily Steel
Stephanie Wan
A self-branded ‘space diplomat’ and results-driven tech collaborator with diverse experience across US/AUS government, non-profit and private sectors. Currently the Space Industry Lead at KPMG and working closely with the Australian Space Agency, she is assisting Australia’s goal of tripling its domestic space economy and workforce growth by 20,000 by 2030.
Darcey Watson
Graduated from the University of Adelaide with a Bachelor of Biomedical Science and an Honours Degree in Molecular and Biochemical Sciences, currently the Executive Officer at the Andy Thomas Space Foundation, won the Emerging Industries Award at this year’s 40 Under 40 for her work in promoting the burgeoning space industry across Australia.
Connected [To bring together]
Melanie McHugh
Leading the way in engaging local youth in innovative programs aimed at keeping local youngsters out of strife. Her approach has led to several highly commended community programs producing positive results for Pt Augusta’s teens.
Aaliyah Sirengo
Founded Maisha Flow an impact-based social enterprise. An initiative that empowers girls in Kenya by giving them sustainable sanitary products. She has empowered 1000 girls to date with uninterrupted education. She provides jobs to ladies in Kenya who sew the pads.
Lily Biggs and Nikita Trewartha
Co-founders of Salty Sips, a community initiative, which encourages the people of Adelaide to step out of their comfort zone and connect with others every Wednesday morning, which involves a 30-minute yoga flow, followed by jumping in the ocean and ending with a sip of coffee. Roughly 700 individuals gather at the beach every week.
Dr Gemma Munro
A thought leader, a transformational facilitator and an uplifting and award-winning speaker, with a PhD in performance psychology and a flair for lighting up leaders. Has inspired over 72,000 people around the world, and her keynote at Google headquarters in Silicon Valley was live streamed to every Google office on the planet. Also, a classically trained singer.
Noelle Smit
CEO and Co-founder of Teamgage, the software allows employees to give real-time, anonymous feedback on things like workload, energy levels, management effectiveness, and fulfilment via a 20 second survey, and engages them in finding solutions to problems in a business.
Ruchi Sinha
An organisational behavioural psychologist, passionate about assisting people to thrive in the workplace and creating human capital growth for organisations.
Justyce Manton
After completing an Indigenous Traineeship at Defence SA in 2021, Justyce has been offered an internship with BAE Systems and will be observing, inquiring and engaging in manufacturing projects including E-7A Wedgetail and the P-8A Poseidon. She is currently studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Adelaide and is an active member of her community and the Youth Aerospace Association.
Sumen Rai
Director at Defence Innovation Partnership, Sumen has broad ranging experience across government and the private sector, facilitating, developing and supporting defence and space related innovations.
Ma-Musu Nyande
A proud Sierra Leonean girl, activist, writer and business owner. Ma-Musu is using her platform to instil confidence in black and African women through open conversations about self-worth, beauty and strength.
Mariza brings the feeling of fado to WOMADelaide
It was Portuguese star Mariza’s destiny to become a fado singer – drawing on deep feelings of life to tell stories in song at WOMADelaide.
I found a side of Hokkaido most tourists miss
Ski fields and hot springs are only two courses of the extensive and diverse menu that Hokkaido offers up to visitors.