Alexa Leary, Pam Sturgess, Annie Rogers among Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year winners
Emotional, inspiring, uplifting. The 2024 winners of the Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year awards by Harvey Norman have stunned at a glittering night at The Star. SEE THE VIDEOS
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Paris Paralympics star Alexa Leary has been named the Gold Coast Bulletin Woman of the Year by Harvey Norman for 2024 in a stunning soldout awards night at the Star Gold Coast.
The Gold Coast-based swimming world record holder and Games gold medallist also won the Champion of Sport category sponsored by Harvey Norman.
The inspiring former triathlete - almost killed in a high-speed cycling accident and told she would never walk or talk again before recovering to stun the world in the pool in Paris earlier this year - told the 450 people gathered for the event: “I just want to say a big thank you to Gold Coast Bulletin - as well as my amazing family that have kept me here. It makes me cry. But all the support from you guys is amazing - and my friends. And all the support crew, especially John Bell, my coach.
“He said we got this, and we also got the gold together and it will forever be something in my heart. I live with a traumatic brain injury. I have worked so hard and I’m so proud of myself and how far I have come.”
The vivacious swimming champion sashayed her way up to the stage when announced as both the Champion of Sport and later as overall winner, with proud parents Russell and Belinda Leary and wider family and friends cheering her on.
All up 11 category winners were crowned on the night along with the winner of a vote by goldcoastbulletin.com.au for the People’s Choice winner sponsored by The Star Gold Coast.
Christie Perrin won the People’s Choice award, and James Frizelle Charity Foundation’s James Frizelle won the Champion of Women award for a whopping eight-figure donation to the St John’s Crisis Centre to build sanctuaries for women in need of refuge.
YOUNG WOMEN WINNER (by Glitter Girl)
WINNER: ANNIE ROGERS
It’s hard to know what is most impressive about Annie Roberts.
That she is a successful entrepreneur running two businesses at the age of 16?
That one of those businesses, My Voice Communications, uses tech to provide inclusion to non-verbal people - and the otherbusiness, Ladybird Lane Designs, was created to support that business?
That she’s accomplishing all of this while still in Year 11 at St Andrew’s Lutheran College in Tallebudgera?
Or that, alongside this, she’s also working a part-time job at BOP Industries, which works with young innovators around the world?
But Annie is anything but exhausted from her long list of achievements, instead she has her sights set on doing even more.
While she will no doubt inspire other young entrepreneurs, the teenager said her initial business inspiration came from simplywanting to support her best friend.
“My friend, Matilda, has Cerebral Palsy, is non-verbal and doesn’t get any eye-contact as her communication device, whichuses eye-gaze technology, is situated on her wheelchair in front of her,” said Annie.
“So people stand behind her to read her screen when she communicates, meaning they’re never looking at her which is really frustrating. She feels like all of her ‘power’ lies in her computer, so I wanted to help her.
“I was part of a school program where we stayed back until 5pm and had entrepreneurs come talk to us and go through all the ideation, creation stages and the solution to Matilda’s problem just came to me in a week.
“I created My Voice, which is a Bluetooth speaker on a necklace that connects to any Bluetooth device or communication aid and projects the user’s voice from their chest outward, so they can get eye-contact when they communicate, rather than someone reading a screen.
“It was so simple I wondered why no one had thought of it before, but they hadn’t.”
Annie said the My Voice speaker necklace was a small, lightweight, rechargeable, Bluetooth speaker on a customisable chain with interchangeable pendant faces to disguise the medical aid as a necklace.
To help fund continued research and development of the product, she also launched Ladybird Lane Designs, making and selling polymer clay earrings online and at local markets.
She said while development continued, potential users were those with autism, Parkinson’s, Motor Neurone Disease, selective mutism, oral and throat cancers, Cerebral Palsy and anxiety.
In 2023, she won the Next Gen’s ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’ award, as well as Young Change Agent’s ‘One to Watch’ for ‘Most Impactful Entrepreneur of the Year’ and said she hoped that this product would soon be available commercially, and listed with the NDIS, to help change the lives of millions of non-verbal people around the world.
“Someone from Melbourne wants to meet with me about manufacturing the speaker because I want it to be super flat, like an AirTag, and rechargeable,” she said.
“I’ve created a few prototypes and I really want to perfect it, but just sharing the story of the product has been amazing as well.
“I’ve just presented online to almost 400 future leaders across the Asia Pacific, which was amazing, I’m really passionate about this product and also just working in the entrepreneur space.
“I love listening to speakers in that field, and it’s surreal that I’m the one now in that position.
“I’m just so grateful to my school for running this program to begin with, and to the incredible teachers who have supported me throughout this.
“To be able to share my story as part of the Women of the Year campaign is just a dream. But I want other students to know that they can do it too.” - story by Ann Wason Moore.
ANGELS AMONG US (by St Hilda’s School)
WINNER: PAM STURGESS
The founder of Gold Coast Local Charity Lunch, now in its eighth year, told the crowd on the night: “Thanks Gold Coast Bulletin, Harvey Norman and the Star. Congratuations to all the finalists tonight - these awards are a great way to showcase the amazing place where we all live. “I would particularly like to thank my friends and family and our amazing Gold Coast Charity Lunch family - they come along every month for 10 months of the year, year in and year out. We are about to enter our eighth year and it’s a pretty big achievement. Many of the ladies have been with us from the start.”
There might be no such thing as a free lunch but for Pam Sturgess there is such a thing as a risky one.
When the retiree decided to launch herself into putting on charity lunches to raise money for the needy among us, she recalls “it was a very scary decision to head into the charity lunch space”.
“Many of the larger, more mainstream national charities already had a presence and support from the corporate sector.
“So starting a local charities lunch came with risks. Would anyone turn up? Could we raise money? Would a venue support the idea?”
Eight years later, the woman behind the Gold Coast Local Charity Lunch as it is now known needn’t have worried.
In 2023 alone she raised $95,000 for 10 different charities.
Back in August she told the Bulletin of those early days in her charity lunch venture. “We ended up at the first lunch we had 80 people. We were stunned and to this day, some of those 80 still come every month. That tells you about the community we’ve been able to build, they still come, they’re still helping any way they can and from there it just seemed to grow.”
Back when she took the plunge into the space, Pam says: “Thankfully a few amazing friends kept saying you can do this and it has worked.
“It’s not easy organising something on this scale every month for 10 months of the year but it’s worked as not only have many of our locals been helped directly but friendships have formed and flourished and an amazing lunch family established.”
Ever an optimist, she says: “When things don’t go as planned it is just an opportunity to learn and grow. Right or wrong I always assume things will turn out for the best.”
This former Melburnian, who has been on the Gold Coast since 2002 – having moved here after fond holiday memories growing up – had a varied career but finds plenty of satisfaction in what she is putting her time into now.
“I wanted to be a political analyst and an air hostess. My first job was in data and computer processing for a major bank.
“I get a great deal of satisfaction helping others. I come from an extended family who were encouraged to help others. I started as a candy striper visiting those in palliative care at school.
“I think helping others is fulfilling and good for the soul.”
Asked what she would say to others who may be wanting to do something similar, Pam says: “To those who are experiencing self-doubt,just have a go – after all what is the worst that can happen.”
Look at Pam – her monthly charity lunches now get anywhere between 120 and 180 attendees, with the funds raised going towards charities helping with everything from children in foster care to women with terminal illness.
Asked how times have changed in her lifetime in terms of opportunities for women nowadays, she says:
“I think the opportunities for women are limitless. When I started in work women had limited access to superannuation. I personally never experienced any barriers in my working life. I do tend to be overly optimistic and just always assumed
I could achieve whatever I wanted. Setbacks were just that and an opportunity to either change course or try again.”
While her own goals are to continue to be “happy and healthy”, she adds: “Be true to yourself and don’t try to be someoneelse. Don’t worry about what others think.
“How good does it feel to communicate back to charity beneficiaries amazing fundraising results? It’s such a great feeling to see the results of the fundraising and see how its not always about how much but that people care.” - Portia Large
STARS OF TOURISM (Experience Gold Coast)
WINNER: RENEE SOUTAR
Stars of Tourism winner Renee Soutar, the Village Roadshow Theme Parks general manager of marketing, said on the night: “I’m so honouredand grateful to be standing in front of this room today. To all the amazing women I’m privileged and honoured to stand withtonight, well done you are amazing.
“To my team at Village Roadshow, the executive, wider sales and marketing team, this award is as much mine as it is theirs - tourism is the lifeblood of our city and it’s wonderful to be able to stand here and represent that.
“Can I leave everyone with a piece of advice: change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.”
From a casual summer job at Wet’n’Wild to a key leader at Village Roadshow Theme Parks, Renee Soutar’s career has been itsown thrill ride.
As the general manager of marketing at VRTP, Renee has played a key role in attracting over 50 million visitors to the Gold Coast and said not only did she work to empower and mentor her female colleagues, she was always inspired by just how muchwomen in the tourism industry were achieving.
In fact, she said it was advice from a female mentor in her own family that gave her the first start in the industry.
“While I was studying tourism and marketing at Griffith University, my aunt encouraged me to get a summer job at a theme park,” said Renee.
“She had worked in the tourism industry as well, and she knew how valuable industry experience would be, so I started as asummer casual in guest services at Wet’n’Wild.
“They asked me to stay on after the summer and help with the marketing team and then when I graduated they offered me a job, so I’ve spent my entire professional career at Village Roadshow.
“I am just so grateful to my beautiful aunt for pushing me in that direction, we under-estimate sometimes just how big an effect a little bit of advice can have.”
After 21 years working at VRTP, Renee regularly works with partners like Tourism and Events Queensland and Tourism Australiato advocate for the Gold Coast.
Some of her personal wins include securing a $10 million interstate visitation campaign ‘Theme Park Capital of Australia’ as well as a $1.325M advertising grant for tourism visitation.
She said she was proud to use her voice in the media to act not just as a spokesperson for VRTP but the city itself, promoting new events and attractions to drive domestic and international visitation.
“As much as tourism operators might compete, we’re all on the same team that wants to work for the city,” she said.
“We all celebrate each other’s wins because a rising tide lifts all boats.
“When any of us announce a big investment or unveil a new attraction, it’s good for everyone, and there is a real bond between a lot of the women in particular in this industry because we’ve had those shared experiences.
“More than 50 per cent of our general management team are women and we really lean on each other in good times and bad, it’s incredible having so many strong women around you.
“From a broader perspective, it’s not just women in the tourism industry but women across the Gold Coast. Over the years I have met some of the most incredible women in this city, and even attending the Women of the Year events, the vibe is like a Taylor Swift concert - just love and support.”
In addition to her passion for promoting the Gold Coast, Renee said she was proud to give back as much as possible to thecommunity.
She actively supports community events such as the Mayor’s Christmas Carols, the Gold Coast Community Race Day and the Gold Coast Marathon and has been a champion for the creation of VRTP’s inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan.
This year she joined the VRTP Team at the Vinnies’ CEO Sleepout, where they helped to raise more than $250,000 to supportthose experiencing homelessness on the Gold Coast.
“One of the most incredible parts of that was watching our CEO Clark Kirby in action. He is so well connected and he’s not afraid to use that to raise money for such a great cause,” she said.
“It sounds like a cliche but it’s a real eye-opener sleeping rough for just one night - and we have the luxury of a sleeping bag, a pillow and knowing that we are safe, which is so much more than those on the streets have.
“Even so, you’re lucky to string together a few hours of sleep and then you wake up tired, sore and agitated, you need caffeine and sugar, you’re on the back foot immediately and you can see how this becomes cyclical.
“It was just one small thing I could do, but I’m so proud to be part of a company and city that really has compassion.
“We want tourists to know that the Gold Coast is beautiful on the outside and the inside.” - Portia Large
FASHION RETAIL STARS (By Lewis Land)
WINNER: INGRID BONNOR
The founder of the wildly successful Homebodii bridal wear and pyjamas range told the crowd: “I’m so thrilled - my husbandsaid ‘don’t trip if you win’. (But) if I did trip I know I have a beautiful table of family and friends who would have pickedme up. And I feel like that is what the Gold Coast is - it is a place that has supported me from being an 18-year-old girlto where I am today. I’m incredibly grateful to the team and all my beautiful customers.
“This time of year is very special because we are coming into Christmas - and every Christmas morning I wake up and I think of all these people wearing Homebodii pyjamas and my dreams have come true because of all my beautiful customers.
“So I thank you for tonight.”
Hombodii founder and retail trailblazer Ingrid Bonnor said her Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year nomination came as “a bit of a surprise”.
She’s a Gold Coast success story but a humble one and said she had to be talked in to accepting her nomination in the Fashion Retail Stars category sponsored by Lewis Land.
“I’m actually quite a shy person,” she said. “I’m not one to put myself out there.”
The driving force behind the world’s first exclusive personalised sleepwear and this year’s winner was born and bred on the Gold Coast along with her husband and children.
A model in her younger years, Ingrid met her husband and got married in 2005.
“There wasn’t really anything to wear pre-wedding – you still had your lingerie for the honeymoon night, but there wasn’ta pre-wedding category. So that was my light bulb moment.”
Using her connections within the fashion world Ingrid reached out to designers for suppliers, posted ads to Gumtree for a dressmaker and started to create her signature robes.
“I built a little website, roped in my girlfriends for a shoot and was plodding away for about six months,” she said.
“Then out of the blue when was sending orders I got an email from (US lifestyle retailer) Urban Outfitters. They ordered four of my robes which was really cool and they went onto be bestsellers.”
The retailer still sell that robe to this day and it has become the most pinned bridal robe on Pinterest (a visual discoveryplatform) for thousands of brides around the world.
“It was really just wanting to create something for myself to feel beautiful on the morning of my wedding, then it translatedto a niche in the market for other brides,” she said.
“We really worked on adding value to our garments with sustainability and the certification of our products while also keeping the price point achievable – then going more mainstream with loungewear, then opening a physical store and really working on our partnerships.”
Now 13 years later, Hombodii has featured in New York Fashion Week and was awarded Vogue’s Best Sleepwear in Australia. The brand has partnerships with 36 David Jones stores across Australia, US-based department store Nordstrom and online fashion retailer Revolve.
Ingrid said the journey had been a “slow burn” to start, but she was so proud to wake up and do what she loves every singleday.
“There are no shortcuts and there is a slow burn,” she said.
“One of the things I’m very proud of is you can have a successful business, you can have a great career and make an impact worldwide without having to leave the Gold Coast – and I’m proof of that.
“You can also have a balance of a family life and children – you can to a certain degree have it all you’ve just got to be willing to work hard for it. You can create waves from this coastal town worldwide. It’s having belief that it is possible and thinking big from a small town is a pretty cool thing.” - Ashleigh Jansen
CHAMPION OF THE ARTS (By We Are Phoenix)
WINNER: CHLOE POPA
The founder of two different outlets for amplifying and celebrating the thriving Gold Coast art scene sums herself up as dedicated, kind and generous.
And generous is a good word to describe how much attention Chloe Popa brings to the whole scene. The founder of Blank Street Press – the self-described cultural voice of the Gold Coast – also founded the Gold Coast Music Awards in 2015.
“I am deeply passionate about supporting artists and highlighting the immense value they bring to our society and quality of life,” Chloe says.
“For the past decade, alongside a group of inspiring women, I’ve been dedicated to showcasing the incredible arts and culture talent on the Gold Coast, challenging the outdated notion that this city lacks cultural depth.
“When we launched Blank Street Press as the cultural voice of the Gold Coast, there was nothing else like it, and we’ve had the honour of sharing the stories of countless artists and arts workers. In 2015, we also founded the Gold Coast Music Awards,which has fostered a thriving local music community that is now recognised on the national stage for its exceptional talent.”
The eternally humble Chloe Popa says: “However small our part may be,” she’s been honoured to “have played a role in thegrowth and development of the Gold Coast’s arts and culture scene, particularly our thriving music ecosystem and it feels really humbling to be nominated and recognised for the work we’ve done, which has often been at great personal cost both financiallyand emotionally”.
It’s no easy road. She notes: “Having our voices heard and the value of the work we are doing to support the arts community have often gone unrecognised or unappreciated by those in positions of influence. Nevertheless, we have fiercely persistedin our vision for a thriving and resilient arts scene on the Gold Coast and have built a well recognised organisation, delivering well above the resources available to us.”
Heading up a female-led and owned organising, Chloe – when asked why it’s important to champion women in 2024 – says they are “working in the music industry which is typically male dominated – we work hard to elevate other women through the work that we do, because women’s stories and experiences are only shared when women have an equal seat at the table.”
Asked for her words of wisdom for women in 2024, she replies: “Remember that you don’t need to be the loudest voice in theroom to stand strong in your beliefs and create change. Your influence comes through the values you uphold, the way you carry yourself, and the actions you take, no matter how small. These thoughtful, authentic efforts can inspire others and shift perspectives in powerful ways.” - Portia Large
PROFESSIONALS (by the Gold Coast Bulletin)
WINNER: KATHLEEN SIMPSON
The principal and founder of DV Lawyer, thanked family and friends on the night: “You’ve been my anchor. My staff at DV Lawyer - we changelives every single day and your support has been my strength. To the victims of domestic violence who have shared their trust,their stories and their resilience, it has inspired me and I hear you. This award is as much as it is mine as it is yours.You deserve respect and dignity. Don’t let anyone dim your light. “Choose kindness and respect - it’s never too late to change. These awards celebrating inspirational women tonight and accomplishments they have achieved help create a future of hope. When women thrive, communities rise.”
HER STORY: The principal director and founder of DV Lawyer is a force to be reckoned with, and leads a team that has “empowered thousands of women on the Gold Coast to escape the cycle of violence – offering not just legal representation but a lifeline to freedom, safety and justice”.
Her mission professionally is as lofty as it is ambitious – and in the
face of a mounting scourge of the modern day.
“Domestic violence does not discriminate; it devastates lives across all backgrounds,” Kathleen says. “I don’t see clientsas victims; I see them as resilient survivors reclaiming their power.
“My mission is to secure life-changing outcomes that ensure safety, protection, and financial independence, helping them rebuildtheir lives with strength and dignity.
“Our work drives systemic change, redefining how women are seen and treated by police, the judiciary, and society – demanding better protections and justice for all women and children.”
Recognition for that demanding work has been rewarding and also empowering for Kathleen, and she admits she “did a happy dance” when chosen as a finalist in her category.
“This recognition goes beyond my individual efforts; it shines a spotlight on domestic violence and the urgent need for change.It helps create a future of hope, safety and empowerment for every survivor.
“This achievement is a testament to the extraordinary resilience and courage of the survivors that I have had the privilegeto support. Their strength, bravery, and determination inspire me to push boundaries and challenge injustices. Being named a finalist isn’t simply an honour: it’s a reminder to keep pushing for a future where justice isn’t a distant dream, but atangible reality for every person impacted by violence and abuse. It strengthens my resolve to continue driving change and creating meaningful change to people’s lives.”
Kathleen’s work at the coalface of domestic violence and custody battles means she often hears the worst of humanity. “Too often I hear threats like ‘You’ll get nothing’, ‘You’re nothing without me’, ‘I’ll destroy you’ or ‘Look what you made me do’,” she says. “It may be frightening but it is a stark reminder of how coercive control operates to instil fear and control. Don’t believe those words; it’s not a reflection of your worth. Instead, believe in your own strength, resilience, and value.” She prefers the following words of wisdom: “You have one life. Live your life. Embrace it, own it and choose to live it on your terms.”
Kathleen suffered her own setback last year – sudden hearing loss – and says dealing with this has been a humbling, eye-opening experience. - Portia Large
“I understood for the first time what it truly means to be unheard and silenced,” she says. “Over six weeks in a hyperbaricoxygen chamber, surrounded by people facing greater challenges – loss of limbs, advanced cancer – I witnessed the incredible resilience of the human spirit. It reminded me of the clients I represent, struggling to make their voices heard amidst adversity.
“This experience transformed my perspective, deepened my empathy and strengthened my resolve to fight for those whose voices have been suppressed by fear and abuse. After recovering, I embraced my own setback as a source of strength, inspiring me to advocate even more fiercely for those who feel powerless.
“It now fuels my commitment to ensure that every voice is heard and justice is achieved.”
ENVIRONMENTAL WARRIORS (by City of Gold Coast)
WINNER: DR CLAIRE MADDEN
When you’re the head veterinarian at giant Gold Coast operator Village Roadshow Theme Parks and its entities Sea World, the Sea World Foundation and Paradise Country, you never really clock off.
To illustrate, last month when the launch party of the Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year awards by Harvey Norman was wrapping up, Claire Madden revealed she was heading back to work to tend to a sick dolphin – it had bronchitis.
It’s stating the obvious, but she says: “I am dedicated to mitigating impacts on our marine wildlife and ecosystems through veterinary science, rescue, research and rehabilitation.”
She was honoured to represent the collective marine conservation industry as a finalist in the Environmental Warriors category.
“Through my many years dedicated to conservation on the Gold Coast I know first-hand that there are many other committed Gold Coast individuals that share my plight.
“I want my finalist announcement to be a representation of everyone doing something for conservation. Conservation is not an individual role, it is a team effort,” she says.
The journey to running such a big and dedicated team renowned for its marine conservation efforts and know-how was a long and winding one beset with challenges.
As Claire notes, “Entry into Veterinary Science at university is very demanding and job opportunities within the zoological industries are equally as competitive.
“Throughout my journey to become a veterinarian specialising in marine conservation I have endured many knock backs and missed opportunities, more than I would like to admit.
“My list of job rejections getting into this industry is much longer than my job opportunities. Ultimately, I never gave up and persisted through the hardship until opportunities came my way.”
Self-described as “determined” it’s no surprise she has ended up where she has.
Asked why it is important to champion women in 2024, she replies: “Normalising women in leadership roles, professional levels of sport, attaining academic achievements and setting new boundaries benefits everyone.”
Her wisdom for women in 2024? “Follow your passion and success will genuinely proceed.”
In her own words, describing the virtue of her work, she says: “Harnessing veterinary science to rescue, research and rehabilitate marine wildlife and ecosystems is rewarding beyond words.
“Conservation is not an individual role, it’s a community effort. It’s time to explore how you can make a positive impact, preserve and protect what you love.” - Portia Large
ENTREPRENEURS (by The Star Gold Coast)
WINNER: REGAN MERKA
In a gracious and emotional acceptance speech, Burleigh Wagon founder Regan Merka said: “The Burleigh Wagon was born from a simple need - to help my family get out of the house with more ease. I never imagined that what I started as a solution for my family would help other families in such a bigger way than I anticipated.”
She advised those wanting to pursue their own business idea: “You don’t need a specific background or skillset to start an idea. I’m constantly learning and pivoting daily in my business.
“My best advice would be to keep passionate about your why and hold tight when challenges present which in ecommerce is literally all the time. I’m so grateful for this recognition from the Gold Coast Bulletin and all of its sponsors - and I really hopeit inspires other women especially young women in the community to follow their passions.”
Like many good businesses, Regan Merka’s wildly successful Burleigh Wagon was born out of being a solution to a problem – namely one her family was experiencing.
The southern Californian with her partner and their two young children loved exploring but found available stroller options unsatisfactory.
So they set about creating their own suitable outdoor adventure companion and Burleigh Wagon was the result.
Working with an engineer, Regan came up with a hybrid stroller-wagon tailored to making outings with kids, as their website says, less stressful and more enjoyable.
“My friends and family were such a solid foundation for me from day one,” she says.
“Their encouragement was invaluable because, in the early days, it’s easy to second-guess yourself.
“That initial support reminded me I wasn’t alone in this journey, and it gave me the courage to keep pushing forward. Forany entrepreneur, having people who believe in you – even when the world doesn’t know your name yet – is everything.”
She still remembers the buzz of the first-ever sale.
“Seeing that first sale notification was exhilarating and incredibly validating. It’s one thing to believe in your product yourself, but knowing that someone out there saw value in what we’d created and took a chance on us was just amazing. It made me feel like I was truly on the right path.”
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing – or should we say wagoning – and the business has overcome its share of challenges.
“Starting a business comes with countless hurdles, from supply chain issues to marketing challenges,” Regan says.
“But a big one for us was finding the right manufacturing partners who understood our quality standards. It took a lot of trial and error, but those experiences taught us resilience and adaptability – both critical for any growing brand.
“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to never compromise on quality. You can always tell when something is done with care and attention to detail, and our customers deserve nothing less. Staying true to our values has built loyalty that’s priceless.”
Their presence is high but they’re chasing more.
“I’d love to see Burleigh Wagon as a household name, recognised globally for quality, safety, and innovation,” Regan says.
“We’re focusing on more distribution points, new product features that help families, and expanding our reach to make it easier for families everywhere to have access to our products.
“I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve achieved, but there’s always more to strive for. Success, to me, is about creating something lasting that truly makes a difference in people’s lives. It’s seeing a family happily using our wagon and knowing we’ve played a small part in making their day easier and more enjoyable.”
Her advice for other women in 2024? “My advice to women in 2024 is to embrace your authenticity. Your unique perspective is your power, and it’s something that no one else can replicate.
“Whether in business or life, don’t shy away from challenges. Every setback is a stepping stone, and every hurdle is a lesson. Stay true to yourself, and don’t be afraid to take bold steps, even when the path ahead seems uncertain.” - Portia Large
WELLNESS WARRIORS (By the Gold Coast Titans)
WINNERS: DR SONU HAIKERWAL and RENAE COLBERT
With a medical career spanning over two decades Dr Sonu Haikerwal’s motto is providing treatment she herself would want.
The founder of the successful Haan Health clinics opened her first doctor’s surgery in the former Niecon Plaza in Broadbeach15 years ago.
Since then she’s built Haan Health Medical Centre in both Broadbeach and Upper Coomera, bringing her holistic medical care to the broader Gold Coast community.
She was a figurehead during the pandemic running a respiratory clinic for the Department of Health for four years out of her Upper Coomera facility.
Now the medical professional is a joint winner for this year’s Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year awards by Harvey Norman in the Wellness Warriors category.
“I just knew I needed to do things in a way that aligns with my values to bring medicine to the community,” she said.
“Very quickly after moving to the Gold Coast I realised I needed to have my own shop to do things my own way, to do them thoroughly, properly, holistically. From that I grew to buy premises close by developed it then I bought a practice in Upper Coomera whichwas beginning to be a growth corridor.”
Dr Sonu said it took a lot to build and establish the northern Gold Coast clinic which later became integral site the Gold Coast community during Covid – testing thousands during the pandemic.
“A lot of people ask me if it was tough, and it was the toughest thing I did,” she said.
“If you’re a soldier and a major war happens in your lifetime and you’re allowed to be the front runner, then that’s a privilege.As long as you survive it you would do it again and that was a huge opportunity.”
Loved by both her patients and the medical community Dr Sonu was the president of the Gold Coast Medical Association until2018 – all the while raising her two sons and training the next generation of GPs.
“I wanted to teach and promote this philosophy to young GPs,” she said.
“I’ve trained about 15 young registrars I’m very proud of them, I’ve always been a teaching training practice training nursing students and medical students.”
The celebrated doctor said even through all her achievements it took a 24 year marriage breakdown for her to finally take the time and find herself.
“Once the Covid contract finished my marriage ended – that was a very big shock to me, it wasn’t something I anticipated,” she said.
“It was kind of that feeling when you get lost and you feel like you’ve run in the right direction so hard and so fast and suddenly you’re lost and alone and all your fears come true.
It was quite a moment.”
Through that self-described “demolition” period in 2022, Dr Sonu said she had always focused on things she had done and achieved – never knowing the true value of herself.
“I had never picked up the little Sonu and found her in crisis. That core self worth was missing,” she said.
“The person I found was me and that was a gift because I thought this could’ve taken another 10 years to happen, but the universe had other ideas.
“I now value I have a few more decades in life that I can live with that understanding which has been completely life changing.”
JOINT WINNER - RENAE COLBERT
The Herbal Connection founder told the crowd on the night: “To be included in the names and what’s going on in this room feels very humbling.I would like to say thank you to my husbane Chris, this is a shared dream, our business and it didn’t come on my own certainlywithout him and his support, we would not have the business we have and I would not be doing what we are doing today. I feelvery proud to achieve what we ahve been able to achieve in the past 10 years. “Congratulations to everybody in the room, it feels a little overwhelming to be included in such a prestigious event. I neverwould have expected it. Thank you for the nomination from my daughter. That is reward enough for me.”
Running a small business is no easy gig.
Gold Coast Women of the Year joint winner in the Wellness Warrior category Renae Colbert can attest to just that.
The founder of bulk and wholesale retailer The Herbal Connection launched what started as a passion project 10 years ago – now the founder says she can finally take a ‘step back’ to see the success she’s built after taking out the wellness accolade.
“As a small-business owner you don’t ever really get a chance to stop and really take stock of what it is you’ve done,” shesaid.
“We just did – we just celebrated 10 years in business this year, and it was probably the first time ever, I think we really took stock of what that meant.”
Ms Colbert said it felt “opportune” to be taking out the award in her 10 years of business.
“It feels good,” she said.
“I’m quite proud of what we’ve been able to do.”
The journey started when Ms Colbert healed some of her own health concerns through natural medicine – spurring her away from her B2B corporate job into a whole new direction.
“My own personal kind of struggles with health initially sparked this, I thought I need to be doing something in this area and I need to be sharing this with other people,” she said.
Ms Colbert’s business has evolved into a family-owned business with eight staff, dedicated to sharing botanicals, herbs, spices, teas,and superfoods with the world.
“I started in my garage, and gradually we grew. My husband came on board full time to help me out and then from there six years ago, we moved the business into a warehouse facility,” she said.
“We’ve now have eight staff and we’re growing.”
The Women of the Year winner said the last decade had been the “hamster wheel” of running a small business, but she was humbled to receive the recognition from the awards.
“Even having someone nominate you for this award is so incredibly humbling – I am truly appreciative,” she said.
“The majority of our customers are small business start-ups, and they’re women, they’re mothers, they’re trying to do it while they’re juggling other jobs.
“I think for me, that’s one of the most rewarding things – the fact that I get to help other people get their dreams startedl ike that is the absolute best for me.”
EDUCATION (By Affinity Education)
WINNER: JANET DALBY
Champion of Education winner and Airways Aviation CEO Janet Dalby thanked her Airways Aviation team on the night: “Thank you guys, you’re so inspirational, you inspire our students every day. You really do make a difference. Our founder is over from Dubai anddoes some amazing things to really push women in aviation globally. “There is still a lot of work today, aviation is one of those sectors which has a huge big gap in gender equality - we really need to push our young girls into the aviation sector. Thank you to my husband and my son, I love you so much.”
The winner of the 2024 Women of the Year Champions of Education category has been in the education industry for around 30 years.
Airways Aviation CEO Janet Dalby – the boss at the largely privately owned global flight training organisation – says her focus is on creating opportunities for women to break into leadership roles and encourage more female participation in the aviation sector.
Janet says she’s worked incredibly hard to get where she is today and always makes it a priority to empower the women around her.
“I’ve been lucky, I’ve actually had some really good female bosses over my time, and they’ve always just inspired me so and given me opportunities,” she says.
“I’ve always been given really good opportunities to excel and it’s no different, the company that I work for, the founder of the organisation, does a lot of work for Women in Aviation.
“There’s not that many female CEOs in my industry, [the founder] has pushed me forward as well, and believes in what I do.
“I try to be the role model as well for my female instructors that are coming through and help them to work their way up to that management level as well.”
Janet says she never thought she would end up in education.
“When I left university, back in the late 1980s I was working for a retail business, I was personnel officer, and my boss at the time said I would be good at training, because I’m good with people, and everybody seemed to listen to what I had to say,” she says.
“I did a training assessor qualification, and I was delivering training to the staff there so it was all corporate training, customer service and communication skills.
“I went to work for a college, doing some part-time lecturing and really enjoyed it, I loved being in the classroom.
“So I went into it full-time, and soon worked my way up to head of department, then director of studies, and then principal of the college.”
Janet says it was important to her to be making a difference in people’s lives. “It’s a great feeling, you walk away everyday thinking, ‘Oh, wow, I’ve changed their life’, you know that you’re enhancing people’s skill sets.
“You’re helping them move into the careers that they want to move into, some of the students I’ve stayed in touch with over the years are doing amazing things.
“It’s one of those industries where it’s a real feel good, because you know you are making a big difference.
“That’s what I’m passionate about, it’s why I keep going, doing what I’m doing, because I know I’m making a positive impacton people’s lives.”
And she’s doing so despite some hurdles along the way: “I have spent much of my career in male-dominated industries where I have constantly had to prove not just my capability but my value. I’ve had to work twice as hard to break through the barriersand biases that women often face.” - Portia Large
CHAMPION OF WOMEN (by Village Roadshow Theme Parks)
WINNER: JAMES FRIZELLE
Village Roadshow Theme Parks CEO Clark Kirby presented this year’s Champion of Women award to worthy winner James Frizelle.
His James Frizelle Charity Foundation is a huge supporter of women in domestic violence situations and needed sanctuary -and earlier this year donated eight figures to the St John’s Crisis Centre to build two new cutting edge sanctuaries.
Mr Frizelle told the crowd on the night: “I’ll leave you with a thought. At any moment, our circumstances change beyond our control, and can affect any one of our own lives and that of family and friends including domestic violence which affects one in four women in the community.”
This is the speech delivered by James Frizelle to the St John’s Crisis Centre fundraiser earlier this year, where he explained why his James Frizelle Charitable Foundation was donating $25m to the charity to help build two new shelters. James is the winner of the 2024 Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year awards Champion of Women category, sponsored by Village Roadshow Theme Parks.
“Since launching the James Frizelle Charitable Foundation in late 2019, Trisha and I have been deeply committed to identifying our community’s most pressing issues. St John’s Crisis Centre was one of the first charities we began supporting, and to June 30 this year our foundation has provided 124 individual charities with grant funding.
During this time we have seen a consistent rise in one of the most prevalent and heartbreaking issues we’ve encountered – that of domestic violence, which leaves lasting scars that can span generations.
Australia wide, it’s a crisis that impacts far too many, with one in four women subjected to some form of domestic violence.So if the Gold Coast’s current population is 742,000 residents, you do the maths.
Many of these victims don’t formally report their abuse to authorities for varying reasons until they are in fear of their lives and flee.
In 2023/2024 at the two Southport Domestic Violence Magistrate’s Courts there were 2353 new applications for Domestic Violence Orders, plus 2374 judgments handed down for breaches of existing Domestic Violence Orders.
Speaking with local charities who try to help the victims and sitting down talking to a number of victims themselves, we were consistently told that existing shelters here on the Gold Coast were full or couldn’t accommodate their entire family as aunit.
You may not be aware that across Australia, a 13-year-old boy within a domestic/family violence situation is often separated from his mother because most shelters will not allow male children over the age
of 12.
Likewise, many will not permit pets, which may mean that there is no alternative other than being forced to leave the pet behind – many of which are then used by perpetrators as a tool of control and terror.
The thought of mothers being left with little choice other than to stay in abusive situations because they cannot bear to leave their sons, beloved pets or be prepared to relocate to another location in Queensland heartbreaking. It’s a choice no one should have to make.
We considered how we could help make a meaningful and lasting impact long into the future, by enabling victims to take back control of their lives and by giving them a hand up, not just a handout.
So, we decided we wanted to build more than just a safe place to stay, but a sanctuary for those fleeing from violence. Butwhere do we start?
Initially we met with state and local government departments to discuss our vision to do something that would address some of the immediate needs of those affected and provide a solution that would stand the test of time.
However, time itself, bureaucratic red tape and destiny provided us with the opportunity to enhance our existing partnership with St John’s Crisis Centre and commit $25m to purchase land and build two separate sanctuaries for them.
Our shelters will be different. Sanctuary one will be a purpose-built, short-term shelter offering three months’ emergency accommodation where families can stay together – sons, daughters and pets included, while also providing onsite wraparound services and 24/7 onsite security.
And beyond that, Sanctuary two – our transitional purpose-built accommodation – will provide housing and support for up toa year, helping families rebuild their lives in safety and with dignity.
This is more than a donation – it’s a commitment to give a hand up to our community and to the families who need our help the most.
We hope that these shelters will stand as a beacon of hope and a reminder that in our Gold Coast community, no one is left behind.
Together, we can all make a difference.”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE (By The Star Gold Coast)
WINNER: CHRISTIE PERRIN
Christie Perrin - voted by goldcoastbulletin.com.au readers - said to the crowd on the night: “Thank you to just everyone - my family and friends whoare here tonight. They literally got around me and supported me. Community groups the Gold Coast Community Fund, St John’s Crisis Centre and Gold Coast Junior Chamber of Commerce, everyone backed me and I really appreciate you all.” The brains behind Gwen Creative and Busy Girls Social Club paid special tribute to Gold Coast Bulletin general manager BelindaDawes and said she was her “idol”: “The biggest inspiration here tonight is my mum (Nicole Bricknell) thank you for alwayssupporting me. I’m really grateful - so thank you so much.”
During my childhood, with family in the public eye, I struggled with anxiety. It has stayed with me mentally and physically throughout my entrepreneurial journey. I have experienced crippling anxiety, panic attacks and impostor syndrome. The easiest thing as an entrepreneur is to give up.
It can be a lonely journey, filled with panic, self doubt and fear. My team of five women under 30 at GWEN Creative keep me motivated.
Connecting young women in their 20s and 30s at Busy Girls Social Club keeps me inspired. Interviewing talent on my podcast Friends of the Industry makes me realise I’m not alone. Often as women we work a hundred miles an hour and forget to step back to acknowledge the milestones along the way. I’m proud of the impact I’ve made on the Gold Coast so far and I’m only just getting started.”
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Originally published as Alexa Leary, Pam Sturgess, Annie Rogers among Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year winners
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