From politicians, teachers and business people to our world class tennis champion Ash Barty, Greater Springfield is emerging as a city with plenty of stars.

There is no denying these people are influential and work hard to secure a better future for our community.

Here is The Springfield News list of Greater Springfield’s 20 most influential people — The Springfield Power 20.

We’ll reveal five people every day until the top spot is announced on Monday, December 10.

20. TANIEKA BOOTH-McNEILL

Our last, but far from least, entry in Springfield’s top 20 Power List is a teenager who has a big idea for a business with a social conscience. Having stared down her own teenage demons of loneliness and shyness at school, Ms Booth-McNeill, 14, had a great idea for helping students cope – shielded socks. The socks would be white on top – to meet school uniform regulations – but have wildly colourful designs and inspiring messages on the soles. With this idea, she recently won the Future Anything Grand Final 2018, beating 700 students nationwide and taking home $10,000 in prizes, which include mentoring and cash to launch her idea out of the classroom and into reality. Teacher Chris Gauthier has only just implemented the Enterprise subject at the school and never imagined he would get this result so quickly. “The school is proud to have someone like Tanieka who has shown everyone else at school what is possible,” Mr Gauthier said. “There are 41,000 known attempted suicides among high school students in Australia every year,” Ms Booth-McNeill said. “My business idea is to give students socks that inspire confidence and help them through the day.”

19. ADAM ATHERTON

Physiotherapist Adam Atherton’s Springfield-based practice Orion Family Physiotherapy chalked up 10 years in business this year, having helped 14,000 patients have a better life with better mobility and less pain. As well as running his practice, Mr Atherton has wide community involvement locally. He has also founded the Complete Clinician Institute to help other health professionals navigate the difficult early years of their health-based careers. “Success is about yourself, but significance is about others,” Mr Atherton said, quoting a friend who has inspired his ventures. Earlier this year, Mr Atherton put his money behind his rhetoric, donating $100,000 to Westside Community Care, which supports struggling families ­locally. He has also co-founded a charity in Papua New Guinea that assists HIV-affected women and children.

18. ERKAN SENYUCEL

The former tradie makes a great coffee and provides a sympathetic ear to his vast numbers of regular customers. Mr Senyucel won widespread acclaim after starting up La Mocha at Springfield Lakes in 2015, with La Mocha voted the best place to go for the best brew in a poll of Springfield News readers. Mr Senyucel has also poured thousands of dollars into the Springfield community through the cafe’s partnership with the local branch of the Bendigo Bank. The two businesses share their shopfront and the bank uses the proceeds of La Mocha’s rent to support community causes. The partnership was the first of its kind in Queensland. La Mocha also donates its tips and has a designated Charity Day, and has used the funds to prepare 50 back-to-school packs for local disadvantaged youth and to build a well in Bangladesh.

17. KATH MANBY

Lawyer Katherine Manby provides a strong and empathetic voice for women and children who have been exposed to domestic violence. After experience as a senior lawyer specialising in women’s advocacy, she saw a need locally and opened her own firm, VM Family Law. While she had no clients, at first, she did have a strong desire to help others. Other legal firms were withdrawing from Legal Aid and pro bono work, so VM Family Law embraced it. In its first year of operation, Ms Manby’s firm assisted more than 150 clients and often provides free legal advice to even more. The business has grown rapidly, based largely on word of mouth, and now employs five staff, with plans to open another office. Ms Manby says she enjoys having the freedom to take on the jobs she chooses to do.

16. ASH BARTY

It’s been a career-best year for international tennis ace Ashleigh “Ash” Barty, 22, who established herself as the top-ranked Australian in both women’s singles and doubles and a world-class athlete. A true child of Springfield – where she still lives when she’s not playing on the great tennis courts of the world – Ash had early success in tennis and then took a break to play professional cricket before making a barnstorming return to the international tennis scene. Her return to tennis brought victory at the highest level this year when she won a Grand Slam title at the 2018 US Open with doubles partner CoCo Vandeweghe. She is known in Springfield as having a modest, grounded and friendly personality that endears her to the home crowd. She is an RSPCA ambassador, owns four dogs and has built a house close to her parents’ home. Ash plays a strong right-handed game, with a famous two-handed backhand. Her prize money to date exceeds US$5 million.