Vote for SEQ‘s most inspiring woman of 2023
Their stories of success, passion and determination are the stuff dreams are made of. We reveal the achievements of 50 of SEQ’s inspiring women. SEE THE FULL LIST AND VOTE
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From cancer survivors, owners of multimillion-dollar businesses, authors and real estate agents, there are many inspirational women in southeast Queensland.
With a drive for success and a mind for business, these women are making their mark on the region and beyond.
Here, we list 50 inspirational women who are using their influence and skills to succeed and make change.
Find out who they are and then scroll to the bottom of the list to tell us who you believe is the most inspirational.
See the list in alphabetical order below.
ROCHELLE ADGO, 40s
Ms Adgo is widely regarded as one of the leading real estate agents in the state but she’s only been in the game for seven years.
This year she was named the sixth best residential agent for Queensland by REA and she was the top female agent.
Ms Adgo, who works in the Mitchelton area, has sold $400 million in residential properties in her stellar career.
Ms Adgo ran a successful small business with management and finance experience before joining the industry, which she now applies to property strategy, working with developers and investors to capitalise on their property.
She notched 123 properties sold in the past 12 months alone and her median sold price for properties on realestate.com.au in the past year was $910,000.
Ms Adgo was named Harcourts Queensland’s number one agent for 2021-2022, as well as being named Harcourts Australia’s number Residential Agent for the Year 2021-2022.
She moved to the team at Ray White Mitchelton in July and was presented with an honorary Chairman’s Elite Award, the highest level of achievement.
POPPY ALLEN, 15
Poppy Allen is a Year 10 student at Alexandra Hills State High School and has been working hard towards her long-term goal of qualifying to the FISAF International Worlds Championships (Federation of International Sport Aerobics and Fitness).
This year has been successful for Poppy winning the Schoolaerobics Queensland Senior State Championship and placing third at the FISAF State Championships.
In 2022 against Australia’s best she placed third at the Schoolaerobics National Championships.
Poppy not only competes as an individual but also in multiple teams and also coaches athletes at Hilliard State School.
She is an amazing role model to many of the children at the school, they all want to be like her.
Poppy is so committed and travels over an hour away to both Noosa and Gold Coast to train with her coaches.
Growing up in the Redlands, Poppy has been involved in NPLW Soccer and athletics, she is very much an all-rounder
Poppy has just competed on September 7-8 at the FISAF National Championships held at Carrara Indoor Stadium, where she was selected as one of the best athletes in the Nation and named in the Australian team.
She will now represent Australia at the FISAF International World Championship being held in Ghent, Belgium in October 26-30 this year.
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KRISTINE ANDREW, 48
Mrs Andrew is a student support officer at Deception Bay Flexible Learning Centre, part of the Marlene Moore Flexi Schools Network.
It is a not-for-profit organisation that gives young people who do not fit into the normal schooling system a safe, productive and supportive space where they can learn and develop into happy and successful members of the community.
Mrs Andrew spends time working with and empowering the Indigenous students at the school and offers them a positive and supportive role model.
Most recently, she has worked with another Indigenous staff member, who plays for the Redcliffe Dolphins, to involve some of centre’s the young Indigenous boys play in the Murri Carnival, at Kayo Stadium on September 20.
For these First Nations boys to be eligible to participate, the requirements are to have a 90 per cent attendance rate at school and to have had their 715-health check.
Mrs Andrew has assisted them to attend school more often, by giving them the love and support.
SHARYN ANGEL, 42
Sharyn Angel has a long list of roles in life. She is a teacher, principal, mum, wife, teacher advocate, podcast host, patron of breast cancer support, public speaker and Australian hammer throw representative
Born in Rockhampton, Ms Angel has juggled both athletics and teaching careers as well as parenting to become one of the most well-known and respected educators nationally.
The work she has done as part of her podcast Teachers Change Lives Podcast has had an impact globally. Meanwhile Ms Angel has a daily impact at Mastery Schools Australia (MSA) where she is principal.
At MSA there are no cleaners to clean the school, instead, Ms Angel has implemented a community service program that has created deep ownership and responsibility in all students and staff.
Ms Angel began her teaching career in 2001 as a biology and physical education teacher.
At the time she was an Australian hammer thrower ranked third in the country.
She is currently ranked 26th on the all-time Australian hammer throw rankings.
She began her teaching career at Woodridge State High School before transferring to Balmoral State High School.
During her time at Balmoral she travelled to Nepal to trek to Mt Everest base camp and to volunteer at a school for disabled orphans.
She led students through a fundraising effort prior to her departure and the school raised funds to purchase a shed full of sporting equipment for the Nepalese students.
In 2021, Ms Angel opened MSA, a school for students who are disengaged or at risk of disengagement. The school opened with 27 students in 2022 and is now at capacity of 180.
In late 2022, Ms Angel started Teachers Change Lives Podcast, to give a platform to celebrate teachers and the profession of teaching. It aims to celebrate the life changing work that teachers do and has a global following and after only 30 episodes has already amassed more than 120,000 downloads and has been listened to in more than 50 countries.
SARAH BANE, 33
The inspirational Ms Bane went from having broken back to becoming a yoga teacher.
The 33-year-old turned to yoga after suffering numerous fractures after a very difficult childbirth, afterwhich her life was filled with anxiety and panic attacks.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Yogitales was born after Ms Bane witnessed the worry that her own children and their friends were experiencing.
She pondered whether her children and their friends could benefit from yoga given it had helped her so much.
Ms Bane also created a sacred space where many women could escape the stress of parenthood and unravel the nervous system over retreats.
In the Redlands, Yogitales is quickly becoming a household name.
Ms Bane works with children one-on-one with the “anxiety and me program” in her new Birkdale studio, online, and travelling to the homes of children whose own stories are unique.
Throughout the school year, in local Redlands halls, schools and kindies, Ms Bane creates wellbeing classes for children from five years old.
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JANINE BARNEY, 59
Ms Barney is the founding force behind “Golf Fore Women” based at the Windaroo Golf Club.
She has created a large movement to get more women into golf and has successfully created a sizeable community of women who come together to learn, play and socialise.
Ms Barney is a certified PGA professional and runs clinics on a Wednesday and Sunday at Windoroo which are economically achievable to participate in due to support from Logan City Council and Janine’s own business mindset of making golf an affordable option for all women.
Last year alone Ms Barney’s clinics boosted the female membership component at Windaroo by 33 per cent.
In 2018, Ms Barney was coach when 106 women at the golf club dressed and played for charity, at the Chip & Sip event and raised $1000 for breast cancer research.
SAMANTHA BELL, 45
Ms Bell has lived on Bribie Island for four years and runs the Courageous Girls Club, which is designed to help young girls with their confidence and their self-esteem and equip them with the skills they need to navigate life as they get older.
She has added a Positive Periods workshop to give young girls knowledge about periods and what to expect from their bodies.
The groups empower girls and help to break the taboo on the subject.
She also teaches Zumba and is a qualified dance and fitness instructor, teaching classes at High Vibe Dance and Fitness.
Her passion lies in helping women feel the joy of moving their bodies.
When not working, you’ll often find the 45-year-old volunteering in the canteen at the soccer club and local school.
MICHELE-ROSE BOYLAN
A survivor of domestic violence, Michele-Rose Boylan vowed to make her life count.
Her antislavery poem won the 2017 Saveas International Writing Competition, based in Canterbury, UK and judged by Professor Montefiore.
In 2019, her application to write for Australian Arts Review was successful.
Since then, she’s been the Brisbane reviewer for professional productions at QPAC.
Ms Boylan is a multi-genre arts reviewer.
This year she had the privilege of being selected as the only Australian reader, assisting with the judging of Oxford‘s International Flash Fiction Writing Competition.
Ms Boylan loves adventure sports and is now a musher with Sled Dog Racing Queensland, racing her two dogs — a husky named Anchor and Lantern, a border collie.
A former registered nurse, Michele has been a dedicated volunteer in various settings including Riding for the Disabled, Red Cross, the Care Army and wildlife rescue and release with RSPCA and Wildcare.
She is a qualified chaplain and assists with teaching advanced English to refugees and immigrants at her church.
Michele has actively been contributing to legislative changes to Domestic Violence laws.
Coercive control is now a crime here in Queensland.
She’s completing a book on surviving coercive control and narcissistic abuse in the context of domestic violence.
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SOPHIA BUCCINI, 21
Sophia was born with a club foot, then diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy in her lower left quadrant at age two.
To keep her moving and help with development, her family enrolled her in dance classes when she was three.
Those close to her say that physically, she struggled with many of the moves and technique required of a professional dancer, but she never gave in or gave up and gave it her all every step of the way.
She stretched, she practised, she grew and learnt.
What came naturally to many, she had to work 10 times harder for.
She found a love of acrobatics and gymnastics and choreography.
Fast forward 16 years and at the tender age of 19, she opened her own studio, Infinity Circus and Acro at Caboolture.
She was also teaching at several dance schools around Brisbane, she had found her desired career.
She worked part time jobs and saved and scoured market place to buy her equipment as a start up, right in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic too.
She celebrated her second year in business in July 2023 and now employs eight staff and has more than 250 students.
In her spare time Sophie goes motor racing with her family at Team Buccini Racing.
ANGELA CHRISTODOULOU, 59
Ms Christodoulou founded the Queensland Koala Society in 2018.
After hundreds of hours rescuing various animals such as gliders, possums, birds, lizards, and emus, and completing all possible wildlife rescue courses for about 35 different animals, it became clear that Ms Christodoulou had an affinity with koalas, who require specialised care.
With diverse experience in all facets of koala care, she has volunteered thousands of hours to koala rescues with RSPCA.
After a period of time undertaking this work, it became clear to Ms Christodoulou that the Koala population in the region of southeast Queensland needed extra support.
The rescue and care effort became focused in this area, particularly around the White Hill Reserve which houses many native animals.
Ms Christodoulou’s time and effort is now all about rescuing sick, injured, orphaned and displaced koalas, caring for and rehabilitating these animals, and relocating the animals to their natural habitat.
Angela has rescued more than 505 koalas over the years and has recruited local volunteers to help.
KATH COORY, 64
Kath Coory is the founder and CEO of BestLife Foundation is the mother of a child with a complex disabilities.
For the last 10 years, Ms Coory has founded and led the not-for-profit company, BestLife Foundation.
BestLife’s mission is to ensure persons with disability have active and true friendships which lead to a pathway of choice, independence and real connectedness to their community.
This year, Ms Coory lobbied the Queensland Government and won $2 million towards a fit-for-purpose ‘training home’ for persons living with disability, to learn skills and work towards independence.
The 64-year-old is passionate about persons with disability living to their potential, alongside a person-centred pathway to independence.
Ms Coory has a background in marketing and communications.
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CINDY CORRIE, 41
In 2017, Ms Corrie founded The Sycamore School, Queensland’s first full-time autism-specific educational setting for young people on the autism spectrum.
Ms Corrie has won several awards since she opened the school and also works in communications at Good Human Engagement Strategies,
Ms Corrie has been Redlands’ Chamber of Commerce president and chair of Championing Redlands Coast, focused on the development of key drivers towards sustainable economic development for the Redlands Coast.
Ms Corrie has been a Redlands Coast local for more than 20 years and has roles on a number of local, state and national boards.
She works in a senior advocacy and government relations officer with Redland City Council and advisory board member at Griffith University’s Autism Centre of Excellence.
LISA COX, 43
Lisa Cox’s career as an award-winning agency copywriter was stopped in its tracks when she acquired multiple disabilities.
With her career trajectory hindered by her circumstances, she saw the advertising and marketing world in a new light.
When she looked around at how people with disabilities were portrayed in pop culture, advertising and media, she realised thought it was tokenistic and did not truly include people with disabilities.
As the inaugural Disability Affairs Officer at Media Diversity Australia, she helped develop a media handbook to assists media/advertising better communicate stories about people with disabilities, particularly women, affecting social change and public perception.
After many years of tirelessly advocating for Australia Fashion Week to be more inclusive, Lisa’s work saw 2021 Afterpay Australia Fashion Week (AAFW) as the first major Australian fashion program that employed models with a visible disability.
In 2022, Lisa was integral in the inclusion of an adaptive-focused fashion show. Disability is now a perpetual element of the AAFW program.
Ensuring she is part of important conversations, Lisa’s a member of Advertising Council Australia – Diversity and Inclusion taskforce to address how the industry can better meet the needs of people with a disability, Journalism, Education and Research Association of Australia – Diversity Advisory Panel, and Griffith University Inclusive Futures Engagement Council.
Her work in this space has been recognised with awards including Excellence in Women‘s Leadership Award QLD 2022 and gold at the 2021 International Stevie Business Awards – Communications Professional of the Year.
EDITH CUFFE, 63
As the Director of the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology, and Event Coordinator of the annual Abbey Medieval Festival, Edith has developed and presented a substantial body of work directly and positively impacting the local community and the regional economic community as a whole through the successful development of the Medieval Festival.
Edith has developed and implemented innovative, educational programs based on the school curriculum which provide hands on educational experiences such as the archaeological dig program.
In 2011 Edith received an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the museum and gallery sector of the visual arts, and to the community of the Caboolture region.
In 2019 Edith was awarded the Centenary Medal by the Royal Historical Society of Queensland.
The Medal is presented to those who, in the opinion of the Council of the Society, have contributed exceptionally to the furtherance of history and heritage of Queensland.
Edith had stepped down as director at the end of 2022.
A celebration event was held for her in March of this year to acknowledge her achievements.
In May, Edith stepped up to once again lead the Abbey Museum, as the Acting Director.
A new director will take her place in October.
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SOPHIE FOSSEY, 36
Mrs Fossey is the owner/director of Bare Roots Design Studio, a landscape architecture firm based in the Moreton Bay/Sunshine Coast region.
She achieved a registered landscape architect level with the institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) 11 years ago and has worked as a landscape architect since 2009, on a variety of projects from education facilities to housing to larger multi use projects across Queensland and New South Wales.
The 36-year-old is also operations manager for BHI Architects which has offices across New South Wales, the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay, managing a team of 15 staff.
Mrs Fossey is also working to establish a gourmet lamington business based in Moreton Bay.
She helps with invoicing, social media, baking, the works.
Mrs Fossey has also previously held volunteer roles with her sons’ school P & C and her AILA Sunshine Coast Committee.
She has also been selected previously as a judge on the panel for the AILA QLD awards.
KERRY-LEE GOCKEL, 40
Kerry-Lee Gockel is a long-distance swimmer who was born without arms. She can also drive a car, chop up veggies, drink a cup of coffee and write with a pen.
In May 2022, Mrs Gockel swam 10km in a charity swim around Mudjimba Island (or Old Woman Island) on the Sunshine Coast and called herself The Wingless Warrior.
Previously her longest swim was about 6km.
Ms Gockel and her husband go on ocean swim safari holidays around the world with a focus on open water swimming.
She plans to do a bigger swim, perhaps the 20km swim around Great Keppel Island and the 20km swim to Rottnest Island.
Her official diagnosis is called congenital amelia which means absence of both limbs.
The dexterity of her feet and toes is incredible, as she can cook, write with a pen, type, hold a cup of coffee and drive a car.
Up until two years ago, the 40-year-old drove a car that was unmodified but now her car has a foot steering modification in the footwell.
After school at Ormiston College, Mrs Gockel did a double degree Bachelor of Laws and Business at QUT and worked as a lawyer in private practice from 2006 to 2010.
JACINE GREENWOOD, 52
A sufferer of cystic acne into her 30s, Ms Greenwood also endured painful back and neck surgeries, a divorce, post-natal depression and tragically lost her second child to a heart defect.
To add to her fortitude, Ms Greenwood also served in the Australian military for three years and was a registered nurse.
She has since become a beauty therapist — a career she has enjoyed for 27 years — and was self-taught on cosmetic chemistry.
She developed the business Roccoco Botanicals, based at Yatala on the Gold Coast.
In September 2022, Roccoco Botanicals’ 7-in-1 Ruby Crystal Cleanser was awarded the highest prize in Beauty with a Cosmetics & Toiletries (C & T) Allē Award in New York.
In 2021 the Gold Coast company made the Fast 100 list by the AFR.
In 2022 and 2023 the company was named by the Financial Times as an Asia Pacific fastest growing company.
Ms Greenwood is a winner in the 2023 Women Changing the World Awards, which was announced in April in London.
In 2023 Roccoco Botanicals made the Global Fast list from the Australian Financial Review, ranking 43rd as the fastest-growing exporters from Australia.
Roccoco Botanicals turns over $4.2 million in product sales annually, and amazingly, Ms Greenwood has made these achievements while dealing with chronic pain.
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BROOKE HARRSION, 31
Nominations for Mrs Harrison to be included in this list came thick and fast
The renowned snake catcher of Harrison’s Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catchers skilfully manoeuvres around and controls highly venomous reptiles daily.
These reptiles include not only multiple eastern brown snakes at once, but also enormous and terrifying wild monitor lizards.
She puts her life on the line by catching these animals and relocating them to a place where they are safe and no longer a threat to the community while at the same time preserving a very important part of Australia’s biodiverse ecosystem.
It’s a family business for the Harrisons with Brooke’s husband Tony alongside her, and they involved their children too, when it is safe to do so.
Mrs Harrison has adopted horses that were in a terrible state upon arrival at their property and has rehabilitated them to a point where they’ve clearly regained condition and returned to happy, spirited animals.
EMMA HAYES, 36
Emma Hayes is the owner and founder of C’ba Hair, one of the most luxurious salons in the Redlands.
In 2015 after learning from some of the best in the business, Emma’s dream came true of owning her very own, rapidly growing, hair salon.
In September 2021, C’ba Hair along with other surrounding business burnt down in an accidental fire.
Emma and team C’ba had lost everything they had worked so hard for.
Emma took charge and designed a new salon with no income and continuing to pay her staff during the three months of closure.
She was able to reopen the doors to the new C’ba Hair on December 1, 2021.
She is a big believer in supporting local.
C’ba Hair will often donate prizes or vouchers to support local sports teams and business.
She also loves to organise a fundraiser at C’ba Hair for multiple charities including RSPCA Cupcake Day, Brisbane Childrens Hospital, R U Okay Day, Orange Sky, Shave for a Cure and many more.
FIONA HOLMSTROM, 49
Co-founder and director of STEM Punks, Ms Holmstrom believes STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education is fundamental in helping children develop skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Need was the mother of invention for her in creating STEM Punks.
She wanted access to STEM programs for her children.
Doing research, she noticed a lack of STEM resources and presence in Australia, while the UK, the USA and other regions seemed to be buzzing with it.
Ms Holmstrom is aiming ensure equity in education for girls in STEM.
She’s interviewed women role models from across the globe in a mission to inspire more girls to enter STEM fields.
The 49-year-old also publishes the “Future Learning‘’ magazine monthly, which goes into thousands of schools around Australia and overseas.
Her customer-centric focus enables her to run STEM Punks by keeping children at the heart of every business decision made, and ensuring children everywhere are inspired to solve tomorrow’s world problems, today.
She has a eight year contract with Lockheed Martin to develop future STEM career pathways for 40,000 high-school students.
She is deploying a three year school partner program for 5000 students and teachers in Chile, Peru, and Colombia to enable equity and equality in STEM Education.
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SUSANNE JONES, 51
Ms Jones is the managing director of Just Better Care Brisbane North.
She is active in the small business community as well as providing education and awareness to older Australians about support options as they age.
Ms Jones is a volunteer business mentor in the Queensland Government’s Mentoring for Growth program, offering insights, options and suggestions on business challenges relating to growth and innovation.
She also addresses growth aspects and provide insights on pitching for business and business resilience
Ms Jones was named the regional winner of the Queensland Training Awards in 2021 and was judge the past two years.
A Businesswoman of the Year finalist in 2021, 2022 and Soroptimist International Moreton North’s Woman of the Year in 2023.
Ms Jones was part of the Women In Business Committee Chair, for the Hills and Districts Chamber of Commerce, 2021 to 2022.
She reignited the defunct Women In Business committee, delivered monthly events to foster collaboration and innovation.
Ms Jones also runs community education workshops to raise awareness of aged care options for older Australians, explaining government funding models and how to apply for supports.
ASHLEY AND SHEREE LANGONE, 33
Ashley and Sheree Langone are neurodiverse identical twins, best friends, crazy animal lovers, and artists.
Being identical twins the pair share more than just looks, they share mental health battles.
When they aren’t taking care of the five neurodiverse children they have between them — all diagnosed with ADHD and autism — they are caring for their small businesses.
Sheree is a foster carer through a Queensland based animal rescue, and spends her free time helping save lives in the foster world.
After losing her dog Millie to cancer, she started a endeavour called Millie’s Promise, where she promised Millie that she would go on to save as many little lives as possible.
Ashley spends her time tending to her farm filled with animals.
The pair are also skilled painters and in October both will present art through a Queensland Health initiative.
“We are not just artists,” Ashley said.
“We are neuro diverse parents trying to show the world that, just because you are ADHD, autistic, suffer from depression, anxiety or another mental health diagnosis, you can still be an achiever.”
GEORGIA LEO, 7
Calvary Christian College student Georgia Leo is an inspirational environmental advocate, school and community leader at just seven years old, while also living with a rare genetic condition.
Her condition is – linked hypophosphatemia.
It affects every cell in her body but predominantly children experience bone deformity, so it can affect mobility.
Early medical intervention managed to prevent bone deformity for the little girl but she did experience fatigue before she could access medication.
Georgia is passionate about the environment and to help educate her peers she is writing a book about bugs which contains a protecting biodiversity message.
She does educational environmental videos for the community and recently did a talk at her school for students in two grades above her.
When she was aged six Georgia was highly commended at the Logan Eco Awards in 2022.
She also championed a petition for public toilets at Bega Park Kingston that rallied 535 signatures.
Cr Hermann Vorster from the City of Gold Coast Council asked Georgia to do a video with him that was about native bees and how the African Tulip Tree is toxic to them.
Cr Hermann made a commitment to his division to remove them on council property if they reported them.
Georgia did a take at Griffith University last year, opening a symposium called “Splash” which was being held to discuss how a collaboration of government, organisations and community could develop a pathway to improve the lives and futures for kids aged 0-8 in Logan.
Every year at school she has been given the opportunity to lead her class by teaching parts of the curriculum using her pet insects.
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LOUISE MCGILL, 32
Louise McGill is a Redlands local who has dedicated herself to music, and bringing the joy of playing and performing to hundreds of individuals – young and old – throughout the Redlands and the wider Brisbane area.
She began her musical journey on the clarinet at the age of nine and joined the Redland City Bands organisation.
Ms McGill’s enthusiasm for music and performance continued through high school and has become her career choice.
She graduated with a Bachelor of Music (Clarinet performance) and Graduate Diploma in Education (Senior years) from the Queensland University of Technology, and subsequently has obtained a Masters of Music from the University of Queensland.
During her time at QUT, Ms McGill developed a passion for conducting.
This was fostered through the Redland City Bands with Ms McGill becoming the assistant conductor of the Wind Ensemble in 2011, and took over as Wind Ensemble Conductor in 2018.
In addition to her conducting role at Redland City Bands, Ms McGill is a multi instrumental music teacher, high school band conductor (for multiple genres and levels), classroom music teacher, and classroom science teacher.
She performs regularly with the Queensland Wind Orchestra, as well as with the Redland City Band Concert Band.
Through the Redland City Bands, Ms McGill also volunteers to organise community Christmas carolling performances at local shopping centres and churches throughout the Redlands area throughout December – which is a large time commitment at the busiest time of the teaching year.
JOSIE MONTANO, 59
A cancer survivor diagnosed with MS in 2008 — the same month her home was damaged by a severe storm — Ms Montano signed up for the SES.
She has supported fellow volunteers in the devastation of the 2013 Bundaberg floods as well as deployments in the horror summer weather in 2011 to Rockhampton, Cairns, Dalby, Miles and Grantham.
The 59-year-old from Ferny Hills is an internationally published author, who has published over 50 children’s books.
From the age of nine, she was placing homemade books in the school library and received her first rejection letter from Golden Books at age 13.
Brisbane author-turned filmmaker plans to celebrate her Italian heritage by getting people laughing about it.
Her one-act play The Great Escape Italian Style (TGEIS) into a short film to enter into short-film festivals locally and overseas.
Ms Montano also writes nonfiction resources on Autism under the pseudonym of Santomauro.
She is also a playwright, a scriptwriter, contributed to technical handbooks and narrative scripts, and have been appointed the editor of several journals.
Ms Montano’s Writing awards include: South Australian Kanga Awards, 2004/2005, Best Children's Illustrated Books of 2004 and Notable Book, 2006 Picture Book of the Year Category.
GILLIAN MOODY, 52 CAROLYN TATE 49
Gillian Moody and Carolyn Tate created Women’s Divorce Academy (formerly known as Champagne Divorce Club) in 2020, after they both went through their own brutal divorces within a year of each other.
What started as a desire to create a program that would help other women to be informed and empowered as they went through their own divorces quickly turned into something more; a global movement to end divorce disadvantage for women.
The pair now provides expert consultation to government and businesses about how and why they should support women going through divorce, and practical training for women who are going through it.
They’ve helped tens of thousands of women to prioritise their health and wellbeing, and discovered the importance of divorce support when they went through their own brutal divorces within a year of each other.
Through their business Champagne Cartel Media, both women have collaborated with media and corporate partners to run live events, host two podcasts, launch an online magazine, create a line of feminist T-shirts, run a digital and pop-up luxury gift store, run online wellness programs, and create a private online community for women.
With backgrounds in digital marketing (Ms Moody) and journalism (Ms Tate), the pair have a shared passion for supporting women, challenging societal norms that disadvantage women, and creating communities where all women feel welcome and supported.
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SIMONE NALATU, 43
Simone is a former Queensland Firebird (2004-2007) and was a member of the Netball Fiji World Cup teams in 2007 and 2011.
She has also coached the Queensland 19-and-under team at the National Netball Championships.
Simone has spent her career working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Her PhD was on understanding the health and wellbeing factors influencing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in the period immediately following childbirth.
Simone is currently Director of Equity and Communities at Health and Wellbeing Queensland.
The 43-year-old was a lecturer and tutor of Exercise Science and Physiotherapy at Griffith University
Simone has worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities much of her life.
First in her PhD work, then with Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC).
BRIONY O’CONNOR, 47
Ms O’Connor has been a physiotherapist for nearly 20 years with a focus on women’s health, and is now leading exercise classes for pregnant and post-natal women in Chermside and Keperra, for Be in Blossom.
Ms O’Connor held a physiotherapist role at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital (RBWH) for 10 years treating obstetric and gynaecological patients including conducting pelvic floor assessments, antenatal and post-natal care, cancer care, including lymphoedema training and was a clinical educator for final year physiotherapy students completing their Women’s Health unit.
For the past 14 years, she has provided physiotherapy care within the maternity unit at North West Private Hospital.
In 2022 she became an integral member of the Ramsay Health Plus team which has seen her role expand to now provide both inpatient and outpatient care.
Ms O’Connor has a passion for charity work.
Be In Blossom has fundraised for many Brisbane-based organisations including Cystic Fibrosis Queensland, Mater Little Miracles, Hear & Say, Australasian Birth Trauma Assoc, Peachtree Perinatal Wellness.
In 2019 she founded the Hills Women’s Collective, a group of motivated northwest Brisbane women who fundraise for domestic violence charities.
The group’s biennial event, Sweat Like A Girl, has raised over $25000 for DVConnect and RizeUp.
She is a qualified pilates instructor, completing a 12-month training program in 2003 and has lectured in the application of pilates to pregnancy.
PRAVINITA SINGH-PILLAY, 49
Ms Singh-Pillay is the owner and Principal Lawyer at Cornerstone Law Offices in Loganholme, specialising in family law, criminal defence, civil litigation, debt recovery, will and estates, conveyancing, and employment law.
Further to this, she is an incredible asset to the community from offering mentoring to young lawyers, to volunteering her time to work at the Women’s Legal Service on a monthly basis.
Ms Singh-Pillay is also a member of the Beenleigh Yatala Chamber of Commerce, Southside Chamber of Commerce, Networking Brisbane, Womens Council Chairperson of GOPIO Queensland Inc. Key Business Network, Logan City Women in Business, Heartlink and the Rotary Club of Beenleigh.
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COURTNEY PURSE, 35
Ms Purse was the Chief Operating Officer at Queensland Gastroenterology and has recently moved to Chief Operating Officer at Brisbane Clinical Neuroscience Centre.
She is also a board member for Peach Tree Perinatal Wellness and is a Queensland State Committee member for the Australian Practice Managers Association representing the peak body for practice management.
The 35-year-old volunteers her extra time to mentor other practice managers, deliver educational events across Brisbane and hosts smaller networking meetings to build education and resources for an under appreciated position in the medical sector.
On a national level, she has represented AAPM in major federal taskforces and is currently part of the National AAPM Conference Committee which delivers education to over 600 delegates per year.
Ms Purse is tireless in her pursuit to ensure that practice managers and executive leaders understand the collaboration needed in the private and public sector of medicine, to ensure its viability in the future.
She has worked extremely hard over the last years including winning Queensland Practice Manager of the Year.
CAROLYN ROBINSON, 56
Ms Robinson has been an educator for 35 years, most recently at Holland Park State School.
She has been on unpaid leave from the Education Department for the past four years to run Beyond DV as a full-time volunteer.
Beyond DV was established when a loved one was impacted by domestic violence in 2017.
After accompanying her to court over six months, Ms Robinson was shocked by the enormity of the issue in the community and felt compelled to use her expertise to support families.
Beyond DV was a registered charity in October 2017 and officially launched in January 2018.
After speaking with existing DV organisations, Ms Robinson identified gaps in recovery services and support for families impacted by DFV, so this is where she chose to focus efforts.
In 2020 Beyond DV opened their first Recovery Centre in southeast Brisbane — a “one stop shop” hub of Recovery Services giving DV survivors a place that many now call a “home away from home”.
Beyond DV opened a second Recovery Centre in 2021 in Brisbane’s north and has now opened a third in Brisbane’s west to provide families with greater access to support across Brisbane.
A major focus at the centres is the provision of social activities, DV counselling, legal support, financial counselling, job readiness activities, training (onsite/offsite) and employment opportunities.
In May 2023, Beyond DV officially opened Hannah’s Sanctuary, a nine-townhouse transitional housing project, in partnership with the Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation and a very generous Developer Philanthropist.
Families impacted by domestic violence, and who are out of the high-risk crisis stage will have the opportunity to live at Hannah’s Sanctuary for 12-18 months while they rebuild their lives.
KERRI RYAN, 48
A mum of four children and two dogs, Kerri Ryan began her journey with RSL Queensland in November 2021 as Head of Finance, and then acted in the role of Chief Financial Officer before being appointed to the Executive General Manager, Corporate Services position.
Before her time with the RSL, Ms Ryan was Chief Operations Officer at ParentTV, a tech start-up that was a parenting app, for one-and-a-half-years.
She volunteered for ‘Fuel for Change’ until recently, by doing the audits each year.
This charity helped families in slums in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to replace firewood which is not good for health with gas stoves.
Ms Ryan has over 20 years of experience in finance and corporate services in the banking, not-for-profit and start up sectors, contributing to her broad skillet and giving her the ability to apply fit-for-purpose solutions to complex organisations.
The 48-year-old has recently volunteered as treasurer for Phoenix Netball Club, Ferny Grove.
She also swims in the adult squad team three times a week at the local Ferny Hills swimming pool.
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WENDY SANDERS, 78
Ms Sanders’ volunteer journey started in 1985, when the Secretary of the Queensland Cyclists Association, Mike Victor (Now OAM) came into the Sanders’ bike shop at Coopers Plains, where she agreed to volunteer as a typist.
In 1988 Ms Sanders volunteered to work at Expo 88 and worked at the Greek Pavilion for six months of Expo.
After the Expo closed, the now 78-year-old worked full-time with Cycling Queensland and almost every weekend volunteered as a commissaire running bike races.
Ms Sanders undertook a manager’s course and took 16 Queensland Teams to National Championships as a volunteer and three Australian Teams to Japan as a volunteer.
She volunteered for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and drove to and worked in Sydney for the entirety of the Games.
Ms Sanders was elected to the Board of Cycling Australia, was a Board Member of Cycling Queensland and was appointed as Chief Executive Office of Cycling Queensland from 2001 until her retirement in 2007.
In retirement, she joined the Caboolture U3A in 2012 as a volunteer, before being elected president in 2015-2020.
At U3A Ms Sanders tutored gardening classes, floral art classes and workshops.
Ms Sanders was elected vice president of the U3A Network Queensland for three years as a volunteer from 2017.
JULEEN SANSOM, 45
Ms Sansom is the CEO of Heritage Stone, a not-for-profit provider supporting children and people with high needs disabilities throughout Queensland.
Her career started 20 years ago in the health industry, working in both public and private hospitals and clinical providers.
Ms Sansom worked her way from being a PA, earning a National PA of the Year Award in 2008.
The 45-year-old became a marketing and communications specialist, finding her niche in business acumen, with a focus on strategic direction so that positive outcomes for children and people with disabilities was the showcase.
She achieved her MBA this year, earning the Dean’s Award, was nominated for a Women in Business Award and also nominated for Queensland Day Award acknowledged by Premier Palaszczuk.
Ms Sansom said all she does is to inspire her eight-year-old daughter.
TRACEY SEIPEL, 50s
Tracey Seipel is a renowned naturopathic doctor, medical herbalist, clinical nutritionist, educator, researcher and award-winning natural product formulator.
Dr Seipel pioneered the natural urological health category receiving a Nutrition Business Journal Award in 2006 for innovation.
She has been an advocate of naturopathic codes of practice and professional and ethical standards.
Dr Seipel has been an educator for more than 30 years, at the Australian College of Natural Medicine and the University of Queensland.
Tracey founded Seipel Group, a Brisbane-based R & D-focused nutraceutical company, specifically to take on the challenge of finding an effective natural herbal solution for bladder leakage and incontinence.
Tracey invested in 20 years R & D to create Urox Bladder Control to help people of all ages.
It is a herbal formula proven effective in 14 clinical trials. Urox now sells globally, has won seven international research and innovation awards, and is currently in the running for two more including a Telstra Best of Business award.
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ALLY SHEPHERD, 39 and STEPH BLUMS, 32
Known as the girls in pink, Ally Shepherd and Steph Blums collaborate in teaching the next generation about the importance of bees.
Ally runs a beekeeping businesses called Norma May Honey and Steph is the Urban Bee co.
Steph teaches an extra curriculum program at two high schools, one at Kimberley College and the other at Bayside.
Together they do programs over school holidays supported by Logan Libraries called ‘ What’s the Buzz’.
They have now been invited to be apart of the Logan Krank program as well
This includes a workshop on how to craft and create insects hotels and seed bombs for the garden as a free school holiday program.
The girls in pink attend child cares, garden clubs, primary schools spreading the word about all pollinators and that ‘pollination powers our planet.’
The beekeeping pair also have a podcast with a worldwide following called ‘ What’s the Buzz’ on Spotify where they are fighting to stop the euthanising of bees in NSW
Ally and Steph have teamed up with Simon from Save The bees Australia, spreading awareness about the mass euthanasia of hives in NSW with the Varroa incursion.
Ally has been featured on ABC’s ‘ What’s Your Story’ on the story behind Norma May Honey.
Steph and Ally have also been featured by ‘Qld Guides’ about their passion for bees and education.
TRACEY SMITH, 58
Mrs Smith works with two charities while working for herself as a hairdresser.
She often does charity drives through the RidgyDidge community of Ferny Hills, Arana Hills, Ferny Grove and Everton Hills.
The two charities she volunteers for are 4 Voices, which focuses mainly on women’s domestic violence and homeless cases.
The second is the Coffee Brigade which brings coffee and sandwiches predominantly to the underprivileged around the Brisbane area.
Mrs Smith works full-time at True Colours Hair Studio.
Her key successes through Coffee Brigade were that she was named volunteer of the year.
This would be for her individual work making muffins and sourcing food and toiletry items.
She is referred to as the “pink haired muffin lady ” by her client.
This she does once a fortnight but is collecting throughout the two weeks.
She is now a team leader through 4 Voices and co-ordinates the team efforts while on site each Saturday evening focusing on everything from housing to financial aid and connecting women with the community.
She provides no cost haircuts at these events.
JOANNE SORENSEN, 50s
Joanne is the founder and operator of Bush Knowing Forest School, where she offers nature play experiences for young children and their families in North Brisbane.
Situated by the tranquil Kedron Brook in Everton Hills, the sessions inspire children to be curious, creative and connected future stewards of earth.
Joanne offers a program that encourages the children’s learning; offering unique experiences to play and grow in the natural environment.
Since 2008 Joanne has been the co-director and teacher at a local C & K community kindergarten and a teacher for over 30 years in the industry.
She is the co founder and president of the Australian Forest School Association launched in 2023. I
Her qualifications include an Associate Diploma of Education, a Bachelor of Education and Level 3 Forest School Leader.
Joanne has led children into nature to learn for a very long time and joined the Queensland Early Childhood Sustainability Network in 2000.
Joanne currently supports FSLI training Forest School Leaders twice a year, and C & K Community teachers and Centres several times a year.
Joanne, whose husband is Danish, has been visiting Denmark for over 20 years and has been visiting early childhood centres there since 2003. In 2016, Joanne attended Inside-Out Nature’s residential course in Viborg, Denmark to understand the Danish Forest School curriculum approach.
Each weeks she cleans up the public space along the Kedron Brook, after the floods in 2022 she replanted to regenerate what was there.
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KATELYN SPRINGALL, 30
Katelyn’s cleaning journey started nine years ago when she tried to get back into the workforce, after having two years off taking care of her son.
The Redman family responded to her Facebook post and offered a night shift commercial work trial before Ms Springall went out on her own, as Kate the Cleaner.
Her commercial and industrial cleaning business has gone off, with 15,000 followers online.
Ms Springall used the Magic Kleen eight years ago and four years ago, she began posting before and after shots of her clean with the product on a worldwide cleaning business page.
From there she was invited to become a distributor of the international product and has sold 18,000 tubs.
Katelyn has been providing free mentorship for other businesses, and has had a profound impact on so many.
“I started a movement in my industry which is community over competition and many people have now followed suit too,” she said.
“For us women we need to know we do have a Voice. We can be this badass business owner and we can be the breadwinners within our families,”
BAILEY STEVENS, 13
Bailey Stevens is a determined 13-year-old powerhouse hailing from Brisbane.
With dreams of becoming a world champion CrossFit athlete, she‘s already making waves in the powerlifting scene.
In just 15 months of competition, Bailey has shattered records, boasting an impressive 13 National Records with CAPO Powerlifting.
Her remarkable strength is showcased through her best competition lifts, including a 65kg squat, 29kg bench press, and a jaw-dropping 75kg dead lift.
Bailey’s journey to greatness continues as she prepares to take on the WPC World Championships in Manchester this October, where she’s poised to break the Squat World Record in the teen U48kg class.
Keep an eye on this rising star as she aims for the top of the podium.
EMMA, 35 AND KATE TAYLOR, 37
Sisters Emma and Kate Taylor are the driving forces behind Injex Clinics which has quickly gained reputation as one of Brisbane’s premier destinations for non-surgical cosmetic treatments and also recently was named sixth in the Courier Mail’s 2023 Best Cosmetic Injectables Clinic.
Opening their first clinic in 2015, there are now three clinics at Capalaba, Aspley and Springfield Lakes.
With a staff of then 15, the first clinic Emma and Kate opened was gutted by fire.
It was a devastating blow, but with their strong community and staff backing them, the clinic was quickly rebuilt in a brand new premises, with more rooms and even more treatments.
Beyond their clinic, the sisters are known for their proactive involvement in the Brisbane community.
Through various charitable initiatives the business continuously give backs to local community sports teams, events and fundraisers.
In 2018 Injex won Redlands Business & Retail Awards for Best Beauty Business and Emma was named Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
In 2019 the clinic won an award for Retailer of the Year and Best Beauty Business.
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DR ROBYN THOMPSON, 79
For 25 years Dr Thompson was a homebirth midwife supporting women who chose to give birth at home.
She then started her own midwifery practice and became aware of complications experienced by the mothers who had been discharged from hospitals, who were experiencing complications she had not been seeing with the mothers she had done home births with and was intrigued by why that was happening.
At the age of 70 and after seven years of research, Robyn was awarded a PHD for her research into why so many women were experiencing painful nipple trauma in the early post-natal period, on early discharge from hospital.
She was awarded the world’s first PhD in nipple trauma.
This research created the evolution of the Thompson Method which has seen women globally empower themselves with The Thompson Method‘s online education, so that they can be in control of their breastfeeding journey.
Earlier this year Robyn, was awarded the Order of Australia Medal acknowledging her contribution to midwifery and commitment to helping mothers and babies all over the world.
Daily she is online to mothers all over the world, supporting and assisting them on a one to one basis, because every mother is different and their issues are individual.
MARISA VECCHIO, 50s
Ms Vecchio is the owner of Hanworth House, one of the oldest and most iconic properties in inner Brisbane.
Even after devastating fires to the lovingly restored Hanworth House, Ms Vecchio was determined to continue giving back to the community, by opening up the residence for Women’s Legal Service QLD (WLSQ) photo shoots in support of the state’s most vulnerable women.
She was the inaugural WLSQ Ambassador in 2014 and next year marks her 10th anniversary as an ambassador for the organisation.
Her support over the 10 years has raised over $500,000 for WLSQ.
In 2017, Ms Vecchio was recognised for her corporate and philanthropic work in being awarded an Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and the 2017 Queensland Community Foundation’s Community Philanthropist of the Year.
She supports numerous charities including the Queensland Ballet and the Mater Foundation.
Ms Vecchio is the founder of the hugely successful charity event “Labels on the Lawn” raising awareness and funds for Women’s Legal Service Qld.
She is also headed back to the Dance Floor next year raising funds for domestic violence prevention and support through Dancing CEOs 2024.
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CAROLYN VINCENT, 57
Known as the Connection Ninja, Carolyn Vincent has initiated six community projects since 2014 in her home suburb of Woolloongabba and new neighbourhood of Moorooka.
These include the Go Gabba Go community building project, All Aboard Moorooka community picnics project, Hello Moorooka (formerly known as Turn off the TV and Turn on the Neighbourhood), Imagine Moorooka (about creating a dream suburb), Mission Litter Pickup and Community Cleanup and Picnic Project.
She was nominated for Brisbane City Council’s Local Legends Awards in 2015 and was nominated by five people for the 2018 Brisbane Cleaner Suburbs award in the individual category, in recognition of her most recent Mission Litter Pickup project.
Her Imagine Moorooka project won a $10,000 grant from Brisbane City Council. Part of the funds are being used to deliver a community leadership training program for more than 20 Moorooka residents who want to start community projects.
As a public speaker, Ms Vincent speaks on the importance of authentic connection, building community and living with passion.
In 2016, she spoke at then Gabba Councillor Jonathan Sri’s pre-campaign event and at the Women’s Planning Symposium at South Bank.
Before Ms Vincent’s involvement in community projects, she had 22 years experience in running several successful retail businesses with her ex husband.
They built Luggage Direct Pty Ltd from a three-metre market stall to an $8 million business in 15 years.
She also set up the Ubuntu Foundation in 2019 to support a number of world-changing positive projects, which are supporting marginalised communities, while rehabilitating, protecting and conserving the natural world that we all rely on to thrive.
PERANYA VISITCHANTARAGOON, 32
Peranya Visitchantaragoon is a Thai classical musician and music teacher that has made significant contributions to the multicultural community
Peranya Visitchantaragoon’s exceptional music skills contribute positively to the community in several significant ways.
Her performances on popular television programs and international stages introduce diverse audiences to the rich heritage of Thai classical music, promoting cross-cultural understanding and appreciation.
Through her teachings in Thailand, Germany, Italy, and Australia, she imparts her expertise to aspiring musicians, nurturing the next generation of talent and preserving the traditions of Thai classical music.
Peranya’s dedication to education and outstanding musical achievements have garnered respect and admiration, making her a respected figure in both the musical and educational realms.
Mastering the Thai Fiddle and Thai Hammered Dulcimer, Peranya‘s accolades include first prize in the global ‘Grand Prize Virtuoso’ competition in Vienna, Australia and England.
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