Meet Ipswich's most inspiring women
Tell us what you think.
Ipswich
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This week - and ahead of our 2019 series - the paper is revisiting that list with a focus on the city's Most Influential women.
Here's how this list was chosen.
We asked our judges to consider who were the women influencing Ipswich right now. While there are many in our city who have laid the foundations over the past few decades for how it looks today, we were looking for the list of those who are influencing the city today and therefore shaping its future.
Each judge has a different perspective on Ipswich - whether it be through the business community, politics, education or social endeavours.
It's important to reinforce that putting together a list like this is not scientific. It's subjective and no doubt you'll have your own views on who should (or shouldn't) be on it and where they should rank.
A different panel would have resulted in a different list of finalists to some extent.
It's also important to reinforce that this is not a list of who is in power, not necessarily who deserves power, or who we wish was in power.
Some use their power for good - others not so much, depending on your point of view.
Who do you think Ipswich's Most Influential women are? Send us their and names and why and we'll put them to our panel in our next instalment of Ipswich's Most Influential People.
Tell us what you think by emailing shannon.newley@qt.com.au
Raynuha Sinnathamby
YOU know you have influence when a Prime Minister attends an event celebrating your project.
And that's just the case for the Sinnathamby family who had then PM Malcolm Turnbull launch a book about the 25-year history of Greater Springfield.
The master planned 'city' began a quarter century ago as a vast expanse of unwanted scrub land and a dream by Maha Sinnathamby to create a bustling mini-metropolis of liveability.
The success in bringing that vision to reality is due in large part to the persuasive powers and determination of the Sinnathamby's in attracting $16 billion of private sector investment and government support including building a rail line and two stations.
These days, daughter Raynuha, 47, has taken an increasing leadership role as managing director of Greater Springfield City Group.
A former Queensland president of the Property Council, Ms Sinnathamby is highly-regarded not only in the sector but the wider business community and as a female executive and is in strong demand as a speaker.
Ms Sinnathamby is also a member of the Leadership Council on Cultural Diversity.
Faye Carr
YUGGERA Elder Faye Carr has impacted the lives of indigenous Australians from Ipswich and beyond and continues to give back to the community she loves.
Last year she was honoured as the 2017 National NAIDOC Female Elder of the Year.
The 2017 NAIDOC award committee said Aunty Faye was a strong and wise elder, advocate and leader in her community.
They went on to say that she exemplifies the values important to the community.
Aunty Faye in May was given the keys to the city in a civic ceremony.
The granting and presentation of a Key to the City is a symbolic presentation, which represents the highest honour a city can confer on an individual or an organisation.
Aunty Faye was named Ipswich Citizen of the Year in 2016.
Jan Gadsden
JAN Gadsden and her partner John started Top Office nearly three decades ago.
The business has continued to evolve but remained right here in Ipswich.
Each year the business releases the Executive Outlook report based off an extensive survey of local businesses.
As a business, Top Office gives back through sponsorships (including the annual Ipswich Festival and sporting awards) and ongoing involvement with the Ipswich Chamber of Commerce, Ipswich City Rotary and many other diverse networks.
Jude Emmer
MS Emmer is chief executive officer at St Andrew's Ipswich Private Hospital which is part of Ramsay Health Care Limited. Before taking the role she was the chief executive officer at Noosa Hospital.
Along with her appointment came a wealth of experience from time also spent at Mt Wilga Private Hospital, St George Private Hospital and Greenslopes Private Hospital dating back to 2000.
St Andrews has recently opened an entirely new wing including an emergency department at a cost of $64 million and created 300 jobs.
Along with the emergency department there are two new theatres, a new 26-bed maternity ward with three labour delivery suites, a new rehabilitation unit, gym and a pharmacy.
Shannon Newley
AS THE editor of Ipswich's only daily news service, Shannon is responsible for setting the news agenda for the Ipswich community, in print and online.
Shannon and her team are also responsible for promoting local initiatives and causes and holding our elected officials accountable, while connecting all aspects of our local community.
After working at a range of regional newspapers in reporting, chief of staff, deputy editor and editor positions, Shannon started at the QT in February 2017.
She has a passion for regional journalism and believes that local newspapers should champion their communities.
Kerrie Freeman (Dr)
KERRIE was appointed as the chief executive of West Moreton Hospital and Health Services in June 2017.
Dr Freeman has experience in health care delivery in Australia and New Zealand, as well as an academic focus on community and population health which will be useful in what is expected to be Queensland's fastest growing region over the next 25 years.
Kerrie's focus is to deliver more care closer to home and transform what they do with technology, evidence and consumer involvement.
Kerrie has over seen the new health masterplan for West Moreton which will dictate what our health services look like in the coming years. She has also worked on the cultural reform at the Ipswich Hospital.
Helen Youngberry
GOODNA Street Life was established in 2015 by a group of dedicated locals hoping to make a difference in our community.
Driven by the hard work and dedication of Helen Youngberry, president of Goodna Street Life, the group sought to establish a local shelter for the homeless and people forced onto the streets.
Goodna Street Life is not affiliated with any other organisation and is wholly run by volunteers, and seeks to provide temporary board and lodging for the homeless, crisis care for those in need and a drop-in respite centre for those living on the streets to access basic amenities and support to help people get back on their feet.
Geraldine MacKenzie
PROFESSOR Geraldine MacKenzie is beginning to make her mark on University of Southern Queensland campuses at Springfield and Ipswich.
Prof MacKenzie took on the role of vice-chancellor in September last year after successful stints in senior positions at Bond and Southern Cross universities.
She is a member of the Queensland Bar Association, American Bar Association and the International Bar. Prof MacKenzie is committed to maintaining USQ's position as an integral part of the community.
She was a part of the panel that hired former Ipswich City Council CEO Sean Madigan and was again on the recruitment panel to appoint a new Ipswich City Council CEO.
Dr Caroline Smith
Skills and jobs are high on the agenda of any growing community, and none know that better than Dr Smith who is executive director of Jobs Queensland, a body formed by the state government in 2015.
Bringing together industry, regions, employers and the community, the organisation is designed to be an independent voice to government, a conduit for communication and a vehicle for change.
One of the key philosophies of Jobs Queensland is to ensure the right skills are in the right place at the right time - underpinning the Ipswich Manufacturing Workforce Report and Action Plan which supports a skills-driven economy.
Ali Briggenshaw
Ali plays NRL for Australia and is captain of the women's Brisbane Broncos team. She champions Ipswich, even bringing the Channel 9 Footy Show to the city this year.
Ali played rugby league as a junior before playing Touch Football in the years she couldn't play league.
She returned in 2009, making both her Queensland and Australian Jillaroos debut in the same year. Ali has been part of two Rugby League World Cup winning teams, in 2013 and 2017.
Away from Rugby League, Ali is a labourer. She represented Queensland from 2009 to the present, and the Australian Jillaroos also since 2009. She captained the Brisbane Broncos to their first, and the competitions' inaugural premiership on Grand Final Day 2018.
Lisa Mackintosh
When a new McDonald's store for Greater Springfield was announced earlier this year, franchise owner Lisa Mackintosh knew she had to find 70 more hardworking, punctual people to cook burgers and clean the tables.
As the owner of three nearby McDonald's franchises - at Augustine Heights, Orion Springfield and Springfield Lakes - Ms Mackintosh wasn't phased by this tall order.
She hires a range of age groups. Her tip for people who want the jobs is to "turn up, be on time and work hard".
Ms Mackintosh sees enormous potential for growth in Greater Springfield.
The fourth store seemed a bit early to some, but Ms Mackintosh forged ahead regardless.
She says everyone is entitled to criticise fast food, but encourages them to think about McDonald's sponsorship program, which sponsors children's sport, and the jobs the stores create for young people.
"I'm creating jobs in the area so after school, they can come and earn money." She has also just opened her latest franchise in Camira.
Gabrielle Borggaard
Gabrielle Borggaard has been the CEO of the Domestic Violence Action Centre across Ipswich and Toowoomba since 2008.
She has a passion for co-creating a sustainable, ethical, innovative social services sector with a strong focus on developing useful and viable partnerships with other key stakeholders.
Her career spans the human services; from the Domestic and Family Violence Sector, the Child Protection Sector, Family Support and Therapeutic Counselling for individuals, men, women, relationships and families as well as experience in the Disability Sector.
During the past eights years of her work in the social services sector, she has specialised in the management of not for profit organisations, programs, teams and organisations with a strong focus on justice and equality for women and elimination of domestic and family violence.
Gabrielle has been involved in numerous co-design projects with both government and non-government bodies, has been on a variety of working groups relating specifically to improving services for women, children and young people experiencing or witnessing domestic and family violence as well as consulted on strategic directions for funding streams and national alliances.
Originally published as Meet Ipswich's most inspiring women
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