The woman at the frontline of melanoma research, a top female pilot and a woman campaigning to eliminate the sale of full-strength beer in her community have been named among Australia’s top female influencers this year.
Last night The Australian Financial Review and Westpac honoured Australia’s top women of influence for 2013, recognising women who are contributing to business, society and innovating Australian industries.
The awards cover 10 categories including board management, social enterprise, public policy, diversity, young leadership, philanthropy and innovation. Honourees included Catherine Harris, chairwoman of Harris Farms, QBE chairman Belinda Hutchinson and CEO of Care Australia Julia Newton-Howes.
As one of the leaders in the field of skin cancer research, Adele Green was one of the first people to advocate the daily use of sunscreen when she identified the skin cancer epidemic in Australia and launched a landmark study of the disease. She was named both the winner in the innovation category and overall winner.
Meet the winners:
Diversity: Deanna Gibbon
In her role heading up the Air Force’s Directorate of Workplace Flexibility and Diversity, Deanna Gibbon has implemented a range of initiatives to encourage untapped demographics to join the Air Force. She developed a program during her PhD called “Flying Solo”, which helps women “thrive and survive” in the “masculinised field” of Air Force aviation and is now heading up the response to the scandals over treatment of women in the ADF.
Business entrepreneur: Catherine Harris
As chairman of Harris Farm markets, the company she co-founded with her husband in the 70’s, Catherine Harris has faced a number of challenges with the company, including financial. Since the 1980’s Harris has helped grow the food retailer into a major operation that operates 23 stores across NSW. She is also known for her work as commissioner for the Australian Rugby League Commission.
Board Management: Belinda Hutchinson and Rebecca De-Bradbury
Belinda Hutchinson is the chair of QBE and one of the few women to hold a chair position in an ASX20 company. She is recognised as one of the top female executives in Australia.
As the president developed markets Asia-Pacific, Mondelez International (previously Kraft), and with a career that has spanned senior positions at Lion Nathan, Barbecues Galore and McDonald’s, Rebecca Dee-Bradbury was recognised for her leadership and innovation in the food sector.
Social enterprise and NFP: June Oscar
June Oscar CEO of Marninwarntikura Fitzroy Women’s Resource Centre Aboriginal Corporation was recognised for her successful campaign efforts to ban the sale of full-strength beer in Fitzroy Crossings. As the director of a number of community corporations, she’s headed up research on the effect of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and delivered presentations to the UN. She was awarded an OA for her campaign against the alcohol industry.
Philanthropy: Sam Meers
As vice-chairman of Philanthropy Australia, Sam Meers co-founded the first official private charity fund which allowed philanthropists control over how their money was spent. She also sits on the board of Climate Institute and Centre for Social Impact Advisory Council at the University of NSW.
Global: Julia Newtown-Howes
Julia Newtown-Howes was recognised for her role as CEO of Care Australia, a position she has held since 2007. She has spent the past five years ensuring gender equality and women’s empowerment are central to CARE’s programs. She is also the Vice president of Australian Council for International Development.
Public Policy: Marian Baird
In response to her personal experience, Professor Marian Baird, director of the women and work research group, headed up pioneering research that showed more than 50% of women didn’t have access to paid maternity leave. Her research helped launch the National paid parental leave scheme in 2011.
Local/Regional: Su McCluskey
Su McCluskey is the inaugural CEO of the Regional Australia Institute. With a background running a cattle property in regional NSW, McCluskey has extensive personal experience that has given her key insight into regional and rural issues and helped guide her work developing rural policies.
Youth: Sophie Ryan
At only 27 Sophie Ryan has already been involved in a number of innovative and charitable foundations. She helped launch Pads4Prisoners in Sudan, an aid program that allowed female prisoners to make their own sanitary napkins and which has now grown to reach Afghanistan. Locally, she was involved in the launch Tooth Mob, a dental volunteer program that sends dentists to remote aboriginal communities. She’s also headed the Sony Foundation for the past three years, work which has included building youth cancer centres and launching Fashion4ward.