Meet the amazing leaders from Geelong community; small  business, corporates and government

Theresa Best

Theresa Best is Group Marketing Manager for the Southern Star Group of Companies, responsible for the development and implementation of its national marketing, brand and communication strategies.

The fastest growing window and door manufacturer in Australia.

Theresa is also Principal of Best Solutions and Best Ever Events; consultancies offering Event Management, Marketing, Capital Fundraising, Sponsorship and Strategic Communication services, primarily to not for profit organisations.

 

Theresa sits on the Board of Cricket Victoria having been appointed as a Director in March 2018. 

She is also a Director of the Geelong T20 Board (a consortium of Geelong businesspeople working to achieve a Geelong based team in Cricket Australia’s T20 ‘Big Bash’ competition).

Other roles including the Salvation Army’s Geelong Advisory Board, and the Salvation Army Victorian Corporate and Philanthropic Committee, and she is a member of The Rotary Club of Geelong West.

Christine Couzens

Christine Couzens has a lifetime of active commitment to social justice issues in Geelong

She has worked with homeless young people, assisted in the public housing sector and represented people on consumer law issues.

She has a proud record of fighting for workers’ rights through the union movement.

She served multiple terms as President of Geelong Trades Hall and established a working womens network which has been running for over ten years.

Prior to being elected to Parliament herself, Christine worked for former member for Geelong Ian Trezise since he won the seat in 1999. These experiences gave her an unrivalled knowledge of the needs of the community where she was born and bred.

Christine currently serves as the Victoria’s Ambassador for Closing The Gap where she advocates for equality for indigenous Victorians through delivering better health, education and employment outcomes.

Lisa Sweeney

Lisa Sweeney is CEO of Business in Heels, daily she works to fast-track women on their journey. She has 4 1/2 years of small business experience and well understands the transition from corporate to business owner.

Her expertise includes strategic planning, marketing, expansion through digital marketing, she is a strategic connector.

Her background is 25 years of corporate buying experience with expertise in strategic planning, sourcing, online retail, negotiation and she well understands the hurley burley of a corporate career.

She is passionate about making a difference for women & on a daily basis works to find solutions to levelling up the playing field. This year having launched mentoring, access to new women’s professional indemnity & superannuation solutions.

Philippa Rickards

Philippa is an experienced Business Manager with over 30 years’ experience in all facets of business administration, including project management, customer service, accounts payable and receivable, reconciliations, marketing and display, inventory control, transportation scheduling and dispatch, hygiene management, payroll, human resources, and training. For 25 years she has owned and managed her own business working for many varied companies in all facets of business management and training.

 

Philippa is an experienced Bookkeeper & BAS Agent with over 25 years industry experience including coaching & mentoring other bookkeepers. Philippa specialises in Small Business Management, Business Troubleshooting, Coaching & Mentoring, Bookkeeping & BAS for small business particularly solopreneurs and mum and dad businesses. Her passion is to assist small business owners to get their finances, policies, procedures, and paperwork in order to give them back their time to enjoy life.

Lisa Esman

A senior executive leader with over a decade of experience in leading teams through significant cultural change and transformation. I have operated in retail, corporate and community health environments, where I have demonstrated my commitment to developing the capability of my people whilst driving operational and organisational excellence. I believe in the importance of working collaboratively cross functionally to achieve meaningful customer and community outcomes and ongoing financial success.

 

A core value of mine is making a difference, and this extends not only to the customers and communities I serve but the people I am entrusted to lead. I am an accomplished leader with an ability to build high-performing teams and cultures to achieve organisational goals. I am skilled at balancing commercial requirements whilst actively engaging and empowering our people to succeed and supporting future leaders to learn and grow. I am a passionate people centred leader and believe in creating environments where people feel safe to be their authentic selves, to form highly engaged teams that have fun and where the collective group energises each other to deliver positive outcomes and growth.

Maree Harris

Most people come to Mentoring with a sense that what is happening in their businesses or
careers is not allowing them to achieve the goals they have set for themselves, that they are
not achieving their full potential. I have been in business more than 30 years, and I have the
expertise and experience across a wide range of industries to help you change that.
I am not just about giving you tips and strategies for improvement. I am also about helping
you discover new possibilities for your business that you may not have even imagined or
thought possible. A high priority for me is helping you to discover your strengths and how
you can enhance them to achieve your goals.
I specialise in helping my mentees proactively manage the interpersonal challenges they
face in their businesses. These are the challenges they personally face as owner , for
example, managing change and disruption and stress and conflict. But also managing all the
stakeholders in your business – employees, customers, suppliers, for example, in a way that
grows you and your business.
There are six areas of business development that I consistently see as issues for women and
which they need to attend to if they want to be successful..
1. Having a business development plan.
2. Developing your network.
3. Building a social media presence.
4. Creating your professional identity – the brand called YOU.
5. Learning to self-promote.
6. Integrating work and family.

Nicola Wojcik

Nicola hails from England and enjoyed living in Hong Kong, Singapore and Indonesia before settling in Australia where she spent the majority of her childhood in Perth.  It was here she completed a degree in Asian Studies, with a double major in marketing and Japanese and has also completed a Bachelor of Education.  She recently completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) course.

 

Nicola Wojcik is the Director, Research at WorkSafe Victoria.  Nicola is a multidisciplinary communications, stakeholder engagement and research professional with over 20 years’ experience at the top levels of these areas.

 

Nicola started with WorkSafe Victoria in 2016 and has had a number of different roles in that time. She commenced managing the communications for the relocation of WorkSafe’s head office from Melbourne to Geelong and spear headed the Geelong Integration Program. She has had roles in managing marketing, WorkWell program and stakeholder engagement & communications for the Legislation and Policy division before heading up the silica project health assessment team in October 2019.

 

As Director Research she plays a key role in setting the research strategy and ensures the research projects generate evidence and insights to inform policy, program and operational decisions.  Nicola is committed to outcome, solution-focused research, created through partnerships and collaboration.  Her approach ensures research relevance and utility for decision makers in an increasingly complex environment.

 

She has spent much of her career in private industry working in the energy, water and mining sectors and in trade & investment with those roles seeing her work in Perth, London, Port Hedland, Melbourne and Geelong. She loves to be active and takes her love of sport to the Boardroom where she has been a commissioner for AFLBarwon for 5 years and has recently joined the board of Read the Play.  She has been involved in the judging for the Give Where You Live grants, Pako Festa multicultural festival and the Geelong Business Excellence Awards for a number of years.

 

Outside of working life, Nicola enjoys spending time with her family, reading and travelling.

 

 

Liz Price

Liz Price –GM Great Ocean Road Tourism- .

Liz is a strong leader and strategic thinker and has driven the growth and profitability

of both start up and established businesses.

Liz is a strong collaborator proficient in building mutually beneficial partnerships ,

driving change and embedding a culture of innovation and capacity building that

engages both internal and external stakeholders.

Liz is the Inaugural General Manager of Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism, an

organisation established in 2013 by the Six Local Governments across the region to

deliver a collaborative, regional approach to building a sustainable visitor economy

for the Great Ocean Road region.

Liz has worked in tourism, hospitality & publishing for over thirty years including

as General Manager-Australia for Club Tourism Publishing, Inaugural Chief Executive

of Destination Melbourne and Executive Director of Tourism for the Melbourne

Convention and Visitors Bureau. A destination management specialist with a

passion for strategy and a love of marketing, Liz has worked extensively with

not for profits and membership based organisations.

Liz is passionate about thinking differently and challenging the status quo and enjoys

continuously learning.

Justine Martin

Justine Martin is the Founder/CEO of the Justine Martin Corporation (JMC),

incorporating four businesses: Juzt art, Resilience Mindset, Van-Go Decals and

Morpheus Publishing. Justine is an accomplished & award-winning artist; keynote

speaker; resilience coach; author; and podcast host. She started Juzt art 10 years

ago, and has grown to four businesses during that time.

Her personal medical battles inspired the launch of her second business; Resilience

Mindset, where she coaches, runs a resilience podcast series, is a published author

and a keynote speaker on resilience. Early 2022 saw the launch ‘Team Finger Print’

a new corporate program combining a morning of resilience team building and

afternoon of bringing the team’s vision to life through painting.

Her love of art and design inspired her third business; Van-Go Decals, colourful and

funky decals to brighten up wheelchairs, caravans, campervans, trailers, Kombi

vans to stand out on the footpaths, roads and caravan parks! Justine is redesigning

the way art is utilised, displayed and shared.

During 2022 Justine is launching her fourth business; Morpheus Publishing. Justine’s

passion for writing resilience/self-help books and the addition of writing her first

kids book; Same Same But Different, will see the launch of a publishing arm.

Throughout 2021 Justine was awarded seven national awards! Her dedication and

passion for helping & coaching others was recognised when she won Gold at the

2021 prestigious national AusMumpreneur Awards for ‘Coach of the Year’ and her

outstanding creative ability continues to shine, winning GOLD in the 2021 Roar

Awards for Creative ‘Artist of the Year’.

 

Amanda Bennetts

Director at The CEO Institute Geelong, she strategically invites elite business people who are in growth businesses to join.

No stranger to developing & growing businesses across the globe. As Chairman & CEO of a world-leading fashion brand of boots, Director of a sourcing company based in China, developer of Café/Play centres, glossy magazines, events, business development companies, charities, Sydney Olympics, Insurance agencies, Real Estate, published author, franchises… she is ambitious, experienced and open to a challenge.

Nominated Telstra Business woman of the year 2014 and runner up in Chamber of Commerce & Industry awards as she has a passion for exceeding expectations.

I’m her early 40’s & already has a world of practical experience, which probably shouldn’t be a surprise given at 15 years old she was the youngest drama teacher in Australia running my own school, and hasn’t stopped since. Some say she has ‘ants in her pants’, but it’s this energy and drive that gets her the results.

In my spare time I negotiate how much chocolate is appropriate after dinner is OK before bed, with my 9-year old daughter and change the dirty nappies of my 3 year old.

Learn the HARD way or the FAST way, it’s up to YOU. Experience & setbacks is hard, the FAST way is learning from others who have done it before, & fast track your success. The right education has the power to change your whole life & the lives others.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”

Julie Hope

Julie Hope is Deakin University’s Geelong broker of business and community partnerships, leading collaborative teams to enhance community engagement in Geelong and surrounds.

Julie has connected & managed Deakin’s patronage of many key partnerships including the Geelong Cats,Deakin Cats Community Centre,Geelong Arts Centre – Deakin University Theatre Season,the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race & the Deakin University Geelong Business Excellence Awards. Julie proactively seeks ways to unite all aspects of Deakin’s business and with the community, civic and business spheres by connecting Deakin’s research, student interns, graduate employment and teaching and learning opportunities.

She endeavours to facilitate Deakin’s support of many other organisations including smaller not-for-profit organisations and local iconic festivals like Pako Festa and Gala Day.

A passionate advocate for Geelong, Julie has been a Director of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce (2 tenures) and is currently engaged as a Director of Geelong Connected Communities, 

 Community Advisory Sub-Committee of Barwon Health and Sport in the North Advisory Committee.

She has been an Ambassador for Project Love acknowledging her time as a patient in the Andrew Love cancer centre in 2011 and she is a Tourism Geelong and the Bellarine ‘MEET Geelong’ Ambassador.

 

 

Deb Fribbins

Deb Fribbins is an entrepreneur, strategic planning coach,  mentor, speaker, author, social enterprise advocate and champion for equality. Her passion is to support small businesses from start up to scaleable sale to thrive and achieve their goals.

 

Deb enjoyed a long successful career in the corporate retail world with Myer, David Jones, Target, and Harris Scarfe over more than 30 years.  Since leaving retail she has worked extensively with small business retailers, service providers, manufacturers and wholesalers, both locally and Internationally. Servicing clients in the UK, Bali, USA and all over Australia. 

 

The Developing Excellencein Business  (DEB) philosophy is to empower business owners with the knowledge, skills and expertise to achieve and exceed their goals. Extensive experience in coaching and mentoring has seen great success for businesses in a wide variety of fields. The unique 5 D process is customised for each individual business needs, leading to increased sales, profits and a greater brand awareness in the market place. 

 

Anne O’Loughlin

Anne has practised exclusively in family law since 2005 and has been recognised as a Leading Family & Divorce Lawyer in Regional Victoria in the 2022 Doyle’s Guide, as well as a finalist in the Partner of the Year Awards 2020. She works within our experienced Family & Relationship Law team in both the Geelong and Melbourne offices, steadfastly committed to achieving the best outcomes for every client. Anne and the family law team’s hallmark is creative, collaborative and practical solutions that help clients focus on the future. Anne has significant experience in resolving matters by negotiation through alternative dispute resolution and mediation.

Anne and her team consistently resolve complex divorce, property and parenting matters without the need to resort to costly and lengthy litigation. Where settlement can’t be reached pre-litigation, Anne’s family law expertise delivers strong, client-centric representation in court.

As an Independent Children’s Lawyer appointed by Victoria Legal Aid, Anne uses her experience, expertise and empathy to represent and promote the interests of children in family law proceedings. These cases often involve difficult issues such as high levels of conflict and allegations of abuse, neglect or family violence.

Beyond the practice, Anne is a member of the Quality and Research Committee at MacKillop Family Services and on the Board of Lazarus Community Centre. She is also a member of the Strategy and Policy Committee and on the Board for Committee for Geelong as well as a mentor for Women in Heels and a member of the CEO Institute.

 

 

Kate Martin

Julie Hope is Deakin University’s Geelong broker of business and community partnerships, leading collaborative teams to enhance community engagement in Geelong and surrounds.

Julie has connected & managed Deakin’s patronage of many key partnerships including the Geelong Cats,Deakin Cats Community Centre,Geelong Arts Centre – Deakin University Theatre Season,the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race & the Deakin University Geelong Business Excellence Awards. Julie proactively seeks ways to unite all aspects of Deakin’s business and with the community, civic and business spheres by connecting Deakin’s research, student interns, graduate employment and teaching and learning opportunities.

She endeavours to facilitate Deakin’s support of many other organisations including smaller not-for-profit organisations and local iconic festivals like Pako Festa and Gala Day.

A passionate advocate for Geelong, Julie has been a Director of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce (2 tenures) and is currently engaged as a Director of Geelong Connected Communities,

Community Advisory Sub-Committee of Barwon Health and Sport in the North Advisory Committee.

She has been an Ambassador for Project Love acknowledging her time as a patient in the Andrew Love cancer centre in 2011 and she is a Tourism Geelong and the Bellarine ‘MEET Geelong’ Ambassador.

 

 

Olga Hogan

Originally from Estonia, Olga has lived, studied, and worked in Finland, England, Kazakhstan and now in Australia.

After completing a PhD in Chemistry at Oxford, Olga decided to focus on a combination of finance and innovation.

One of her mentors suggested that joining a graduate program at a Big4 accountancy firm and working as an auditor was the “world’s best MBA”. From there Olga has held a range of roles, from startup founder in the energy trading sector to 2ic of investor relations at a FSTE 100 mining company as well as an investment manager at a private equity firm. 

Recently, Olga has been working with university researchers to facilitate research investment opportunities, advising investors on mergers and acquisitions as well as mentoring and coaching start-up founders at SPARK Deakin and State Library Victoria’s StartSpace.

Developing your own business, changing careers, industries and countries is not always straightforward, so Olga knows the first-hand how even one mentoring conversation can really help.

 

Amanda Kunjka

Hello, I’m Amanda, Intuitive Coach, Fundraising Specialist, Content Creator & Podcaster.

My genuine hope is that you create the career, business and life you desire in the way you want yours to be and that you feel confident listening to your intuition doing so. 

When you realise your intuition doesn’t always make logical sequential sense, you still trust you’re being led and the path for you, reveals itself.  This is as you continue to move forward and free up your time.  

I’ve been a Fundraising and Marketing specialist for over 7 years, working with incredible non-profit and charitable organisations in the health, education and humanitarian sectors.  

I’ve also mentored university college graduates in business and marketing undergraduate studies at Monash University, to help them enhance their employability after university life.

More recently, mentoring professionals in marketing & fundraising to advance their career.

Life before a career change, I was a registered nurse for 15 years, working for some well-known healthcare organisations and more niche ones in London and Australia.

This is where mastering your intuition comes into play and your life soars, the easy way.  No more missing the signs or flags!

It’s my passion that you master your intuition and your life soars!

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