Established in 2016, Megan Nastrom is the Co-Founder of Ultra Living Homes. With a degree in accounting, Megan’s initial role was predominantly in running the accounts department and HR. Over time, this evolved to overseeing the entire business to assist in propelling it forward, navigating through Covid and the challenges that came afterwards and improve the businesses client inclusions offerings to create a real point of difference within the industry. Much of this is what saw Megan take out the 2022 HIA QLD Building Women Executive Leadership Award. Also, behind the scenes, Megan is now the leading force behind all of Ultra’s Display Homes from initial conception of plan design, colour selections, on site progress, marketing and display home staging. In 2022, Ultra was awarded HIA’s Gold Coast Region Best Display Home in the $300k to $500k category and was also runner up in the 2022 HIA Qld Interior Design Awards for the Display Home Interior Design category. As a businesswoman, a wife, and a mother of 2 girls, Megan admits that finding the perfect work/life balance is not always that easy. However, with a combination of support from both family and industry professionals, and the ability to know when one needs to take care of oneself to be one’s best version of themself, Megan wouldn’t have it any other way. Megan believes that during these tough last few years, having great perspective when it comes to others and the industry has been paramount. Website | Facebook | Instagram

Kristina brings vision and structure to Alder Constructions with her intuitive approach. Her industry experience, creative skills and collaborative style have enabled the organisation to build new business pathways, through high quality bid management, inspired community engagement programs and true leadership in support of our core goals and objectives. As a leader within Alder Constructions, Kristina’s passion to create a more diverse, inclusive and balanced workplace has cultivated an environment where gender barriers are removed and women in construction are truly supported, promoted and valued.

Angela is CEO and Founder of EPIC and is a highly experienced professional with a diverse background in the construction industry spanning over 20 years. Her journey began at a young age, working on her father's turf farm and later joining his landscaping business during her high school years. After finishing high school, she then moved into a role that saw her managing a chain of locksmiths stores across Brisbane, where she was only one of 2 females in Qld trained in complex locksmithing systems. One of Angela's notable achievements was her first project, overseeing the construction of a Peppers Resort, a comprehensive project comprising 132 units, a hotel and restaurant, retail outlets, day spa, and function and conference centre. She played a pivotal role in the project, working diligently from pre-construction to operational phases. Throughout her career, Angela has amassed a wealth of expertise across various sectors within the construction industry. She has successfully contributed to projects in fields such as oil and gas, undersea electricity interconnectors, civil engineering, renewables, power generation, water management, commercial construction, government initiatives, forestry, tourism and marketing, and major international construction projects in Dubai, the Middle East, Singapore, Pakistan, New Zealand, and India. Angela's exceptional work on Australia's multi-billion-dollar mega-projects even garnered attention from the US TV show "Mega Structures," for the APLNG Project at Curtis Island. Her experience as a FIFO (Fly-In-Fly-Out) worker in remote locations across Australia has given her firsthand exposure to the challenges faced by women in the industry, including sexual harassment, bullying, intimidation, discrimination, and threatening behaviour and her own personal experiences were the driving force why she founded EPIC, as she recognised there were no specialised services available to support women in the construction industry. In addition to her construction expertise, Angela also serves as a Probity Advisor for the Tasmanian Government, ensuring ethical conduct in procurement processes, and holds the position of Tribunal Member (Disciplinary Tribunal) for the Department of Justice in Tasmania. She is also a White Ribbon Australia Community Partner and Mentor for Be Hers, a community organisation who supports vulnerable CALD women. Driven by a passion for empowering individuals, Angela is dedicated to helping people thrive, succeed, and shine in their respective endeavours. Her extensive knowledge, combined with her commitment to fostering a positive and inclusive work environment, makes her an asset in the construction industry and beyond. LinkedIn

Kim is the Co-Owner & Office Manager of CRA Construction. A Brisbane based plastering company focusing on high-end architectural homes within Brisbane's inner-city. Website | Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn

Anthony Ikin is widely renowned for his never-ending optimism, generous spirit and unique dance moves. In fact those signature dance moves, coupled with his driven and determined mindset, led him to become the World Aerobic Champion, a top 10 finalist on the popular television show, “So You Think You Can Dance” and a soloist in the world-famous Parisian cabaret, “Moulin Rouge.” Pirouetting from on stage to behind the scenes, Anthony has worked as a Creative Director and Choreographer on a glittering portfolio of global projects. These include a career highlight of choreographing the closing ceremony of the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and most recently adding his magic to the dance routines of the iconic musical, Priscilla Queen of the Desert. After decades of captivating audiences all over the world, Anthony has successfully re-channelled his performance acumen into a successful coaching and speaking vocation in Ikin Achieve. Anthony is a certified Life Coach through Jay Shetty, a graduate of the Kairos Project with Rich Litvin, and holds a diploma in the science of wellbeing from Yale University. The enthusiasm, charisma, and colourful energy Anthony brings to every session make him highly sought after as both a one-on-one personal coach or a group coach in corporate settings. His passion and expertise lie in showing how negative and destructive thought patterns can be replaced with a new script, a script that leads and manifests into unstoppable confidence. Anthony’s signature keynote speeches are out of this world and have been compared to the contagious energy of watching a first Broadway show or live football game; the only difference being that the audience’s exhilaration stems from the realisation of their own potential, value, and prospects. Anthony is on a mission to help people like themselves more, strive actively in the pursuit of their happiness and goals and most importantly, feel unwavering confidence in their everyday lives. He brings all this inspiration and energy wrapped up in a jump out of your seat delivery, and if Anthony has his way, you’ll be shimmying towards the best version of yourself straight away!

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Georgi Le Lay is the Director and Operations Manager at Rocket Building Approvals. Georgi was awarded Employer of Choice at the inaugural AWIC Awards in 2022. Website | Instagram

Jess is the Development Manager for Coast2Bay Housing Group - a regional Community Housing Provider based on the Sunshine Coast. Jess has worked in development and construction in Qld and WA for over 15 years across public, private and not-for-profit sectors. As Development Manager, Jess is responsible for delivering new residential homes and communities that transform lives - providing safe and secure housing choices for some of the most vulnerable people in our society. Website

Tanya Meessmann is the founder and CEO of social enterprise Girl Shaped Flames, not-for-profit UNIQ You and now the Trellis Collective consultancy. Thoroughly dedicated to addressing gender inequality within male-dominated industries (and armed with international insights and experience) Tanya has not only worked with over 4000 teenage girls, their parents and educators facilitating powerful confidence development, mentoring, inspiring events, and transformative training courses for 5 years... ...in 2021 she developed and launched UNIQ You: a not for profit career advisory service in response to the critical need to significantly increase the number of high school girls considering and pursuing inspiring unique career pathways in industries and roles under-represented by women. Trellis Collective, and its First Five Program, presents a continuation of Tanya’s dedication to providing the support needed for young women entering and navigating male-dominated industries, and the opportunity to apply her confidence development, communication and community expertise to result in the next generation of empowered women. Girl Shaped Flames: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram UNIQ You: Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram Trellis Collective: LinkedIn

If you have women in your workplace, then periods are something you have to start talking about and start considering in order to show true care for your employees. For too long, women have experienced shame and embarrassment around a completely natural thing that happens to their bodies every month. It can cause them discomfort, pain and even lead to needing time out from work. All of this is meant to be hidden away from the day to day of work. But Janine Coppeller, a woman living with endometriosis is changing that. After working in HR and recruitment for 23 years, Janine founded Jnine & Co to support women in their careers by normalising menstruation and offering comfort at work. Janine is particularly passionate about supporting women wanting to go into Trade industries. Website | Facebook | Instagram | Linkedin

Keeley Tilbrook is 17 years old and currently in her second year as an Electrical Apprentice with Dawson Electric. At just 17, Keeley took home the inaugural AWIC Award for Professional of the Year in 2022. Keeley spoke of her tenacity and drive in her AWIC nomination: “I think what makes me an AWESOME woman in construction is my positive perspective on all aspects of my work and my genuine love for what I do. I am strong willed, honest, optimistic and am always learning through failure. I get the job done with a smile and push myself to do what scares me, but mostly I love to show not only young girls, but everyone around me that it is fun to do things that aren’t the norm.” Instagram | Linkedin

Kassandra Behrendt is the founder and owner of Pagoni, a Brisbane based jewellery label. A self-taught jewellery designer, she has been meticulously handcrafting exclusive one-of-a-kind designs for over two decades. Kassandra’s passion for her art is what makes her stand apart. Known for her keen eye and sense of style, Kassandra offers her clients a bold alternative to what’s currently available in the fashion market. She is a breast cancer survivor, mother, entrepreneur and pillar of the community. Constantly giving back, Kassandra creates and donates special pieces to many local grass-roots charities such as The Carers Foundation Australia. She is also a proud member of Soroptimist International. Her philanthropic tendencies combined with her eye for fashion and business savvy, allow her to contribute greatly to these causes. Pagoni pieces are in high demand and have been featured on magazine covers, runways and high profile women across the globe. Kassandra overcomes any obstacle with dignity and grace. And has now taken to the public stage to share her journey so that she can inspire others to live a life of passion and purpose. Website | Facebook - Kassandra Behrendt Studio | Facebook - Pagoni | Instagram | LinkedIn

Michelle is a Construction Lawyer, Adjudicator and a Security of Payment consultant helping subcontractors get paid and manage compliance with security of payment systems. But more importantly, Michelle used to be a builder's contracts administrator, and some of the builders she worked for were in severe financial distress. Michelle speaks to trade business owners, builders and suppliers who struggle every minute of business life with cashflow highs and lows, delays, and late payment by their clients. These struggles are more than just an insolvency issue - they take a real toll on the people behind the businesses. Website | Linktree

Melissa Dale founded Meka Recruitment after recruiting for the construction and infrastructure section noticing the gap in supplying the right candidates. Meka is committed to providing the right people to you, ensuring you meet your deadlines. We have developed innovative software that gives our clients complete transparency with no hidden charges. Meka Recruitment assists our clients with Labour Hire that is project based or Permanent recruitment solutions. Meka Recruitment has a number of staff with first hand experience in the fields we recruit for, this gives us a clear understanding of the requirements you need. Our team is able to assist with strategic employment strategies resulting in increased staff retention. Our job is to find the right person for your business so you can focus on increasing revenue. Meka Recruitment's goal is to change the labour hire and recruitment stigma, making it more affordable and efficient for our clients. We can also assist with all your Human Resource requirements, managing staff can be tricky and time consuming. Let Meka handle your staff while you focus on the business. Website | Facebook | LinkedIn This podcast series is proudly supported by the Queensland Mental Health Week Community Events Grant Program

Kari Sutton has helped over 25,000 children, parents, and educators, providing evidence-based strategies and tools to foster resilience, emotional wellbeing and positive mental health. Kari delivers tangible strategies that are immediately actionable and positively impact both child and parent wellbeing and emotional resilience. Website | Instagram | Facebook This podcast series is proudly supported by the Queensland Mental Health Week Community Events Grant Program

Kim owns CRA Construction alongside her husband Chris, a residential high end plastering company. Together they've built up a team of 15 full time staff who are all working towards changing the way plasterers are perceived within the industry. Website | Instagram

Jessica Ndenda is an award-winning business owner, public speaker and women in business activist. Leaving her reputable corporate career in Learning and Development and sales to build Olive Louise Social in 2015, she has successfully built one of Brisbane's most recognised boutique marketing agencies, leading a team of 8 hardworking mothers and young women, whilst raising her own tribe of 5 children. She is passionate about educating women to recognise they really can have it all if they are intentional about changing their thinking and learning practical tools to help them succeed through her second business The Belle Evolution. Jess is known for working the hardest, laughing the loudest and dreaming the biggest all whilst rocking her weird and wonderful frocks! Website | Instagram

Named as “One to Watch” 2021 Ausmumprenuer, one of 2020’s Top100 Women in Construction, Roar Business Award Bronze Winner and a Finalist in both the 2020 and 2021 Women in Industry Awards, Jo has been making waves as an enforcer in advocating for women working in industry. Jo is first and foremost a coal train driver, a trusted advisor, speaker, published best-selling author of the book “High Heels to Hi Vis”, magazine contributor, host of the “Kickass Radio” show & podcast and founder of the Kickass Women network who support women who want to achieve their biggest career transition and visions. Kickass Women strives to connect encourage and inspire women not only right across the local region, but state and nationwide. Jo has over 30 years of combined service in Administration, HR, WH&S and Project Management in the private sector and industry, this knowledge has equipped her with all the necessary tools to focus on addressing issues of self-confidence and empowering women to have self-fulfilment, financial independence and reignite personal branding - their kickass attitude, that is. Her mission in life is to inspire and empower women to kick off their heels and tap into their steel caps and become the leaders and changemakers with impact they are born to be! Jo has contributed to conferences and events all around the country and overseas in order to gain new inspiration on her advocacy, thought leadership and inspire others to dig deeper, motivating women to overthrow the status quo and think differently about their capabilities, their possibilities, opportunities, what it takes to drive change and what action is needed to find their kickass attitude and succeed in a career transition into varied male-dominated industries. With the motto “Go On Get Your Glo On...become a Glo Getter”, Jo offers online career coaching and mentoring that helps women of all ages set a success mindset, build their kickass resume and toolkit and get their boots on site. If Jo is not on shift, she is probably writing or advocating Kickass Women – Glo Getters. To get a glimpse into her life and career, visit her blog. This is the best way to learn more about her. Website | RadioShow | Facebook - Jo Sainsbury | Facebook - Kickass Women | Instagram - Kickass Women | LinkedIn - Jo Sainsbury | LinkedIn - Kickass Women

Melissa Dale founded Meka Recruitment after recruiting for the construction and infrastructure section noticing the gap in supplying the right candidates. Meka is committed to providing the right people to you, ensuring you meet your deadlines. We have developed innovative software that gives our clients complete transparency with no hidden charges. Meka Recruitment assists our clients with Labour Hire that is project based or Permanent recruitment solutions. Meka Recruitment has a number of staff with first hand experience in the fields we recruit for, this gives us a clear understanding of the requirements you need. Our team is able to assist with strategic employment strategies resulting in increased staff retention. Our job is to find the right person for your business so you can focus on increasing revenue. Meka Recruitment's goal is to change the labour hire and recruitment stigma, making it more affordable and efficient for our clients. We can also assist with all your Human Resource requirements, managing staff can be tricky and time consuming. Let Meka handle your staff while you focus on the business. Website

Tradie Wife, Mum of 3...sometimes 4! Full time workaholic. Having co -owned a tradie business for the last 14 years, I understand the trials and tribulations of working with your partner. Through the years I have made many mistakes, been stressed and worried beyond my means and learnt a lot about myself, my husband and our business. Funnily enough, the main learning has transpired into my current role as National Customer Success and Services manager at HazardCo. It is not surprising that the secret to almost any success, whether it be personal, professional or keeping your team safe...is communication. I am excited to share my story and hopefully some tips on how to stay sane! Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn