Sister, Sarah Waterman

Melissa left school at 16 to care for her younger brother and sister, so her single mum could work two jobs. Even back then she was regarded as the “neighborhood mum” taking any child under her wing.

Now, as a single mum herself at 34 with two boys, Taylor (8) and Keaton (6) she is an inspiration to others. She became a family care officer to keep families together and, as a foster mum she has cared for numerous children and babies. One of the babies she had was a heroin addict and (despite the advice of doctors) managed to free him of his addiction and get him back with his mum. For the past couple of years, Melissa has cared for a 7 -year old girl who has been in more than 6 foster homes and her 4-year-old brain damaged brother. Melissa has learnt sign language to help him to communicate. The boy was recently in hospital for a serious heart operation and Melissa never left his side.

Somehow, she even finds time to renovate her home on the Gold Coast – painting, tiling, building fences and even hanging doors!

Melissa thanked her two sons for the support they give her to be a foster carer: “They not only have to share their toys, their space but they have to share their mum as well!”

Melissa’s sister Sarah (who nominated her) describes Melissa as “a really wonderful person, really strong, very level headed and loves her kids to death.” “Even though she struggles both financially and physically she never complains. Despite her 4 am starts and late nights Melissa runs a beautiful and fun household. “I believe any child Melissa cares for will be touched for life.”

Melissa currently cares for her two boys and five long-term foster children who she hopes will be part of her family forever. The oldest child is 11 and youngest 2.

Michelle Monsour’s career has come a long way since she left school at 16. She spent 6 years working in bars and clubs before taking a job as a cashier at the Taronga Zoo. It was the catalyst for an amazing career journey and beginning of her love for animals and conservation. She subsequently worked her way up to Admissions Manager and worked in a variety of roles before finding her niche as the Zoo’s Operations and Commercial Manager. After 10 years at the Zoo she followed her passion in conservation and wildlife to take on a role as Executive Officer of the Territory Wildlife Park in the NT.

Michelle Monsour is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, and has been instrumental in promoting and sustaining one of the Gold Coast's most iconic tourist attractions. In April 2006 Michelle established a koala wildlife colony in China, a world first which has created a lifelong partnership between Currumbin and Xiangjiang Safari Park. Michelle's goal is to ensure that zoos are fulfilling their obligations to both the community and wildlife, and is aiming to establish Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary as a leader in environmental management and research.

Michelle is the winner of the Hudson Community and Government Award (for employees of government departments, statutory bodies and not-for-profit organisations.

Michelle lives on the Gold Coast with her three year on son Mason.

The entertainment legend is one of the country’s best known and loved singers and will now add dancing to her repertoire, “I’m ecstatic and they couldn’t have done better than matching me up with dance partner Jean-Paul – he is a total spunk!”, she said.

Renowned for her soulful and powerful vocal style, Kate has won nearly every entertainment award in Australia. She has released five platinum records and four gold albums, selling over one million albums in this country alone. The sultry singer first came to prominence during her mid-teens as the lead singer for funk band I’m Talking. After one album, the group broke up leaving Kate free to purse a solo career.

And what a career it’s been. Her second solo album You’ve Always Got The Blues earned her an ARIA Award for Best Female Artist but it was the triple platinum selling Brave in 1989 that really set the charts on fire. It was the first album by an Australian female to reach the national number one spot and it produced four hit singles including Bedroom Eyes. At the end of 1990, she received three prestigious MO Awards for Jazz Performer, Female Rock Performer and Contemporary Concert Performer of the Year.

In 1992, Kate performed the role of Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar to rave reviews. She followed this with her own late-night cabaret-style show on ABC TV called Kate Ceberano And Friends. Since then, she has released the critically acclaimed album Blue Box and her self-penned smash Pash. Next came The Girl Can Help It followed by the highly successful 19 Days in New York.

In November 2005, Kate performed two concerts at The Perth Concert Hall with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. She performed a vastly eclectic collection of songs, ranging from the classic Unchained Melody through to original songs and modern gems like The Drugs Don’t Work. The shows were recorded live and released on Kate Ceberano Live with The West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

The Melbourne-born songstress is married to music video director Lee Rogers, who has directed several of her music videos. They have a daughter Gypsy, who was born in January 2004.

The founder and CEO (Chief Experiences Officer) of RedBalloon Days, Naomi is passionate about pleasure! Given that the average life has 27,610 days she wonders how many are truly memorable. Naomi has a big vision of changing gifting forever in Australia and New Zealand, backed by enthusiasm, energy and drive. Juggling her commitments as CEO of RedBalloon, President of the Entrepreneur’s Organisation (Sydney Chapter) 2007 – 2008 and mother of two, Naomi also inspires others regularly as a professional speaker, writes her own blog naomisimson.com, is a columnist for SmartCompany.com.au and have recently completed her first book.

Naomi’s corporate marketing experience at IBM, KPMG, Apple Computer Australia and Ansett Australia, combined with her entrepreneurial spirit, provide a strong foundation for success. She was recognised as Westpac NSW Entrepreneur of the Year in 2005. RedBalloon Days is also the recipient of other awards which include, among others, #29 in the 2006 BRW Fast 100; finalist in the 2006 NSW Telstra Business Awards; 2006 BRW Fastest Growing Start Ups list for the 2nd year (as the only female); 2004, 2005 and 2006 Hitwise award for the most visited website in Australia and New Zealand in the gifts and flowers category.

And she is still having a good time!

Amanda grew up in a small mining town of Blackwater, in central Queensland. Amanda was one of three in her grade 12 class to go to University. After studying and graduating in Accounting Amanda started work for a small accounting firm in Brisbane and stayed there for 13 years, completing her CPA at the same time.

When she married her husband Darren, a pilot, the couple moved to Sydney to help him find fulltime work. The move provided Amanda the opportunity to join Ernst & Young as a manager. When they decided to start a family and Darren got offered a role with Virgin Blue, the couple returned to Queensland.

Amanda now works part-time as a senior manager in Ernst & Young’s tax division. Amanda had her first child at 37 and is currently pregnant with their second child.

When Elena migrated to Australia, 12 years ago, with her two young daughters, she was 30 years old and had no social network beyond her new husband. A daunting prospect for any women, for her, it was compounded by an absence of English skills. However, since arriving in Australia, she put herself through English school and university and now speaks fluent English and holds a Bachelor degree in Business Accounting (quite a contrast to her former life as an actress in Russia).

Elena is capable of achieving whatever she sets as her goal through her determination, focus and unwavering effort. She is the Managing Director of the award winning Australian innovative Systems (AIS) in the tough, male dominated manufacturing area - her company manufactures swimming pool chlorinators.

AIS became the national winner in the 2005 Yellow Pages Business Ideas Grants program. The company won the national award for Best Medium Business Idea in the Metropolitan category. In 2006 the company was selected as a Queensland finalist in 2006 Telstra Business Awards.

Elena is an active supporter of women in business and mentoring young women, she is the Queensland Committee Co-ordinator for the Australian Businesswomen’s Network. Elena also provides assistance to help the transition of migrants immigrating to Australia.

Some of her business achievements include:

- Queensland Finalist in 2005 Telstra Business Women’s Awards
- Winner of the Australian Businesswomen Network’s Award for Best Achievement for an Established Business – 2005
- Regional Finalist in the Entrepreneur of The Year Awards (EOY) for 2006
- Queensland Finalist in 2006 Telstra Business Women’s Awards for the Australian Government Business Innovation category

612 ABC Brisbane Mornings presenter Madonna King is an award-winning journalist, commentator and author. A graduate of the University of Queensland and a fellow of the World Press Institute, Madonna’s 20-year-career have taken her from The Courier-Mail, to The Australian, to deputy editor of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

Madonna King has been a board member of the Walkley Advisory Board which oversees the industry’s media awards, and has also been a visiting fellow in journalism at the Queensland University of Technology.

Her first book Catalyst looked at how individuals can join with the media to force politicians to right a wrong. Her forth-coming second book (co-authored with journalist Cindy Wockner) looks at the fate of the Bali Nine.

Madonna King lives in Brisbane with her husband and two daughters, aged two and one. Neither of them likes sleep, so getting into the office before sunrise shouldn’t prove too difficult!

Katherine Sampson is quite simply a bit of a gun.

One of those people whose story blows you away. She left school at 16 and worked fulltime as a paralegal.

She married at 19, had 2 gorgeous kids who became her inspiration to create her own children’s accessories business which she had up and running by 25. Katherine bought her first sandwich shop by 27. By the time she was 35 she had 4 Healthy Habits stores specialising in healthy sandwiches with nutritious ingredients.

After over 12 years of owning her own sandwich stores and 16 years industry experience, Katherine’s entrepreneurial spirit has taken over giving rise to the Healthy Habits franchise model.

Healthy Habits expansion has bolted and there are currently 23 stores across Australia and plans to grow.

Her entrepreneurial spirit hasn’t gone unnoticed; she has won some prestigious business awards including the Golden Plate, AMP food retailer of the years, AMP independent retailer of the year, Hellium Chamber of Commerce business person of the year and finalist for the Telstra businesswomen’s business category award in 2002, 2004 and 2006.

Karen grew up in Sydney’s western suburbs. She studied science at Sydney University before working as a scientist at the Heart Research Institute for 10 years. After completing her PHD she worked as a post doctorate fellow at the renown Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute. When the police force reduced their height requirements, Karen decided it was time to follow her dream to become a police officer.

She studied at the Goulburn Police Academy before becoming a police constable at 35. After 12 months she was in plain clothes she completed her Detectives course. At the same time she started studying for her degree in psychology. Karen currently is a single mum to 3 year old Coop and works part-time as a Detective. She is still completing her psychology degree.

Born in Adelaide, but now a Queenslander, Rebecca Pini (nee Quirk) moved to the Sunshine State for her final year of high school at Brisbane Girls Grammar, a big jump from the influences of her suburban public school.

Qualifying for an Economics or Arts Degree, Rebecca chose to take a job at Channel Ten Brisbane at Expo ’88 at the ripe old age of 17years old. In a male dominated industry, she worked her way up the ladder to roles that had only been previously held by men. By 25yrs she was a Production Director and Department Manager, managing many above her years. These challenges were redirected when Rebecca met and married Rugby Union player Matthew Pini and the choice to follow his career and not hers was on offer.

The decision to go overseas for Matthew’s professional rugby career began in 1997, lasting six years and two children.

Throughout her travels through UK, France, Italy and Wales, Rebecca had an exciting and exhausting job in Film (Sony Pictures) which took her to Germany and L.A.

Children took up the rest of the time overseas and on return to Australia, Rebecca took up the challenge to support her family and stick by the vow to herself that she would never work for anyone again. She started up her media/pr company in 2003 and three years later launched her own website/catalogue business, catering to women. Managing two companies and a family is a challenge but one she thrives on.

She has two children, Maliah 4 and Kaleb 7.

Issues: recovering from a knee operation, the birth of her third child and a hypo-thyroid condition
Goals: to get well, regain her racing weight (lose 10kg) and gain selection in the Australian Commonwealth Games team

Nova had dreamed back then that one-day she would run for her country. Leaving the world of hockey, to the mutterings of the critics, she succeeded brilliantly in the years 1997-2000 - winning two gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur (1998) – in the 200 metres and 4x100 metres relay, then representing Australia as a 400 metres runner at the Sydney Olympics (2000).

Nova was the first to carry the Olympic flame on Australia soil for the Sydney 2000 Games when she accepted the torch at Uluru.

Nova is a remarkable Australian. She is one of only three Australian mothers to win Olympic gold - and her dual success at the highest international level is without parallel. Her sporting success is the pinnacle of her achievement so far - but Nova’s interests go way beyond the playing fields. She is an acclaimed artist, and a passionate and powerful voice in support of major Aboriginal causes.

Married to fellow Olympian Daniel Batman, she is the mother of two daughters, Jessica and Destiny .

Nova holds a unique place in the Australian sporting pantheon. A member of the brilliant team which won hockey gold at the Atlanta Olympics of 1996, Nova promptly switched sports - to chase a dream which had lived in her from the days when she was a barefoot star in Darwin.

The Olympic dream continues to burn brightly in her, and in the spring of 2002 she returned to the training track in Canberra - her sights lifted to the Athens Olympics of 2004.

Nova is also an author. Nova: My Story – her inspirational autobiography of Australia’s first Aboriginal gold medallist at an Olympic Games; released in 2003.

Katrina Allen, Founder & Managing Director of De Jour Sanitary Products. Katrina Allen is an award-winning art director, who has been working in the advertising industry since obtaining her degree in graphic design at Swinburne in 1984.

During the last two years she worked at M&C Saatchi in Sydney where, in her spare time, Katrina developed De jour tampons. Believing that tampon packaging was loud and gaudy, the purse packs unhygienic and the advertising insulting,

Katrina spent a year confirming her beliefs through research, before designing a more relevant product. Having worked on such brands as Myer/GraceBros, Qantas, Elle and Witchery,

Katrina has combined her creative flair and marketing knowledge to design a product that is more relevant to the 90's woman, both in its packaging and marketing attitude. She is currently developing new products for ‘Dejour Sanitary Products'.

Katrina has three children under four.

Tracey Keliher moved to Queensland from Hastings New Zealand for Expo 88. Tracey didn’t have the opportunity to go to University and left school at 16 to join an accounting firm. After working for the firm for five year’s Tracey travelled to Queensland on her own for Expo ’88.

After taking on temporary work, Tracey found a job at Ernst & Young and met and married her husband Matt. Eight years later Tracey had her first child at 36. She now lives with her husband and two boys in Brisbane and is still working as an Executive Assistant for Ernst & Young.

With the support of the firm, she is studying for a business qualification and is part of their Women’s Leadership mentoring and development program.

Tami Harriott grew up in Delaware, USA. She majored in political science at University before starting a career in management in the banking, construction and health industries. With a strong interest in social justice and global issues, she went on to study women’s issues at University and complete her MBA in international business.

When she married her Australian husband Pete, it wasn’t long before they moved to Tasmania where his family lived. Tami worked for a Commercial Manager for a Credit Union and her son Harrison was born not long after moving to Australia. Tami has subsequently moved with her family to Brisbane to take up the role of Westpac’s state manager for women’s markets.

Tami has a strong interest in women’s issues and mentoring women in small business. She is a Committee member for the Australian Business Women’s Network and has been a judge for the Telstra Businesswomen’s Awards.

Barnardos NSW Mother of the Year 2006
Ros Martin Named NSW'S Number One Mum -4 April 2006

Ros Martin from Sydney has been named as the New South Wales Finalist in the 2006 Barnardos Australia's Mother of the Year Awards today.

Ros's devotion and dedication to her family won her acclaim amongst the judges. Ros will now take part in the National Announcement function in Sydney on May 11. These prestigious annual Awards, celebrating its 11th anniversary this year, recognise the enormous contribution made by Australian Mums in shaping our lives and acknowledges an exceptional woman who is a true example of Australian mothers. These Awards are also the only national Awards directly linked to Mothers Day.

Glynis Sequeira, Barnardos Australia Marketing Director said it was extremely difficult to narrow down the entries from the thousands received as there are so many remarkable mothers. "Ros is an inspirational mother and is extremely worthy of her finalist position in the 2006 Barnardos Australia's Mother of the Year Awards.

Ros has never seen her two sons - she lost her sight at 24 through diabetes just before her first son was born. In 2000 Ros had a double kidney pancreas transplant. However, this has not deterred the single mum of two teenage boys.

She works at Vision Australia as a computer trainer for the vision impaired assisting them to return to the workforce. She also promotes accessibility for vision impaired children in mainstream education and is a spokesperson for Organ Donor Awareness Week providing peer support to other vision impaired mothers. On top of all this Ros runs her household just as a sighted person would.

"Ros is never too busy to have a good laugh and she's always ready with a joke," says her friend Kathy Fela who nominated her. "She's a real inspiration to many people."

Ros was shocked and surprised when she discovered she'd been nominated. And despite the hardships she has endured, Ros' top tip is: "Love your children, have a great sense of humour and have FUN!!!"

After the birth of her second child, Rebecca Edwards, once an ambitious lawyer, decided to give up her career in law to be a stay at home mum and focus on her children. Graduating from Macquarie University with a law degree, Rebecca joined a small firm soon after. Eighteen months later she was promoted to associate, 3 years later at the age of 30 she became a director of the practice and litigation team leader. Three days after being appointed a director she found out she was pregnant with her son Cameron.

Rebecca tried part-time work and work from home after her first two children, before deciding it was not working out. Now with three children, Rebecca has joined her family business as a director and works one day a week to allow her to spend the rest of her time raising her family.

Claudia Keech is known in Australia as the woman with her finger on the pulse of motherhood in the 21st Century! She is CEO, founder and face of motherInc and motherInc.com.au, Australia’s online glossy magazine for modern mums!

motherInc is the first and largest online magazine targeting a previously un-tapped generation of savvy, tech-friendly modern mothers! The site was launched at Parliament House the week of Mothers’ Day 2001 and now has over 80,000 unique visitors a month and receives between 1.8 and 2 million hits per month.

Claudia has built a reputation as a vocal, say-it-like-it-is spokesperson for modern Australian mums and commentator on parenting issues from humorous to political.

Publishers, media (including press, electronic media, magazines, radio and TV) and government bodies regularly contact Claudia for assistance with features, books and papers and use the motherinc site as a valuable research resource. Claudia is also a regular speaker on parenting and motherhood related issues at conferences and events on the national circuit.

Claudia is an experienced media personality and over the last four years has been interviewed and appeared in most magazines, TV current affairs programmes, radio and press. She wrote the Parenting column for the Sunday Telegraph’s Body + Soul for nearly two years, writes regular features for the press and magazines and has a weekly slot on Sydney’s 2GB called Kids Biz. She also appears frequently as a guest and commentator on TV programmes such as Today Tonight, A Current Affair, The Today Show, Sunrise and on the Foxtel network (W, Arena and Sky News).

As a champion of modern mothers everywhere, Claudia is also featured in several books including: Ita Buttrose’s Mother Guilt: Australian Women Reveal Their True Feelings About Motherhood; Sandra McLean’s, Late Babies; Amanda Ellis, Westpac: Women’s Business, Women’s Health; Woman2Woman (Amanda Ellis, NZ) ; Patsy Rowe’s Secret Women’s Business and Kirsten Lees’ Let Go of My Leg.

She has also been nominated for a number of awards including NSW Woman with Drive (2002/3), which she won, Australian of the Year (by Ita Buttrose) and Telstra Woman of the Year (by Prof. Kerryn Phelps).

Claudia had the honour of running in the Queen’s Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games on Australia Day for her services to mothers and parenting in Australia.

Rural Women’s’ Award, New South Wales Winner 2005 - Jennifer Bradley Jennifer serves as a Board Director on one of the largest producer marketing groups in New South Wales, as well as managing a mixed farming enterprise in partnership with her husband and family in the state’s central west.

The Tooraweenah Prime Lamb Marketing Cooperative markets for some 80 producers with an annual turnover of between 45,000 and 85,000 prime lambs.

During the past three years as a Director, Jennifer has been responsible for organizing and running numerous field days, has established a quarterly newsletter for members, and has actively canvassed new members and coordinated media management.

On the family farm she is responsible for the sheep enterprise which comprises of 150 specially selected Border Leicester breeding ewes and 1500 Merino ewes, to produce first cross prime lambs.

Her vision for her industry is to empower lamb producers to manage and minimize price fluctuations through improving their marketing knowledge and skills.

Jennifer believes that Australian lamb producers through superior management practices are producing a world class product, but they lack the necessary marketing skills to financially reward them for the quality of their product and also lack the necessary business and negotiation skills to deal equally with processors.

New Zealand producers, she feels, by contrast have learnt to meet stringent market specifications within tight environmental constraints. Lamb marketing in New Zealand she believes is also far more sophisticated, offering producers a range of contract schedules and pricing options.

Jennifer proposes to undertake a study tour of New Zealand to learn from their producers the production principles they employ to meet the market specifications and to explore the marketing options available. She also proposes to further develop her negotiation and leadership skills, in an effort to improve relationships with processors and to encourage other women within her industry to take a more active and participatory role.

Joanne Wilson started her career as a High School Teacher, teaching, maths, economics and political science. She grew up in the north eastern suburbs of Melbourne. She then changed careers and started working for the Australian Stock Exchange, designing and on-line educational games based around the Stock Market.

After the birth of her second child, Harry, Joanne took a short career break before working as a freelance writer of educational books for John Wiley Publishing and subsequently taking on the role of Editor – Schools for Jacaranda, the educational arm of John Wiley Publishing. Joanne works part-time.

Joanne lives in Melbourne with her husband Rob and two autistic boys, Tom 9 and Harry 7.

Born in Adelaide Senator Stott Despoja graduated with a BA from the University of Adelaide. She was involved in student representation at school (founding the State's first State-wide student representative council) and University. She was president of the University of Adelaide Students' Association in 1991. She has worked as an adviser for Democrat Senators including for Leaders of the Senator John Coulter and Senator Cheryl Kernot. In 1995, at the age of 26, Natasha Stott Despoja was the youngest woman to enter Federal Parliament. In 1997, Senator Stott Despoja was elected as Deputy Leader of the Democrats and, in April 2001, Leader of the Australian Democrats - the youngest person of any Party to hold such a position. In 2001, Senator Stott Despoja was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Global Leader for Tomorrow, the only Australian recognised in that year. In August 2002, Senator Stott Despoja resigned as Leader of the Australian Democrats.

PARLIAMENTARY SERVICE
In November 1995, after being chosen by her Party and the Parliament of South Australia to represent that State in the Senate following the resignation of Senator John Coulter, Natasha Stott Despoja entered the Parliament. In March 1996, she was elected to the Senate by the people of South Australia with a quota (14.3%). She remains one of only two Democrats to have secured a quota in a half Senate election. She overwhelmingly won her preselection for the number one position on the Democrats' Senate ticket in October 2000, and was subsequently re-elected, with a significant personal vote (more than 20,000 people voted for Senator Stott Despoja below the line), at the 2001 election. 63 Senators have been elevated or appointed since Senator Stott Despoja entered parliament. Senator Stott Despoja's term expires in June 2008.

PARLIAMENTARY PORTFOLIOS & COMMITTEES
In her ten years in Parliament, Senator Stott Despoja has made a significant contribution to a wide range of policy debates in her capacity as a spokesperson for the Australian Democrats on Higher Education; Science and Technology; Employment; Employment Services; Training; Youth Affairs; Trade; Consumer Affairs; Privacy; the Republic, and other areas.

Her current portfolios include Foreign Affairs; Attorney-Generals; Science, Research and Higher Education; and the Status of Women (including Work and Family).

Senator Stott Despoja is an active member of several Parliamentary committees, including the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade, the Human Rights and Foreign Affairs sub committees, the Senate Employment, Workplace Relations and Education Committee, and the Joint Standing Committee on National Capital and External Territories.

LEGISLATIVE CONTRIBUTIONS
The Senator's key legislative contributions have been focused on: ensuring education is publicly funded and accessible to all; developing a clear regulatory environment for research and development and the commercialisation of biotechnology; securing liveable Government allowances for students and the disadvantaged; ensuring that Australia remains committed to the rule of law, and covenants of international law and justice; fostering Australia’s positive engagement with the region; creating a regime for the protection of personal genetic information and outlawing discrimination on the grounds of genetic information; establishing a regime of paid maternity leave for Australia’s working women; moving towards an Australian Republic, and regulating post-Ministerial Employment.

Senator Stott Despoja has made important contributions to a wide range of policy debates and has introduced a number of significant Private Members Bills including the Exposure Draft Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT) and Related Research Amendment Bill 2006, the Transparent Advertising and Notification of Pregnancy Counselling Services Bill, a Genetic Privacy and Non-discrimination Bill; a Taxation Laws Amendment (Scholarships) Bill; a Republic (Consultation of the People) Bill; and, a Patents Amendments Bill. Other Private Member's Bills of consequence include: in May 2002, a Workplace Relations Amendment (Paid Maternity Leave) Bill; and, a Textbook Subsidy Bill.