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About
JOIN US FOR THE INAUGURAL
SWAN INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY AWARDS
Zaneta Mascarenhas MP
Federal Member for Swan.
Zaneta Mascarenhas was born in Kalgoorlie to Goan Indian parents. Her father, Joe, was a fitter, and her mother, Ethel, a cleaner and lollypop lady.
When Joe and Ethel first attempted to start their skilled migrant visa, they were told “You have the right skills, but you’re the wrong colour.” The dismantling of the White Australia Policy enabled the family to finally start their better future in Australia.
Zaneta grew up in Kambalda with her sister, Cleta. She then moved to Swan aged 18 to study chemistry and chemical engineering at Curtin University.
Whilst Zaneta completed her studies, she held leadership positions in the Curtin Student Guild and National Union of Students.
After graduating, Zaneta worked as an engineer on mine and construction sites across regional WA and Victoria. The technical, interpersonal and policy skills she developed culminated in an engineering consultant role assisting ASX200 companies to decarbonise.
In 2022, Zaneta was elected as the federal Member for Swan. She is the first woman in the seat’s 101-year history to hold this role.
Zaneta continues to live in Swan with her husband, Sam. They are raising their two young children, Lincoln and Felicity.
Zaneta Mascarenhas was born in Kalgoorlie to Goan Indian parents. Her father, Joe, was a fitter, and her mother, Ethel, a cleaner and lollypop lady.
When Joe and Ethel first attempted to start their skilled migrant visa, they were told “You have the right skills, but you’re the wrong colour.” The dismantling of the White Australia Policy enabled the family to finally start their better future in Australia.
Zaneta grew up in Kambalda with her sister, Cleta. She then moved to Swan aged 18 to study chemistry and chemical engineering at Curtin University.
Whilst Zaneta completed her studies, she held leadership positions in the Curtin Student Guild and National Union of Students.
After graduating, Zaneta worked as an engineer on mine and construction sites across regional WA and Victoria. The technical, interpersonal and policy skills she developed culminated in an engineering consultant role assisting ASX200 companies to decarbonise.
In 2022, Zaneta was elected as the federal Member for Swan. She is the first woman in the seat’s 101-year history to hold this role.
Zaneta continues to live in Swan with her husband, Sam. They are raising their two young children, Lincoln and Felicity.
Lyndsey Fitzgerald
CEO of Jacaranda Community Centre
Lyndsay Fitzgerald is a financial counsellor, welfare worker and CEO of Jacaranda Community Centre.
In March 2000, Lyndsay established Jacaranda Community Centre as a not-for-profit, grassroots community organisation with the help of the local Aboriginal and Belmont communities.
In the early days of Jacaranda, Lyndsay and her husband personally paid for the organisation’s rent and operating costs.
Today, Jacaranda is a vibrant not-for-profit community hub with 16 employees, countless volunteers and a variety of social assistance and development programs.
Lyndsay and the Jacaranda team have won numerous awards for their holistic work supporting and building capacity of people on low incomes in the Belmont region.
As a Member of the National Coordination Group, Lyndsay provides evidence-based advice to the Minister for Social Services on demand, emerging issues and delivery of emergency relief, food relief and financial counselling services.
Lyndsay Fitzgerald is a financial counsellor, welfare worker and CEO of Jacaranda Community Centre.
In March 2000, Lyndsay established Jacaranda Community Centre as a not-for-profit, grassroots community organisation with the help of the local Aboriginal and Belmont communities.
In the early days of Jacaranda, Lyndsay and her husband personally paid for the organisation’s rent and operating costs.
Today, Jacaranda is a vibrant not-for-profit community hub with 16 employees, countless volunteers and a variety of social assistance and development programs.
Lyndsay and the Jacaranda team have won numerous awards for their holistic work supporting and building capacity of people on low incomes in the Belmont region.
As a Member of the National Coordination Group, Lyndsay provides evidence-based advice to the Minister for Social Services on demand, emerging issues and delivery of emergency relief, food relief and financial counselling services.
Freda Ogilvie
Whadjuk/Ballardong Elder | Educator | Policy | Strategy
Freda Ogilvie is a Whadjuk/Ballardong Elder, retired teacher, board member and consultant with extensive experience in community and policy development.
For over three decades, she has promoted Indigenous rights and social justice, education, diversity and the empowerment of Indigenous communities whilst challenging prevailing stereotypes and prejudices.
Freda has educated students across WA as a teacher and deputy principal. She has been involved in the development and practice of strategies and programs for students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
As a volunteer with Soroptimist International, Freda initiated an education scholarship in Broome, co-established the Aboriginal Nunga Woman’s Group and assisted in developing a mobile preschool for geographically remote Aboriginal communities. Freda continues to challenge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to commence tertiary studies in education, and mentors them throughout their studies.
Freda contributed to Aboriginal early childhood programs in WA and NT, early childhood education and care policy, oral language development programs and national early childhood education forums.
Following her retirement from Ruah’s Board, Freda was appointed to the Future of Fremantle Committee through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
Freda is a Welcome to Country speaker and has kindly offered to deliver this ceremony at the 2024 Swan IWD Awards.
Freda Ogilvie is a Whadjuk/Ballardong Elder, retired teacher, board member and consultant with extensive experience in community and policy development.
For over three decades, she has promoted Indigenous rights and social justice, education, diversity and the empowerment of Indigenous communities whilst challenging prevailing stereotypes and prejudices.
Freda has educated students across WA as a teacher and deputy principal. She has been involved in the development and practice of strategies and programs for students from diverse linguistic, cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.
As a volunteer with Soroptimist International, Freda initiated an education scholarship in Broome, co-established the Aboriginal Nunga Woman’s Group and assisted in developing a mobile preschool for geographically remote Aboriginal communities. Freda continues to challenge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to commence tertiary studies in education, and mentors them throughout their studies.
Freda contributed to Aboriginal early childhood programs in WA and NT, early childhood education and care policy, oral language development programs and national early childhood education forums.
Following her retirement from Ruah’s Board, Freda was appointed to the Future of Fremantle Committee through the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage.
Freda is a Welcome to Country speaker and has kindly offered to deliver this ceremony at the 2024 Swan IWD Awards.
Hon. Hannah Beazley MLA
Minister for Youth; Local Government; Assistant Minister for Training & Workforce Development. Member for Victoria Park.
Hannah Beazley was born and raised in Victoria Park and was elected to represent her community in the Western Australian State Parliament in 2021.
Hannah became the first female Member for Victoria Park since the electorate was established in 1930.
Hannah has over 20 years of experience in communications, community and stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, risk management, media relations, marketing, social policy and small business operations.
For the better part of a decade, Hannah held senior executive level communications, marketing and governance roles in the not-for-profit, public, environmental and education sectors. She has been Speechwriter and Senior Policy Advisor to two Western Australian Premiers and is a proud former small business owner.
Since her election in 2021, Hannah was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers for Emergency Services, Innovation and the Digital Economy, Volunteering, Lands, Housing and Homelessness.
Hannah is currently the Minister for Youth; Local Government and Minister Assisting the Minister for Training and Workforce Development.
She continues to call the electorate home, and is raising her two young sons.
Hannah Beazley was born and raised in Victoria Park and was elected to represent her community in the Western Australian State Parliament in 2021.
Hannah became the first female Member for Victoria Park since the electorate was established in 1930.
Hannah has over 20 years of experience in communications, community and stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, risk management, media relations, marketing, social policy and small business operations.
For the better part of a decade, Hannah held senior executive level communications, marketing and governance roles in the not-for-profit, public, environmental and education sectors. She has been Speechwriter and Senior Policy Advisor to two Western Australian Premiers and is a proud former small business owner.
Since her election in 2021, Hannah was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministers for Emergency Services, Innovation and the Digital Economy, Volunteering, Lands, Housing and Homelessness.
Hannah is currently the Minister for Youth; Local Government and Minister Assisting the Minister for Training and Workforce Development.
She continues to call the electorate home, and is raising her two young sons.
Professor Colleen Hayward
Senior Noongar woman, leader & educator
Colleen Hayward is a senior Noongar woman with extensive family links throughout the south-west of WA. She comes from a teaching family with her father having been the first Aboriginal teacher, and Principal, in WA.
For more than 35 years, Colleen has provided significant input to policies and programs on a wide range of issues, reflecting the needs of minority groups at community, state and national levels. She has an extensive background in a range of areas including health, education, training, employment, housing, child protection, family and domestic violence, and law and justice as well as significant experience in policy and management.
Among her many achievements, she has been recognised for her long-standing work for and on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia by winning the 2008 National NAIDOC Aboriginal Person of the Year Award. Colleen is also a recipient (2006) of the Premier of WA’s prestigious Multicultural Ambassador’s Award for advancing human rights and anti-racism in the community and is the 2009 inductee into the WA Department of Education’s Hall of Fame for Achievement in Aboriginal Education.
In 2012, Colleen was inducted into the Western Australian Women’s Hall of Fame and was recognised as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
In 2015, Colleen was a finalist in the Australian of the Year (Western Australia) Awards. 2015 also saw Colleen awarded one of Murdoch University’s Distinguished Alumni for her work in the areas of Equity and Social Justice and Leadership WA’s Honourable Fellow Award. She was named as one of WA’s 100 most influential West Australians in both 2015 and 2016.
Although now retired from her position as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Equity & Indigenous issues at Edith Cowan University, Colleen remains active and involved through her membership of a range of boards and advisory committees. She is also one of the co-leaders of Danjoo Koorliny, an Aboriginal-led initiative working towards the respectful inclusion of Aboriginal people in WA’s 2029 bicentenary.
Colleen Hayward is a senior Noongar woman with extensive family links throughout the south-west of WA. She comes from a teaching family with her father having been the first Aboriginal teacher, and Principal, in WA.
For more than 35 years, Colleen has provided significant input to policies and programs on a wide range of issues, reflecting the needs of minority groups at community, state and national levels. She has an extensive background in a range of areas including health, education, training, employment, housing, child protection, family and domestic violence, and law and justice as well as significant experience in policy and management.
Among her many achievements, she has been recognised for her long-standing work for and on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia by winning the 2008 National NAIDOC Aboriginal Person of the Year Award. Colleen is also a recipient (2006) of the Premier of WA’s prestigious Multicultural Ambassador’s Award for advancing human rights and anti-racism in the community and is the 2009 inductee into the WA Department of Education’s Hall of Fame for Achievement in Aboriginal Education.
In 2012, Colleen was inducted into the Western Australian Women’s Hall of Fame and was recognised as a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
In 2015, Colleen was a finalist in the Australian of the Year (Western Australia) Awards. 2015 also saw Colleen awarded one of Murdoch University’s Distinguished Alumni for her work in the areas of Equity and Social Justice and Leadership WA’s Honourable Fellow Award. She was named as one of WA’s 100 most influential West Australians in both 2015 and 2016.
Although now retired from her position as Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Equity & Indigenous issues at Edith Cowan University, Colleen remains active and involved through her membership of a range of boards and advisory committees. She is also one of the co-leaders of Danjoo Koorliny, an Aboriginal-led initiative working towards the respectful inclusion of Aboriginal people in WA’s 2029 bicentenary.
Dr Dayna Pool
Dayna is the founder of Healthy Strides Foundation located in East Vic Park, a world class physical therapy centre for children with neurological disorders.
Dayna has been a physiotherapist in the area of neurological rehabilitation since 2003. Her clinical and research interests are in the area of activity-based rehabilitation, utilising functional electrical stimulation to improve function and participation in children with neurological conditions and injuries.
Between 2011 and 2017, Dayna was the Clinical Co-ordinator and Lead of the iRehab program (a sub-acute multidisciplinary rehabilitation program at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth Australia).
Dayna is committed to ongoing research embedded within clinical practice to ensure active knowledge translation to promptly improve treatment outcomes. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow at Curtin University, Perth Australia.
Dayna was named 40 under 40 at the 2020 Business Awards and won the Allied Health Awards Impact and Innovation category in 2021. Dayna was also named a Westfield Local Hero in 2021 thanks to the support of the community.
Dayna has been a physiotherapist in the area of neurological rehabilitation since 2003. Her clinical and research interests are in the area of activity-based rehabilitation, utilising functional electrical stimulation to improve function and participation in children with neurological conditions and injuries.
Between 2011 and 2017, Dayna was the Clinical Co-ordinator and Lead of the iRehab program (a sub-acute multidisciplinary rehabilitation program at Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth Australia).
Dayna is committed to ongoing research embedded within clinical practice to ensure active knowledge translation to promptly improve treatment outcomes. She is currently a post-doctoral fellow at Curtin University, Perth Australia.
Dayna was named 40 under 40 at the 2020 Business Awards and won the Allied Health Awards Impact and Innovation category in 2021. Dayna was also named a Westfield Local Hero in 2021 thanks to the support of the community.
Alicia Curtis
Social entrepreneur | Swan IWD 2024 Master of Ceremonies
Alicia Curtis is an award-winning speaker, leadership facilitator and inspiring community change maker with a dynamic purpose - to ignite leaders to positively transform the world.
Her impact continues to grow; Alicia founded Alyceum in 2002 developing and facilitating transformational programs impacting the personal leadership journeys of thousands of people over the last 20+ years.
In 2013, Alicia co-founded 100 Women, a collective giving circle which has granted over one million dollars and improved the lives of 36,400 women and girls in nine countries across the globe. She is also the co-author of Difference Makers: A Leader's Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards.
With a Masters in Business Leadership, Alicia has also been awarded several accolades including Business News 40under40 List (top 4), EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Westpac's 200 Businesses of Tomorrow and the Westpac & Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence List.
On top of this, Alicia proudly serves as Patron of Girl Guides WA, championing young women's leadership potential, and is a passionate supporter of Millennium Kids, a youth environment organisation empowering young people with a ‘skills for life’ approach to become leaders and change-agents in their communities today.
Alicia Curtis is an award-winning speaker, leadership facilitator and inspiring community change maker with a dynamic purpose - to ignite leaders to positively transform the world.
Her impact continues to grow; Alicia founded Alyceum in 2002 developing and facilitating transformational programs impacting the personal leadership journeys of thousands of people over the last 20+ years.
In 2013, Alicia co-founded 100 Women, a collective giving circle which has granted over one million dollars and improved the lives of 36,400 women and girls in nine countries across the globe. She is also the co-author of Difference Makers: A Leader's Guide to Championing Diversity on Boards.
With a Masters in Business Leadership, Alicia has also been awarded several accolades including Business News 40under40 List (top 4), EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Westpac's 200 Businesses of Tomorrow and the Westpac & Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence List.
On top of this, Alicia proudly serves as Patron of Girl Guides WA, championing young women's leadership potential, and is a passionate supporter of Millennium Kids, a youth environment organisation empowering young people with a ‘skills for life’ approach to become leaders and change-agents in their communities today.
International Women's Day is recognised globally to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
Zaneta Mascarenhas MP and Jacaranda Community Centre are bringing this celebration to Swan.
Connect with local leaders from business, government, sport, education and the community sector.
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Breakfast
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Inspiring speakers
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Special guests
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Awards presentation
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Aretha Franklin medley by Choiral Tones
All event proceeds will support Jacaranda Community Centre, a grassroots incorporated not-for-profit providing holistic and capacity-building social services to low income individuals in Belmont and the surrounding areas.
Learn more about Jacaranda Community Centre here.
Awards
THE AWARDS
By our community in celebration of our community.
Nominations for the 2024 Swan International Women's Day Awards are now open!
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