What if we could inspire people everywhere to make a difference?This question was the inspiration for creating this book. A vision to create something beautiful yet powerful that would inspire others to lead, take action, in their own lives and the work they do and to find ways to make the world a better place.When you think of women making a difference, who comes to mind? Maybe Greta Thunberg, the young climate activist, or maybe Malala, the Pakistani education advocate, or perhaps Jane Goodall who spent years living with the Orangutans. But did you know there are everyday women making a difference all over the world? They might not be as famous as the women mentioned here, and you may not have heard of them, yet, but their dedication, determination and passion are often just as strong, and the impact they have can be felt far beyond their community.Women making a difference highlights the importance of heart-centred leadership and the positive impact it can have on society and offers readers a collection of diverse perspectives and experiences from women who have created change across a range of fields and industries. The book aims to inspire and empower others who are called to make a difference through the work that they do by providing inspirational stories combined with practical advice, insights, and tools for success.This book is a collection of stories for women by women focused on inspiring purpose, vision and leadership. Featuring real-life, relatable global role-models from all walks of life who are women changing the world through entrepreneurialism, education, conscious living, giving back, advocacy, innovation and more who had the courage to listen to the call to step into leadership and took action to make it happen!
Dr. Cara Antoine
Dr Cara Lenore Antoine is a renowned global leader and innovative speaker who is passionate about creating positive change in society, the economy and our planet. A technology advocate, education champion and empowering executive, Dr Antoine enables people and organisations to achieve their full potential in the digital era. With three decades of dedicated experience, Dr Antoine is a powerful agent of growth and transformation, driving impact at the intersection of technology and humanity.
Leveraging her success to help future generations break down barriers to creating a better future in tech-focused fields, she serves on several boards. As a Patient Leader, Dr Antoine is a catalyst for digitalising visual health and this led her to join the board as Awards Chairwoman at the Cornea Patient Association, to serve on the Advisory Board of Easee (the first CE and FDA-certified online eye-exam), and as transformation leader at the Digital Health Committee and Registries of the European Society for Cataract and Refractive Surgeons. She is the Chair for Digital Literacy at the G100 and the Chairwoman at Women In Tech Netherlands, where she is a fierce advocate and pioneer dedicated to promoting diversity and equity while empowering women within Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) worldwide.
Ellen Hooper
Ellen Hooper is a people and culture expert and an award-winning coach and people leader. She’s a certified coach with the International Coaching Federation, an accredited mediator, a passionate speaker and loves to help individuals and groups to grow and develop.
Her clients call her a coaching magician and a total legend who helps them get unstuck and she has been described by the Australian of the Year as her ‘secret weapon’.
Ellen was named as a finalist in the 2023 Stevie International Women in Business Awards for Social Change Maker of the Year – Gender and a winner in the 2023 Australia-wide AusMumpreneur Awards for Coach of the Year (Silver) and Leadership Excellence (Bronze).
Ellen started her career as an employment lawyer and worked her way up to being a People & Culture C-Suite Executive. She is now a Non-Executive Director, Co-Founder of a leadership development company (the Growth Collective), key note speaker, writer and career and retirement coach.
Florence Kayungwa
Florence is a passionate advocate for education. As a fundraiser she is fighting period poverty and shame in Hurungwe region, Zimbabwe, to ensure that no girl’s education access is limited by her period.
Gaelle Berruel
Gaëlle is an Award-Winning Visibility Coach, a Motivational Speaker and a Wellness Expert.
She is the CEO and Founder of A Rockstar Mindset.
She’s also a UK Ambassador for Psychologies magazine, inspiring and motivating readers to create a life they love through the online Life Labs platform.
After ten years working in the banking industry, she created her visibility consultancy, A Rockstar Mindset, to help women leaders (specifically successful business owners and senior/executive women) become the Rockstar of their life: bold, visible and confident unapologetically.
How? By helping women leaders become visible, so they are recognised for their work and value.
What separates Gaëlle from other coaches is her infectious positive energy, her rockstar mindset and her firm belief that every woman deserves to be the fullest expression of who they are (authentic, unapologetic and aligned) and financially free.
Because of this, clients feel supported, take inspired actions and achieve their professional dreams. Inspired by the world of neurosciences, positive psychology and wellness, Gaëlle created her holistic system, The Rockstar Woman Framework, which helps women be visible and recognised so they can shine unapologetically.
Gaëlle was featured in magazines like Psychologies Magazine, Medium, and Entrepreneurs Herald and gave talks at Vodafone, Monica Vinader and the Women Federation for World Peace.
Heather McCarthy
Heather McCarthy is an educational leader who uses her passion for literature to spread the message of love, empathy, and equality through service learning projects with her students. For over 20 years, Heather has been inspiring young children to create a brighter future for their community, nation, and world. Heather McCarthy has been named the Most Inspirational Educator for Illinois, has won the Distinguished Alumni Award from her high school and the Distinguished Service to Society Award from her university. Heather has won numerous awards including the Community Supporter of the Year Award, the Distinguished Women of Excellence Award, and the Dr. Tererai Trent Award for her humanitarian work. She has also been nominated for the global award entitled Women Changing the World under the category of education.
Heather leads by example volunteering locally, nationally, and on a global scale. She has traveled to South Africa and Kenya while working on clean water projects in Rwanda and Malawi. She volunteered at an elephant sanctuary in Chiang Mai, Thailand assisting at the elephant hospital and taking on the role of a mahout. Heather volunteers her time at the local children’s hospital and for an organization bringing books to youth in prison to encourage imagination, self-determination, and connection to the outside world. All of her volunteer work is brought back to her students motivating them to use their voices for good, serve others, and ultimately make the world a better place. Heather’s educational leadership and unwavering commitment to giving back to others have helped her students become leaders, activists, and change makers.
Iris Nozizwe Mhlanga
Iris Nozizwe Mhlanga is an extraordinary woman who has dedicated her life to making a positive impact in the lives of others. She is the founder and philanthropist behind the Nozizwe Mother of Nations Trust, an organization that aims to uplift and empower women and children in Zimbabwe and beyond.
Born Iris Zemza Nozizwe Mhlanga, she grew up in Bulawayo Zimbabwe. From a young age, Nozizwe had a deep sense of compassion and a burning desire to help those in need. She witnessed firsthand the struggles and hardships faced by women and and disabled children in her community, and this inspired her to take action.
Nozizwe founded the Mother of Nations Trust in 2018 with the goal of providing education, healthcare, and economic opportunities to marginalized women men and children. Through her organization, she has implemented various programs and community initiatives that have made a significant difference in the lives of countless individuals.
One of the key areas of focus for the Mother of Nations Trust is education. Nozizwe firmly believes that education is the key to breaking the cycle of poverty and empowering individuals to create a better future for themselves and their communities. The organization provides scholarships and educational resources to underprivileged children, enabling them to access quality education and pursue their dreams.
Healthcare is another crucial aspect of the Mother of Nations Trust’s work. Nozizwe understands that access to healthcare is a fundamental right that should be available to all. Her organization has has partnered with like minded organisations and established medical clinics, doctors and mobile healthcare units in remote areas, ensuring that even the most vulnerable individuals have access to basic healthcare services.
In addition to education and healthcare, the Mother of Nations Trust also focuses on economic empowerment. Nozizwe believes that by providing women with the tools and resources to become financially independent, they can break free from the cycle of poverty and contribute to the development of their communities. The organization offers vocational training programs as well in various parts of Zimbabwe.
Janette Salmi
My name is Janette Salmi, and I live on the beautiful Gold Coast of Australia. I have been married to a Finn for almost 50 years and have four exceptional children (two girls and two boys) and nine beautiful grandchildren. (three girls and six boys). Number ten on the way.
I have been blessed with some fantastic experiences, including challenges to overcome, but each led to where I am today. The unfolding of life is terrific from a young woman working in Public Relations in an International Hotel to three years travelling and working internationally, university study, earning a Bachelor of Education and a master’s degree leading to a career in Education teaching but culminating in executive positions including Coordination roles, Deputy and Dean of Students before retiring to care for my elderly aunt & uncle, and husband, who was suffering from lung cancer.
During this season of caring, I became passionate about the Aged Care and Disability industry, which led to the birth of “The Dignified Movement – A Lighthouse for Change”, ensuring the development of life skills to enable our participants to grow and stay connected to their community feeling a sense of belonging. Similarly, in Aged Care, we assist a better life with the help of our lifestyle assistants with in-home care and community access.
Who starts a business in an industry unfamiliar to them in their retirement years? Hence the title of my chapter. It is never too late. I am well into this season, but my big dream is to build two hospices for adults and children. I would love this to be a charity so those in the final chapter of their life have support without worrying about money while having a painless and dignified end surrounded by those they love. Everyone deserves this. As part of the Lighthouse for Change, we intend to build a robust education platform attracting other like-minded individuals so that together, we can lift the standard of these industries.
I love what I do and hope to leave a lasting and memorable legacy for future generations.
Justine McLean
Justine McLean is a Business Money Mentor and financial educator on a mission to help women in business increase their financial literacy, build solid financial foundations and create profitable and sustainable businesses. Justine has helped countless business owners improve their relationship with money and become the ROI rockstars and money-makers-in-chief of their businesses.
Pricing is Justine’s super-power, and her signature program, Business Money Magnet, takes the ick out of business finance and helps business owners supercharge their profits.
With close to 30 years of experience in small business, retail, e-commerce, publishing and insolvency, Justine is sought-after for her practical, tailored and proactive approach to business; clients describe Justine as ‘the nice warm hug your business finances need’. A registered BAS agent, host of the Secrets of Successful Business podcast, Author and Ladies Finance Club Ambassador, Justine was named one of the Coach Foundation’s Top Female Business Coaches for 2022.
Kabinga C Mazaba
Kabinga C Mazaba, originally from Zambia, is a rising literary talent and a dedicated mental health expert specialising in trauma recovery. Her journey, marked by overcoming childhood trauma, epitomises the extraordinary strength of the human spirit. As a Transformation and Mindset Coach, keynote, International Speaker, and author, Kabinga’s work, especially her book Amazon #1 Best-selling book “C.O.N.F.R.O.N. T: Reclaim Your Life,” is a guiding light for those on their paths to healing and transformation.
With deep insights into the human psyche, Kabinga creates a nurturing space for self-realisation amidst life’s complexities. Her coaching helps clients navigate their mental landscapes, moving from self-doubt to clarity and authentic self-awareness. On stage, Kabinga captivates audiences with her magnetic presence, sharing stories of resilience that inspire and act as catalysts for personal change. Her blend of compassion and strength positions her as a bridge-builder, guiding people from their past selves to their full potential.
In her relentless pursuit of knowledge, Kabinga is actively working towards a degree in Counselling, underscoring her deep commitment to aiding individuals in overcoming challenges, finding peace after trauma, and embarking on journeys of profound personal growth. Kabinga’s philosophy, “life is a journey, embrace uncertainty,” reflects her belief in the power of resilience and adaptability. This principle infuses her personal and professional endeavours with purpose and determination, guiding her in making impactful contributions to the mental health field.
Balancing her professional achievements, Kabinga is a nurturing mother of three and a loving wife, exemplifying her belief in harmonising career aspirations with family life. Her story is not just about personal triumph but also about empowering others through empathy and compassion. Her “WHY” for her career extends beyond her narrative, fuelled by an unwavering desire to support others in their healing, ensuring everyone can find happiness and live authentically.
Her book “C.O.N.F.R.O.N. T: Reclaim Your Life” is more than a memoir of Kabinga’s journey through trauma; it’s a testament to human resilience. Through sharing her experiences, she aims to offer hope and inspiration to those lost in the shadows, providing the courage needed to confront their challenges and reclaim their lives. Kabinga C Mazaba is a role model for personal growth, symbolising the potential to rise from adversity and inspire a world needing hope and understanding. With Kabinga, inspiration isn’t just a word; it’s an experience that will elevate you towards your envisioned life.
Kate Fisher
Kate Fisher is an award-winning Australian storyteller and changemaker. She is well known as Australia’s fiercest blood donation advocate.
Kate is the founder of Milkshakes for Marleigh; host and executive producer of the Milkshakes for Marleigh Podcast and author of the Milkshakes for Marleigh book.
She has a daughter who is dependent on blood products to survive so she is on a mission to end persistent critical blood shortages in Australia and around the world.
Laura Goldberg
I’m Laura Goldberg, BA Psych (Hons) & BComm in Marketing. At 46, I’m a proud mother of two wonderful children, Ethan and Gia. Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, my family heritage is Portuguese. After a brief stint on a tennis scholarship in the US, I returned home to pursue two degrees at the University of South Africa. During this time, I took over my parents’ leather and luggage business, witnessing significant growth while studying through correspondence. In 2002, I immigrated to Australia, initially working for international clothing brands before following my passion for personal training, a journey that spanned 10 years.
Leanne Butterworth
Leanne Butterworth is an empathy educator, TEDx speaker, university lecturer and social entrepreneur on a mission to create healthy, connected workplaces and communities through interactive Empathy Training.
A few years ago, Leanne experienced late-diagnosed postnatal mental health issues. Through this experience, she recognised the life-changing impact of empathy-based listening and communication, over judgement and stigma.
Leanne is founder of Empathy First, lectures Social Enterprise Business for the Queensland University of Technology and has presented her empathy work in Australia, Canada and the United States.
Leanne is a mother to Rowan and Zara, loves beach volleyball, has a degree in Applied Science Exercise Physiology (UQ) and a Postgraduate Certificate in Business (Nonprofit and Philanthropy Studies, QUT). She received a George Alexander Foundation Scholarship, is a member of the Australian Social Impact Fellowship, showcased her work to His Royal Highness, the Duke of York and was awarded the 2023 Women Changing the World People’s Choice Social Enterprise Award.
Through experience and research, Leanne believes empathetic leadership is not a nice-to-have but a business imperative.
Lisa Benson
Lisa Benson is a self-diagnosed recovering perfectionist who spent five years writing her multi-award winning memoir, Where Have I Been All My Life? During this time, she lived part time on a boat on Sydney Harbour which she found to be a peaceful and inspirational space for her writing. Lisa and her husband continue to lead a ‘double life’ travelling between Newcastle and Sydney each week.
Lisa has a Bachelor of Business Degree with a major in tourism and marketing. She previously held various sales and marketing positions in hotels and resorts, and also worked in a real estate office. It wasn’t until Lisa was in her forties that she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an author, and she now writes full-time.
Lisa’s motto is Stop Trying – Start Being although she spent most of her life doing the exact opposite. Her writing is honest and relatable, and she hopes her vulnerability helps others feel less alone. Lisa would love to inspire women to stop wasting time living up to other people’s expectations, to discover the magic of living an authentic life and to be free of self-imposed limitations.
Melanie Wentzel
Melanie is an enthusiastic professional driven by a vision of high quality, equitable healthcare. She believes in people and their communities, and has dedicated her career to promoting person-centred, respectful, and culturally responsive care.
Melanie is a global thinker and passionate storyteller, seeking the knowledge of those who came before her and applying it through evidence-based frameworks to drive quality improvement, and the delivery of innovative and emerging models of care.
Melanie is a contemporary and collaborative consultant, taking a boutique approach to healthcare transformation in the public health and medical cannabis sectors, servicing both Australian and international markets. She has worked extensively with the Australian Department of Health, State Governments, medical colleges, Primary Health Networks, peak bodies, and organisations across the Australian, American and British healthcare landscapes delivering impactful and transformative programs for patients, communities, clinicians and the global healthcare system.
Melanie is a Bachelor of Psychological Science, an experienced project manager, a national healthcare operations leader, a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and graduate of the Harvard Medical School Digital Transformation in Healthcare Program.
Melanie has twice published in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA), is an experienced conference speaker, panellist and podcast guest, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine (ASLM), and Americans for Safe Access (ASA).
Nicola Baker
Nicola Baker is a published author in Far North Queensland, Australia. Her first book, The Thing About Jed, was launched in May 2022 published by Bowerbird Publishers. She was inspired to establish Moyamoya Australia to assist others with the rare disease of Moyamoya in their journey but providing financial assistance, raising awareness, funding research and training into this disease. Nicola is working on a collaboration regarding childhood Stroke with Bowerbird Publishing, she is a participating member of the Childhood Stroke Advisory Panel for the Lived Experience of Childhood Stroke. Nicola has won multiple awards for her charity work, and is using her experience to help others. Nicola is excited to be working with 25 powerful women in the publication of Women Making a Difference.
Dr. Patricia Gonde
Born in Mhondoro and raised in the cultural hub of Bulawayo, Dr. Gonde’s journey is painted with the vibrant hues of challenges and victories. The trail of her primary and secondary education, scattered across seven different schools due to economic constraints, created a mosaic of experiences that cultivated her resilient spirit and carved her path towards the field of education.
Rebecca Rylands
Rebecca Rylands is a seasoned counsellor and dedicated educator. Based in Brisbane, Australia, she helms a private counselling practice, offering workshops, public speaking engagements, and mentoring. Her expertise encompasses a unique blend of rhythm-based music interventions, backed by her foundational years as a high school music teacher and subsequent venture into school guidance counselling.
A Master of Counselling graduate in 2014, Rebecca’s approach is anchored in evidence-based and trauma-informed practices, enriched by her passion for embodied learning and community music. Driven by her journey—first as a bass player in rock bands and later as a teacher—Rebecca is continually led back to her true calling, a proactive emphasis on mental health and holistic wellness. Her therapeutic drumming, using hand drums and shakers, serves as an inclusive beacon for individuals across all skill levels.
Rebecca’s resonating impact is palpable beyond the confines of individual consultations; her work echoes prominently across Australia and back to her homeland in New Zealand. As a stalwart trainer and mentor for Rhythm2Recovery, she advocates for drum circles as potent mediums for holistic social and emotional development.
Her expansive expertise reaches across life’s spectrum—aiding new mothers in navigating the intricacies of motherhood, supporting those working with adolescents amid the challenges of teen years, and imbuing the lives of elders in care facilities with rhythmic solace.
She has graced platforms such as Generation Next’s Mental Health Summit, and The Australian Counselling Association’s Annual Conference. Currently, she also imparts her wealth of knowledge as a lecturer, shaping the next wave of counsellors and psychotherapists in higher education. Passionate about cross-cultural understanding, diversity, and inclusion, she strives to empower individuals with coping mechanisms for life’s multifaceted challenges.
In essence, Rebecca Rylands exemplifies a symphony of resilience, passion, and unwavering commitment – harmonizing the realms of music and mental health to orchestrate change.
Dr Zara Celik
Dr Zara Celik is an integrative health and nutrition practitioner, wellness expert and high performance mindset mentor who is dedicated to intuitively transforming lives and empowering people to connect with Source, have abundant energy, vitality to thrive geometrically in all areas of their lives.
Dr Zara is committed to educating, supporting, guiding people to connect with inner-self, understand, and expand their knowledge, awareness and gain wisdom about their mental, emotional , physical and spiritual wellbeing and teach them how to be able to create equanimity and sustainable homeostasis within.
Dr Zara has been committed to inspiring and serving thousands of people around the globe including celebrities, CEO’s, entrepreneurs, business owners, health care professionals and athletes.
Since the age of 4 years old, she had a clear vision of helping people as an intuitive holistic healer and her goal was study and learn everything related to human body, brain, psychology and behaviour.
She studied Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne majoring in Applied Mathematics, Anatomy and Physiology.
She was fascinated by power of nervous system and neuroscience, Dr Zara went on to complete double degree in Applied Science and Complementary Medicine,Chiropractic followed by Masters in Clinical Chiropractic and Masters of Wellness at RMIT University.
She knew that nutrition played a significant role in the healing process to achieve optimum health and vitality and that not one particular diet serves everyone the same way, as everyone is bioindividual. Dr Zara wanted to advance her knowledge in integrative and functional Nutrition to support her clients to achieve sustainable outcome. Dr Zara has completed her studies in Integrative Functional Nutrition Health Coaching at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York, she is a qualified Health and Wellness Coach and has special interest in Endocrine (Hormone), Skin and Gut Health Nutrition, Human Behaviour and Psychology and Mindset
Dr Zara Celik is an alchemist in human physiology and biochemistry where she uses the skin conditions, symptoms and maps it to specific organ involvement along with extensive clinical testing to find the root cause of symptoms, which took her a decade in clinical practice to master.
Dr Zara believes that everybody thrives on a diet that is specific to their microbiome which can be determined by microbiome study findings. She is the only practitioner who specialises in the “Microbiome Diet” globally.
While working with private patients and clients she noticed that language pattern, condition of the mind and perceptions played a role in determining and altering the state of being and flow of energy in the physical body. With a strong desire to serve her patients and clients with excellence, Dr Zara wanted advance her education and master the balancing the mind to help her clients transcend, be authentic, creative, objective and achieve a state of poise. Dr Zara has been studying at The Demartini Institute with her mentor Dr John Demartini who is world-renowned most leading top human behaviour specialist, to gain mastery in Demartini technique to balance the mind, dissolve trauma, clear resentment, infatuation and grief to create homeostasis and state of vitality in her clients.
Dr Zara is a mother of four children and is founder and managing director of multi award winning wellness Amara Wellness Centre, which recently got featured in Global Business Leaders Magazine as one of the 30 Innovative Companies. Amara Wellness Centre was awarded as Best Wellness Centre in Australia,Best International Spa, and Best Wellness Studio and Client Excellence Award.
Dr Zara is executive contributor of Brainz Magazine and was finalist at Ausmumpenur awards in the year 2022 and author.