Awesome Women

As the AWIC North Queensland Roadshow (16th – 24th October 2023) was coming to an end, we took the opportunity to have a chat with Kim Allen from CRA Construction and Angela Hucker from Empowering People in Construction (EPIC). We asked them what their highlights of the Roadshow were.

Kim owns CRA Construction alongside her husband Chris, a residential high end plastering company. Together they've built up a team of full time employed, qualified, going above and beyond the national standard to complete superior finishes.

Angela has over 20 years’ experience working in numerous areas of the construction industry, across the public, private and corporate sectors. She is passionate about supporting women in construction and FIFO workers, as a result, she founded Empowering People In Construction (EPIC) Services, a dynamic venture that's reshaping the Australian construction sector by harnessing the immense potential of women.
For more information about CRA Construction, visit CRA Construction or connect with Kim Allen via LinkedIn. You can reach out to Angela Hucker to find out more about Empowering People in Construction (EPIC).

Kim owns CRA Construction alongside her husband Chris, a residential high end plastering company. Together they've built up a team of full time employed, qualified, going above and beyond the national standard to complete superior finishes.

Kim flew up and joined the AWIC North Queensland Roadshow (16th – 24th October 2023) in Cairns. It was great having Kim join us as we visited a wide range of industry businesses. We took Kim aside for a few minutes to find our why she joined us in Cairns.

Kim is incredibly proud in having created a company with her husband where they have chosen to simply do things right. They only hire their staff on a full-time basis instead of running with sole-traders, they only hire qualified plasterers or up-skill them to get them qualified and are constantly working with their team to better themselves personally but also keeping their passion alight as tradespeople.
For more information about CRA Construction, visit CRA Construction or connect with Kim Allen via LinkedIn.

In 2022, Jennah was named the Queensland Apprentice of the Year and Australian Apprentice of the Year at the Australian Training Awards. 

Jennah join AWIC in Cairns, the third leg of the North Queensland Roadshow, 16th – 24th October 2023. Jennah joined us and industry colleagues for a day of immersion into the construction industry and then attended the networking event as the guest speaker. 

As a mother of four who returned to the workforce after eight years, Jennah proves that it’s never too late for a career change.

Jennah's journey started when her brother, also a refrigeration technician, asked her to help out a few hours a week. From there, Jennah grew a keen interest in the industry and, completed her Certificate III in Air Conditioning and Refrigeration in 2021.

Jennah is believed to be the only Qualified female Refrigeration technician in Cairns – a statistic she's hoping to help change!
You can contact Jenna via Instagram Jennah Halley (@lifeof_jdee) and LinkedIn Jennah Halley

Jo is passionate about encouraging women of all ages to unleash the full force of their potential, achieve greater levels of self-sufficiency and fulfilment and create a more sustainable way of working, in particular within Non-Traditional Roles. 

She is all about finding an appreciation for the world of possibilities that await when you’re prepared to throw aside self-imposed limitations. Everyone is capable of doing the job – what are you waiting for “Get Your Glo On” she shouts out!

Jo showed us around her hometown Mackay and joined us for the first two days of the North Queensland Roadshow, 16th – 24th October 2023. We took a little time out of the roadshow and spoke to Jo about how she supports the next generation. 
For more information about Kickass Women, visit Kickass Women or connect with Jody Sainsbury via LinkedIn.

Fiona believes STEM Education should be accessible for everyone and believes helping children develop skills in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics will prepare them for a future where they can make a difference. 

AWIC was fortunate to have Fiona join us in Mackay for the first day of the North Queensland Roadshow, 16th – 24th October 2023. We enjoyed the time we had Fiona join us and took the opportunity to have a chat with her about engaging our next generation of female leaders into STEM.

STEM Punks mission is to “Inspire Tomorrows Innovators” and teach children about 21st Century Skills by enabling a mindset of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
For more information about STEM Punks, visit STEM Punks or connect with Fiona Holmstrom via LinkedIn.

As a Transformational Health & Business Consultant with over 15+ years in Health & Leadership in corporate leadership, and 20 years of clinical experience as a Nurse in Intensive Care and Mental Health, it has always been Joan’s mission to make a difference and create change in people’s lives.

She found herself called to integrate other modalities into her scope of practice such as a Diploma of Naturopathy, Reiki Master attainment and a Diploma in Business Management. Coupled with her intuitive abilities, she realised that she had the unique ability to work with people’s energies in the quantum field and to help them heal and see life with clarity and purpose.

She takes female leaders and entrepreneurs on a journey to create personal transformation to “Unlock Your Unique Code.” (TM). Stepping into their personal power and being their best self with a rock-solid foundation.

What sets Joan apart in her industry is decades of experience with a strong background in Leadership, Health and Wellness, coupled with her substantial qualifications. Her senior leadership positions with world leading organisations, as well as a mix of Eastern and Western philosophies, allows her to work on a subliminal level with a persons’ energies to refocus, re energise, revitalise and realign.

She is the author of “Show UP” a leadership book about how to lead through times of change, a new paradigm of female leadership. She inspires her audience with courage, pure grit, determination, passion and belief in themselves to go the extra distance. Her mentoring programs are individually tailored to meet the needs of the individual both personally and professionally. Joan’s background serves her audience well by integrating the mind, body and spirit connection with a strong focus on health, leadership, energy management with quantum healing. Supporting her clients to get clear on their WHY.

Joan holds a Bachelor of Health Science, Post Graduate Diplomas in Mental Health Nursing, Naturopathy, Business Management and is a Reiki Master & Certified Akashic Records Practitioner.

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Mel’s background is in manufacturing. Having started her career in a traditional apprenticeship. Her experience in this industry lead her to become involved in all aspects of business.

Mel has had 28 years’ experience in the Manufacturing Sector in Queensland in a range of roles from Communications & Marketing to Sales and Operations Management and Environmental Standards in a Global Company.

Over the course of her career, Mel has studied Business, Leadership & Management with a strong focus on communications and operations.

In her current role, Mel engages daily with Qld Manufacturers, both local small business and larger Global firms. Mel liaises between Government and Industry to communicate the hurdles and wins that Queensland Industry experiences. Mel facilitates the Women in Manufacturing series of regional events since 2017.

Mel is passionate about the manufacturing industry, the promotion of women in this sector, and encouraging students into apprenticeships as a career path. Her other interest is helping businesses understand the opportunities that are available to them with the uptake of new technologies into their business models - having developed and facilitated the Industry 4.0 and Technology in Manufacturing series with the Department of Regional Development, Manufacturing & Water

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Dani heads the management team at Rock Up Group, a company that operates within, and serves the needs of the concrete polishing industry.

Rock Up Group has been at the forefront of the concrete polishing industry over the past 12 years operating under strict, measurable quality standards. Their work has spanned from large high-end retail and commercial fit outs through to boutique architectural homes.

Over the past 5 years have seen Rock Up Group successfully introduce a novel service to the concrete polishing industry on the worldwide stage; Independent process-based Training and Support, both on-site and off and also online.

Through the uptake of this type of training, Dani and her team contribute to ensuring a pool of high-performance subcontractors are available to choose from.

Dani is a fierce advocate for the use of polished concrete a sustainable, longterm floor finish. She is passionate about ensuring the wider building and construction industry has access to relevant and up to date education regarding this product and a pool of high-performance subcontractors to choose from.

Dani is a creative problem solver whose background in academic research, science communication, medical device innovation, R&D and commercialisation has provided strong transferrable skills across to the Building and Construction Industry forming a solid base for business and program development in her current role.

Dani is an energetic contributor within the boards and committees she is part of. She is currently an elected member of the Board of Directors at Master Builders Victoria, MBV Electoral Council & Specialist Contractor Sector Committee and sits on the Board of the Building and Construction Industry Foundation.

Dani seeks to encourage and empower others and learn from those that have paved the way while taking the challenges of the moment head on. She is happiest when learning how things work, asking questions and connecting with others.

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Through her coaching, training, speaking, and writing Cassandra empowers leaders to be true to themselves at work as the catalyst for the co-creation of workplaces where people can thrive, perform, play and belong. Cassandra has a background as business executive. She was the Global Director of Employee Experience at Bupa. In this role she was accountable for the activation of the organisations’ purpose ‘Longer, Healthier, Happier Lives’ for their 86,000 employees around the world.

Today, Cassandra enjoys a portfolio career. She is the founder of The Centre for Self-Fidelity, the Chief Talent Activator at Think Talent, and a facilitator and executive coach for Thrive Global.

Following the success of her first self-published book Self-Fidelity in 2020, her second book Being True was published by Hardie Grant in 2023.

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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.

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