In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Professor Nicole Hartley offers thoughtful insights on the power of service and connection, building confidence beyond comfort, growing through uncertainty, and cultivating spaces where knowledge can flourish.

About Professor Nicole Hartley:

Nicole Hartley is the MBA Director at The University of Queensland. She is also a leading service technology researcher with the UQ Business School. Her extensive research and teaching expertise areas include services technology, virtualised services, marketing strategy, customer-brand relationships, new media, communication, consumer-making behaviour, and consumer psychology.
Nicole’s current research agenda focuses upon exploring customer perceptions of the advent of technology and various forms of disruption in the delivery of services. This research is currently focused within the education, tourism and health industries.
Further to this, Nicole works closely with companies within the Brisbane technology start-up and social enterprise scene to advise on marketing advertising strategies to launch new-to-market technology-based products and services both nationally and globally.
Nicole is a PhD graduate of The University of Sydney and has worked at leading universities through out Australia. Her work has been widely published in leading global journals and presented at international conferences and symposia.
Prior to her academic career, Nicole was employed as Marketing Manager/Director for various corporations within the tourism/hospitality, education, and communication industries both in Australia and in London.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenCards #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #podcast #NicoleHartley

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Polly Parker shares her insights on integrating discipline and empathy, the balance of kindness and drive and the importance of self-knowledge in leadership.

Professor Emerita Polly Parker is a distinguished academic with an international reputation in career management and leadership development. She holds a PhD from theUniversity of Auckland, and her work is enriched by an unusually interdisciplinary background that spans counselling practice and international gymnastics (New Zealand and the UK). This blend of experience brings a distinctive perspective on leadership, learning, and human potential to her academic career.

Polly’s research focuses strongly on peer coaching, demonstrating how coaching among equals can accelerate career learning, leadership growth, and personal development. She is also deeply invested in the intersection of career development and leadership, arguing that the two are inseparably linked through meaning-making, identity formation, and learning from lived experience.

She has made significant contributions to higher education as both a researcher and an educator. As Director she led theUQ MBA program from outside the global top 100 to a ranking of 14th worldwide, earning an Australian Award for University Teaching in recognition of this achievement. Her scholarship is widely published, including as lead author of Peer Coaching at Work, winner of the Axiom Business Book Award, along with numerous articles in leading international journals.

At the University of Queensland, Polly served as Associate Dean (Academic) in the Faculty of Business, Economics & Law and played a major role in institution-wide initiatives, particularly in women’s leadership development. For more than a decade, she co-led UQ’s Career Progression for Women program, helping strengthen leadership capability among academic women and championing reflective, innovative, and peer-based learning practices. She is also the originator and co-developer of theIntelligent Career Card Sort™, now translated into multiple languages and used globally.

Recognised by UQ as Professor Emerita, Polly remains actively engaged in coaching and leadership development, with a continuing commitment to supporting women in academia.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenCards #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #podcast #PollyParker

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Merle Singer shares her insights about exploring identity and values, finding the soul in daily life, grounding in turbulent times and navigating internal criticism.

Merle has 25 years of senior leadership roles in the technology sector across multi-disciplines.  Her experience spans corporate marketing, leadership development, culture & reputation, corporate social responsibility and global environmental sustainability.  She holds a BA Honours and Masters in Psychology as well as being a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  

Merle is accredited in Myers Briggs Type Inventory, Hogan Assessment Inventories and Barrett’s Cultural Transformation Tools and is also a qualified yoga instructor. 

Merle has run her own business for over a decade where her focus is on Leadership Development and Cultural Transformation with clients that include large multi-nationals and tech start-ups.   Her pro bono portfolio includes coaching emerging female leaders at Oz Harvest and a regular participant to aqMentor Walks.

With a deep love of Jungian archetypes, she hasrecently completed a Research Project through Deakin University’s Business School exploring how a volatile world is changing the leadership narratives of women, both seasoned professionals and early-career millennials in corporate Australia and the USA.  In addition, she was a funded researcher with the Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT) in their update of the Pearson Marr Archetype Indicator.  

Merle now uses contemporary archetypes and has recently completed the development of a suite of solutions, Epitome Leadership, all underpinned with a simple and practical set of four feminine archetypes which brings a unique language of understanding to women in leadership.

#MarvellousWomenCards #MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #podcast #MerleSinger

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Sabina Janstrom reveals the surprising joy in beekeeping, the art of balancing when to step in and when to observe, and why patience, priorities, and purpose matter more than ever. Tune in for a grounded, thoughtful conversation about finding what truly counts.

She is an experienced Technology Leader with a strong passion for the end-user experience, effective project and portfolio management, and successful solution delivery. With many years of senior management and executive experience, she also brings hands-on capability in delivering technology projects across continents and organisations.

She thrives on improving how software is designed and delivered to maximise employee benefit—and equally, on shaping business processes that make technology intuitive, efficient, and easy to use. Her focus is always on reducing the time teams lose to inadequate systems.

She believes that to overcome “bad IT,” organisations need clear strategy and direction, a rigorous ICT investment process, and excellence in project delivery. She ensures that the organisations she supports avoid wasting money on inferior technology and avoid relying on quick-fix software to solve deeper people or process challenges.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenCards #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #podcast #SabinaJanstrom

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Urmi Hossain opens up about her mission to empower women, the creative drive behind purpose, lessons from experimentation, and the importance of care, wellness, and staying true to your values when making big decisions.

Urmi Hossain is a woman who wears many hats. She is a self-published author, speaker, blogger, podcast host, polyglot, mentor, and holder of both the CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) and CAIA (Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst) designations. Urmi works in the financial services industry in Canada, where she currently resides.

Her first book, Discovering Your Identity: A Rebirth from Interracial Struggle, reflects her journey as a third-culture kid navigating questions of belonging, culture, and self-worth.

Urmi is the host of Stories Beyond Borders, a podcast that amplifies diverse voices and explores stories of identity, migration, language, and what “home” really means.

Passionate about women’s empowerment, she serves as the Co-Chair of Women in Leadership’s Montreal Chapter. She is also a strong advocate for continuous learning and personal growth. One of her greatest passions is public speaking — she has been an active Toastmasters member since 2019, having served as both VP of Education and Club President.

In her spare time, Urmi enjoys reading thrillers and mystery novels and staying active through boxing, HIIT workouts, and running.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenCards #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #podcast #UrmiHossain

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Lana Johnston shares her insights on the hats we wear across our identities and connecting with others.

Lana Johnston is a people and connection strategist, as well as author of "Small Moments, Strong Bonds". With 12+ years of board experience and expertise in people and culture practices, Lana bridges the gap between corporate strategy and personal connection, showing how the skills that make you successful at work can transform your most important relationships – specifically those with your ageing loved ones before it’s too late. Lana believes that transformations don’t have to be complicated – sometimes the simplest changes create the biggest impact. Through both her "Connection with Lana" offerings and "Taking it Forward" consulting, she provides practical frameworks, shaping outcomes and building capability.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenCards #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #podcast #LanaJohnston

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Sinead Houston dives into what it truly means to live authentically — exploring self-identity, the power of discipline and resilience, and how failure can become your greatest teacher.

Sinead Houston is a competitive masters powerlifter and passionate change professional. For Sinead, success in both powerlifting and life comes from being comfortable with getting uncomfortable. Her approach is about leaning into uncertainty with curiosity and courage, knowing our real strengths lie in discipline, resilience, and the power of showing up – even when things feel heavy.

#marvellouswomen #marvellouswomencards #marvellouswomenthepodcast #podcast #sineadhouston

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Amy Thompson explores why patience matters, how small shifts create big impact, and why quick fixes are often a myth. She also shares powerful strategies for moving beyond past limitations and the importance of investing in yourself for lasting success.

Amy is a Recomp Certified Coach and ISSN Certified Sports Nutritionist, specialising in Body Recomposition: She helps people of all ages and backgrounds lose fat and gain muscle through science-backed nutrition and strength training methods. With over a decade of experience, she has coached thousands of clients online and in person using a simple but powerful approach . But beyond that, she helps people find confidence, strength, and patience, which carries over into other areas of their lives. 

Her expertise comes from hands-on experience, mentorship with leading experts in the field, and personal achievements, including setting national powerlifting records on the bench press and deadlift and placing Runner-Up in the 2011 Queensland International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation (IFBB) competition. Amy is passionate about helping people take their strength and body composition to the next level while building the confidence to overcome barriers, just as she did for herself.

Since starting her coaching business on the Gold Coast in 2023, she has continued to help clients, from experienced lifters and athletes to busy professionals and everyday people, discover their true potential and reshape their bodies.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #MarvellousWomenCards #podcast #AmyThompson

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, we sit down with Heidi Mayhew-Sanders as she shares her inspiring journey from country girl to HR professional, and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Heidi opens up about the changing dynamics of the workforce, the future of work and why agility matters, and how growing up in the country shaped her perspective on balance and resilience. From embracing change and stepping into entrepreneurship, to cultivating the right mindset and drawing strength from role models, Heidi’s insights are both practical and deeply inspiring.

A powerhouse in the world of people and leadership development, Heidi’s story begins not in a boardroom, but in the heart of the country. From those humble beginnings, she carved out a global career spanning over two decades across continents, cultures, and corporate corridors. Her journey is not just one of professional triumph—but of true resilience, fierce determination, and unapologetic authenticity.

She’s a certified trainer, a postgraduate-qualified HR executive, and a proven leadership mentor with hands-on experience in some of the world’s most high-pressure industries—from investment banking and private equity to professional services and beyond. But what truly sets herapart is her ability to lead with heart while backing it up with strategic brains. She’s walked through fire—both personally and professionally—and turned each challenge into a catalyst for growth, purpose, and impact.

Through her business RESULTS WITH NATOLI, Heidi now channels her lived experience into empowering others. Heidi founded this practice with a mission to unlock the potential within leaders ready to rise, even when the odds are stacked against them.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenCards #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #podcast #HeidiMayhewSanders

In this episode of Marvellous Women: The Podcast, Cass Barker shares her insights about exploring creativity and energy, embracing contradictions in personality, and authenticity and being beautifully strange.

Cass Barker is a professional matchmaker for marketers, dedicated to connecting businesses with the marketing leaders and specialists who can transform their brand’s impact. With 15 years of global experience, Cass has an exceptional track record in finding the right cultural and strategic fit — from CMOs to specialists in CX, Digital, Insights, Sponsorship, Brand, and Creative. Her extensive network, deep industry knowledge, and relentless determination enable her to uncover top talent that others can’t, ensuring marketing strategies have the perfect blend of skills, chemistry, and creativity to drive success.

#MarvellousWomen #MarvellousWomenThePodcast #MarvellousWomenCards #podcast #CassBarker