Tenille Bentley is the founder of The Global Good Foundation and founder/Managing Director of Socialite Media. Tenille was presented by the Prime Minister, The Australian Leadership Award 2013 for Digital Media and Philanthropy, as well as the top 30 under 30 Australian Leading Entrepreneurs of the Year for her work with the Global Good Foundation and was awarded State Finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year.

She appears in the national publication Who’s Who of Australian Women and is placed on the Injury Control Council of Western Australia (ICCWA) Wall of Champions. Her recent achievement has been being nominated for the WA Business News Top 40 under 40 Business Leaders and the news.com.au Entrepreneur of The Year. 

Dr Dawn Butterworth AO is President of the National Council of Women (WA) and holds bachelor, honours and doctoral degrees in the areas of Education, the Arts and Special Needs. Dawn has worked for children and families for over 40 years.

Further to her position as Head of Early Childhood Studies at Edith Cowan University, Dawn has fulfilled teaching fellowships in China, Malaysia, Korea and Thailand. Intensely interested in contemporary social issues, Dawn has won numerous research awards for investigations into gender equity, father role, child-care, hospitalization and family violence. 

Mrs Jenni Curtis started the Indigenous Parent Factor Program in WA in 2000. It is a train the trainer program that targets Indigenous parents all over the state. Under her management it has grown significantly and has attracted longer term funding and support from Woodside and other organisations.

Jenni follows the parental need and delivers program to remote communities and institutions such as Boronia Prison. In 2007 she was awarded Outstanding Aboriginal Educator by the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC). 

Dr Diane Davies is the unpaid Managing Director of Mobile GP, a specialist homeless health service. The organization operates network of mobile clinics run by dedicated clinicians with a special interest in working with the homeless and marginalised people. It treats up to 3,000 people in Perth each year.

Diane Davies is also an obstetrician and gynaecologist with a special interest in obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound. Dr Davies has a long-term interest in Indigenous women’s health and provides specialist outreach services in Central Australia. 

Dr Cynthia Dixon has made significant contributions to both the community and education in WA. As mother to 4 young children, she established the playgroup movement in response to the need of her youngest child.

She was involved in the Alternative School movement, made significant contributions to the development of Scripture teaching in WA, developing a curriculum for students who had no formal tertiary qualifications within a university, community and education department collaboration.

Cynthia lectured at Edith Cowan University whilst raising her 4 children and completing her PhD in the nature of belief in adolescents. She has made a significant contribution in the Anglican Church as a member of a local parish, a Synod member, a member of various committees and working parties including a taskforce on Domestic Violence. She continues to be involved in the selection and development of new clergy. 

Kylie Forth has been totally blind since before she was 3 years of age losing her sight to cancer. At age 9 she also lost her leg to the same disease. She is a very successful woman pioneer in WA blind sailing as she skippers a yacht and competes internationally successfully winning medals. Each year she successfully raised thousands of dollars to finance her team’s international sailing competitions. In 2013 they competed in Italy and Japan, bringing home medals on both occasions.

She has contributed to her community through her strong leadership and determined spirit. She is dedicated to grow the number of blind sailors in Western Australia and passionate about encouraging more young blind people to sail believing in the capacity the sport has to grow their self-confidence and independence. 

Elizabeth Heenan is a person of excellent standing in the legal profession. She has brought credit on the legal profession through her personal and professional commitment to upholding the honour of the WA legal profession. Mrs Heenan is an inspiration to all women not only because of her outstanding career achievements but because she never lost touch with community interests and the pursuit of justice for all in all areas of life.

Over her 38 years as a legal practitioner, whilst modest and understated herself, Mrs Heenan has been an active campaigner for women to be promoted to senior positions in law firms, as senior counsel and as judges. 

Ms Victoria Kerfoot has been an inspiration in Jarrahdale Community and in the wider prison system since 1976. During her first 20 years in the community, she was a driving force in the Primary school P&C and secretary of the local tennis club.

The 1980s saw Vicky become heavily involved in the Jarrahdale Townscape study – design of everything from roads, street-lights, plantings to dwellings and recreation areas. She was a foundation member of the respected Jarrahdale Heritage Society and still manages it’s website, has been secretary for over 25 years and was recently made a life member. For 20 years she has worked in the prison system; Casuarina and Karnet, where she organised the prison farm’s 50th Anniversary. 

Margaret Medcalf OAM BA Dip Ed FLAA, was born in Albany, Western Australia, in 1926. After attending school in Albany and Perth she went on to complete her BA Dip Ed at the University of Western Australia before travelling overseas.

On her return in 1955, Margaret joined the Archives Branch of the State Library and rose to become State Archivist and Principal Librarian of the Battye Library in 1971. She was made a Fellow of the Library Association of Australia in 1986 and retired in 1989. In 1999 she received the Order of Australia for services to history. Margaret was a charter member of the Zonta Club of Perth – the first club in WA – that was formed in 1971 though officially chartered in 1972. 

Ms Brenda Robbins was the first woman President of Australian Institute of Management and as President contributed to the success of the organisation in its role of enhancing the management skills of Western Australians. Brenda provides pro bono (free) legal advice, undertakes appeal and review cases for people from refugee backgrounds before the Tribunals and Federal Court.

She excelled in a post-graduate law degree as a mature aged student (awarded the Vice Chancellor’s medal) and continues to practice law. As a prominent company director, Ms Robbins has contributed to a number of companies and organisations such as Legal Aid Western Australia.

ROLL OF HONOUR

Barbara Mary Hale (1924-2013) worked steadily and imaginatively to improve educational opportunities for women and girls in Western Australia.

She held office as President, Secretary, and Membership Convener of the Australian Federation of University Women (WA) Inc, now Graduate Women (WA). She moved to secure the value of members’ voluntary labours in raising funds for the education of women by the establishment in 1992 of the AFUW(WA) Inc Education Trust.

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