Mentor Circles

Self-believe / self-value

Influence / relationship advancement

Leadership, management (strategy and approach) and navigating challenges

Susan is a mother of two, wife, volunteer, board director, community advocate and a member of the TAFE Queensland’s Executive Management team in her role as General Manager of TAFE Queensland’s North region.

Born and raised in Townsville, Susan understands the importance of local connection and is strongly committed to elevating other women to achieve great success. Whilst possessing a unique blend of strategy, business acumen, corporate service leadership and directorship experience, Susan’s real strengths are in her ability to genuinely connect with people.

With a career spanning over 30 years , Susan has held a number of senior leadership and Board Directorship positions across the private, public and stock exchange listed organisations, both in Australia and Canada.

Susan holds a variety of formal qualifications including Bachelor of Commerce, Master of Business Administration, Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant, Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, Justice of the Peach (Qualified) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Building & positioning a premium brand

Creating sustainable growth through systems and leadership

Increasing visibility and stepping into opportunities

Maree O’Shea - Owner: Malpara Florist, Sweeter than Sugar & Hello Picnic. Maree is an award winning entrepreneur, business leader, and passionate mentor for women in business. Starting her journey 16 years ago as a single mum with big dreams and a strong work ethic, Maree built her first business from the ground up. Driven by determination, resilience, and a desire to create a better future for her daughter. What began as a small venture has since grown into a thriving business portfolio, now spanning three successful enterprises across the wedding and events industries.

Through years of dedication, innovation, and community connection, Maree has earned multiple local and national business awards, recognising not only her commercial success but her leadership and impact within the industry. Her businesses are known for their premium offerings, attention to detail, and heartfelt customer experience; a direct reflection of Maree’s hands-on approach and commitment to excellence.

Maree channels her experience into mentoring other women who are starting or growing their own businesses. She is passionate about sharing real-world insights on growth, branding, resilience, and balancing business with family life. Maree’s mission is simple: to empower women to back themselves, take the leap, and build businesses and lives they’re truly proud of.

Authentic Leadership in a male dominated Industry

Understanding yourself and those you work with

Optimising communication

Virginia is a passionate technical leader who believes strongly in Women supporting eachother in the business environment. She is currently the Engineering Project Manager at Cubic Defence Australia where she strives to focus on inclusive leadership, continuous improvement and team building.

Virginia began her career with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering with the Army and had a 25 year career with the Defence Force. Her service provided the opportunity to work with many great teams across Australia, on deployment and in the USA. A career that provided constant opportunity to learn and apply that knowledge, Virginia has completed her Master of Business Technology, GLAM course, Chief Executive Women’s leadership program and many Women’s STEM and leadership conferences.

A proud Mum of three children, Virginia and her husband decided to settle in Townsville and put down roots in this wonderful community.

Building teams

Critical Conversations

Driving culture through partnership

Stephanie Barwick is an experienced healthcare leader and the General Manager at Mater Private Hospital Townsville, where she oversees strategic operations, drives organisational excellence, and fosters professional collaboration. With a deep commitment to delivering high-quality patient care and improving operational efficiency, Stephanie has a proven track record of leading multidisciplinary teams and implementing innovative healthcare solutions and is a mother to 3 boys

Stephanie began her career as a registered nurse and midwife at Mater Private Hospital Townsville and has since worked across the country, from regional hospitals to major facilities like the Royal Prince Alfred in Sydney and internationally at the Centre for Medical Simulation in Boston, Massachusetts. Her extensive experience includes serving as Director of Clinical Education and Executive Director, Mater Education, where she championed workforce development and simulation-based training to enhance healthcare delivery.

Stephanie’s fellowship at the Centre for Medical Simulation in Boston further deepened her expertise in medical education, leadership development, and healthcare simulation. She is passionate about mentoring and developing future leaders. Stephanie is also a mum to two young boys and is a strong advocate for women in leadership roles.

Maximising Human Potential

Cultivating Dynamic Team Excellence

Strategic Career Navigation

Claudia possesses a unique blend of skills cultivated through extensive experience in the engineering field and high-performance sports, contributing to her remarkable success.
As a qualified mechanical engineer and certified practicing project executive, Claudia has overseen the successful delivery of large, complex infrastructure projects and programs spanning various asset classes. Her expertise extends to managing extensive project portfolios and teams. Claudia is widely recognized as an authentic leader and highly regarded people manager, renowned for her ability to cultivate team collaboration and establish mutually beneficial partnerships. Thriving in complex operational environments, she provides invaluable insights, identifies risks and opportunities, troubleshoots effectively, and drives performance.

Before embarking on her engineering career, Claudia Brassard arrived in Australia as a professional athlete in 2001, joining the Townsville Fire after competing in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Transitioning from player to coach, Claudia served as both assistant and head coach of the Townsville Fire, guiding the team to three WNBL championships during that period. Her experience in elite sports has honed her ability to drive human performance and cultivate relationships within high-performing teams, making her an asset in any leadership role.

She is committed to leveraging her expertise to empower others and foster a culture of success and growth.

Claudia was a mentor for LGAQ’s developing manager program as well as for JCU female engineering students. She is passionate about enabling individuals to become the best versions of themselves.

Claudia is currently the Business Leader Regional Queensland for Stantec a global engineering and design firm. She is also a Director on the Board of Basketball Queensland.