Zonta is very proud of its various awards designed at Club, District and International levels to assist young women achieve their goals through education at pre-University level (YWPA Award), during their third or final year of a business oriented degree course (JM Klausman Business Scholarship), for women postgraduates in aeronautical engineering (Amelia Earhart Fellowship) and the Women in Technology Scholarship which encourages greater involvement of women in STEM related fields. This page recognises the outstanding achievements of our past winners at District and International level.

2021 District 22 JM Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to Teresa Chuang the nominee from the Zonta Club of Brisbane Sunrise Inc who has been selected as our District winner for 2021.  Teresa is a penultimate accelerated honours student studying the Bachelor of Advanced Business at the University of Queensland who is an aspiring fund manager/management consultant with a desire to: Improve the gender gap, with only 14% and 17% of fund managers and consulting firm partners being female; further help host and promote events that address equality and women’s rights, where speakers can share their experience, advice, and opportunities for women.

2021 District 22 Young Women in Public Affairs Award

2020 Zonta International and District 22 JM Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to Sanuri  DeSilva who was nominated by the Zonta Club of Beaudesert Inc who was our 2020 D22 winner and has now been named as a Zonta International winner. Sanuri is currently completing her honours year in Finance at Griffith University after receiving the international student distinction scholarship. During her time at Griffith, she has participated in national and international case competitions, held leadership positions in various clubs and societies and worked on establishing relationships with students from across the world by mentoring them through various university programs. She is a recipient of the Paul Harris award for outstanding commitment as President to her Rotary club and community. Sanuri plans to use her talents and skills to address pressing issues such as gender inequality.

2020 District 22 Young Women in Public Affairs Award

Congratulations to Faith Roche the District 22 winner of the Young Women in Public Affairs Award.  Faith was nominated by the  Zonta Club of Maroochy Inc.  She was one of 15 applicants across the District. Faith is currently in Year 12 at St Andrew’s College, Peregian, and is College Captain for 2019/2020. A staunch environmentalist, Faith has lead many campaigns to eradicate waste in her school and community. She hopes to study politics at university or alternatively neuro-science. Born in the Caribbean Island of Aruba, Faith speaks four languages and continued her interest in international affairs on an exchange to Japan last year. We wish her well as her application has now been forwarded to Zonta International for consideration at the International level.

2019 Zonta International and District 22 Young Women in Public Affairs Award

Congratulations to our 2019 winner at District level Khushi Shelat, nominated by the Zonta Club of Brisbane River Inc.  who has just been announced as one of the Zonta International level winners. Khushi is a speaker and entrepreneur. She will begin studying at the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania as part of the class of 2023. Her experience in public affairs includes directing ChangeMakeHer Australia, Australia’s only youth-led and founded social enterprise aimed at levelling the playing field for young women in STEM and entrepreneurship, founding TEDxYouth@BSHS, and representing her electorate in the Queensland Youth Parliament. In the future, she plans on exploring her passion for the integration of business and social impact, and hopes to one day establish an international microfinance organisation which integrates government and NGO resources in developing nations to empower those living in poverty.

2019 Zonta International and District 22 JM Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to Caitlene Hillman who is the winner of the 2019 JMK Women in Business Scholarship for District 22 and one of six winners worldwide of the Zonta International AWard.  Caitlene Hillman was nominated by the Zonta Club of Brisbane Breakfast. Caitlene recently completed her 4th year of a double degree in Economics and Finance at Griffith University, with a GPA of 7.0.  She is currently working as an intern in Sydney and Melbourne but will return to Brisbane in early February. She is also a charter member of the newly formed Griffith University Golden Z Club Caitlene has excelled in her studies, and her high academic performance is matched by her enthusiasm to contribute to the local and international community—recognised most recently as the Inaugural Queensland International Engagement Champion. At a university level, some of her endeavors include co-founding the Economics Society, leading the Commerce Society as Vice President, volunteering as a Griffith Business School Student Leader, and leading the Hult Prize at Griffith program (a social enterprise competition and incubator program). Caitlene volunteers as a Homework Club tutor with the Multicultural Families Organisation, and mentors high school students through the Youth Leaders of Positive Change program—a program focused on embracing diversity and creating positive social change from the grassroots. Caitlene has a fond interest in social mobility and in the role of investments in driving socioeconomic development. She plans to gain the technical skill-set requisite to create innovative policy and commercial solutions to mobilise a bottom-up redistribution of power, capital and opportunity.

2019 District 22 Women in Technology Scholarship

The District congratulates our inaugural Women in Technology Scholarship winner Gabriella Behr.Gabriella is employed by the Wagner Corporation and is studying for her Bachelor of Construction Management through Central Queensland University.  Her major field of study is Construction Management.  In her spare time she is an Ambassador for the Warwick Turf Club and has volunteered at the Warwick Show and Rodeo, Place of Safety for Children and the Jumpers and Jazz Festival. Her aspiration is to be a young person who encourages other women and girls to consider the construction industry for their career and to bring their skills in STEM to the table to break glass ceilings and effect real change. Gabriella was nominated by the Zonta Club of Brisbane East Inc

2018 Zonta International and District 22 M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Winner

The District congratulates Emma Beal our District 22 JM Klausman Scholarship winner for 2018 and on her success as a 2018 Zonta International JM Klausman Scholarship winner.  Emma was nominated by the Zonta Club of Brisbane Inc. Emma is soon to complete her second year of study in the Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics (Honours) program at the University of Queensland. She has excelled in her studies thus far, studying as a UQ Vice Chancellors scholar and twice receiving the QIC Academic Prize for being the highest achieving female student in her cohort. Emma hopes that the skills she learns at university will help her to one day aid economic growth and development in impoverished and oppressed nations, something she is passionate about having spent time living in orphanages and refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border. Emma currently works as an intern at a private equity firm in Brisbane, and is also an academic tutor for the UQ School of Economics. She is very involved in campus life in her role as Treasurer of the UQ Economics Society, where she is able to provide other students with dynamic opportunities to further their professional development in business related fields. As a recipient of the JMK scholarship, Emma hopes to undertake a short-term exchange in the coming year so she can continue to broaden her understanding of other cultures and their needs.

2018 Zonta International and District 22 Young Women in Public Affairs Award Winner

Congratulations to Madison Birtchnell a 2018 Zonta International and the District 22 winner of the Young Women in Public Affairs Award for 2018.  Madison was nominated by the Zonta Club of Paradise Point Inc. Volunteering in her community since the age of 6, Madison Birtchnell embodies excellence in both academia and community service. Madison is an exceptional leader and role model and as a result of her outstanding community service was recognised as the 2018 Gold Coast Young Citizen of the Year. She has been selected as an Australian Youth Gender Equality Champion for the IMAD Honour Roll as part of the Australian Centre for Leadership for Women and was earlier this year selected as one of the first teenagers in the Class of 2018 Women Deliver Young Global Leaders Program. Madison is passionate about social justice, youth engagement, equality, inclusion, mental health, and empowering women. Madison’s proudest achievement in 2017 was singlehandedly devising an International Women’s Week Conference, funded by a Queensland State Government Grant, which featured noteworthy guests the Hon. Yvette D’Ath Attorney-General and Humanitarian Kay Danes OAM. This conference was designed to empower women and girls, encouraging every woman and girl to achieve their full potential. Aged only 17, she has developed a passion to work in politics and for the United Nations in the future, where she can continue to serve others and where she can have the most impact and create positive social change.

2017 District 22 JM Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Winner

Michelle Beckett, nominated by the Zonta Club of Ipswich Inc is our 2017 JMK Women in Business Scholarship winner.  Michelle will use her scholarship to complete her final  semester at USQ Springfield.  She is currently studying a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Accounting and hopes to pursue a Master of Business Administration (Global Business Management).  She said she believes there is an onus on her to share her story with people in her community so that she can inspire others to reach their potential.  She has been involved in various volunteer roles on campus and in the community while studying at USQ. These include working as an Accredited Tax Help for the Australian Taxation Office and Treasurer of the Brassall State Primary School P&C. She is also an active member of the Enactus USQ program which encourages students to carry our social entrepreneurship activities.

2017 District 22 Young Women in Public Affairs Award Winner 

Many human rights issues are inherently gendered, which is why Linden Peacock’s greatest passion is working to solve gender inequality on a global scale. Currently in her second year of a Bachelors of Arts/Laws at the University of Queensland, she hopes to specifically tackle violence against women upon graduation. In addition to her studies, Linden volunteers as Human Resources Director for UN Youth Queensland, a youth-led non-for-profit organisation that educates young people on the United Nations’ mission and goals, and mentors a team of high school students in gender advocacy at the One Woman Project. In her spare time, Linden can be found practicing Korean for her Diploma in Languages and admiring Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits. Linden was nominated by the Zonta Club of Brisbane Inc.

2016 Zonta International and District 22 Young Women in Public Affairs Award Winner

Congratulations to our 2016 Young Women in Public Affairs District 22 Winner, Phoebe Frederick. Phoebe is currently studying a Bachelor of Law/Arts at the University of Queensland, majoring in Public Policy and International Relations. With this degree she learns about global issues International Relations and then about the solutions with Public Policy. Her degree allows her to feed her curiosity and fulfills her moral obligation to make positive change in the world. With law, she learns about legal institutions of change, not just political structures. In her spare time,she volunteers at Boe Williams Anderson, a boutique human rights law firm, where she researches legal issues and completes administrative tasks. After graduation Phoebe would like to work in policy development, in the NGO sector, with a think tank or with an intergovernmental organisation. In 2016, she will be volunteering with the not-for-profit, UN Youth Australia, 180 Degrees Consulting, the Women’s Collective and the UQ Law Society. Phoebe was the Zonta Club of Brisbane East Inc winner.

2016 Zonta International and District 22 M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Winner

The 2016 District 22 winner is Ms Georgia Grayson, nominated by the Zonta Club of Noosa Inc. Georgia is a student at the University of the Sunshine Cost, studying Tourism, Leisure and Event Management. Georgia may describe herself as an ‘idealist’ but she is realistically mapping a pathway forward. She believes that we can eliminate ‘poverty’ by enhancing and forging connections through tourism and international development. Her passion for her study and her work as a Research Assistant at USC in both marketing and international development has further sparked her ambitions to undertake an honours degree to study tourism’s potential to alleviate poverty. A very real concept noted by the United Nations. Further ambitions: Georgia would like to apply for the Rhodes Scholarship which would allow her to study at Oxford University, along with the ultimate ambition to work at the United Nations

2015 Amelia Earhart Fellow

Congratulations to Elyse Fahy on being awarded one of our Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowships.  Elyse is a post-graduate student at the University of Queensland studying in aeropsace engineering.Elyse’s research is aimed at increasing the knowledge of extreme conditions experienced during spacecraft re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. In particular, she is concerned with a vehicle’s thermal protection system, which is critical for surviving the extreme velocities, heat and radiation experienced in the vehicle shock layer during re-entry. Her project aims to recreate the flight spectra from a trajectory point on the recent flight of the Hayabusa spacecraft re-entry in expansion tubes, and also using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). Matching flight data will validate ground testing methods and enable a more robust design process, refining the thermal protection system through results of expansion tube experiments and CFD. She has recently had the opportunity to collaborate with the European Space Agency on a project on ablation-radiation coupling. Elyse is passionate about encouraging others to seek careers in science and engineeringShe plays the violin in an orchestra and also enjoys netball, dodgeball and skiing..

2015 International Young Women in Public Affairs Award Winner

Congratulations to our District 22 YWPA Winner, Sophie Ryan, who has gone on to become a Zonta International Award winner. Sophie  is currently in her second year of a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws program and concurrent Diploma in Languages at The University of Queensland, majoring in Peace and Conflict Studies and Studies in Religion. Sophie is passionate about public affairs and issues of both domestic and international concern—she is a part of numerous university-based groups including Oxfam, the Red Cross Society, Oaktree, Amnesty International, the Responsibility to Protect Student Coalition, United Nations Student Association, Debating Society, Justice and the Law Association, Australian Legal Philosophy Student Association and Law Society. Her high school record reflects a similar depth and variety of involvement in a wide range of service groups. Sophie is particularly interested in the growing intersection between religious issues and conflict globally, as this is reflected in her role as the Multi-Faith Multicultural Centre Youth Ambassador. In this position, Sophie addressed UNESCO in Paris in 2014 on the role of youth in inter-faith dialogue and cultural understanding. She also spent time in Bihar, India, in 2014, where she stayed with and learnt about diverse faith groups. The pinnacle of this trip was living with the Yacoob family, the custodians of the Nakhoda Mosque, the principal mosque of Kolkata. Sophie became the first woman to climb one of the minarets of this mosque. The advancement of women is at the heart of Sophie’s ambitions. Earlier this year she represented Australia at the Harvard World Model United Nations in Seoul, South Korea, on the Third General Assembly, addressing the issue of violence against women. The YWPA award will help Sophie to give back more to the community in helping her to continue her studies at The University of Queensland. She also hopes she will now be able to attend the 2016 Harvard World Model United Nations, a prospect which, without this award, she would have been unable to consider. The Zonta Club of Brisbane North were very impressed with Sophie’s achievements when they selected her as their nominee, and believe she is a fine role model and potential mentor to many in the future.

2015 Zonta International and District 22 M Klausman Women in Business Scholarship Winner

Congratulations to our 2015 District 22 JM Klausman Winner. Dr Maria Tyler is a Certified Practising Accountant. She holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), a Bachelor of Information Systems, a Bachelor of Business (Honours First Class), and a doctorate in Carbon Emissions Disclosure. She has also completed a Graduate Certificate and a Graduate Diploma in Management, as well as a Diploma in Finance Services (Conveyancing). She is currently completing a Masters in Business Administration. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and CPA Australia. She is the immediate past chair of the Mackay Branch of Certified Practising Accountants. She has also been a Queensland Justice of the Peace (Qualified) since 2001.  Maria currently works as the Finance Manager for a medium size community health organisation, and also lectures in business at CQ University (Mackay Campus). She has experience in taxation, superannuation, audit, financial accounting, management accounting and non-profit accounting.  Maria is active in the community with a number of volunteer roles (both related and unrelated to her profession). In 2015, Maria celebrated 10 years of marriage to her best friend, Rob, and together they are raising their young family in Mackay, Queensland.

2014 Zonta International and District 22 Young Women in Public Affairs Award

Our 2014 District 22 winner, Emma Tait, was chosen as one of the ten International YWPA award recipients. Emma is currently studying a Bachelor of Psychological Science at UQ and plans to complete a Masters degree, majoring in Development Stage Psychology. She is hoping to become a child psychologist and work with children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Emma was 2013 School Captain at Whitsunday Anglican College where she was a very active member of her Z Club. She has raised funds for victims of the Bundaberg floods; she has travelled extensively in Asia, in particular helping women in Nepal, India, Vietnam and Cambodia and she is planning to do more for women in third world countries in the near future. Indeed, her current plan is to use the US$4,000 from the award to continue her engagement with the international community and to learn more about other cultures, by volunteering to work in Romania during January 2015, through an agency called Projects Abroad. Whilst in Romania, she will be working at an orphanage where her role will include running educational games and group activities, providing emotional support and helping improve the quality of life for those living with disabilities. Zonta Brisbane North, her nominating Club, felt Emma was a fine young woman whom one of her referees described as having “a sincere sense of responsibility.” She had been involved with promoting awareness of Breast Cancer; and with organising Birthing Kits, International Womens Days, Sports and Music activities and numerous overseas projects involving women and children. Emma helped build two houses for disadvantaged families in the Mekong Delta. Emma firmly believes that every child, no matter their history or their situation, deserves to have a fair chance to lead the life they dream of, and not be unduly restricted by their backgrounds. She hopes to return one day to places such as Nepal to use her qualifications to assist these communities.

2014  District 22 JMK Women in Business Scholarship Winner

The District congratulates our 2014 JMK Scholarship Award Winner, Rebecca Cuzzabbo. Rebecca is currently enrolled in her fourth year of a Bachelor of Economics/Bachelor of Arts and will pursue a further year in Economics (Honours).  Her goal is to maintain a high GPA throughout the final years whilst remaining involved in the community and achieving a balance between studies, employment and personal life.  She thoroughly enjoy Economics due to its relevance and applicability in everyday live – from individual decision-making to international trade and finance and is particularly interested in the impact that government economic policies (both in Australia and overseas) have on individuals.  Rebecca believes that enhancing public policy can significantly improve welfare in the community, especially for women.  Whilst more women are studying Economics, the top management and board positions are still largely male-dominated she believes this is something that believe must change.  After completing my studies, she hopes to work for the Reserve Bank of Australia or a consulting firm advising on public economic policy. In addition to Economics, her majors in International Relations and Psychology will provide her with an invaluable foundation for pursuing her goals  The ability to interact effectively with people provided by these fields is a vital skill in any   career.  Having lived overseas in South Africa and Singapore, she has already enjoyed the opportunity to gain insight into different cultures, lifestyles and ways of thinking.  She completed two years of schooling in South Africa, where she learnt to speak Afrikaans and was also moved by the prevalent, severe economic disparity.  Her last three years of schooling were aat the Australian International School of Singapore, where again she was exposed to a multicultural environment that developed her international focus.  She hopes ultimately to work for an international organisation aimed at improving welfare on a global scale, such as the United Nations, World Bank or International Monetary Fund. Whilst studying and working as a tutor at The University of Queensland, she has remained passionate about her  involvement in the community and making improvements locally. During the past 18 months, she has volunteered with Red Frogs on a weekly basis in universities, colleges, conferences and at “Schoolies”.  In 2013, she was part of a team of four Red Frogs supporting school-leavers on Mana Island,Fiji.  She also volunteers at her local church as a Young Adults Leader, serving at conferences and welcoming new people into the church and has attended Citipointe’s Women’s Conference over the past two years and shall do so again this year. Rebecca says that the Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship will provide greatly appreciated assistance as she completes her degree programs.  Because she is a student living out of home, this scholarship will contribute to academic costs such as textbooks and supplies as well as general living costs.  This financial support will be highly valued as she forgoes another year of full-time work to invest in further studies.  Rebecca believes this extra year in Honours will not only be challenging and personally rewarding, but also provide a competitive edge in attaining her career aspirations.

2013 Young Women in Public Affairs Award District 22 Winner

The District is pleased to announce its 2013 YWPA winner Chloe Yap. Chloe is enrolled in Year 12 at Brisbane Girls Grammar School and hopes to study medicine. Her special interests are research in degenerative diseases (she has already spent over 50 hours volunteering in a dementia ward) and ophthalmology (in particular, its application in Indigenous and developing communities). Chloe has completed her Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award and is progressing to Gold. She values initiative, independence, teamwork and organisational skills which this program promotes and which she applied as Coordinator of the Ecumenical Coffee Brigade serving Brisbane’s homeless people. Her service extends from Oaktree, Interact and Second Chance (which helps homeless women), to CanTeen and the Wonder Factory at the Royal Children’s Hospital. She mentors younger members of the School orchestra, is House Captain, and serves on the Student Executive Council where recycling is her special focus. Chloe’s work to improve the status of women is especially strong in fundraising and donation drives for Pindari, ZigZag and Baloo. She has a strong sense of justice and is committed to promoting a future for women.

2013 International JMK Women in Business Scholarship Winner

We congratulate our District 22 JMK Business Scholarship Winner, Teegan Green, on being selected as one of 12 International JMK Women in Business Scholarship winners. Thirty-one women from 20 countries competed in the final round of judging for these scholarships which are valued at US$7,000 each. Teegan was sponsored by the Zonta Club of Brisbane North Inc to win our District 22 Scholarship. We congratulate Teegan on her success and wish her all the best with her future studies and career plans. Teegan has completed four undergraduate degrees in eight years and has recently been accepted into a PhD program at the University of Queensland in Business Management.  As well as a business management degree (with first class honours and the University Medal), she has two BAs with majors in English, Chinese and Japanese and a BEd.  In each of her sixteen semesters of study she received the Dean’s Commendation for academic excellence and was also chosen as overall winner of the University’s inaugural Three Minute Thesis Competition for honours theses across all disciplines.  She was also Valedictorian at her Graduation Ceremony in July. She has worked part-time to support herself throughout her studies, plays in a  chamber ensemble and has worked as a volunteer with indigenous students and as a note-taker for students with disabilities. The Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship is one of Zonta International’s most successful educational programs. Established in 1998 from a generous bequest by US Zontian, Jane M. Klausman, the scholarship recognises that, women remain poorly represented on boards. In 2011, women held only 16.1% of the board seats at Fortune 500 companies (2011 Catalyst Census), and only 14.5% of those at ASX200 companies (Australian Institute of Company Directors, August 2012). Furthermore, 56 boards in the ASX200 still do not have any women. Since the program’s inception, Zonta has awarded 275 scholarships to women from 42 countries, helping them to pursue undergraduate and master’s degrees in business management in order to overcome gender barriers from the classroom to the boardroom.

2012 District 22 Young Woman in Public Affairs (YWPA) Winner

The winner of the 2012 District 22 YWPA Award is Sarah Maree Newman. Sarah is a Year 12 student at St Rita’s College, Clayfield. Sarah’s chosen career-path is Engineering (particularly Environmental & Civil Engineering). She first became interested in this career path through research she undertook into the non-profit organisation Engineers Without Borders and their work in Third World countries which focuses on delivering sustainable resources such as clean water and sanitation. Sarah is very interested in initiatives that take action rather than being solely idealistic. What Sarah finds most rewarding and valuable from participating in activities and outreach projects are the tangible results and seeing peoples’ lives change for the better. She finds it more rewarding seeing the direct effect upon people and the betterment of their situation and circumstances.

2012 District 22 and Zonta International  Jane M Klausman (JMK) Women in Business Scholarship Winner

Sponsored by the Zonta Club of Ipswich Inc, Townsville born, Shannon Scott, a 32 year old mature age student at the University of Southern Queensland, has been chosen as the 2012 District 22 winner and a Zonta International winner. Shannon has received no fewer than four Dean’s Awards for outstanding academic achievement during her degree and has achieved a GPA of 6.85 out of a possible 7 in her 13 courses completed to date. A wife and mother, she has also found time to play sport, to mentor other students through programs run by the University’s Leaning and Teaching Support Unit, and to take an active role in organisations such as the Golden Key International Honour Society and as a volunteer at her son’s school.

2011 District 22 Young Woman in Public Affairs (YWPA) Winner

Giselle Newton is a highly motivated student with a strong sense of community. She has drive, intelligence, enthusiasm and talents to make a difference to the role of women as she pursues her goals into adulthood. Her career path indicates a desire to work in international aid, humanitarian work, diplomacy and international relations, or working with refugees and immigrants. She intends volunteering in communities in Africa in her ‘gap’ year before entering university. She has been active within her school, taking on leadership roles and becoming involved in a range of community projects, coaching and peer support. Outside of school she has independently pursued activities with passion and commitment, such as Reclaim the Night marches to protest about sexual violence against women; and contributing to organisations providing microfinance to women in third world countries. Her drive and energy are impressive – she is a young woman and role model with a sense of direction and purpose, who has a deep commitment to bring about change. She is a passionate advocate for women at a local and international level.

2011 District 22 Jane M Klausman (JMK) Women in Business Scholarship Winner

Chelsea Wallis was awarded the District 22 JMK Award for 2011. Chelsea is studying at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and is in her second year of a Bachelor of International Business, with a minor in English literature. Just seventeen years old at the moment, she graduated Year 12 when she was just fifteen. Chelsea comes from a single parent family with two younger sisters, and works part-time as a Business Development Manager and Marketing Coordinator for L.J. Hooker to support her studies. Actively involved with university organisations, including the USC Student Liaison Committee, Chelsea takes extra-curricular pleasure in the performing arts. Her most enduring passion is the field of international business and international relations, and one day hopes to forge a career with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, ideally in an Ambassadorial role in Europe, or with the United Nations or an international women’s rights body such as Zonta. Gender equality is an especial concern of Chelsea’s. Once completing her studies at USC at the end of 2012, she hopes to gain entry to the Masters of International Relations (Business) program and after that to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University in the UK. Should she succeed in this (which she no doubt will!) Chelsea would like to undertake a PhD in International Relations

2010 District 22 JMK Women in Business Scholarship Winner 

Jade Denmar of St Lucia was chosen as the recipient of the 2010 Zonta International (District 22) Jane M. Klausman (JMK) Women in Business Scholarship because of her consistently high scholastic achievement over the previous two years and her future aspirations. Jade was nominated by the Zonta Club of Brisbane North Inc. A Business Management student who was pursuing further studies in International Relations and Mandarin, Jade was in her 2nd year of study and had maintained a GPA of 6.75 or higher over her three semesters of study. A talented public speaker and a gifted language student who speaks both Spanish and Mandarin, Jade was preparing herself well to work with international companies. Jade’s experience of living in a number of Asian countries during her school years, and an experience of assisting with the building of homes for impoverished families as a volunteer in Cambodia, were significant factors in formulating her goal to become involved in international business. She was also committed to local volunteer activities. Her goal was to complete her Business Management degree, with further studies in International Relations and Mandarin in order to prepare for the increasingly competitive world of business. Jade was accepted as an international student at Beijing University for further study. Jade believes that women should take measures to realise a more equitable distribution of power between women and men in business and in all leadership positions. She also wants to get involved in cross-cultural mediation in future and highlighted her belief that businesses in a global society needs to understand local norms. Jade epitomises what Zonta service and advocacy is about – women taking charge of their lives, aspiring to be the best they can be and working towards creating a world that is accepting of all cultural norms and genders.

2010 and 2011 Amelia Earhart Fellowship Winner

Onvaree Techakesari has been awarded the Amelia Earhart Fellowship Award in 2010 and 2011. Onvaree’s program in Built Environment Engineering at Queensland University of Technology, investigates the use of advanced decision technology in two related air traffic management (ATM) problems: air traffic estimation and automated air traffic control in uncertain environments. These two problems have growing importance in future ATM concepts, which exhibit increased levels of automation to improve system performance while maintaining high levels of safety. Onvaree’s interest in aerospace developed early and motivated her to leave her native Thailand, where aerospace studies were not available. She moved to Australia, where she completed her undergraduate education and continued her Ph.D. program. She is a member of Queensland Basketball and Badminton clubs.

2008 District 22 JMK Women in Business Scholarship Winner