Select a profile and discover more about our current Inspiring Women honourees.
Mrs Lorraine Elliott AM (Golder, 1960)
BEd, BA, DipEd
Lorraine was a trailblazer in Victorian public life and a passionate advocate for women’s full participation in political and community leadership. With a career spanning education, politics, and community service, she left a lasting mark on Victoria’s cultural and civic landscape.
Beginning her professional life as a teacher, Lorraine held a Bachelor of Education from Monash University, and a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education from the University of Melbourne. Her grounding in education shaped a leadership style rooted in empathy, collaboration, and advocacy for young people.
Lorraine’s dedication to community service was evident in her leadership across grassroots and state-based organisations. She served on the Girl Guides State Council and Executive and held senior roles with the Citizens Welfare Service of Victoria, the Children’s Television Foundation, St John’s Homes for Boys and Girls, Big Brothers Big Sisters Melbourne, the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust, and was a patron for Fitted for Work. Through these roles, she mentored and empowered young people, particularly girls, and was widely respected for her warmth, insight, and dedication.
Elected to the Victorian Parliament as the Member for Mooroolbark, Lorraine was later appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts and then Shadow Minister for the Arts and Community Services. While, in her own words, she couldn’t sing, act, or dance, she was a champion of cultural engagement and creativity. She later served as President of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and on the Boards of St Vincent’s Hospital and the St Vincent’s Hospital Foundation.
Her commitment to public service and social inclusion was formally recognised in 2006 when she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia. She was posthumously inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2015.
Lorraine was a tireless advocate for advancing the status of women in industry, community and politics. She believed that women’s issues were societal issues, promoting inclusive policies in education, healthcare and childcare. Her belief that women’s issues do not exist in isolation – they concern men too – remains a powerful call for shared responsibility and systemic change.
Lorraine’s life was defined by advocacy, inclusion and dedicated service. Her impact continues to be felt across the many communities she uplifted and the lives of those she inspired to lead with compassion and conviction. Lorraine passed away in 2014, but her legacy lives on at Camberwell Girls through the Lorraine Elliott AM Prize for Leadership and Community Service, awarded annually to a graduating Year 12 student.
Mrs Julie Fleming (Carmichael, 1966)
BEd
Julie has devoted her life to education and service, with a career that spanned both the classroom and some of Australia’s most remote communities. After 36 years of teaching in government schools across metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria, Julie retired from formal education – but not from teaching.
She went on to spend a decade volunteering with the Volunteer Isolated Student Education program, travelling across New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory to deliver education to children in remote areas. On isolated properties and within Indigenous communities, she adapted School of the Air lesson plans to suit local conditions, often adjusting materials on the spot when resources were limited.
Her teaching settings were as varied as they were unconventional – shipping containers, verandahs, lounge rooms, and roadside clearings all became classrooms. Julie embraced the rhythm of outback life, contributing to station operations and immersing herself in rural culture. Her flexibility, resilience and dedication ensured that children in hard-to-reach areas could access meaningful learning experiences.
Julie’s commitment to young people extended well beyond education. As a Venturer Scout Unit leader for over a decade, she supported rural youth by driving a minibus across country towns to ensure access to weekly meetings. She also led leadership programs and took Australian youth on international trips to New Zealand, The United States of America, Canada, Thailand and Denmark, helping broaden their perspectives through global experience.
Her service mindset continued through her involvement with the local Lions Club, where she helped run community barbecues, supported cancer fundraising initiatives, and worked with farmers to recycle agricultural waste. Julie responded to any family, group or cause in need of support.
Julie continues to share her time, knowledge and care in service of others, remaining engaged in both education and community life. Her legacy is carried in the lives of the children she taught, the communities she served, and the values she modelled through action, care and connection.
Dr Kate Forbes (Hassall, 1997)
PhD, BSc(Hons), Dip(Cosmetic Science), Cert(Corporate Innovation), Cert(Brand Management & Marketing)
Kate is a pioneering leader in ethical business and sustainability, with a career defined by her commitment to responsible product development and environmental integrity. With more than two decades of industry experience, she has influenced some of Australia’s most recognisable consumer brands through her expertise in innovation, design, and sustainable strategy.
Kate began her career at Aesop, where she played a key role in the development of the brand’s global product portfolio. Over time, she held a range of executive leadership positions across research and development, marketing, product innovation and sustainability. Her advocacy for ethical business practices culminated in leading Aesop to become a Certified B Corporation in 2020, a milestone that demonstrated the company’s alignment with social and environmental responsibility.
In addition to her corporate work, Kate served on the Aesop Foundation Board from its establishment in 2017 until 2021. The foundation’s mission – to amplify underrepresented voices and promote literacy development – reflected Kate’s broader dedication to education and social equity.
Her impact continued through her work with B Lab, the global non-profit behind the B Corporation movement. As a certified consultant, Kate guided organisations through the rigorous certification process, helping them integrate purpose-led, sustainable practices into their operations.
Driven by a desire to expand her influence, Kate founded Alcmene, a consultancy specialising in ethical product development and sustainability strategies for consumer brands. Through this work, she has empowered businesses to embrace environmentally conscious principles from concept through to market delivery.
Kate now serves as Head of Product Innovation at MECCA Brands, where she continues to push the boundaries of creative design and environmental responsibility. Her career exemplifies the integration of scientific rigour, ethical leadership and commercial acumen.
Kate is shaping a more sustainable future – one in which innovation and integrity go hand in hand. Her work continues to inspire businesses to adopt practices that benefit both people and the planet.
Ms Eleanore Fritze (2000)
SpecCertCrim(ForenDis), GradCert(Disability Studies), LLB(Hons), BA, Cert III (Community Services & Disability Work), Cert IV (Alcohol & Other Drugs)
Eleanore is a disability rights advocate and legal reformer whose work has improved access to justice and strengthened protections for people with disability and mental illness. With a career spanning more than two decades, she is recognised for advancing law reform, strategic advocacy and innovative community legal education.
Eleanore’s deep commitment to empowering individuals with disabilities is reflected in her wide-ranging roles as a lawyer, strategic advocate, board member, clinical educator, support worker, and policy officer.
After graduating in second place from Melbourne University Law School, Eleanore was awarded the Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Medal for Excellence and Community Service.
During more than 15 years at Victoria Legal Aid, Eleanore’s work focused on improving the design and delivery of laws and specialised legal services to ensure they are accessible, inclusive and protective of human rights. In 2014, she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship, which took her overseas to investigate how legal systems can better protect the dignity and rights of people with disability. Her findings have informed both policy and practice in the Australian context.
In 2021, she was appointed Principal Solicitor at the Office of the Public Advocate in Victoria, where she led efforts to uphold and safeguard the rights of people with disability. That same year, she was a co-recipient of the Victorian Disability Award for Excellence in Promoting Rights, Fairness and Safety, recognising her outstanding contribution to advocacy and reform.
Eleanore has gone on to manage the legal and coronial work of Justice Health, driving important systemic improvements that promote positive health outcomes for people in custody.
Beyond her legal work, Eleanore plays a significant role in community leadership and governance. She is President of Through the Unexpected, the national health promotion charity she co-founded in 2020, and is a board member of the non-profit advocacy service Association for Children with Disability.
Eleanore was Dux of Camberwell Girls in 2000 – an honour also achieved by her mother as Co-Dux in 1969.
Eleanore’s career continues to be defined by advocacy, justice and systemic change. Through her leadership, she is helping to build a legal landscape that prioritises dignity, fairness and empowerment.
Mrs Lorraine Elliott AM (Golder, 1960)
BEd, BA, DipEd
Lorraine was a trailblazer in Victorian public life and a passionate advocate for women’s full participation in political and community leadership. With a career spanning education, politics, and community service, she left a lasting mark on Victoria’s cultural and civic landscape.
Beginning her professional life as a teacher, Lorraine held a Bachelor of Education from Monash University, and a Bachelor of Arts and Diploma of Education from the University of Melbourne. Her grounding in education shaped a leadership style rooted in empathy, collaboration, and advocacy for young people.
Lorraine’s dedication to community service was evident in her leadership across grassroots and state-based organisations. She served on the Girl Guides State Council and Executive and held senior roles with the Citizens Welfare Service of Victoria, the Children’s Television Foundation, St John’s Homes for Boys and Girls, Big Brothers Big Sisters Melbourne, the Dame Nellie Melba Opera Trust, and was a patron for Fitted for Work. Through these roles, she mentored and empowered young people, particularly girls, and was widely respected for her warmth, insight, and dedication.
Elected to the Victorian Parliament as the Member for Mooroolbark, Lorraine was later appointed Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts and then Shadow Minister for the Arts and Community Services. While, in her own words, she couldn’t sing, act, or dance, she was a champion of cultural engagement and creativity. She later served as President of the Australian Centre for the Moving Image and on the Boards of St Vincent’s Hospital and the St Vincent’s Hospital Foundation.
Her commitment to public service and social inclusion was formally recognised in 2006 when she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia. She was posthumously inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2015.
Lorraine was a tireless advocate for advancing the status of women in industry, community and politics. She believed that women’s issues were societal issues, promoting inclusive policies in education, healthcare and childcare. Her belief that women’s issues do not exist in isolation – they concern men too – remains a powerful call for shared responsibility and systemic change.
Lorraine’s life was defined by advocacy, inclusion and dedicated service. Her impact continues to be felt across the many communities she uplifted and the lives of those she inspired to lead with compassion and conviction. Lorraine passed away in 2014, but her legacy lives on at Camberwell Girls through the Lorraine Elliott AM Prize for Leadership and Community Service, awarded annually to a graduating Year 12 student.
Mrs Julie Fleming (Carmichael, 1966)
BEd
Julie has devoted her life to education and service, with a career that spanned both the classroom and some of Australia’s most remote communities. After 36 years of teaching in government schools across metropolitan Melbourne and rural Victoria, Julie retired from formal education – but not from teaching.
She went on to spend a decade volunteering with the Volunteer Isolated Student Education program, travelling across New South Wales, Queensland, and the Northern Territory to deliver education to children in remote areas. On isolated properties and within Indigenous communities, she adapted School of the Air lesson plans to suit local conditions, often adjusting materials on the spot when resources were limited.
Her teaching settings were as varied as they were unconventional – shipping containers, verandahs, lounge rooms, and roadside clearings all became classrooms. Julie embraced the rhythm of outback life, contributing to station operations and immersing herself in rural culture. Her flexibility, resilience and dedication ensured that children in hard-to-reach areas could access meaningful learning experiences.
Julie’s commitment to young people extended well beyond education. As a Venturer Scout Unit leader for over a decade, she supported rural youth by driving a minibus across country towns to ensure access to weekly meetings. She also led leadership programs and took Australian youth on international trips to New Zealand, The United States of America, Canada, Thailand and Denmark, helping broaden their perspectives through global experience.
Her service mindset continued through her involvement with the local Lions Club, where she helped run community barbecues, supported cancer fundraising initiatives, and worked with farmers to recycle agricultural waste. Julie responded to any family, group or cause in need of support.
Julie continues to share her time, knowledge and care in service of others, remaining engaged in both education and community life. Her legacy is carried in the lives of the children she taught, the communities she served, and the values she modelled through action, care and connection.
Dr Kate Forbes (Hassal, 1997)
PhD, BSc(Hons), Dip(Cosmetic Science), Cert(Corporate Innovation), Cert(Brand Management & Marketing)
Kate is a pioneering leader in ethical business and sustainability, with a career defined by her commitment to responsible product development and environmental integrity. With more than two decades of industry experience, she has influenced some of Australia’s most recognisable consumer brands through her expertise in innovation, design, and sustainable strategy.
Kate began her career at Aesop, where she played a key role in the development of the brand’s global product portfolio. Over time, she held a range of executive leadership positions across research and development, marketing, product innovation and sustainability. Her advocacy for ethical business practices culminated in leading Aesop to become a Certified B Corporation in 2020, a milestone that demonstrated the company’s alignment with social and environmental responsibility.
In addition to her corporate work, Kate served on the Aesop Foundation Board from its establishment in 2017 until 2021. The foundation’s mission – to amplify underrepresented voices and promote literacy development – reflected Kate’s broader dedication to education and social equity.
Her impact continued through her work with B Lab, the global non-profit behind the B Corporation movement. As a certified consultant, Kate guided organisations through the rigorous certification process, helping them integrate purpose-led, sustainable practices into their operations.
Driven by a desire to expand her influence, Kate founded Alcmene, a consultancy specialising in ethical product development and sustainability strategies for consumer brands. Through this work, she has empowered businesses to embrace environmentally conscious principles from concept through to market delivery.
Kate now serves as Head of Product Innovation at MECCA Brands, where she continues to push the boundaries of creative design and environmental responsibility. Her career exemplifies the integration of scientific rigour, ethical leadership and commercial acumen.
Kate is shaping a more sustainable future – one in which innovation and integrity go hand in hand. Her work continues to inspire businesses to adopt practices that benefit both people and the planet.
Ms Eleanore Fritze (2000)
SpecCertCrim(ForenDis), GradCert(Disability Studies), LLB(Hons), BA, Cert III (Community Services & Disability Work), Cert IV (Alcohol & Other Drugs)
Eleanore is a disability rights advocate and legal reformer whose work has improved access to justice and strengthened protections for people with disability and mental illness. With a career spanning more than two decades, she is recognised for advancing law reform, strategic advocacy and innovative community legal education.
Eleanore’s deep commitment to empowering individuals with disabilities is reflected in her wide-ranging roles as a lawyer, strategic advocate, board member, clinical educator, support worker, and policy officer.
After graduating in second place from Melbourne University Law School, Eleanore was awarded the Supreme Court Chief Justice’s Medal for Excellence and Community Service.
During more than 15 years at Victoria Legal Aid, Eleanore’s work focused on improving the design and delivery of laws and specialised legal services to ensure they are accessible, inclusive and protective of human rights. In 2014, she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship, which took her overseas to investigate how legal systems can better protect the dignity and rights of people with disability. Her findings have informed both policy and practice in the Australian context.
In 2021, she was appointed Principal Solicitor at the Office of the Public Advocate in Victoria, where she led efforts to uphold and safeguard the rights of people with disability. That same year, she was a co-recipient of the Victorian Disability Award for Excellence in Promoting Rights, Fairness and Safety, recognising her outstanding contribution to advocacy and reform.
Eleanore has gone on to manage the legal and coronial work of Justice Health, driving important systemic improvements that promote positive health outcomes for people in custody.
Beyond her legal work, Eleanore plays a significant role in community leadership and governance. She is President of Through the Unexpected, the national health promotion charity she co-founded in 2020, and is a board member of the non-profit advocacy service Association for Children with Disability.
Eleanore was Dux of Camberwell Girls in 2000 – an honour also achieved by her mother as Co-Dux in 1969.
Eleanore’s career continues to be defined by advocacy, justice and systemic change. Through her leadership, she is helping to build a legal landscape that prioritises dignity, fairness and empowerment.
Ms Kim Henderson (1987)
MDevSt, BA(Political Science & Journalism), BA(Political Science & Government)(Hons)
Kim is a global leader in social justice and gender equality, whose career has spanned continents, causes, and communities. Through senior roles in government, NGOs and the United Nations, she has shaped public policy to elevate marginalised voices and embed equality into systems of power.
Kim began her career with the Australian Agency for International Development, where she held a range of positions, including as Development Cooperation Adviser to the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and First Secretary for Development Cooperation in Jakarta, Indonesia. These early roles in Canberra and overseas deepened her understanding of international development and policy influence, laying the foundation for a career dedicated to global equality and rights-based governance.
Based in Geneva, Kim is serving as Chief of Knowledge Management at UNAIDS – the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. In this leadership role, she has established a new knowledge function within the agency’s Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge branch, ensuring that evidence informs global strategies to advance health and social equity.
Before joining UNAIDS, Kim was Director of Policy and Evaluation at Our Watch, Australia’s national foundation to prevent violence against women. Her expertise in gender policy was further honed through senior roles at Oxfam International, the United Nations Development Programme, and UN Women. Across these settings, she has been a consistent advocate for inclusive and intersectional policy approaches. Kim’s passion for justice was sparked during her university years, where studies in political science and development awakened a lifelong commitment to tackling systemic inequality. With more than two decades of experience, she continues to champion policies grounded in evidence, equality and lived experience.
Kim’s legacy is one of vision, courage and conviction. Her leadership continues to redefine what it means to create change – placing people, dignity and justice at the centre of global decision-making.
Ms Sue Thomson (1977)
BA(Cinema Studies & Literature)
Sue began her career as a theatre director and is a writer, director and producer whose work in Australian media has given powerful voice to marginalised communities and social justice issues. With a career grounded in storytelling
and advocacy, she has shaped public understanding through film, television, and documentary production.
Sue’s passion for human rights has driven her to seek out stories that challenge injustice and build empathy. Her acclaimed documentary Under Cover, narrated by Margot Robbie, brings national attention to the growing crisis of homelessness among women over 55. Inspired by a newspaper article in 2018, Sue recognised her own story in the faces of the women she read about – working women with little super and mounting debt. Her decision to make the film became both personal and urgent. Screened at Parliament in Canberra, Under Cover helped spark critical conversations around housing policy and reform.
Her previous work includes Tempest at the Drop-In, a feature documentary narrated by Eric Bana that follows individuals living with serious mental health conditions; Talking Turkey, a cultural exploration of Turkish migrant experiences in Australia, co-produced with Brian Nankervis and Colin Lane; The Coming Back Out Ball Movie, which celebrated ageing and identity in the LGBTQIA+ community and premiered at the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival, winning the popular audience award; and CARELESS, which explores the aged care crisis in Australia.
Sue’s broader portfolio includes Boys and Balls (ABC), The Fifth Set (ABC), and The Last Great Amateurs with Magda Szubanski (ABC). As an executive producer, she helped shape The Comedy Roadshow Series for SBS TV and served as Associate Producer for Deadly Funny, Comedy Gala, and Comedy Allstars (ABC). She is also a long-serving consultant with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Beyond the screen, Sue has volunteered at the Women’s House, Sacred Heart Mission. Her work continues to champion equity, amplify underrepresented voices, and use storytelling as a tool for social change.
Dr Mary Thornton Kent-Hughes (Cantwell, 1913 – Ormiston Girls’ School)
MBBS
Mary was a pioneering force in medicine whose contributions to radiology and women’s advancement in the field continue to resonate today. Graduating from the University of Melbourne in 1926 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, she went on to specialise in radiology, earning what was then the highest radiological qualification in the British Empire. In an era when few women held such positions, she built her own practice and later worked in hospitals in New Zealand.
During the Second World War, Mary’s expertise was initially dismissed by both the Australian and New Zealand armies. It was the British Army that recognised her capability, appointing her as a Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) – a position believed to have made her the only Australian woman doctor in the RAMC. Her wartime service, however, came at great personal cost. Suffering from radiation sickness, she returned to Australia and was released from her commission.
Despite her experience and credentials, Mary encountered entrenched gender discrimination. Time and again, she was overlooked for senior radiology roles, offered only junior or remote placements. Refusing to accept these limitations, she pursued a position at Queen Victoria Hospital and challenged the hospital’s decision to appoint a male doctor who had not formally applied. Her landmark legal action resulted in a ruling in her favour, compelling the hospital to offer her the role – a moment that exposed and confronted systemic bias in the profession.
Alongside her medical career, Mary was also a published author. Drawing on her own family history, she wrote Pioneer Doctor, a biography of her great-grandfather, John Singleton. Mary was herself a student at Ormiston Girls’ School, where her great-aunts, Anna and Elizabeth Singleton, had earlier served as Headmistresses. The school was later acquired by Camberwell Girls in 1964, and in recognition of the Singleton family’s legacy, one of the School Houses – Singleton (Blue) – is named in their honour.
Mary’s life was defined by courage, conviction and a commitment to fairness. As a pioneering force in medicine, she challenged discrimination, defied expectations and reshaped opportunities for women. She passed away in 1965, and the change she fought for continues to shape the experiences of women in medicine today and will do so for generations to come.
Dr Rebecca Yuen Shi Wong (2004)
MPH, BMedSc(Hons), MBBS, GradCert(Clinical Research Methods, Epidemiology & Biostatistics)
Rebecca is a paediatric anaesthesiologist and public health researcher whose career has spanned continents and causes. Her dedication to global health and humanitarian medicine has led her to deliver care in some of the world’s most under-resourced settings, combining medical expertise with deep compassion.
Born in Malaysia, Rebecca is fluent in English, Mandarin and Malay. Since 2007, she has volunteered in social and cross-cultural ministries in Brazil and Thailand, and has additionally volunteered her medical skills in five developing countries, including India, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Liberia and Ethiopia.
In Brazil, Rebecca worked with Youth With A Mission at Casa Resgate, supporting street children and outreach programs for marginalised communities. In Bangkok, she contributed to outreach efforts for university students, slum residents and sex workers. In Papua New Guinea, she was part of a two-physician team delivering primary care to 500 remote villagers. And in South Sudan, she was again one of two doctors at a regional mission hospital in Yei, where critical obstetric and paediatric care was delivered to the community.
Rebecca’s academic accomplishments reflect her deep commitment to research and public health. She holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and a Certificate in Clinical Research Methods from Harvard University. In 2015, she was awarded the MPH Practicum Award by Johns Hopkins for her fieldwork during the West African Ebola epidemic and was inducted into the Alpha Chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society – an honour given to only 10% of each graduating class for academic excellence and leadership in public health.
Rebecca returned to Australia in 2024 and is based at Austin Health as an Anaesthetic Fellow. Her career is defined by integrity, service and cross-cultural care and her work continues to advance equity in healthcare, offering hope and healing to communities around the world.
Ms Kim Henderson (1987)
MDevSt, BA(Political Science & Journalism), BA(Political Science & Government)(Hons)
Kim is a global leader in social justice and gender equality, whose career has spanned continents, causes, and communities. Through senior roles in government, NGOs and the United Nations, she has shaped public policy to elevate marginalised voices and embed equality into systems of power.
Kim began her career with the Australian Agency for International Development, where she held a range of positions, including as Development Cooperation Adviser to the Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs and First Secretary for Development Cooperation in Jakarta, Indonesia. These early roles in Canberra and overseas deepened her understanding of international development and policy influence, laying the foundation for a career dedicated to global equality and rights-based governance.
Based in Geneva, Kim is serving as Chief of Knowledge Management at UNAIDS – the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. In this leadership role, she has established a new knowledge function within the agency’s Policy, Advocacy and Knowledge branch, ensuring that evidence informs global strategies to advance health and social equity.
Before joining UNAIDS, Kim was Director of Policy and Evaluation at Our Watch, Australia’s national foundation to prevent violence against women. Her expertise in gender policy was further honed through senior roles at Oxfam International, the United Nations Development Programme, and UN Women. Across these settings, she has been a consistent advocate for inclusive and intersectional policy approaches. Kim’s passion for justice was sparked during her university years, where studies in political science and development awakened a lifelong commitment to tackling systemic inequality. With more than two decades of experience, she continues to champion policies grounded in evidence, equality and lived experience.
Kim’s legacy is one of vision, courage and conviction. Her leadership continues to redefine what it means to create change – placing people, dignity and justice at the centre of global decision-making.
Ms Sue Thomson (1977)
BA(Cinema Studies & Literature)
Sue began her career as a theatre director and is a writer, director and producer whose work in Australian media has given powerful voice to marginalised communities and social justice issues. With a career grounded in storytelling
and advocacy, she has shaped public understanding through film, television, and documentary production.
Sue’s passion for human rights has driven her to seek out stories that challenge injustice and build empathy. Her acclaimed documentary Under Cover, narrated by Margot Robbie, brings national attention to the growing crisis of homelessness among women over 55. Inspired by a newspaper article in 2018, Sue recognised her own story in the faces of the women she read about – working women with little super and mounting debt. Her decision to make the film became both personal and urgent. Screened at Parliament in Canberra, Under Cover helped spark critical conversations around housing policy and reform.
Her previous work includes Tempest at the Drop-In, a feature documentary narrated by Eric Bana that follows individuals living with serious mental health conditions; Talking Turkey, a cultural exploration of Turkish migrant experiences in Australia, co-produced with Brian Nankervis and Colin Lane; The Coming Back Out Ball Movie, which celebrated ageing and identity in the LGBTQIA+ community and premiered at the 2018 Melbourne International Film Festival, winning the popular audience award; and CARELESS, which explores the aged care crisis in Australia.
Sue’s broader portfolio includes Boys and Balls (ABC), The Fifth Set (ABC), and The Last Great Amateurs with Magda Szubanski (ABC). As an executive producer, she helped shape The Comedy Roadshow Series for SBS TV and served as Associate Producer for Deadly Funny, Comedy Gala, and Comedy Allstars (ABC). She is also a long-serving consultant with the Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Beyond the screen, Sue has volunteered at the Women’s House, Sacred Heart Mission. Her work continues to champion equity, amplify underrepresented voices, and use storytelling as a tool for social change.
Dr Mary Thornton Kent-Hughes (Cantwell, 1913 – Ormiston Girls’ School)
MBBS
Mary was a pioneering force in medicine whose contributions to radiology and women’s advancement in the field continue to resonate today. Graduating from the University of Melbourne in 1926 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, she went on to specialise in radiology, earning what was then the highest radiological qualification in the British Empire. In an era when few women held such positions, she built her own practice and later worked in hospitals in New Zealand.
During the Second World War, Mary’s expertise was initially dismissed by both the Australian and New Zealand armies. It was the British Army that recognised her capability, appointing her as a Major in the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) – a position believed to have made her the only Australian woman doctor in the RAMC. Her wartime service, however, came at great personal cost. Suffering from radiation sickness, she returned to Australia and was released from her commission.
Despite her experience and credentials, Mary encountered entrenched gender discrimination. Time and again, she was overlooked for senior radiology roles, offered only junior or remote placements. Refusing to accept these limitations, she pursued a position at Queen Victoria Hospital and challenged the hospital’s decision to appoint a male doctor who had not formally applied. Her landmark legal action resulted in a ruling in her favour, compelling the hospital to offer her the role – a moment that exposed and confronted systemic bias in the profession.
Alongside her medical career, Mary was also a published author. Drawing on her own family history, she wrote Pioneer Doctor, a biography of her great-grandfather, John Singleton. Mary was herself a student at Ormiston Girls’ School, where her great-aunts, Anna and Elizabeth Singleton, had earlier served as Headmistresses. The school was later acquired by Camberwell Girls in 1964, and in recognition of the Singleton family’s legacy, one of the School Houses – Singleton (Blue) – is named in their honour.
Mary’s life was defined by courage, conviction and a commitment to fairness. As a pioneering force in medicine, she challenged discrimination, defied expectations and reshaped opportunities for women. She passed away in 1965, and the change she fought for continues to shape the experiences of women in medicine today and will do so for generations to come.
Dr Rebecca Yuen Shi Wong (2004)
MPH, BMedSc(Hons), MBBS, GradCert(Clinical Research Methods, Epidemiology & Biostatistics)
Rebecca is a paediatric anaesthesiologist and public health researcher whose career has spanned continents and causes. Her dedication to global health and humanitarian medicine has led her to deliver care in some of the world’s most under-resourced settings, combining medical expertise with deep compassion.
Born in Malaysia, Rebecca is fluent in English, Mandarin and Malay. Since 2007, she has volunteered in social and cross-cultural ministries in Brazil and Thailand, and has additionally volunteered her medical skills in five developing countries, including India, Papua New Guinea, South Sudan, Liberia and Ethiopia.
In Brazil, Rebecca worked with Youth With A Mission at Casa Resgate, supporting street children and outreach programs for marginalised communities. In Bangkok, she contributed to outreach efforts for university students, slum residents and sex workers. In Papua New Guinea, she was part of a two-physician team delivering primary care to 500 remote villagers. And in South Sudan, she was again one of two doctors at a regional mission hospital in Yei, where critical obstetric and paediatric care was delivered to the community.
Rebecca’s academic accomplishments reflect her deep commitment to research and public health. She holds a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University and a Certificate in Clinical Research Methods from Harvard University. In 2015, she was awarded the MPH Practicum Award by Johns Hopkins for her fieldwork during the West African Ebola epidemic and was inducted into the Alpha Chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society – an honour given to only 10% of each graduating class for academic excellence and leadership in public health.
Rebecca returned to Australia in 2024 and is based at Austin Health as an Anaesthetic Fellow. Her career is defined by integrity, service and cross-cultural care and her work continues to advance equity in healthcare, offering hope and healing to communities around the world.
This program provides an opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding contribution made by women connected to CGGS since its inception.
These inspiring women will be honoured at a special ceremony and will serve as strong role models for current students. In addition, the recipients will have their profiles hung in a prominent position in the school.
Key Considerations For Selection Nominations can include former students, staff and parents and current staff.
This new program was launched in 2020, our centenary year.
Do you know an old grammarian who would be a perfect candidate for our Inspiring Women program?
You can nominate her using the online form below.
Selection Panel
All nominations will be considered by the Foundation and Community Subcommittee of Camberwell Girls Grammar School. The Subcommittee will make recommendations to the School Council for final approval.
Further Information:
Kate Daffy
Community Engagement Manager
E daffyk@cggs.vic.edu.au
T 03 9813 1166
