Dual-sport world champion, mother of six and now a doctor, Jana Pittman was guest speaker at the sold-out luncheon. Photo: IWD Illawarra.
From breaking barriers in tech to championing local community health, eight trailblazing Illawarra women have taken a step closer to changing the world.
The newest cohort of International Women’s Day (IWD) Illawarra scholarship recipients has been announced at an annual luncheon featuring Olympic athlete, doctor, author, reality show contestant and mother of six, Dr Jana Pittman, as guest speaker.
Local legends Lynelle Johnson, Claudia Robinson, Felicity Turner, Isabelle Tannous, Laylah Thomas-Moylan, Ashna Kumar, Bianca Tasevski and Rachael Young were selected from a pool of outstanding applicants to receive the annual scholarships, worth $2500 each.
These recipients were selected not just for what they’ve done, but for the achievements that lie ahead — like educator and creative practitioner Isabelle Tannous, who was named the latest recipient of the Creative Spirit Scholarship.
Known for integrating arts and technology into STEAM education, Isabelle said she hoped to use the funds to bolster the Arcadians Theatre Group and launch new initiatives for young creators.
Her goal was to help bridge the gender gap in directing and digital storytelling.
“I’m hoping to use some of the scholarship money to develop more educational resources to encourage young women to discover what directing is all about,” she said.
This may include workshops in video game writing and directing designed to give students the digital skills they need to lead.
Beyond individual scholarships, the event also recognised a major local pillar when The Cram Foundation was announced as the IWD Illawarra major beneficiary, receiving a $20,000 grant.
The Cram Foundation CEO Alisha Musker said the funds would allow the organisation to deliver a pilot initiative aimed at closing the gap between women with disability and activities that help them live their best lives.
“Women with disabilities are quite often excluded from mainstream activities and experience a higher propensity for social isolation,” she said. “The pilot will be aimed at giving women with disability opportunities for connection, creativity and inclusion in their community. Participants will dictate the things they’re interested in, and we’ll provide the programs and facilitators.”
While the scholarships provided the “fuel,” guest speaker Jana Pittman provided the fire. The dual-sport world champion and mother of six, who transitioned from the track to the operating theatre, said her current role as a doctor specialising in women’s health was her most daunting yet.
“There was a time in my life when my sport felt very life or death. What I do now has put that into perspective,” she said. “It’s the scariest job on the planet, because I’m regularly working with women whose babies are really in trouble, and you’ve got to get them out in time.”
She called on women to look at fear as an acronym.
“F.E.A.R is False Evidence Appearing Real,” she said. “Every time you feel fear, you need to reevaluate what’s really driving it … and if you sit down and identify what that is, you’ll find you can cross off a lot of it, and then you’re able to push forward.”
Marking 21 years, the IWD Illawarra and beneficiary announcement is one of the region’s largest and longest-running not-for-profit fundraising events. It has so far raised $600,000 for women’s projects and services in the region and awarded more than $180,000 in scholarships.
IWD Illawarra Committee patron and co-founder Judith Henderson said the awards served as both a celebration of progress and a reminder of the work left to do.
“A lot of the issues are the same. We’re still looking at women with disabilities, still looking at equity,” she said. “We’ve made progress, and we will continue to push forward.”
International Women’s Day Illawarra Committee co-founder and chair Vicki Tiegs OAM said the scholarships were a testament to the sheer force of local ambition.
“Each year, I am both impressed and astounded by the achievements of our recipients and the incredible goals they set themselves,” she said. “These women and girls have ambition, drive and the self-belief to be the best they can be at whatever task they choose.”
Six of the scholarships carry the names of legendary Illawarra women, turning their enduring legacies into fuel for the next generation. Joining them are two forward-looking awards: one nurturing local artistic talent and another investing in the untapped potential of our young female leaders.
The recipients are:
- Beryl Lewis Scholarship for Older Women: Lynelle Johnson
- Cate Stevenson Scholarship for Education, Business, Community Service: Claudia Robinson
- Kerryn McCann Scholarship for Sports: Felicity Turner
- Aunty Mary Indigenous Scholarship: Laylah Thomas-Moylan
- Dr Margaret Gardiner Scholarship for Medical Research: Ashna Kumar
- Gracie Wallis Scholarship for Women with a Disability: Rachael Young
- Rising Star Scholarship (15-21 years): Bianca Tasevski
- Creative Spirit Scholarship: Isabelle Tannous.
