Ambassadors
WORSHIPP is proudly supported by the following Ambassadors from around Australia and from different pillars including the arts, animal welfare, broadcasting, construction, conservation, education, farming/rural production, finance, the food industry, the law, sport/sport administration and the social sciences.
Alice Leung
Alice is a career teacher, public education campaigner and a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) advocate who received the 2024 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in Secondary Schools. As the Head Teacher of Secondary Studies at Sydney’s Concord High School, Alice teaches STEM subjects to female students as well as culturally and linguistically diverse pupils, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. For four years Alice worked with Sydney’s University of Technology (UTS) to design and implement summer school programs for high school students from low socio-economic areas as well as UTS’ Inspire Science professional development program for science teachers. She also works with government, industry and academics to better equip students and connect teachers with STEM knowledge and skills.
“Many women have achieved astonishing accomplishments, whether it is in their local communities or internationally. We need to value and recognise these in highly visible ways. Our young girls and women need to see themselves recognised in public spaces to enable them to have a sense of value and belonging. Having more women publicly visible and recognised will also support a more inclusive society for all. You can’t be what you can’t see.”
Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo OAM
Aboriginal Elder Aunty Beryl of the Gamilaroi clan is a chef, restaurateur, educator, mentor and an expert in bush tucker cuisine and indigenous food culture. She’s taught hospitality and employment skills for more than 50 years, firstly at TAFE and then through the Job Ready program she founded at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Redfern, Sydney where she is Aunty-in-Residence. She also runs her own Yaama Barrgay catering company and serves on the boards of Wyanga Aboriginal Aged Care and Iyoria Aboriginal Elders Belonging Estate. Among other publications, her creations feature in the Great Australian Cookbook alongside Maggie Beer and Stephanie Alexander.
“I am supporting this initiative with my heart and soul because it’s time women’s work is celebrated and their names are seen in public places and spaces. Women are the backbone of families and communities and workplaces. Our mothers and grandmothers and our aunts were strong. They did all the hard yards. I know that because I have lived it. I continue to do the hard yards and I can see the next generation doing the same with my own children and the young people I teach and train. The work women do is very powerful. When there’s a crisis in a family or community it’s usually the women who are dealing with it. Women from all walks of life are making their own journeys as doctors and scientists and philanthropists and their work is changing lives. They have been the quiet achievers and it’s time to bring what they do out into the open and make some noise. It is wonderful to be recognised for your good work regardless of who you are or where you came from. I’m a foodie and I’m glad my work has been recognised because for me food is survival.”
Elaine Bensted
Elaine is an animal welfare and conservation advocate who since 2012 has been the CEO of Zoos South Australia, a conservation charity that operates Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park. Previously Elaine worked in the banking sector for 17 years before moving into Local and State Government where she was responsible as Chief Executive for transforming TAFE South Australia into a statutory authority. Elaine also serves on the boards of the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia, the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, University of SA Council, the Australian Rhino Project and the Regional Development Australia Murraylands and Riverland.
“It is an honour to be an ambassador for this campaign, which is advocating for the recognition of incredible women who are making, or have made, a significant impact in our society. Publicly acknowledging the achievement of women through visual means will hopefully increase the recognition that is so richly deserved as well as educating and inspiring others. History is filled with stories of high-achieving women who have not received the public recognition they deserve – and I hope that this initiative may change that for the future benefit of our society.”
Joanna Murray-Smith
Joanna is a playwright, screenwriter and novelist whose plays have been performed around Australia and extensively overseas including in London and on Broadway. Over a 30-year career so far, Joanna has become one of Australia’s most produced and popular playwrights whose works have been performed by actors including Annette Bening (The Female of the Species), Meryl Streep and Wendy Hughes (Honour), Laura Linney (Switzerland), Marta Dusseldorp (Scenes from a Marriage) and Justine Clarke (Julia). She’s won three Premier’s Literary Awards, the Commonwealth Medal for Services to Playwriting and in 2024 was named the Patrick White Fellow at Sydney Theatre Company. Her latest play, an adaptation of The Talented Mr Ripley, will be produced by the Sydney Theatre Company at the Roslyn Packer Theatre in 2025.
“A common question in recent years has been “Where are all the great women artists?” It turns out they were always with us, just pushed into the shadows. The same goes for so many women in so many fields over centuries of female accomplishment expressed through strength, leadership, creativity, imagination, intelligence and ambition. I am delighted to support this fantastic campaign to remedy the invisibility of so many incredible humans who happened to be born women and under-recognised because of it. Everyone benefits from the recognition of great women. Everyone has a mother, a sister, a daughter, a friend whose star should shine more brightly, creating not simply justice for those women who have contributed to our world, but also hope for those women who follow them with big dreams, big hearts and big potential.”
Josephine Sukkar AM
Josephine is co-owner and principal of the Buildcorp construction company and the chair of the Buildcorp Foundation charity. She also serves on boards including Soul Pattinson, Growthpoint Properties Australia, the Australian Museum and the Green Building Council of Australia. Through Buildcorp Josephine has supported the rugby community for over 30 years, from the grassroots through to the national women’s Rugby XV team and the Super Rugby women’s competition.
“The role of accomplished, eminent women who helped build Australian communities has not been recognised to the level it has been for men. Women’s professional and personal achievements and contributions have often gone unrecognised and we risk losing the opportunity to allow others to be inspired by their example. The WORSHIPP campaign aims to address this imbalance. Louise Evans is to be congratulated on her vision in establishing and leading this initiative which will assist communities to appropriately recognise the contributions of eminent Australian women. I encourage all Australians to support this campaign and to help build assets and resources that will benefit the whole community.”
Liz Weekes OAM
Liz is a pioneering sports woman who successfully fought to have women’s water polo included in the Olympics for the first time at the 2000 Sydney Games. She then made history in Sydney as the goalkeeper in the gold medal-winning Australian team. Weekes is now an executive member of the Australian Olympic Committee, a board member at the Water Polo Foundation and co-chair of West Australia Olympic Team Appeal.
“I’m supporting WORSHIPP because it brings much needed visibility to the incredible achievements of Australian women right across the country. I have always been a strong advocate for gender equality for women in sport and this project is timely and vital because it promotes female success across all professions. It’s time to celebrate women’s achievements by bringing more visibility to them. It’s important to recognise their contribution to society, to show they are valued and to give a new generation of young girls amazing heroes to aspire to. With domestic violence against women out of control in Australia and with women’s rights being challenged all round the world this initiative couldn’t come at a better time and I commend and thank Louise for it.”
Louise Sauvage OAM
Louise competed at Paralympic, Olympic and Commonwealth Games, IPC and IAAF World Championships between 1990 and 2004 winning a haul of medals. She won gold medals and set world records across every distance between 100m and 5000m. Not only was she a dominant force on the track, she also recorded victories in the world’s most prestigious marathons. Louise was the first athlete with a disability to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and elevated to Legend status and is inducted into the International Paralympic, Australian Paralympic and Athletics Australia Hall of Fames. She commenced coaching wheelchair track and road athletes in 2005 and is now a well-respected coach with the NSW Institute of Sport. Louise’s athletes have achieved world records and Paralympic, World Championship and Commonwealth Games gold medals.
“I am supporting WORSHIPP because I believe in recognising the women of our nation who have made and continue to make a significant impact in our community and society – past, present and future. To see female trailblazers and pioneers being publicly recognised, respected and acknowledged shines a light on the often little known warriors who have paved the way and created change for others. Growing up, I didn’t have the chance to see women honoured in public spaces. As a young woman it would have been inspiring to have seen and learned about someone like myself for example – someone who had come before me – to show what was possible and to know that ALL people can make a difference. Sometimes it’s the small things that make the biggest difference in life!”
Moya Dodd AO
Moya is a former Matilda’s vice-captain and a partner at law firm Gilbert + Tobin. She has extensive experience working for sports governing bodies, including Football Australia, the Asian Football Confederation, the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, and the FIFA Council. She led the gender-equality reform movement following the FIFAGate crisis of 2015-16 and was a member of Australia’s successful 2023 Women’s World Cup Bid Committee. She served on the board of the Centre for Sport and Human Rights and is currently Co-Chair of Common Goal, the world’s largest football-for-good network. She consults to stakeholders and government on the sports industry, including the Women’s Leagues Forum global platform that represents professional female football leagues. She is also a founding member of Women Onside and is a Minerva mentor.
“The absence of women from visible public life is a silent travesty that reinforces the legacy of disregard that women have suffered over many centuries. Seemingly by definition, women’s work was not recognised as valuable work, and their remuneration and status was discounted.
This project is a great opportunity to correct it, so that visible, everyday spaces can bear testimony to the contributions of women to Australia’s public and civil life. I hope this opportunity inspires many people to remember and recognise women who deserve to be respected for their substantial contributions to our world.”
Dr Rebecca Huntley
Rebecca is a leading social analyst and director of research at national data and strategy agency 89DegreesEast. She has degrees in law and film studies, a PhD in Gender Studies and is the author of multiple books including How to Talk About Climate Change in a Way That Makes A Difference. She helped establish The Gender Compass, which measures national gender equality attitudes, and is a Fellow of both the Women Leadership Institute and The Research Society. For almost nine years Rebecca was also the Director of The Mind & Mood Report, Australia’s longest running social trends study.
“The achievements of Australian women deserve to be celebrated, particularly those women who have been ignored or written out of our histories. This project seeks to address that and will hopefully start a constructive conversation across all levels of society about how women have contributed to the health, happiness and wellbeing of Australia. I particularly hope that the contributions of First Nations women and women from diverse backgrounds are also celebrated in this project.”
Sue Middleton
Sue is a farmer and director of Moora Citrus and Northern Valley Packers horticulture business near Moora, 180km north of Perth. An advocate for agriculture and regional development, Sue is also Deputy Chair of the Foundation for Regional and Rural Renewal and on the boards of the Western Australian Rural Business Development Corporation and Racing and Wagering WA. Sue was awarded the Centenary Medal for Services to Regional Australia, was named Australia’s 2010 Rural Woman of the Year and has been inducted into the Western Australia Women’s Hall of Fame.
“WORSHIPP is an important initiative because the achievements of rural and regional women are under-recorded and often not even acknowledged. Rural Australia has a strong culture of giving, volunteerism is at its highest in the country, and humility is a strong trait in all our women. To encourage and inspire future generations of leaders we need to ensure the national narrative includes women and the profound role they have played in building and caring for generations of rural communities. Nothing signals that more than recognition of their efforts in public places. Congratulations to Louise for this important initiative.”
Vanessa Brettell
Vanessa is a social entrepreneur and the co-founder/operator of Cafe Stepping Stone in Canberra which hires and trains women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Vanessa’s commitment to supporting migrant and refugee women is inspired by the strength and struggles of her grandmother who migrated to Australia from India in the 1960s. Together with her Stepping Stone business partner Hannah Costello, Vanessa also stages events focused on social justice and community connection. Their success in Canberra follows three years in Colombia where they ran a cafe which hired and trained more than 40 youth from deprived backgrounds. Vanessa and Hannah were jointly named the 2025 Local Heroes at the Australian of the Year Awards.
“Recognising and representing women change-makers in history is so important for current and future generations so they can acknowledge and celebrate the contribution they have made to society which is too often overlooked, ignored or erased. Naming places and spaces after women is a key part of commemorative justice and I actively support the campaign to honour auspicious Australian women as an Ambassador of WORSHIPP.”
Wendy McCarthy AO
Wendy is an educator, administrator, company director, advocate, mentor and author who has worked across the public, private and community sectors in education, women’s rights, public health, international aid and development, media and the arts. She was the NSW Women’s Electoral Lobby founder (1972), Australian Federation of Family Planning Associations CEO (1979-84), Prime Minister’s National Women’s Advisory Council member (1978-81), Australian Broadcasting Corporation Deputy Chair (1983-91), Australian Bicentennial Authority General Manager Communications (1985-89), University of Canberra Chancellor (1996-2005), National Trust of Australia NSW CEO (1990-93), Australian Heritage Commission chair (1995–98), Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation chair (2008-16) and Circus Oz chair (2008-17). She’s also published two books – Don’t Fence Me In (2000) and Don’t Be Too Polite Girls (2022).
“I love this initiative. Growing up in rural NSW, I was always curious and interested in plaques, honour rolls, statues, parks and buildings with personal inscriptions. Each told a story about the community and as a secondary school history teacher they were often points of reference for my pupils doing local history assignments as they offered a pathway to significant local and international events. The stories were nearly all about male heroes. The contributions of women were rarely acknowledged either as leaders or key players. We can change that. WORSHIPP is an initiative whose time has come.”
Wendy Sharpe AM
Based in Sydney and Paris, Wendy is one of Australia’s most acclaimed artists and an Archibald and Sulman Prize award winner. She was the first female to be appointed as an official war artist since World War II when she was posted to East Timor in 1999-2000. Her 1996 Archibald Prize win was the first time a self-portrait by a woman took out the award. Over the past four decades Wendy has held over 70 solo exhibitions in Australia, the UK, France, China, Germany and won numerous other prizes including the Portia Geach Memorial Award twice. Her artworks can be found all over Australia including the Australian War Memorial in Canberra and Sydney’s Cook and Phillip Park Aquatic Centre. Wendy also campaigns on social issues including women’s health and asylum seekers’ rights.
“In Australia, we see very little public commemoration of the achievements of women who deserve to be celebrated for their extraordinary effort, skill, courage and achievement.
The lack of women honoured yet again hides and marginalises women’s successes and contributions. The importance of visibility and role models cannot be overstated. Instead almost all of the female figures we currently see are allegorical (such as Justice) or are statues of Queen Victoria. This is so wrong. The WORSHIPP campaign is so overdue. If not now – when?”
Get Involved
Dedicate a place or space to your local heroine or quiet achiever with a sign or design - see how here. You can contact WORSHIPP for advice and direction
You can also send your dedication and details to WORSHIPP so we can celebrate your success on our News page and social media channels, as well as include it in our Roll of Honour