Professional Women
People who make a difference!
Crystal Kewe
Technology Entrepreneur, Software Engineer, Aspiring Mathematician, STEM Advocate, Co-founder, CEO and Chief Technical Officer of Crysan Technology.
World Bank: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/03/05/crystal-kewe
Crystal pictured with Mekenzie Healey of St. Paul's College - Kempsey.
Mekenzie was able to spend time with Crystal during the #PNGAustPartnership program for Secondary Schools in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Crystal is the Co-Founder and CEO of Crysan (Krai-sen) Technology Ltd, a Software Company she started with her father at 15. Crystal is also the guiding light behind “Biluminous” (Bee-loom-in-ous), a regional platform for artists of traditional crafts in the Asia-Pacific that won two APEC Awards in 2018.
Crystal is a Software Engineer and in recognition of her industry standing, Crystal was invited to present at numerous dialogues on bridging the digital divide and digital inclusivity during the 2018 APEC PNG. This included the role of tech in the tourism industry for women, and insights into PNG’s developing culture of innovation.
Over the last 2 years, Crystal has worked with international organizations like Google, the Asia Foundation, Westpac and MasterCard on various regional initiatives in the areas of financial inclusion, digital literacy and inclusivity, and socio-economic development.
Crystal is a staunch supporter and advocate of STEM for all young people, where she visits provinces in PNG and travels abroad to promote STEM for girls and young women.
Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith
Professor Lisa Harvey-Smith is the Australian Government’s Women in STEM Ambassador and a Professor of Practice at the University of New South Wales. In her role as Women in STEM Ambassador, Lisa is responsible for increasing the participation of women and girls in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) studies and careers across Australia.
She is an award-winning astrophysicist with research interests in the birth and death of stars and supermassive black holes. Lisa serves on the Australian Space Agency’s Advisory Group and previously worked on the Square Kilometre Array – a continent-spanning next-generation radio telescope that will survey billions of years of cosmic history.
She is a presenter on the popular ABC Television show Stargazing Live, a frequent keynote speaker and a regular science commentator on TV and radio. In 2016 she was awarded the Eureka Prize for Promoting the Understanding of Australian Science Research and was a recipient of the CSIRO Chairman’s Medal for her contributions to the Australian SKA Pathfinder Telescope.
Lisa has written two popular science books: When Galaxies Collide and the children’s book Under the Stars: Astrophysics for Bedtime. She has performed in theatres across Australia, including her self-penned When Galaxies Collide tour in 2018 and live tours with Apollo moon walking astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Charlie Duke and Gene Cernan.
Women in Stem ambassador website: https://womeninstem.org.au/
Girls in STEM toolkit: https://www.thegist.edu.au/
Annie Lane
Aeronautical Engineer, Operations Manager, Client Engagement Manager, Chair of the local Women In Engineering (WIE) Committee in Canberra.
Engineers Australia: https://100yearsea.com.au/portfolio/annie-lane/
Annie participated with students from St Paul’s College – Kempsey in the CSIRO – STEM in Schools 2019, this event aims to inspire an appreciation and understanding of STEM, and how these pursuits are more accessible and enjoyable than perhaps realised and important in society and the future workforce.
Annie started her career as an Aeronautical Engineer Officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, where she completed her Aeronautical Engineering degree at the Australian Defence Force Academy.
On leaving the Defence Force she has worked for two private companies and has consulted on Defence projects and ongoing work.
Annie is currently a Client Engagement Manager at Jacobs, which involves working with Defence clients to achieve agreed outcomes. She is looking forward to continuing her career within management in the engineering industry.
Cathy Neap
Manager, National Rugby League in PNG, Inaugural Captain, PNG Orchards National Women’s Team Rugby Team.
The National: https://www.thenational.com.pg/neap-heads-nrl-png/
We were fortunate to meet Cathy in our trip to PNG. Cathy grew up in a region of PNG where women weren’t even allowed to climb trees to collect coconuts, because that is what the men do. Through her determination Cathy worked hard and represented PNG in Rugby Union and Rugby League. She told of a story where there was a group of sixteen-year-old boys who did not have a coach to coach them for the upcoming rugby league season. She offered to coach them and because they knew her and that she represented PNG in Union and League, they took the opportunity to learn from her even though she was a woman. They respected her! Apparently they did very well in the season of league.
Cathy now works for the NRL as the Manager of NRL PNG in Port Moresby, working to stop violence towards women and gender equity. She is truly an inspiration to us all.
Jacinda Ardern
Prime Minister of New Zealand. Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party. Minister for Child Poverty Reduction. Minister of Arts, Culture & Heritage. Minister for National Security & Intelligence.
"One of the criticisms I've faced over the years is that I'm not aggressive enough or assertive enough, or maybe somehow, because I'm empathetic, I'm weak. I totally rebel against that. I refuse to believe that you cannot be both compassionate and strong." - Jacinda Ardern