The WiT Inspiring Women in STEM Breakfast Series invites you to breakfast with some of our leading women working in STEM industries. Be inspired and motivated by the achievements and contributions they have made and how they have paved the way for women in STEM. These inspiring women will talk about their career journeys, the hurdles and challenges they have overcome and the foundations they have laid for a more diverse and flexible future for our STEM community.
Your Presenter:
Sonja Bernhardt OAM founded WiT Queensland in 1997 after a life-threatening bout of Meningococcal Meningitis in late 1996 gave her time to reflect on the male dominated 'bro-world' of the technology industry and the fascinating women she knew who were involved in technology, yet did not know each other.
Sonja's journey to where she is today is a shining example of how grit, determination, resilience and persistence — mixed with an everlasting supply of optimism and a true love of life — conquers heart breaking failures and leads to soaring successes.
She is a household name in the Australian technology industry and is best known for her passion and innovative approach for inspiring, empowering and encouraging more females to pursue careers in technology.
While not a unicorn, Sonja is proud of the 8-figure sale achieved when she successfully exited her Governance, Risk and Compliance software development business in February 2020. She's also an author of a number of global books and is a former radio presenter for ABC Radio and occasional media commentator.
Sonja was the first Australian inducted into the WITI (Women in Technology International) Hall of Fame (2005) and received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to the IT industry, in 2011. In 2019 she was elevated to the Australian National Pearcey Hall of Fame for her distinguished lifetime services to STEM fields.
She’s delightfully married to a scientist, is a mother of 3 and a grandmother of 3 - hoping for more.
Be sure to check out Sonja's colourful and inspiring memoir Girls do IT too available in our bookshop.
Arrivals from 7:15am onwards
Networking and breakfast followed by presentation.
This event is proudly sponsored by:
