Aha! moments can come in various forms. From small personal achievements to solid pieces of advice, to a genuine lightbulb moment. Being a woman in business can come with a multitude of aha! moments, some inspiring and positive, others may be born from frustrations that can sometimes feel like a glass ceiling or a seemingly unmovable rock.
At Xanadu Group, we love to see incredible women thriving in business and achieving their goals and do what we can to celebrate their wins, big and small. From frontline staff, to the nursing team, to our office and leadership team, there are women doing great things throughout our organisation.
Let’s take a few moments from our day to learn from them and their experiences…
SUZY SERAGSANA | NDIS Operations Manager, Helping Solutions
Suzy’s career journey in the disability sector spans over three decades! This is hard to believe when you come to meet her and see her cheeky youthful smile. Suzy began as a ward domestic at a disability organisation and her ‘aha!’ moment came when she was quickly seconded to their nursing team, as Suzy had unwittingly made an impression on the company director with the way she showed acceptance and empathy to all the children that came through the ward, regardless of the severity of their disability.
Advice that Suzy received early on in her career, to be accepting of all cultures and beliefs, is something that she has carried forward and extended beyond these bounds to be inclusive and accepting of all individuals.
She emulates this same level of respect and empathy to all the members of her team. She notes that her favourite part of being the NDIS Operations Manager is watching her team “grow and develop in their individual roles.” Suzy has also mentioned that she loves working alongside the management team who have the same goals as her to the benefit and “inclusion of everybody we provide a service to”.
Suzy draws on inspiration from renowned author, model and activist, Waris Dirie; Nobel Peace prize winner and activist Malala Yousafzai; and the incomparable Rosa Parks, whose arrest made her an inspiration to many and subsequently prompted the dissolution of segregation in the U.S.
ELAINE DE VOS | Operations Manager (Victoria), True Ability
She lives by the mantra “no challenge is too hard if you put your mind to it.” Elaine, Operations Manager of our East Coast organisation, True Ability, has built a solid career by fostering an unparalleled passion for people, both the participants she supports and the staff in her team.
Elaine, coming from a migrant background herself, is a natural advocate for diversity. She strongly believes in advocating for inclusion [of women in the workplace]. There is much to be said for, in Elaine’s words “allowing everyone to feel connected, have meaning and being appreciated by allowing everyone to be true to themselves at their workplace and in the community.”
Elaine turns to famous author, and founder of the Gingerbread Organisation J.K. Rowling; the singer Pink! aka. Alecia Beth Moore; and also Malala Yousafzai, to provide her with inspiration, strength and resilience. All of these women have achieved success in light of adversity and provide qualities and achievements, to admire and look up to.
MADDY JONES | Care Coordinator, Helping Community Solutions
Maddy’s role as Care Coordinator at Helping Community Solutions goes far beyond liaising and integrating supports for young people. Maddy’s compassion and empathy comes through in how she mindfully considers the circumstances of others beyond the 5 pm clock off time. In Maddy’s words, “you are never fully privy of what someone may be dealing with and the impact this may have on them”.
“No matter the circumstances, always lead with kindness and empathy.” – A great piece of advice Maddy lives by, that she’s always carried forward from early on in her career.
For Maddy, the most enjoyable aspect of her role is witnessing the ‘small wins’ of young people she supports. Those are the ‘aha!’ moments that mean the most to Maddy and why she is optimistic each day despite the challenges that come with Out of Home Care.
Maddy draws upon inspiration from women like Ruth Bader Ginsberg and her impact on the U.S. Judicial system; Serena Williams, the greatest women’s tennis player (possibly the greatest athlete) of all time and Simone Biles for her history making career at such a young age and her advocacy for mental health.
In the famous words of Ms. Biles “We think we can do it on our own, but sometimes we just can’t. So use every outlet given to you.”
CLARICE ARCHIVAL | HR Manager, AOSI Inc.
For everyone who has met Clarice, you will agree that her mantra of staying humble and taking everything as a lesson is paramount to who she is as a person. As the HR Manager for our team in Cebu, Philippines, Clarice has built a career that spans 2 decades of honing these inspiring qualities.
An old mentor and friend once told Clarice to “be open to more possibilities than you can imagine.” Clarice did not see it as only a piece of advice and took the message seriously. She has in turn found opportunities and personal growth coming from places that once upon a time, she only dreamed of.
She is inspired by the likes of Anne Hathaway, Michelle Obama and Mother Teresa. Clarice is particularly fascinated by Mother Teresa, although not religious. This fascination stems from her curiosity to know and understand how she managed to serve the communities of the world, and show compassion all the days she lived.
Inspiring other women to, in Clarice’s words, “attain their full potential without questioning or doubting themselves” is what it means to Clarice to Inspire Inclusion. Clarice enjoys nurturing the collaboration, positivity and healthy working relationships in her team. The fun they have is infectious, and it is safe to conclude that it’s all fun and laughter inside the AOSI office, as seen in the @augmentedoutsourcing Instagram Reels feed. Check them out, and give a follow!
KRISTIE LISTER | HR Advisor, Xanadu Group
“There is no dumb question when you’re learning.” This is a piece of advice that has stuck with Kristie from the early days of her career, back when she would ask a particular manager for help, she was often met with this response. She likes to pass on the same wisdom to anyone who turns to her for support or guidance, as she likes to, in her words, ‘create a positive and enjoyable work environment’.
Kristie comes from humble beginnings, living in the Wheatbelt of WA before moving to Perth. She still enjoys the country life when she gets a chance to escape the city. Kristie fondly recalls an elderly community member of her country town talking to her high school class about inclusion, with solid resolve “diversity is a fact, but inclusion is a choice we make every day”. This is bang on, and so applicable in our approach to day-to-day decisions in the workplace.
Kristie has overcome many barriers in her life including homelessness, mental health and epilepsy, which is what has shaped her to the resilient and strong woman she is today. Kristie is also inspired and passionate about the Body Image Movement, a 2023 campaign launched by Taryn Brumfitt, Australian of the Year 2023, teaching individuals to embrace and accept their bodies and reject unrealistic beauty standards. So relatable Kristie!
EMILY CARBONARO | Finance Officer, Xanadu Group
One of the earliest pieces of advice that Emily, external Finance Officer for Xanadu Group, received from her business mentor (another successful woman in business) is “to work hard, and that hard work pays off.” This has rung true for Emily throughout her years working in the industry culminating in the launch of her own Accounting business in March 2023.
The things she loves most about her job is connecting and building relationships with her clients, as well as providing them with financial strategies for success. She notes that it is really meaningful to be able to add value to businesses from an advisory perspective.
“Women need to be given more opportunity to work their way up the ladder”, this is Emily’s take on ensuring women feel more included in their industry (particularly the Accounting industry), that there is still much more work to be done to close the gender pay gap and put more women into leadership roles.
Emily draws daily strength and inspiration from Taylor Swift, an aspirational businesswoman who didn’t let a bad management contract falter her career, but who took charge and re-recorded her own songs, which, in Emily’s words, “lead to a surge in her popularity”.
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Thank you to these women for their vulnerability in sharing their stories, and a shout out to all the inspirational women in our organisation. These women exemplify the power of resilience, empathy, and determination, showing that no challenge is insurmountable when met with passion and purpose. Let’s continue to #InspireInclusion in all our endeavours going forward.