Dr Nicole Sides named Telstra ACT Business Woman of the Year

Dr Nicole Sides, Managing Director of Compass Fertility, has been named the 2016 Telstra Australian Capital Territory Business Woman of the Year. Congrats also to the 3 other category winners at the 2016 Telstra Australian Capital Territory Business Women’s Awards, held at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

Dr Sides, who was also the winner of the 2016 Telstra Australian Capital Territory Business Women’s Entrepreneur Award, and will join other state and territory finalists in Melbourne for the National Awards judging, culminating in a glittering Gala Dinner on the night of Wednesday 16 November 2016. To purchase tickets to the Awards Dinners, please call 1800 817 536 between 9am and 7pm AEST Monday to Friday.

Dr Nicole Sides believes everyone has the right to become a parent. She is the managing director and medical director of Compass Fertility (formally ISIS Fertility) which is a boutique, inclusive, locally-owned and operated fertility clinic that gives hope to those who wish to start a family.

With an impressive list of qualifications and work experience, she is a well-equipped specialist medical surgeon in fertility and reproductive medicine. She received her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Sydney, and specialised in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Royal Hospital for Women in Paddington, becoming a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She completed her Masters of Reproductive Medicine through the University of New South Wales.

Compass Fertility uses leading medical services in IVF and encourages lifestyle changes to optimise the chances of becoming pregnant naturally. The clinic also provides genetic counselling for couples with a genetic pre-disposition to conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis, to help conceive a healthy child. 

Through Compass Fertility, Nicole has also established the Refugee Fertility Assistance Programme. The program seeks to help refugees and vulnerable people who are struggling to become pregnant, many who have lost children in war zones.

Other business women recognised at the 2016 Telstra Australian Capital Territory Business Women’s Awards are: Emma Macdonald from Send Hope Not Flowers (For Purpose and Social Enterprise Award), Corinne Wallis from Arrow Facilities Management (Corporate and Private Award), and Myfanwy Galloway from Functional Fitness Australia (Young Business Woman of the Year).

Emma Macdonald

2016 Telstra Australian Capital Territory Business Women’s For Purpose and Enterprise Award winner

Emma Macdonald is an award-winning journalist and Associate Editor of HerCanberra by day, and a charity founder by night. Having dedicated more than 20 years to breaking news for The Canberra Times, five years ago, she followed her heart and co-founded the maternal health charity, Send Hope Not Flowers (SHNF). SHNF aims to help more mothers survive childbirth in the developing world by delivering direct aid to mothers on the ground in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. The charity is based on a simple idea – instead of sending flowers to celebrate a new birth, friends and family can go online and make a donation to a safe birth program through SHNF.

The majority of funds raised are used to train health workers, midwives and doctors. In addition, they also provide baby bundles to give to mothers when they present at health centre for a supervised birth. Emma says one of the best things arising out of the charity’s work is raising public awareness of the toll of maternal mortality on communities.

Corinne Wallis

2016 Telstra Australian Capital Territory Business Women’s Corporate and Private Award winner

Corinne Wallis is an MBA-qualified general manager with a technical background. She has more than a decade’s worth of experience in heavy industry, including manufacturing, offshore wind-farm construction and underground mining. She is also a licenced electrician and electrical engineer, which has seen her manage multi-million dollar projects in the steel and mining industry.

For the past eight months, she has been general manager of Arrow Facilities Management, a certified supply nation services provider that specialises in national electrical commercial maintenance. Under her leadership, the company was able to achieve more than one million dollars in revenue within its first year of trading. Corinne is passionate about sharing her skills. In 2015, she began volunteering for Engineers Without Borders Australia and currently sits on its board as a non-executive director. As a devoted volunteer, she also assists with the local ACT chapter who helps promote STEM skills through a school outreach program, and in 2015 she spent six months in Timor Leste initiating a professional skills development project for local engineers.

Myfanwy Galloway

2016 Telstra Australian Capital Territory Business Women’s Young Business Woman of the Year

Myfanwy Galloway was a professional cyclist racing in Europe before retiring and taking on roles in retail management and then in events and marketing. While working, she continues to complete dual Bachelors of Business and Professional Communications. Myfanwy now holds a dual role as co-owner and business manager of Functional Fitness Australia, a brand of training facilities that is dedicated to improving each individual’s relationship with their body and how it moves to enable them to enrich their lives outside of the gym.

Myfanwy joined Functional Fitness Australia to assist in implementing a sound infrastructure to support and sustain the business through its rapid growth. Myfanwy has since consistently shown her ability to support others in turning their passions and ideas into a business. Overseeing a team of 11 coaches, Myfanwy has implemented business systems and policies to support and encourage further growth for both the business and its team. She is responsible for managing all operations within the business including finances, HR, membership systems, class scheduling and other business offerings.

Now in their 22nd year, the Telstra Business Women’s Awards are Australia’s longest running and most esteemed women’s awards program in Australia. They recognise and reward the courage, leadership and creativity of brilliant business women.

Nominations for the Telstra Business Women’s Awards are open year-round. If you, or a brilliant business woman you know, deserve recognition, nominate today: https://www.telstrabusinesswomensawards.com/nominate/