Justine Colyer is the CEO of the Rise Network Inc. The Rise Network is a not for profit organisation that started from humble beginnings and has grown to become a 50 million dollar a year operation with over 150 properties.

In 2014, Justine was awarded the Western Australian Community and Government Award at the Telstra Business Woman’s Awards. Justine has worked in the Government, private, and non-profit sector. Having previously worked in male dominated jobs, it was while working as a Project Manager at a prison that Justine received some very good advice. She was told that she needed to own her own authority. Justine said that this was a turning point for her because she started to earn her job title.

Justine is strong advocate for promoting woman in the workplace. As it stands currently, woman are at a disadvantage in the workplace. The playing field is uneven. Case in point, the top 100 companies on the ASX have far more men than woman on the Board, yet studies have shown Boards with woman on them preform 27% better than without. Although inequality unfortunately still exists in the workplace, addressing the underlying bias and attitudes can bring about much needed change. By providing tools to people to call out certain behaviours the playing field can be levelled and woman can be given the opportunities afforded to male counterparts. Woman need to support woman and to lead by example. It is though opportunity, support, empowerment, and celebrating woman’s achievements that there can be more equality.

Justine’s positive attitude and passion has helped make the Rise Network a formidable force in the community services sector and has drawn attention to the important issue of inequality. Her many achievements highlight the fact that a woman is just as capable as a man and therefore should be treated accordingly.

Although change is slowly happening, the journey to equality needs to be seen through to the end, we need to keep going until woman are treated equally. We can then finally move towards a society that is fair and just.

(Report written by Richard Nolan.)