These award winning women will share their secrets for success, their insights into leadership and ideas on effective management.

Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from three of South Australia’s most inspiring business women.

Wednesday 4 May | 5.30pm to 7.00pm

The Advertiser | 31 Waymouth Street, Adelaide

For Advantage SA Board, Partners, Foundation and Major Corporate Members.

Jill Coombe

Bridge Clinic Medical Centre

2010 South Australian Hudson Private and Corporate Sector Award winner

Jill Coombe manages the Bridge Clinic medical centre in Murray Bridge, heading a team of 20 GPs and 45 staff.   A highlight of her time at the clinic has been winning the national General Practice of the Year in 2005 and the continued growth and strength of the practice.

Jill’s focus is on team work, communication and the importance of doing your best for the community.

Before returning to Murray Bridge in 2001 (her home town and where she got her first job at the local High School as a laboratory assistant) Jill worked in the public sector for the Department of Family and Youth Services in a variety of administrative and corporate management roles, culminating in her community support role at the Kosovar Safe Haven in 1999.  Jill represented the Department on the State Emergency Management Committee during this time, participating in many aspects of planning and preparation for SA’s response to community needs during times of disaster.

Jill started 2011 being honoured as the inaugural Ambassador for Murray Bridge on Australia Day and has recently begun the Governor’s Leadership Foundation Program SA for 2011.

Melissa Mellen

Murray F. Young & Associates

2010 National Commonwealth Bank Business Owner winner

2010 Telstra South Australian Business Women of the Year

After 10 years working within Murray F. Young & Associates (MFY), Melissa Mellen decided to buy the business.

MFY is a consulting traffic engineering firm providing professional traffic, transport and parking advice to private and government clients.

When Melissa purchased the business in 2003, she became sole Director. Since taking over, Melissa has grown the business from four to 12 permanent employees and increased the number of projects by 33 per cent. Her firm has expanded its interstate project base, now providing traffic advice in all Australian States and opening an office in the Northern Territory.

Starting as a Senior Traffic Engineer, Melissa moved into an Associate role before becoming sole Director. An accredited senior road safety auditor and a Chartered Professional Engineer, Melissa has an honours degree in Civil Engineering.

Professor Tanya Monro

Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing, Adelaide 

2010 National White Pages Community and Government Award winner

2010 South Australian White Pages Community and Government Award winner

Prof Tanya Monro is a recognised leader of the international scientific community who has been responsible for breakthroughs in optical fibre research. In 2005 she founded the Centre of Expertise in Photonics as a collaborative venture between the University of Adelaide and DSTO, and the success of this centre led to the creation of the Institute for Photonics & Advanced Sensing (IPAS), which brings together 140 physicists, chemists and biologists to tackle the big questions in sensing technologies.

As Director of IPAS, Tanya has raised more than $66 million in research funding and has driven 12 patent applications, all taking fibre beyond communications. She has received national and international awards, including recognition as the 2011 Australian of the Year for South Australia and the 2010 South Australian Scientist of the Year, and been published more than 350 times. Tanya is active on State and Federal Government and local boards and review panels, including Australian Research Council panels, the Federal Future Manufacturing Industry Innovation Council and the SA Premier's Science Research Council.