Kearley Dent is the sole owner of Cairns Floral Supplies. A passionate local Cairns businesswoman for 13 years and recognised for her outstanding efforts in the business community and volunteering in the wider Cairns community. Kearley has established a reputation as an expert in the floral industry. Kearley continues to have a long involvement with the CBWC, attending lunches for 11 years, been a member for 10 years, a finalist in the CBWC Awards and a corporate partner for 8 years. A passionate supporter of the Club, Kearley has been on the Board in the positions of Vice President and Partnerships Co-ordinator for the past 2 years. Her aim this year is to continue the hard work of previous Boards and guide the Club carefully into the future in alignment with its strategic planning goals.

Kim is the Managing Director of Cairns Car Brokers and has been on the Board of the Cairns Business Women’s Club since 2021. Kim has an extensive background in community service having been a prior President of the Stingrays Swimming Club, committee member for TAS Swimming and Secretary of the FNQ Regional Swimming Association. She has also been and an active volunteer in the dance community for over 13 years – as well as participant and volunteer for the Cairns Ironman. Kim has established a reputation of being passionate for locals, by developing the growth of local clubs and supporting local initiatives to help others rise up and achieve their goals. Kim brings a vast array of skills and experience to the Board of the CBWC. Her core values centre around exceptional customer service, value and trust. Her vast array of skills pertaining to accounting, marketing and legal administration make her an excellent addition to the CBWC Board. This year Kim will be focussing on her own personal development having recently been selected by the Motor Traders Association of Queensland to partake in the Executive Ready Course being run by Women & Leadership Australia. Kim intends to use the skills she learns to help other women in the Automotive Industry break through the glass ceiling and barriers of an industry.

Director/Clinic Manager, SILK Laser Clinics Cairns. With extensive experience in customer service, sales and the development of relationships, I moved to Cairns and helped create new marketing strategies within the SILK network for regional areas. The focus was to create brand awareness, build a successful business but also build community connections. An example would be conducting lectures at TAFE to develop and build the next generations of industry. Sales and innovation are my strengths where I strive to ‘work smarter not harder’ and provide positive influences that enable the best outcome for the bigger picture, utilising a variety of networks to streamline outcomes with improved and long-lasting results.

Jenni Kingsbury, General Manager, Totally Workwear Cairns. My professional experience of 19+ years is grounded in customer service, reception and administration, bookkeeping and now management. I have also been solely responsible for Totally Workwear’s Quality Safety & Environmental Management Systems compliance and certification for over seven years. I am currently one subject away from completing a Certificate IV in Accounting and Bookkeeping. My key strengths include organisation, accuracy and attention to detail, being solution-driven and a great team player. Beyond work I am a mum of two beautiful girls, passionate about mental health and wellbeing, and my creative outlet is Latin and ballroom dancing!

Having moved from the Fraser Coast to Douglas Shire in 1994, Paula Cotterill is fortunate to call FNQ home for the past 27 years. Paula brings to the board twenty years’ experience working in the corporate sector at senior levels across several disciplines including; law, tourism, hospitality, construction & banking. With her career spanning from Papua New Guinea, the Cassowary Coast, Tablelands, Douglas Shire and Cairns region, Paula’s exposure to various industries throughout differing communities, provides her a strong understanding of how to navigate her way around a business. In particular, what it takes to overcome hardships caused from things such as the global financial crisis and more recently the COVID-19 pandemic. As General Manager of WGC Lawyers, Paula is a progressive, confident, collaborative team leader and participant, who attains exceptional operational and performance goals. It’s not all work and no play. In her spare time Paula enjoys spending time with her teenage sons and friends, making the most of life in paradise, with frequent trips to SEQ to visit extended family.

Executive Editor, FNQ Food Magazine. With a career spanning media, publishing, marketing, tourism and event management over 30 years, Jodie has taken projects from concept to completion working collaboratively with stakeholders across many sectors. Co-founder of Flambe, FNQ’s first specialist Food Marketing Agency and executive editor of FNQ Food Magazine, Jodie works with a diverse range of food and beverage businesses in creative communications to raise profile and showcase Far North Queensland as a food and beverage destination.

Digital Presence, Localsearch. Passionate human about community and small business. I have owned two small businesses; this is my third. Built, licensed and sold a dance studio with nine locations in three states. EMBA at Q.U.T., GradDip Business QUT. Sole Parent to a 19-year-old amazing human. Fitness and Health enthusiast, glass half full kind of girl. Supported and volunteer for – Scouts, ACT for kids, Meals on Wheels, Pajama Angels, Committee member for F.N.Q.E.A.S. Ball 2023, BNI membership committee V.P. 2023

With a wealth of experience in the food, beverage and events industry, Claire, owner of Claire Victoria Wedding Design specializes in event planning, stationery and styling. Her event planning skills started at a very young age, supporting her family implementing non-for-profit events in the UK. She continued this through further years working in food & beverage management positions, BDE & wedding and events planning for businesses in the Cairns region. Holding a BA (Hons) in Decorative Arts, Claire’s vision for the events and weddings Industry is to create events and spaces that are uniquely beautiful and that her clients will love! She carries with her sustainable practices, support of local businesses and is passionate about helping and assisting women in all walks of business and on all personal levels. Claire has been a committee member of the International gastronomique food group La Chaine des Rotisseurs for the past 5 years enjoying her position as Vice Chancelier (Secretary). She is a returning member to CBWC and is proud to become a member of the 2021 board and looks forward to working together with all members of CBWC.

With more than 20 years’ experience in the human resources field, Megan Macallister has worked across a wide sector of industries from private, public, not-for-profit, and NGO spanning both white collar and blue-collar disciplines. Megan is the Principal of MMC HR, a HR consultancy that she founded in 2021 out of a desire to use her skills and experience to equip, empower, and educate small business owners and managers to confidently manage their people and HR affairs. She has been actively involved in volunteering since her early 20’s and has volunteered with the Animal Welfare League (Qld), the RSPCA, as a committee member with the All-American Car Club of Cairns, parkrun, local sporting and non-sporting events, and the Cairns Street Chaplains as a street chaplain and Secretary of the Board. Together with her husband she also owns and runs Green and Tidy Garden Saks, a business that has been in her family for more than 20 years. Megan enjoys the great outdoors and loves the active, outdoor lifestyle that Cairns offers. Megan values celebration over competition, believing that there is room for everyone and that together we can achieve more than we can on our own.