Tasmania’s female business elite have been celebrated at the Telstra Business Woman of the Year Awards.
Bernadette Black, CEO and founding director of Brave Foundation, was announced as the overall winner.
Mrs Black set up the Brave Foundation charity in 2009 in order to build a community of support and acceptance around anyone facing teenage pregnancy and parenthood, ensuring more pregnant and parent teenagers are finishing secondary school and remain in employment.
Alicia Leis, from WLF Accounting & Advisory, claimed the Women’s Corporate and Private Award. In 2013 Alicia Leis became the third female partner appointed to WLF Accounting & Advisory, a wholly-owned Tasmanian chartered accounting and advisory firm.
In response to the growing importance of risk management and governance, Alicia built a new internal audit and risk service offering from the ground up and now leads the consulting and internal audit divisions of WLF.
Since securing her first contract in 2012, Alicia has established a large portfolio of clients and secured revenue in excess of $2M in under five years.
Alicia is Vice Chair of the Institute of Internal Auditors Tasmanian Chapter and is currently leading an initiative to embed a staff development framework across the business.
She also delivers governance and risk training to not-for-profit organisations at reduced rates or pro bono.
Other business women recognised at the 2016 Telstra Tasmanian Business Women’s Awards are: Dr Kirsten Connan from TasOGS – Tasmanian Obstetrics & Gynaecology Specialists (Entrepreneur Award), Penny Terry from the ABC (Public Sector and Academia Award) and Melody Towns from Be Hers (Young Business Woman of the Year).
Tasmanian Business Reporter 
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