Annabelle Chauncy was teaching English in Kenya when civil unrest saw her evacuated across the border to Uganda. What she found there was a community of people with a desire to learn and grow, and from that the School For Life Foundation was born. That was 15 years ago, and since then Annabelle has dedicated her life to helping children, and adults, reach their full potential. How hard was it to build a school in a foreign country? And why was she carrying wheelbarrows full of cash around...

Gail O’Brien AO has been a health professional for 40 years. Originally trained as a physiotherapist, she is now executive director of the Chris O’Brien Lifehouse centre in Sydney where she also works as a patient advocate. Gail’s husband, renowned head and neck surgeon Chris O’Brien, had a dream of opening Australia’s first fully-integrated and comprehensive cancer centre. Gail played an integral part in realising his vision after his death from brain cancer in 2009, and last year Chris...

There’s a lot more poverty in Australia than people realise, according to Yolanda Saiz. And she should know. As CEO of the St Vincent De Paul Society in New South Wales, Yolanda sees first-hand every day the toll the current cost of living crisis is taking on everyday Australians. One of the largest providers of homeless and domestic services in NSW, Vinnie’s is now more needed than ever, with a staggering one in three people turning to the organisation for help. And with a high number of the...

Tara Moss had it all. A former model and the successful author of 14 bestselling books, hers was a glamorous life. Until eight years ago when she was struck down by Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, a debilitating chronic pain condition for which there is no cure. She was told by numerous doctors that she would never recover, that being wheelchair bound and unable to do anything by herself was the way it would always be. But Tara has never been one to resist a challenge and now, after eight...

Sandra had the privilege recently of being the Master of Ceremonies for the first day of the Women in Media conference held in Sydney. The day was a source of great inspiration, with an array of remarkable speakers, and here are some of Sandra's highlights. First we hear from Taryn Brumfitt, whose 10-year campaign into body positivity resulted in her being named the 2022 Australian of the Year. You can find out more about Taryn’s Body Image Movement...

Jelena Dokic had a phenomenal tennis career. But it was what happened off the court and her decision, years later, to talk openly about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father that has seen her constantly in the public eye. Having been raised to be silent, Jelena found her voice six years ago and wrote her first book, Unbreakable. Since then, she has made it her mission to speak up for those who can’t. There is no denying her courage, her tenacity and her drive to open up the...

Sally Dowling SC is the first woman to be appointed Director of Public Prosecutions for New South Wales. Sally is only the fourth person to hold this role, and one of only a few female DPPs in Australia. Previously she served as a Crown Prosecutor and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2013. In that role she appeared as lead counsel in more than 300 appeals in the High Court and the New South Wales Court of Criminal Appeal. Two years into her 10-year term, she sits down with Sandra to talk...

Despite the challenges and setbacks she has faced over the last few years, including seeing her beloved business collapse not once, but twice, Kristina Karlsson has managed to find a new sense of purpose and passion. Previously known for revolutionising the stationery world through her successful Scandi-inspired company kikki.k, Kristina has come bouncing back with even more determination and a new venture that encourages us all to live our Dream Life. She talks Sandra through what she...

On average men in Australia retire with a lot more superannuation than women, about 35% more. That’s a staggering amount. But it seems that money is still a taboo subject, and most women would rather talk to their friends and colleagues about sex than about their finances. Someone who is trying to break that taboo is Christina Hobbs, who has made it her mission to make us better with our money. Christina is the CEO and co-founder of Verve Super, which is Australia’s first ethical super fund...

Dr Karla Lopez is a forensic psychologist and is currently using her skills to track down fugitives on the Australian version of the popular TV show Hunted. But what does a forensic psychologist do? Karla and Sandra tackle a range of topics from Australia’s youth crime crisis to AI to coping mechanisms, as well as her top tips for staying safe – and keeping our children safe – online. And what are the things we do that give us away every time? Are we really creatures of habit? Karla knows...

It’s all about Mary today! Mary Konstantopoulos is a passionate advocate for women in sport. Ten years ago she founded sport media company Ladies Who League, and since then she has broadened the conversation with Ladies Who Leap, Ladies Who Legspin, Ladies Who Lineout and Ladies Who W-League. She’s also a lawyer and sits on the board of Hockey Australia. Mary opens up about dealing with the pressures of social media, finding the courage to tackle the difficult issues, and levelling the...

Returning to Australia a decade ago, Maryjane McKibbin-Schwenke saw many changes. With her husband Fred she established the Matavai Cultural Arts Centre in Sydney to promote community and connection to Pacific culture, helping people of all ages learn about themselves and their history through dance and music and sharing stories. As well as strengthening identity and confidence through cultural arts Maryjane is a strong advocate for issues that affect the Pacific community both in Australia...

Andie Halas is one of the unsung heroes of the fashion industry. With fashion waste continuing to be a massive issue worldwide, Andie saw the potential in giving unsold clothing that would normally end up in landfill to people in need – providing the most ethical solution to fashion excess. Just over a decade ago she set up Thread Together to make that happen in Australia, giving those in need the dignity and choice to get on with their lives by giving them access to new clothing. Fast...

Dr Manasi Mittinty’s interest in pain management and living with pain started as a child, after suffering an accident which left her with third-degree burns and ongoing chronic pain. Dr Mittinty now leads benchmark research in a number of key areas including developing scales for improved assessment and management of chronic pain for Indigenous Australian communities. She talks to Sandra about what Western civilisation can learn from studies like these, the spiritual connection between pain...

Kat Stewart has been a familiar face on Australian stage and screen for a number of years now. The award-winning actress is probably best known for her roles in the television series Offspring, Underbelly and Five Bedrooms, which is just starting its fourth season. But who is Kat Stewart when she’s not being someone else? Kat opens up to Sandra about the fame game, the pain of losing her mum, and the importance of telling women’s stories. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Josie Clarke is a true force of nature. She’s on a mission to give people from regional and rural areas with a disability a voice, and create opportunities for them to be able to work in the agricultural industry. Josie’s dad became a paraplegic as a result of an accident on the family’s farm when she was five and it was this, together with the realisation years later that there was a lack of disability support groups in the ag industry, that led to her founding Ability Agriculture. Her...

What kind of leader are you? Do you lead with your head or your heart? From joining the Royal Australian Air Force at 17 to being acting chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Kirstin Ferguson has learnt a thing or two about what it takes to be a good leader. Kirstin, an author, company director and columnist, talks to Sandra about how you can work out your own leadership style, what the attributes of a great leader are, the importance of perspective, and why it’s not just how...

Faith Agugu could never understand the negativity surrounding ageing for women in Western society, especially as in her native Africa the oldest person is always the most revered. She decided to do something about it, and Silver Sirens was born. Silver Sirens is all about redefining ageing, and provides a platform for women to rewrite this negative narrative and redirect energy to themselves. In this frank, funny and honest look at ageing, Faith talks to Sandra about topics including what...

You could say Buds & Beads was born out of love and friendship. Founders Jo Thomas and Karina Barry have been best buddies for more than half their lives and, when the opportunity presented itself, jumped at the chance to try something new. Launching the business in late 2022 with a range of 17 loose-leaf teas and three sparkling, their sparkling tea is the first of its kind in Australia and is already winning awards. They talk to Sandra about everything from choosing the right tea...

Welcome to Season 5 of Short Black! Rosemary Kariuki’s joie de vivre is infectious. She is so vivacious it’s hard to believe that she fled her native Kenya to escape from family abuse and political unrest. Now happily settled in Australia, she is the Multicultural Liaison Officer for NSW Police and spends her time helping migrants overcome situations including isolation, financial stress, domestic violence and, of course, language barriers. Her remarkable work in this field has led to her...

Australia's Best Interview podcast will be back in 2023 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Natassia Nicolao is a young woman who’s making waves – without water. Natassia is the winner of this year’s Australian Women’s Weekly Women Of The Future award and the founder and director of Conserving Beauty, Australia’s first waterless beauty brand. She is using her background in science to generate less waste and reduce the beauty industry’s water footprint. With most beauty products currently made up of 70-90 per cent water, that’s no small task. Conserving Beauty creates products that...

Bruna Papandrea is an Australian success story. From humble beginnings in South Australia, her love of telling stories has seen her become one of the most successful producers in Hollywood today. She is a master of adaption and, with her production company Made Up Stories, has brought us hits including Penguin Bloom, Anatomy Of A Scandal and Nine Perfect Strangers. Always on the lookout for something different, Bruna recently made her first foray into unscripted television with the reality...

Professor Veena Sahajwalla is the queen of recycling. The 2022 NSW Australian of the Year pioneers research into waste destined for landfill, literally turning trash into treasure. Her revolutionary green steel and green ceramics are being used in building and construction developments around Australia and overseas. A materials scientist, engineer and inventor, Professor Veena also developed the world’s first e-waste micro factory. She is the founding director of the Sustainable Materials...