Kim Sheree

why the calendar
Every principal reason & driver behind producing this calendar made sense to me.
I have donated my time for many years to trying to get women into IT, I have been a keynote at many schools, women's events and now volunteer my time to the cause through the woman in IT association.

We struggle every year to obtain sponsorship, be eligible for government funding or get prizes to give away to excite girls about our industry. Tech jobs are promoted instead of sales or exec positions or marketing or creative which women excel at.

Sonja's thought leadership in this is why she known as the Grandmother of Australian IT. We all will walk a little bit easier behind her steps as a result of her gutsy efforts to make change. Innovation is often a very lonely trip!

challenges
Too few female peers… !
Being the only woman CEO at many CEO boardroom events, technical programs and training.
Trying to raise money for worthwhile industry projects that help businesses grow

Skills

Marketing
Marketing & Advertising exec with background in magazine, print & outdoor media.

PS Started first company when I was 23, promotions company specializing in corporate events. I went from modeling to start my own agency, then into Martial Arts…..quite a transition looking back, at the time…it was like…oooh ok what's next?

Martial Arts
Accomplished martial artist, weapons & fight trainer
Founder of women safety & awareness program "Urban Survival"

PS If you had of asked me 15 years ago if I would end up in ICT and working with IBM globally, I'd probably laughed then hit you…Spent 2 years as fight trainer for the global hit show "the gladiators" - I was so into my fight training, I only ever thought I'd end up as a female stunt fighter for the movies. (I could have made a much better Lara Croft or Kill Bill, I'd have needed less training…ha…smiling.)

Skills continued …

ICT
Started in Retail Sales, hated that and quickly moved into Channel management.

Have moved on to found 8 different ICT companies in the past 10 years …
.
1 x retail computer business
3 x software companies specializing in wireless, commercialized the products offshore & sold companies
2 x services companies specializing in small to mid sized business networks
1 small chain commercial computer stores - specializing is custom built computers for business
Current company - ict eco specializes in developing portal frameworks for virtual networks, and runs industry development programs for government and industry which help small to mid sized innovatively partner.

what's your job/what do you do

CEO ICT Ecosystems
My focus for the past 10 months has been on creating Australia's first technology ecosystem.

What is an ecosystem? "A channel ecosystem is a localized group of interdependent businesses of all sizes & how they create partnerships & linkages within the industry they operate in." ( ie virtual and geographical clustering)

We have built the TECHNOLOGY Australia Industry Portal, 16,000 companies, organizations, universities, peak bodies, interest groups and multinational companies

To build the ecosystem community online, I have developed a series of workshops which help companies partner & marketing collaboratively. We save small to mid sized companies money and time We help them execute activities that win business through partnering. The program is underway in SA, WA & QLD where we have generated over $10M in leads just in our pilot stage. The program has already connected 80 innovative ICT companies. IBM sponsors our program and next year we are expanding to run 22 programs across Australia & New Zealand involving their partners.

what's your job…what do you do? continued

Industry Mentor - Queensland Government - helping start up companies navigate market entry.

Director of the Board of Women in Technology organization founded by Sonja Bernhardt.

Vice President of the Qld Wireless Cluster

Partner Golden Gate - a business which connects Australian & Chinese companies for joint ventures across many industries. We have also written a series of industry development programs for the Chinese Government around Australia best practice methods, launched earlier in 2006 in Shanghai.

key customers/clients you deal with
IBM Globally, Microsoft Australia, Queensland State Government, Chinese Communist Government, ICT Distributors across Australia

what star sign are you
Dog in Chinese ……Gemini otherwise…. Don't like what Gemini traits are…would prefer Chinese Dog traits…but don't follow my life by any stars! Think its rubbish. You make your own destiny!

what media have you been involved with re: SG to date.

A Current Affair & Courier Mail

CHIEF EXECUTIVE ICT Ecosystems Pty Ltd www.TechnologyAustralia.net
2005 AMBASSADOR Women in Technology www.wit.org.au
AFFILIATE PARTNER Golden Gate Company www.goldengate.net.au

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