The inaugural Women of the Clarence Awards (WOTCAs) were held at the Crown Hotel Motel in Grafton on March 6.

The event is dedicated to recognising the leadership, resilience, and talent of women throughout the Clarence Valley. The evening provided a formal platform to celebrate local women and shine a light on their extraordinary achievements across their respective fields.

A panel of independent experts selected winners across five categories, while members of the public had the opportunity to vote for the recipient of the People’s Choice Award.

Businesswoman of the Year: Kerry Grace

Described by many as a Clarence Valley icon, Kerry Grace leads a movement of social enterprises which empower communities to become self-sustaining and inspired.

A visionary force in regional development, Ms Grace has dedicated 25 years to dismantling the systemic barriers that keep rural communities stagnant.

Through her initiatives, Social Impact in the Regions and Ready Communities, she has pioneered new ways of addressing entrenched social challenges, successfully generating millions in funding and vital sponsorships for regional Australia.

Her influence transcends traditional consultancy, and she is a mentor who has fundamentally changed how local business owners view their own capacity to give back.

Rising Star of the Year: Shakarni Scholes

Shakarni is a profound example of generational leadership and quiet resilience within the Clarence Valley’s Aboriginal community.

As a young single mother and dedicated support worker, she bridges the gap for individuals aged 3 to 70, navigating the complexities of disability and youth work with a rare blend of grace and clinical boundaries. What makes Shakarni an icon for young women is her ability to turn personal hardship into a blueprint for emotional intelligence and self-reliance.

Deeply humble and often unaware of her own profound influence, she exemplifies the award’s focus on character and dedication.

Changemaker of the Year: Abbi-Lei Paget

Ms Paget is a powerhouse advocate who has spent close to 20 years championing the rights of those navigating the disability sector.

As the Director of Your Choice Support Services, she has spent the last five years building a sanctuary of person-centred, culturally safe support within the NDIS framework.

Her leadership is defined by her refusal to accept that any challenge is too hard.

Her work is not just a business, it is a mission to restore dignity, independence, and hope to the region’s most vulnerable citizens. What marks her as a true icon is her profound humility that extends far beyond office hours.

She views her nomination not as an individual accolade, but as a win for every family, participant, and rural woman balancing the weight of business and community care.

Changemaker of the Year: Jane Burley

Ms Burley is the architectural force behind the Clarence Valley’s thriving music and arts scene, operating with a tenacity that has secured the region’s creative future.

Her leadership was most evident in 2025, when she single-handedly navigated the complex DA approvals, traffic plans, and artist contracts required to successfully relocate the Harvest Moon Festival, securing its home at Nymboida until 2030.

Her dedication to her profession is rooted in her belief that a stage and a microphone can provide confidence and direction to anyone, and she works tirelessly to ensure artists are paid fairly and are protected. She is a woman who habitually puts herself last, managing a household while volunteering at Loving Life FM103.1, and advocating to parliament for the rights of artists.

She is a role model who proves that passion can build a legacy that resonates across an entire community.

Impact Woman of the Year: Amanda Brotherson

Amanda Brotherson is a master of community orchestration and a visionary leader who has steered the Clarence Valley through some of its most precarious cultural challenges.

As President of the Pelican Playhouse, she was pivotal in securing a monumental $1.29 million NSW State Government grant to rebuild the theatre in South Grafton after it sustained devastating flood and sewage damage.

She is a mentor who demonstrates that the highest form of leadership is selfless service, finding her greatest satisfaction in seeing the community come together to enjoy the events she works tirelessly to protect.

Her resilience is not just a personal trait but a public service.

Icon of the Year: Kerrie DiMattia

Kerrie DiMattia is a cornerstone of the Grafton business community, boasting a 45-year career defined by entrepreneurial courage and a people-first philosophy.

As the founder of DiMattia and Co, she has not only sustained a thriving salon for over two decades, but she has also pioneered industry innovation in the region, most recently by opening Grafton’s first dedicated head spa to ensure regional clients can access metropolitan-level care.

Inheriting a legacy of care from her mother, she has served as President of the Grafton Branch of the United Hospital Auxiliary (GBUHA) for 10 years, helping to raise vital funds for Grafton Base Hospital (GBH).

Despite her high-level achievements, she remains a humble and tireless advocate who proves that a business is most successful when it serves as a vehicle for community connection and the growth of others.

People’s Choice Award: Amanda Fonti

Amanda’s journey is a powerful testament to personal resilience and the transformative power of community service.

At 30, she exemplifies a modern leader who leads with vulnerability and grit.

By openly working to better herself while simultaneously volunteering for multiple local organisations, she has inspired a new generation of young people in Grafton to prioritise mental wellbeing alongside community contribution. Her determination to show up, even when the world felt against her, has made her a standout figure in the Clarence Valley, proving that true success is measured by the person you become through the journey.

Hall of Fame inductee: Michelle Cowan

Michelle Cowan is a titan of the mental health sector in the Clarence Valley.

A specialist trauma counsellor, specialised grief counsellor and case manager, and the founder of Marahn, an integrated therapy and support centre based in Grafton, her work is a profound blend of therapy, advocacy, and protection, and is focused on ensuring that trauma-informed, culturally safe care is a right rather than a privilege. Recently honoured as the 2026 Clarence Electorate Local Woman of the Year, Ms Cowan has spent years sitting beside families navigating grief, loss, and systemic injustice.

From preventing youth suicides to supporting children through the loss of parents, her presence is a steady anchor for the ‘invisible’ members of society, ensuring that regional voices are never overlooked in the national mental health conversation. Her lifelong dedication to her profession and her local community has saved countless lives and reshaped the future for families across the Clarence Valley, making her an undeniable icon of courage, connection, and grassroots change.

Woman of the Year (Platinum Distinction): Jenny Vickery

Jenny Vickery is the founder and heart of Warm Touch 2460, a volunteer powerhouse dedicated to providing handmade comfort to the most vulnerable members of the Clarence Valley.

Under her leadership, a dedicated circle of crafters produces essential items like blankets, beanies, and amputee stump covers for nursing homes, hospitals, and the homeless.

Ms Vickery also serves as the vital coordinator for Knitted Knockers, supplying handmade prostheses to women following mastectomies.

Her ability to identify a community need and mobilise a compassionate response earned her the Local Hero award at the 2025 Clarence Valley Citizen of the Year awards, cementing her legacy as a champion for those in need. She views her work not as a quest for recognition, but as a mission to ensure no one in the Clarence Valley feels forgotten.

Woman of the Year: Christine Lynch

Christine Lynch is a community go-getter who has spent nearly six decades proving that age is merely a catalyst for further action.

As a high-capacity fundraiser and dedicated Rotarian, she has helped secure hundreds of thousands of dollars for local causes, operating under the mantra of ‘service above self.’

She was announced as the 2025 Matron of Honour during the 2025 Grafton Jacaranda Festival, and in this role she acted as the emotional and professional anchor for the Jacaranda and Junior Jacaranda candidates, mentoring them with a warmth that turned a high-pressure competition into a journey of self-discovery and motivation. At 73, her leadership is defined by an inexhaustible energy and a DNA-level commitment to giving without expectation of return.

Mrs Lynch is a living testament to resilience and lifelong service, demonstrating that the greatest profit in life is found in the success of the projects and people you help flourish.

This article appeared in Clarence Valley Independent, 13 March 2026.