Faye Spiteri-Tsolakis was among the outstanding female leaders recognised on International Women’s Day, inducted in the 2019 Victorian Honour Roll for Women.
A passionate advocate for social change, the Greek Australian was singled out for her “compassion and leadership” in changing the lives of women, migrants and refugees.
Having served as Vice President for the majority of her tenure on the Fronditha Board, Mrs Spiteri-Tsolakis was appointed as the aged care provider’s president in 2018 – the first female at the helm in the organisation’s 40-year history.
An accomplished strategist with extensive experience in various leadership roles, it is not the first time she has been recognised for her achievements. In 2001 she received the Victorian Premier’s Award for her work overseeing the introduction of the Racial and Religious Tolerance Act 2001 legislation and its accompanying education campaign.
A passionate advocate for gender equity and changing the status quo, for Mrs Spiteri-Tsolakis it is vital to have women represented at all levels of an organisation, but also at board level.
“For me, gender parity is about putting a stake in the ground, as a leader, on something you believe in, and then working hard to make sure that it’s taken up and the organisation moves it forward,” she told Neos Kosmos.
“I am especially proud of the fact that I lead a board with the highest female participation in the history of the organisation [Fronditha Care]. In fact, the composition of the board far exceeds the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) target regarding gender diversity on boards.”
While she acknowledges that women can bring a different perspective to governance and strategy issues, she is an advocate for diversity right across the board, not only when it comes to gender.
“Overall, gender diversity on the board is important but just as important is diversity in age, experiences, thinking and career path. Ultimately it’s the blend of perspectives of males, females and their respective experiences that makes a good board or organisation,” she explains.
Across her many achievements, Mrs Spiteri-Tsolakis herself is most proud of the role she has played in changing the lives of women and children who have been subject to family violence. Driven by her desire to ensure women from culturally and religiously diverse backgrounds have every opportunity to reach their full potential, within a decade of being Chair of inTouch – a centre for victims of family violence – she has led a dedicated team to transform the organisation from a small crisis support service to a multidisciplinary centre, which now offers a range of client-centred services from prevention to recovery.
To see the full list of inductees for 2019, click here.