Sonja Bernhardt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonja Bernhardt
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Sonja Bernhardt presenting at WITI
(Silicon Valley, 2005) |
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| Born |
Sonja Bernhardt
1959 (age 66–67) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Project Manager |
| Employer | ThoughtWare Australia |
| Known for | promotion of women in IT especially the under-representation of women in technology |
| Title | CEO |
| Spouse(s) | Robin Craig |
| Children | Naomi (1982), Tom (1984) and Kira (2003) |
Sonja Bernhardt is an Australian expert in information technology (IT). She is known for helping and inspiring women in the IT industry. She started two important groups: WiT (Women in Technology) in Queensland in 1997 and AWISE (Australian Women in IT, Science and Engineering) in 2005. These groups are non-profit and work to encourage women and girls to choose careers in technology.
Sonja Bernhardt has also created special projects. These include the "Screen Goddess IT Calendar," the "IT's Million $ Babes Awards," and "Doing IT Around the World."
Contents
Sonja Bernhardt's Career
Sonja Bernhardt was born in 1959 in Launceston, Tasmania. In 1999, she started her own software company called ThoughtWare Australia. Before that, she worked as a consultant for another company.
Helping Women in Technology
Sonja Bernhardt is very active in supporting women in IT. She works to solve the problem of not enough women in technology jobs. To do this, she founded WiT in Queensland and co-founded AWISE. AWISE is a national group that helps other smaller groups across Australia.
Through these groups, Sonja has been involved in many projects. These projects aim to change how people see women in technology. They also help raise awareness, offer mentoring, and provide role models. For example, she helped create "Go Girl - Go For IT" and the "Board Readiness Program." Both the Queensland Government and the Australian Government have featured her as a female role model.
Special Projects and Awards
Sonja Bernhardt has started several unique community projects. One was the "Screen Goddess IT Calendar." This calendar featured 20 female role models in poses inspired by famous movies.
Another project was the "IT’s Million $ Babes Award." This award celebrated successful Australian women who started their own businesses in IT.
She also created "Doing IT Around the World." This project included a diary and a series of e-booklets. They shared the stories of 36 women in technology from all over the world. These stories were released on August 11, 2008. This date was chosen because it's when Hedy Lamarr, a famous actress and inventor, received a patent for her spread spectrum technology.
Awards and Recognition
Sonja Bernhardt has received many awards for her work.
- In 2005, she was the first Australian to be inducted into the WITI (Women in Technology International) Hall of Fame.
- She received the Optus ICT Achievement Award in 2009.
- Also in 2009, she won the Industry or Business Category at the Queensland Government "Our Women, Our State" Awards.
- Her name is listed in many Australian "Who’s Who" publications.
- In 2011, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). This was for her great service to the IT industry.
- In 2019, the Pearcey Foundation added her to their Pearcey Hall of Fame. They recognized her as "a champion of women in IT." They also noted her as an innovator behind successful groups for women in science and technology across Australia since the 1990s.
See also
In Spanish: Sonja Bernhardt para niños
