Sonja Bernhardt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sonja Bernhardt
|
|
|---|---|
Sonja Bernhardt presenting at WITI
(Silicon Valley, 2005) |
|
| Born |
Sonja Bernhardt
1959 (age 65–66) |
| 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 OAM is an Australian expert in information technology (IT). She is well-known for helping and inspiring women and girls to get involved in the world of technology.
Sonja 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. They run projects and programs to encourage more women and girls to choose careers in technology. She also created fun projects like the "Screen Goddess IT Calendar" and the "IT's Million $ Babes Awards."
Contents
Sonja Bernhardt's Career Journey
Sonja Bernhardt was born in 1959 in Launceston, Tasmania. Before 1999, she worked as a consultant for a company called Mincom Limited. In February 1999, she decided to start her own software company. She named her company ThoughtWare Australia.
Helping Women in Technology
Sonja Bernhardt is very active in supporting women in IT. She works to fix the problem of too few women in technology jobs. To achieve this, she founded WiT in Queensland. She also helped start AWISE, which is a national group for Australia.
Through AWISE and WiT, Sonja has been part of many projects. These projects aim to change how people see women and girls in technology. They also raise awareness, offer mentoring, and provide role models. For example, she helped with programs like "Go Girl - Go For IT." Both the Queensland Government and the Australian Government have featured her as a female role model.
Fun Projects to Inspire Others
Sonja Bernhardt has started several creative community projects. One was the "Screen Goddess IT Calendar." This calendar showed 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 featured the work and lives of 36 women in technology from all over the world. This project was launched on August 11, 2008. This date was chosen because it's when Hedy Lamarr received a patent for her spread spectrum invention.
Awards and Special Recognition
Sonja Bernhardt has received many awards for her important work. These awards show how much she has contributed to the technology industry.
- In 2005, she was the first Australian person to be included in 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 in the Queensland Government "Our Women, Our State" Awards.
- Her name is listed in many "Who’s Who" publications in Australia.
- In 2011, she was given the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM). This award recognized her services to the IT industry.
- In 2019, the Pearcey Foundation added her to the Pearcey Hall of Fame. They called her "a champion of women in IT." They also noted her role in creating successful groups for women in science and technology across Australia since the 1990s.
