Meet your Queensland committee: queensland@womeninmedia.com.au.
Convenor
Cathie Schnitzerling
Deputy Convenor
Laura Chalmers
Committee Member and National Board Member
Danielle Cronin
Committee Member
Jane Hodgkinson
Committee Member
Kay McGrath
Committee Member and National Co-Chair
Kathy McLeish
Committee Member and National Co-Chair
Cath Webber
Committee Member
Jillian Whiting
Committee Member
Lou Davis
Committee Member
Kate Limon
Convenor
Cathie Schnitzerling
Cathie Schnitzerling is the Executive Producer of the ABC’s rural flagship television program Landline. She was previously the Regional Editor for Queensland, managing 10 ABC bureaux with 120 staff and responsible for the editorial content in radio, television, online and social media for the regions.
She was the first woman to become Director of News for the Ten Network in Brisbane and Sydney. She’s worked in three capital cities for three different networks and has been a television and radio reporter, presenter and producer.
Schnitzerling has also produced an independent documentary for SBS and has won awards for her documentary writing and television production.
She also headed media, communications and marketing teams in state government.
In 2014, Schnitzerling was recognised for her mentoring and leadership skills with a Queensland Clarion award for her Contribution to Journalism.
A mother of two adult children, she has recently graduated from the Queensland University of Technology Business School with a certificate in leadership, coaching and mentoring.
Deputy Convenor
Laura Chalmers
Laura Chalmers is Editor of U on Sunday magazine at The Sunday Mail.
She has worked as a journalist for more than a decade, reporting for News Corp in Adelaide, the Canberra press gallery and now Brisbane.
Chalmers extensively covered state and federal politics before moving to the news desk at The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail.
She has also worked for the Federal Government in Canberra, working as press secretary to former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Senator Penny Wong.
She holds a BEc/LLB (honours) degree from the University of Adelaide and is deputy convenor of Women In Media Queensland.
Committee Member and National Board Member
Danielle Cronin
Danielle Cronin is the first female editor of metropolitan masthead the Brisbane Times.
The award-winning journalist has worked in Brisbane, Bundaberg, Africa, and Canberra where she covered 10 federal budgets and three federal elections.
As a reporter for The Canberra Times, she spent seven years in the federal press gallery reporting on stories ranging from the coup that ended Kevin Rudd’s prime ministership to the Canberra firestorm, which was recognised with a Walkley Award.
She has also worked in South Africa as the inaugural winner of the Independent Newspapers Fellowship for Australia and travelled to Germany as the winner of the German Prize for Journalism.
After a long career in newspapers, Cronin joined the digital revolution and is keenly interested in pushing the boundaries of storytelling and innovative ways to build online communities including through the use of social media.
She has been a Women in Media Queensland committee member since its inception plus is the national digital convenor and serves on the board of Women in Media Australia.
Committee Member
Jane Hodgkinson
Jane Hodgkinson is a highly-experienced strategic media and communications director in the Queensland Government, having transitioned into the role after an extensive career in television journalism.
Her career in television journalism includes 20 years at the Nine Network in Melbourne and in Brisbane.
More recently, Hodgkinson was the News Editor at Network Ten in Brisbane and a senior producer.
She is a Walkley Award nominee in a group entry and winner of the Victorian Column Brennan award for court reporting.
She is a long-time volunteer judge for the Queensland journalism awards, The Clarions.
Hodgkinson is on the WIM Qld mentoring sub-committee and the national WIM sponsorship sub-committee.
Committee Member
Kay McGrath
Kay McGrath is an award-winning journalist and presenter. She has presented prime time news bulletins in Queensland for 40 years.
With the Seven Network for the last 31 years, she currently presents weekend 6 o’clock news bulletins and files special interest stories.
McGrath is also passionate about social justice. She Chairs the State Government’s Domestic and Family Violence Implementation Council
She is Patron of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, Patron and co-founder of Protect all Children Today, an Ambassador for Act for Kids and Vice Patron of the Queensland Breast and Prostate Cancer Association.
In 2016, McGrath received a Queensland Clarion Award for “Most Outstanding Contribution to Journalism”.
In 2017, she was awarded an OAM in recognition of her work in media and child protection.
She has a partner Richard, two adult sons, Nick and Joey, and two step daughters Leisa and Perri. (And a high maintenance but very endearing dog – Loui)
Committee Member and National Co-Chair
Kathy McLeish
Kathy McLeish is the Co-Chair of Women in Media Australia and was the founding Convenor of Women in Media Queensland.
An award-winning ABC journalist and producer who has reported for programs across the network including 7.30 Qld, Stateline, 7.30, Landline, Australian Story and TV and radio news and current affairs.
She has executive produced Stateline and 7.30 Qld.
She’s currently searching out with wonderful towns and communities across the country for ABC TV’s Back Roads.
Coverage more than 20 years in media has included extensive reporting of Queensland natural disasters, the Nauru Detention Centre riots, the last Mentoring Taskforce handover in Afghanistan and race correspondent for the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
McLeish was named Queensland Journalist of the Year for an investigative series, which triggered a Commission of Inquiry and a $60 million restructuring of youth mental health services in Queensland.
She has degrees in journalism and psychology.
Committee Member and National Co-Chair
Cath Webber
Cath Webber is the Co-Chair of Women In Media Australia.
She has worked in the media for more than 20 years, appears weekly on Channel 7’s Sunrise as a commentator and is a founding member of the Queensland WIM committee.
Webber is a Strategic Communications Adviser and prior to that was Editor of the Gold Coast Bulletin – its first female editor in 130 years and the same paper where she started as a cadet in 1995.
Before returning to the paper where she started her journalism career, she was assistant editor across The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph, deputy editor at the Townsville Bulletin and deputy features editor at the Irish Examiner, a national broadsheet in Ireland.
She is also passionate about digital, having worked as website editor for http://www.thetelegraph.com.au. Webber has a degree in journalism and film and television.
Committee Member
Jillian Whiting
Jillian Whiting is a familiar face on Queensland television, with more than 25 years’ experience as a journalist, newsreader and TV presenter with the Seven and Nine networks.
She’s also been a regular presenter on local radio and travel contributor and opinion columnist for News Corp papers.
Whiting is a partner and director of communication agency Media Potential, a Brisbane based company which specialises in media and presentation skills and TV presenting courses.
She is currently a presenter on Channel Seven’s lifestyle program, The Great Day Out, and regular MC facilitator for Queensland corporate events.
Committee Member
Lou Davis
Lou Davis is a marketing leader who recently stepped out of the corporate world. Tired and lost on what was really important to her, she made a bold move from the busy city life of Sydney to clear her mind, rediscover her purpose and be close to the grounding energy of the beach on the Gold Coast.
Walking on the beach every day to ground herself, is a ritual for Davis.
Freedom, adventure, flexibility and gratitude are some of her core values and Davis applies these to each choice she makes in her life, including setting up a business of her own which is focussed on purposefully working alongside small and medium businesses to set up their marketing programs and teams to deliver their business objectives.
Committee Member
Kate Limon
Kate Limon is the Network Regional News Director for Nine. She oversees 14 bureaus in Darwin, Queensland, New South Wales/ACT and Victoria.
She’s worked in the TV News industry for 13 years, starting out as the PA to the News Director at Seven, before moving in front of the camera for her first reporting role with 7 Local News in Hervey Bay. But after a move to Nine in 2012, Limon realised she loved being behind the scenes, producing the 6pm news, live rolling coverage and daytime news bulletins.
A year in Darwin, as News Director, gave her a taste of management and, with the support of senior executives from Nine, she has since moved into the Deputy and now News Director role for the regional network.
Limon loves seeing young reporters and camera operators get their first job in the regions and developing into strong, dependable on and off-air talent. Originally from Townsville, she also knows how important regional news is and loves being part of a team that brings local viewers quality stories each night.
Women in Media Queensland is offering an inaugural scholarship of up to $5,000 to boost the career of a mid-career woman in media by undertaking academic or professional development.
ABC’s Katherine Feeney speaks openly about her struggles with mental health and suddenly changing careers.
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Nine Journalist
Alison Ariotti
9 News’ Alison Ariotti is a mum of three, fitness addict, wife and a proud Queenslander. She’s also a well-respected journalist who manages to balance family life with an impressive career.
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Voice Expert
Sally Prosser
Former broadcast journalist Sally Prosser gives us an insiders look at what it’s like to jump reporter to PR and how your voice gives away more secrets than you think …
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Crime and Investigations Reporter
Paula Doneman
Paula Doneman talks about the power of journalism and what it’s like tackling emotions while covering traumatic events.
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On Wellbeing
Bonus Content
Being in the media industry isn’t a cake-walk, whether it’s the high-stress environment of the newsroom or covering the death of a child or violent incident. All of these pressures compound, so how do you deal with it? Host and producer Regina Lovic talks about her own experiences with mental health as 7 News’ Paula Doneman opens up about the effects of a lifetime reporting on crime.
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Seven Presenter
Jillian Whiting
Jillian Whiting has one of the most recognised faces on television – more than 20 years in fact – and she sits down with Regina Lovic to discuss what it takes to be a journalist in the 21st century.
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Director of Content
Belinda Seeney
Walkley Award winner Belinda Seeney talks about the importance of being eternally optimistic and the importance of upskilling in this ever-changing industry.
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ABC Journalist
Isobel Roe
Isobel Roe is an award-winning journalist for the ABC who has a passion for regional stories, particularly environmental and business reporting. This week, she talks about the struggles of being young, female and ambitious in 21st century journalism.
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Editor
Danielle Cronin
Danielle Cronin’s an enigma – in a powerful position but she exudes such warmth and genuine care for people. She is a key member of the Women in Media committee, giving up so much of her time every week to unofficially mentor people and head the digital team.
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Public Relations
Clare Hunter
As a prominent court reporter in Queensland, Clare Hunter has dealt with abuse and heard awful details of some of the most infamous cases in the country. After more than 10 years in that round, she swapped journo life for something completely new.
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Seven Producer
Jessica Coombs
7 News producer Jessica Coombs has worked for CNN and the ABC – and overseas in Hong Kong and the UK. She’s a mum who doesn’t always think she’s the greatest parent, or employee and so she discusses how to navigate a happy medium.
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Mentor
Cathie Schnitzerling
Cathie Schnitzerling has more than three decades of experience in broadcast media as a reporter, presenter, producer, news director and regional editor for the state. As the convenor of Women in Media Queensland, she talks about just how vital it is to have a mentor in your life.
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Storyteller
Dana Lang
Dana Lang started out in advertising but learned very quickly it wasn’t for her and has since forged a three-decade strong career in the art of storytelling.
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PR Business Owner
Brooke Jacobson
Brooke Jacobson loved working at The Courier-Mail – a sub-editor and journalist in her past she decided it was time for something different. Now she runs a boutique PR business called If The Shoe Fits Media.