PowHer

This podcast episode features Alison (Ali) Mau - an award-winning New Zealand journalist with 30+ years in TV, radio, and print, a #MeToo advocate, and co-founder of Tika, a charity supporting survivors of sexual harm. Ali also released a bestselling memoir, No Words for This, in 2024.

This episode covers Ali's career journey, the challenges of speaking truth to power, her personal experience as a survivor, and the launch of her landmark tech platform Tika.

https://www.tika.org.nz/
https://www.tiktok.com/@tika.org.nz/video/7594313527926476052?q=Tika&t=1772508018703
https://www.instagram.com/tika.nz/
www.jessstuart.co.nz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-stuart-559a7940/

The latest podcast episode features comedian, writer and social commentator Michele A'Court. Michele reflects on her career in comedy, challenges as a woman in a male-dominated industry, experiences with harassment, the impact of the #MeToo movement, and the importance of collaboration and support networks. The episode explores self-doubt, personal growth, activism, and identity in Aotearoa. The conversation mixes humour, vulnerability, and insight, highlighting how personal experiences, community support, and continuous learning shape both careers and social change.

Winner of “Female Comedian of the Decade” at the 2010 NZ Comedy Guild Awards and the 2015 Reilly Award for Excellence in Comedy, Michèle’s international experience as a stand-up comedian includes work in the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia, Papua New Guinea and East Timor. She is a regular guest entertainer on the cruise ship circuit.

Michele has also worked as a corporate MC, entertainer and keynote speaker for 25 years, becoming one of New Zealand’s most in-demand hosts for business awards and leadership hui. Her clients include lawyers, financial advisers, social service providers, the tourism industry, and boutique spirits makers.

https://www.facebook.com/michele.acourt
https://www.instagram.com/michele.acourt/
Bluesky: @micheleacourt.bsky.social
Threads: michele.acourt

www.jessstuart.com
https://www.facebook.com/jessstuartauthor/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jess-stuart-559a7940/

In this episode I am joined by the amazing Alexia Hilbertidou who has changed the lives of so many young women. Alexia shares her story, what sparked her idea to Start Girl Boss, and patters she sees in terms of challenges young women are facing as they step into the next phase of their careers.

Described by the NZ Herald as the Headmistress of Gen Z, Alexia is the founder of GirlBoss NZ - the school project which has become NZ’s largest organisation for young women. In 8 years, GirlBoss has grown to 17,500 members and programmes have been implemented in more than 400 schools across New Zealand, Australia and the Cook Islands.

She has spoken at some of the world's largest conferences such as The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women and One Young World, sharing stages with speakers such as Richard Branson and Meghan Markle.

Alexia is a living, breathing example of how Gen Z are making their mark on the world, becoming New Zealand’s Gender Equality Ambassador at the World Expo, a VIP Scientific Communicator for NASA Space Agency, a National Geographic Explorer, a Global Teen Leader, and a Facebook Leadership Fellow. Alexia studied Leadership for Change at the University of Cambridge and holds a Masters in Emerging Technologies.

Alexia has received over 30 Awards for her work, including being named the Pacific Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Forbes 30 under 30, Semi-Finalist for Young New Zealander of the Year, the Most Influential NZ Woman under 25 at the Westpac Women of Influence Awards, a Commonwealth Covid-19 Hero, and Finalist for World Young Entrepreneur of the Year.

https://www.alexia.nz/
https://www.girlboss.nz/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexiah/
https://www.instagram.com/officialalexiahilbertidious/
www.jessstuart.co.nz

In this episode I am delighted to be talking with Maia Jackman about leadership on and off the field, transitioning from a career as a footballer into media and physiotherapy among other things.

Māia Jackman MNZM is a former New Zealand Football Ferns captain, sports physiotherapist, football advocate, and media personality whose leadership and legacy have helped shape the women’s game in Aotearoa and beyond.

Māia made her international debut for the Football Ferns in 1993 at just 17 years old. Across a remarkable two-decade career, she earned 50 caps and scored 12 goals, proudly representing her country on the global stage, including at the 2007 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

In 2007 she became the only Kiwi female footballer ever selected for a FIFA World All-Stars team, playing alongside some of the greatest players in the game.

Off the field, Māia has worked extensively in both community and elite performance environments. She is passionate about holistic athlete well-being, injury prevention, and inclusive leadership in sport. Her expertise spans physiotherapy, governance, and advocacy, where she has championed safe, equitable pathways for girls and women in football.

Māia has recently been appointed as a Performance Team Leader at High Performance Sport New Zealand, supporting some of Aotearoa’s top sports in their pursuit of performance and wellbeing excellence. She also serves on FIFA’s Players’ Voice Panel alongside 15 other FIFA Legends from around the world, helping lead global efforts to combat racism in football.

A familiar face as a television pundit and an engaging public speaker, Māia has played a key role in raising the profile of women’s football in New Zealand. Her voice continues to carry weight in conversations on equity, inclusion, and representation across sport.

In recognition of her services to football, Māia was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2013.

Proud mum to 10-year-old daughter Kaea and partner to the epic Cassie Roma, Māia brings empathy, humour, leadership, and lived experience to everything she does, whether in sport, the clinic, at home, or around the boardroom table.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maia-jackman-mnzm-37566924/
www.jessstuart.co.nz

In this episode I'm talking with Nic Turner who shares her story with us and the turning point in her passion and purpose-led life, and some tips to simplify your life.

Nic Turner is a speaker, best-selling author and the driving force behind Mainstream Green. After spending the first 15 years of her career working in the global consumer goods industry, her life was set on a different trajectory with a personal quest to live more simply and sustainably.

Bringing together her understanding of human behaviour and her sustainability experience, Nic inspires behaviour change in organisations and communities.

www.mainstreamgreen.co.nz
https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicola-turner-mainstreamgreen/
https://www.instagram.com/mainstreamgreen
https://www.facebook.com/mainstreamgreennz/
www.jessstuart.co.nz