Finding strength after setbacks with Mark Berridge
Mark grew up in Albany in WA, enjoying nature and learning from his schoolteacher parents, who blended creativity, resilience and the support that shaped his values and curiosity. After finishing high school, he went on to university in Perth, where he made lifelong friends. Mark began a corporate career in logistics and sales, working for […]
Finding strength after setbacks with Mark Berridge
Mark grew up in Albany in WA, enjoying nature and learning from his schoolteacher parents, who blended creativity, resilience and the support that shaped his values and curiosity. After finishing high school, he went on to university in Perth, where he made lifelong friends. Mark began a corporate career in logistics and sales, working for […]
Navigating love, loss, & mental health through faith, determination, & strength with Nicole Peterson
Nicole grew up in a loving family in Cape Town, South Africa before moving to Australia with her parents and siblings at the end of high school. Nicole met her husband Chris in her early twenties, married young, and together navigated early adventures including running a café and art gallery in Hawk’s Nest. After starting […]
From saddle making to global tech leadership with John Dwyer
John Dwyer left school at age fourteen and started as an apprentice saddle maker. While working in leather, John became interested in computers. He taught himself basic programming on early computers and helped computerize the factory. This growing interest led to a new direction in technology. John joined the tech industry in the early 1980s. […]
Breaking free from abuse and hardship, a journey of courage, growth, and hope unfolds with David Lee
Dave grew up in Maroubra, a tough part of Sydney, raised by a single mother in an environment of poverty and violence, surrounded by people with difficult ideas and constant stress. His early childhood memories include feeling unsafe at home due to a father who left early and a mother who struggled with her own […]
From grief to purpose and creating change with Craig Goozee OAM
Craig Goozee OAM grew up loving sport, always seeing himself as a sprinter and never dreaming he would one day run ultra marathons across some of Australia’s toughest terrains. Craig spent nearly 24 years in the New South Wales police force, choosing proactive roles that kept him out in the field and, later, in covert […]
Embracing vulnerability and supporting men’s mental health with John Broadbent
John Broadbent grew up in Yorkshire, born into a low working-class family, before moving to Australia at age ten, which marked a big turning point for his life and perspective. He trained as an engineer and fully immersed himself in the world of science and logic, John spent his early career excelling in a technical […]
Breaking generational cycles, healing anxiety, and reshaping masculinity with Gunter Swaboda
Gunter grew up in a home filled with conflict and the strong influence of a mother who survived complex trauma and a gentle but wounded father, both from Vienna during the Russian invasion. As a teenager, he became fascinated by philosophy and Buddhism, which helped him realize that being a man involves intention and not […]
Raising standards in swim education and therapy with Ruth Smith
Growing up as a farmer’s daughter in rural Australia, Ruth spent her childhood exploring creeks, drinking fresh milk, and roaming the paddocks with my siblings. Life was simple, honest, and deeply connected to the land and community. She developed a passion for water early, competing in state-level swimming, water polo, synchronised swimming and lifesaving, and […]
Thriving through disaster thanks to community support with Mark Leigh • RMRS E16
Mark grew up visiting the river and eventually moved with his family to the banks of the Murray for a relaxed country lifestyle. He became part of a small, friendly community where people help each other, and boating is part of everyday life for locals and visitors alike. Mark’s kids thrived in a tiny school, […]