Technologist
Early in her career, a CIO told Romella that she had everything against her and would need to always be twice as good to rise above. He pointed out the obvious – that she is tiny in stature, was born overseas, spoke quietly with an accent and was female.
Romella pushed all these perceived boundaries aside and has let her technical and leadership achievements speak for themselves. She broke new ground by building the first data warehouse for Wesfarmers Insurance when the term data warehouse was still in its infancy. Currently working for IAG, she is a member of one of the largest data departments in Australia and has challenged the norm by leading Eastern States teams remotely from Perth. Romella is now one of those people who can walk into an Executive meeting or a technical scrum with a presence, speaking confidently and proudly representing what can be achieved by WA women in IT. Romella is an active member of a working group within IAG that recognises and develops female leaders. She leads by example, and her commitment and drive to achieve outcomes is evidenced by her tireless work ethic. Whether she is taking time to encourage and motivate a team member with personal issues, or helping someone through a technical blocker, Romella is widely liked by her teams and recognised as the heartbeat that keeps them going.
