27 January, 2026
The Chief Executive Women (CEW) community invites you to join us in congratulating the 27 CEW members who were recognised in the 2026 Australia Honours and Awards!
| Name | Citation | Award Level |
| Anita Rebecca MITCHELL | Service to town planning and urban development. | Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) |
| Carolyn Claire CRESWELL | Service to the food industry as an entrepreneur. | Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) |
| Leona Christine MURPHY | Service to business through governance roles. | Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) |
| Miriam Anne STIEL | Service to the law, and to the community. | Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) |
| Naomi Arlene SIMSON | Service to business as an entrepreneur, and to leadership. | Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) |
| Professor Annamarie Rustom JAGOSE | Service to tertiary education. | Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) |
| Air Vice-Marshal Margaret Mary STAIB AM (Mil) CSC (Retd) | Significant service to business, to the aviation sector, and to the freight and logistics industry. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Angela Silvana SCAFFIDI | Significant service to the community through philanthropic initiatives. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Deidre Ellen WILLMOTT | Significant service to business, and to the Parliament of Western Australia. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Dr Sarah Louise HILL | Significant service to public administration, to urban planning, and to public policy. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Gail Iris HAMBLY | Significant service to the media and communications sector, to the arts, and to the legal profession. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Janette KENDALL | Significant service to business, to the arts, to the marketing sector, and to the community. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Kylie WALKER | Significant service to scientific communication and advocacy. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Maile Katherine CARNEGIE | Significant service to corporate administration in senior executive roles, and to governance and advisory positions. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Mary REEMST | Significant service to the banking sector, and to social welfare organisations. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Maryjane CRABTREE | Significant service to the legal profession, to community health, and to sport. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Melanie Victoria Rose WILLIS | Significant service to the finance, banking, and insurance sectors. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Patricia Elizabeth AKOPIANTZ | Significant service to business and the environment through executive membership and governance roles. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Sonia PETERING | significant service to the law, and to the finance and business sectors. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Sylvia FALZON | Significant service to community health, to corporate governance, and to the museums and finance sectors. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Tanya Louise HOSCH | Significant service to the community through social policy, and as an advocate for diversity and inclusion. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Toni Anne DWYER | Significant service to business and commerce, and to tertiary education. | Member of the Order of Australia (AM) |
| Julie Elizabeth INMAN GRANT | Outstanding public service to the improvement of online safety for Australians. | Meritorious Awards Public Service Medal |
| Dr Michele Denise BRUNIGES | Distinguished service to public administration, to education policy and teaching practice, and to addressing educational disadvantage. | Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) |
| Professor Pascale Genevieve QUESTER | Distinguished service to tertiary education, to academic administration and leadership, to commerce, and as an author. | Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) |
| Professor Anne KELSO | Eminent service to health and medical research sciences and administration, to Australian influenza preparedness, and to gender equity. | The Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) |
| Scientia Professor Michelle Yvonne SIMMONS | Eminent service to quantum physics and nanotechnology research, to atomic-scale engineering, to technology innovation and commercialisation, and to STEM education. | The Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) |
While we’re delighted to see extraordinary women from across Australia, including many CEW members, recognised for their contributions, it’s disappointing that women comprised just 27% of this year’s 680 recipients, reflecting the significant gulf in nominations received by the Council.
This is a dramatic reversal from 2024, when honours were equally split between men and women, and underscores why sustained commitment to gender equality matters. Recognition doesn’t happen by accident. It requires intention, and these results show how quickly progress can slip when that intention falters.
About Chief Executive Women
Since 1985, Chief Executive Women (CEW) has influenced and engaged all levels of Australian business and government to remove the barriers to women's progression and ensure equal opportunity for prosperity. CEW's 1,400 members represent Australia's most senior and distinguished leaders across the country's largest private and public organisations, collectively overseeing over 1.3 million employees and $749 billion in revenue.