Sonja Mapleston

Background

About Sonja Mapleston

I am a highly motivated educator, partnerships consultant and social researcher (diversity & inclusion), combining significant experience and practice in building sustainable partnerships for social impact. A Rotary Peace Fellow (2010-11), I graduated in International Relations and Journalism and spent over a decade working in the community arts and international development space, cultivating strategic partnerships, philanthropy and fundraising for a range of not-for-profits both in Australia and abroad (UNICEF Australia and the International AIDS Society), before transitioning to teaching and research. In my role as a Sessional Academic in the Creative Industries at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT), I guest lectured and taught regular classes to first and third-year undergraduates, as well as held workshops around creative enterprise and entrepreneurship, social enterprise and design thinking. I am also a part-time PhD Candidate with the Centre for Social Impact (CSI), at Swinburne University of Technology. My PhD research focuses on women’s leadership experiences in the Australian social enterprise sector, exploring questions around gender, diversity and designing workplaces for the future. Originally from Northern Australia, I have lived in Hong Kong, Finland, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands, developing a global mindset and deep interest in cultures and food. I am passionate about facilitating social change and believe positive and lasting change starts from within, by supporting people’s inner wellbeing through mindfulness practices, to boost their capacity for innovation and collaboration. In my spare time, I teach yoga and run leadership events and women's circles in Brisbane and on the Sunshine Coast. You can find out more about my work at: sonjamapleston.com. I'm always curious to explore anything related to gender equality, women's empowerment, social impact, social enterprise, sustainability, philanthropy, peacebuilding, yoga and wellbeing - please feel free to reach out to connect with me.