MacKillop Seasons leader recognised with prestigious AWE award

Godelieve Verkuyl, Manager of the Disaster Resilience team at MacKillop Seasons, has been recognised with an AWE (Australasian Women in Emergencies Network) Award in acknowledgement of her outstanding contribution to emergency management and disaster resilience.

For more than six years, Godelieve has led the delivery of major disaster resilience initiatives that have strengthened community preparedness, recovery, and long-term wellbeing. 

 

Through her leadership, dedicated teams have delivered three significant projects that have increased the capability of practitioners and communities to prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. 

 

Godelieve was awarded the AWE Community Resilience & Inclusion Award for a woman who has contributed to strengthening communities through resilience-building, inclusion, and locally led action.

Central to Godelieve's approach is a belief that resilience is built with communities, not for them. By fostering genuine partnerships and co-designing solutions with local people, she has championed community-led resilience, ensuring local knowledge, lived experience and community leadership remain at the forefront of disaster planning and recovery.

Chris Higgins, Director of The MacKillop Institute, says Godelieve’s work is grounded in respect for nature, connection to place and a commitment to learning from First Nations knowledge and perspectives. “Through this approach, Godelieve has helped create stronger, more connected communities that are better equipped to navigate future challenges.”
 

Chris adds, “a skilled and compassionate leader, Godelieve is equally committed to building the capacity of those around her. Through mentoring, coaching and encouragement, she has developed future leaders, strengthened professional capability and fostered a culture of collaboration, learning and continuous improvement.”
 

The Disaster Resilience team supports communities to increase readiness, adaptability and resilience to natural disasters, with fully funded, change, loss and grief evidence-based programs and resources. Mackillop Seasons received funding through the Australian Government's Disaster Ready Fund and from the NSW Government for the Stormbirds Disaster Readiness Initiative. 
 

The impact of their work extends far beyond individual projects. By training hundreds of professionals who, in turn, support thousands of community members, Godelieve and the team have helped create lasting systems and networks that strengthen resilience before, during and after emergencies.
 

This award acknowledges not only Godelieve's exceptional leadership and authenticity, but also her unwavering commitment to creating safer, stronger and more resilient communities.