Liz Courtney
2017 Hall of Fame Inductee
Unboxed Media Australia
- Director
About Me - My Biography
Liz Courtney is an international speaker, film director, educator and a senior marketing communications director who changed her stilettos for snow boots to travel the world to direct a series on climate change. In this process, she initiated several innovative digital media projects under her umbrella, Youth4Planet. To direct her series on climate change, The Tipping Points, she worked with leading scientists from NASA and IPCC. Liz has given keynote speeches in Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Australia.
Some of her films include Cool School Antarctica, which played on Nickelodeon, NHK Japan, Discovery Canada, CCTV China and NITV Australia; the Discovery HD series Monumental Vision; and Sculpture by the Sea for ABC Australia.
Liz has also helped take the first two indigenous youth to Antarctica and organised for the first indigenous girl from Western Australia to represent the country in the Arctic Youth Council in Greenland in 2015. Liz is a chair member for the Women’s Advisory Board in Australia for the LBW Trust, which supports girls and women in impoverished communities rise up through education. Some of her other philanthropic pursuits include being the general manager at Cartwright Williams Communications, the head of brand strategy at Evolve Group and more. She was awarded as one of the 100 Women Of Influence in Australia by the Australian Financial Review and Westpac in 2015 for her work on climate change education.
Her Story
Liz had a major career change in her early 40s, moving from brand strategy and marketing communications to factual programming. Over the last 10 years, she has made over 40 documentaries. She is passionate about sustainability and environmentalism, and driven by her desire to secure a better future for her children and future generations.
“We all have many tipping points scattered in our lives. That can sway the scales for which direction to go. The key distinction here is, when we have the opportunity, to take it. We don’t know when it’ll ever come back to us.”
Strategies for Success
- Believe in yourself and let your passion and vision bring people together to support you and to drive the business.
- If someone says you can’t do it, thank him or her; he or she has just given you permission to fire up the belly and be successful!
- Search to find your tribe and surround yourself with like-minded people who have the value set, as well as the skill, to make your vision successful.
- Remember the importance of gratitude and kindness every day of your life.
- Ensure you do something to stay fit, on your game and have a clear head to think about your business in a space that allows good objectivity.
P.S. Be sure to change your shoes regularly so you can experience and walk different roads of your life!
