Nicolette Beard

Nicolette Beard was awarded the 2024 Young Western Australian of the Year for her impactful work co-founding We Are W/M. Along with Co-Founder Kate Raston, Nicolette is a strong advocate for gender equality and the prevention of sexual violence against women, is passionately championing for improved sex-education for young people, focusing on critical topics of healthy relationships, consent, and mental wellbeing. Her passion stems from reflecting on her own experiences growing up as a young woman, and the realisation that these struggles were not unique. Nicolette’s vision was to create safe spaces where young people could have open, honest conversations and have their questions answered freely to prepare them for these experiences. Recognising the gap between school curricula and the practical needs of young people, Nicolette and her team offer educational programs that tackle complex issues in approachable ways.

Having lived abroad in both Canada and the USA, Nicolette observed that issues like these are global, which sparked her desire to create change back in her home base of Perth, Australia. We Are W/M offers trauma-informed, age-appropriate, and inclusive programs that equip individuals with the tools and language to understand consent, build healthy relationships, and navigate online media. With sexual violence affecting one in five women in Australia before the age of 15, these programs address critical issues and empower people to protect themselves and others.

Nicolette has also been a sought-after speaker, presenting at numerous university events, the 2023 Global Entrepreneur Congress, the Australasian Sexual and Reproductive Health Conference in 2023, and delivering a powerful speech on gender-based violence after receiving her award earlier this year. In addition to their work with young people, Nicolette and her co-founder, Kate Raston, now offer their expertise to corporate environments, working to foster safer, more inclusive workplaces.

Nicolette uses her platform to encourage others to speak out, get involved in important discussions, and work towards fostering healthy, consensual relationships for all. While she is a dynamic solo speaker, Nicolette is most impactful when partnering with Kate Raston to share their stories and the evolving mission of We Are W/M.