Wild Women On Top is honoured to announce one of Australia’s most accomplished mountaineers, Cheryl Bart AO, as Coastrek Patron, and Jo Runciman as Chief Executive Officer, aligning a shared passion for adventure with Wild Women on Top's mission to coach, connect and champion women in the outdoors.
Wild Women on Top Founder, Di Westaway OAM, who has led the social purpose enterprise since its origins – first with the formation of her trailblazing women’s extreme adventure groups established in 2004, and then with the creation of Coastrek in 2009 - said she is thrilled to welcome these exceptional leaders to the business:
"We are so proud to welcome a world-class adventurer like Cheryl as our Coastrek Patron. I’ve always been inspired by her extraordinary mental toughness, determination, and continual pursuit of her goals both in the outdoors and in the boardroom. Cheryl is a force of nature.
Jo is an absolute dynamo and I have no doubt she's going to supercharge this business for the next generation of wild women looking for empowering connections with kindred spirits to lead adventurously healthy lives they love.”
MORE ABOUT CHERYL AND JO…
Cheryl Bart AO is the first Australian woman and one of only 73 people worldwide to complete the Explorer's Grand Slam – that is, scaling the highest mountain peak on each of the continents known as the ‘Seven Summits’, plus skiing unsupported to the North and South Pole. 
Additionally, Cheryl and her daughter Nikki are in the Guiness World Records as the first mother-daughter team to summit Mount Everest and the Seven Summits. 
“It’s an honour to be Coastrek Patron and continue to support an event that empowers women to take on a big challenge in the outdoors. When women support women, great things can be achieved, and I look forward to working with Di Westaway and Jo Runcimen and the dedicated Coastrek team.”
Cheryl has been associated with Coastrek since its beginnings in 2009 and has taken part in a number of the Sydney events. A mutual love of hiking and climbing has also seen her share adventures across the world with Coastrek Founder, Di Westaway OAM.
An experienced lawyer and company director, Cheryl Bart has sat on the boards of a diverse range of Australian organisations currently including Chairman Tilt Renewables , Chairman Endeavour Energy, and past Chairman TedxSydney, South Australian Film Corporation, Adelaide Film Festival and ANZ Trustees. She’s currently a non executive director on SG Fleet, Audio Pixels Holdings and previous NED on Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Football Federation Australia, Invictus Games, ME Bank and Spark Infrastructure.
In 2009, Cheryl was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia for service to the economy and cultural development in South Australia, work with welfare organisations and contribution to sport.
Jo Runciman has over two decades of executive leadership experience spanning media, publishing, conservation, and not-for-profit sectors, and has successfully led businesses through periods of growth, evolution, and disruption. 
She has held senior roles across respected organisations including Bauer Media, Australian Geographic, and Aussie Ark. A skilled communicator and values-driven leader, Jo has also served in key board positions, including Chair of the Australian Geographic Society. Known for a collaborative and forward-thinking leadership style, Jo is passionate about aligning purpose with performance:
“I have a passion for purpose-led businesses like Wild Women on Top and I can’t wait to build on the success already achieved and make a further impact on women’s health and wellbeing, while building on Coastrek's strong charity partnership with Beyond Blue and taking our events to new levels.”
As Australia’s iconic team hiking challenge, Coastrek has events in five locations around Australia on picturesque coastlines and hiking trails including Sydney, the Mornington Peninsula, the Sunshine Coast, the Fleurieu Peninsula and Margaret River.
Since the first event in 2009, Coastrek has inspired over 80,000 trekkers to get moving in nature and raised over $53 million for some of Australia’s most respected charities including the Fred Hollows Foundation, the Heart Foundation and Beyond Blue.
Wild Women On Top continues its mission to connect, coach and champion women in the outdoors, providing a valuable resource and hiking community for women seeking life-changing adventures.
