ASWA Founder and CEO
Angela Derks is the Founder CEO of the Australasian Sustainable Wellness Academy (ASWA) and the course author/owner of the Nationally Recognised 11047NAT Diploma of Wellness Leadership qualification for workplace wellbeing professionals.
Originally from Papua New Guinea, she moved to Australia when she was 12 and graduated with University Degrees in Naturopathy, Marketing, Real Estate Development and an MBA (as well as a plethora of health and therapy Diplomas including Counselling, Massage, Asian Bioenergetics and Beauty Therapy). At the age of 28, Angela designed, developed and operated one of Australia’s first integrated health, wellness and spa facilities. Angela has lead strategic growth initiatives and training programs in award-winning companies such as Six Senses Spas, Soneva Resorts, Ritz-Carlton, Madinat Jumeirah, Palazzo Versace, Kempinksi, Westin, Qantas First Lounges, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat and Aurora Spa.
Angela launched ASWA with the mission of bringing wellness within reach of individuals and organisations to enhance the way we live and work. With her team, Angela works with various organisations, from private enterprise in industries such as finance, logistics, legal, safety, health, wellness, lifestyle, education, manufacturing, hospitality and tourism, to wildlife conservation, not-for-profits and government departments such as industry skills councils and associations, delivering specific intelligence at board level. Angela also shares her wellness and business expertise in her volunteer roles with the Queensland Government’s Mentoring for Growth Program, Spa and Wellness Association of Africa (Board Advisor) and Soroptimist International Gold Coast (Special Projects Advisor).
As a business owner and mother of two young children with an ageing parent that lives with her, Angela knows personally the challenges of attaining individual wellness and balance in today’s working world – vital concepts for individuals and organisations to understand and embrace, in order to thrive.
My mission is to help others achieve their personal and professional goals without compromising their mental health and wellbeing in the process,” says Angela.
Angela’s trailblazing passion for wellness in a business context has seen her receive multiple awards and nominations including:
- 2020 Silver International Stevie® Awards Winner for Women in Business – Covid Corporate Response
- 2020 Finalist for South East Queensland’s VET Training Awards
- 2019 Gold Asia-Pacific Stevie® Awards Winner for The Most Innovative Business Service
- 2019 Finalist for Queensland’s Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award
In her spare time, you’ll find Angela reading, doing yoga or pilates class, enjoying a nutritious organic meal with fun-loving friends and family, or planning her next wellness adventure.
“Wellness is a day-to-day choice, an active process of increasing self-awareness, complemented by the supportive actions of one’s workplace, home and community environments. What I’m truly passionate about is seeing others thriving at their personal and professional best. ASWA provides an avenue for people to realise their potential; to live their best life with clarity, vitality and harmony, underpinned by a true sense of purpose and passion,” says Angela.
Angela believes that she can achieve her purpose of empowering others to attain optimum wellness, by providing organisations with advice, solutions and training programs that not only demystify the concept of wellness, but inspires participants to live, breathe, cultivate and lead the integration of wellness into lives and workplaces.
