Ruby Riethmuller, listed among finalists connected to the Manly to Barrenjoey peninsula, has been named a finalist in the NSW Community Hero category at the 2026 NSW Women of the Year Awards.
Founder Of Womn-Kind
Ruby Riethmuller is the founder and CEO of Womn-Kind, a national social enterprise established in 2020 to expand access to preventative and low-intensity mental health support for young people. The organisation delivers wellbeing workshops in schools and provides digital support through the Womn-Kind App.
Raised on a farm in regional New South Wales, Riethmuller has focused on improving access to timely and inclusive mental health services, particularly for girls and gender-diverse youth. Her work centres on prevention and early intervention, with an emphasis on ensuring young people in regional, rural and remote communities can access comparable support to their metropolitan peers.
Womn-Kind describes its approach as strengths-based and largely preventative. The organisation delivers services both in-person and online, aiming to provide support in an accessible and relatable format.
Reach And Impact Of Womn-Kind
Womn-Kind reports it has supported more than 30,000 young people, with over 7,000 engaging with its services daily across Australia and in 37 countries.
The organisation combines allied health professionals with trained mentors who bring lived experience to its programs. It also operates a National Youth Leadership Panel designed to strengthen youth participation in mental health conversations and initiatives.
Womn-Kind states that a significant proportion of young females aged 12 to 24 experience mental health challenges, and that most mental illnesses develop before the age of 25. Its programs are positioned within this early intervention framework.
Additional Leadership Roles
In addition to leading Womn-Kind, Riethmuller serves as Deputy Commissioner (Lived Experience) at the Mental Health Commission of NSW. She is also a member of the NSW Rural Women’s Network Advisory Group.
She has been listed as a 2026 NSW Young Australian of the Year nominee and has previously been recognised as a finalist in the Commonwealth Youth Award and the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.
2026 NSW Women Of The Year Awards
Riethmuller is one of 31 women and girls announced as finalists in the 2026 NSW Women of the Year Awards, with the announcement made on 4 February 2026.
The NSW Community Hero category recognises an extraordinary woman who contributes to the prosperity of her local community.
Now in its 14th year, the awards program highlights women and girls across New South Wales who are making contributions through leadership, advocacy and service. Recipients across five categories will be revealed on Thursday 5 March at the International Convention Centre Sydney.
The ceremony forms part of NSW Women’s Week, running from Monday 2 March to Sunday 8 March, and will be livestreamed.
Published 12-Feb-2026
