Working with Words, Leading with Purpose: Sharon Johnston’s Story

Some careers move in straight lines. Others curve, pause, detour—and land exactly where they’re meant to.

For Sharon Johnston, Manager of Public Relations and Communications at Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal Pty Ltd (DBCT P/L, also known locally as Daly Bay), the journey has been winding, human, and deeply shaped by life beyond the job title. It’s also a story that reflects the quiet strength of women working behind the scenes in regional, male-dominated industries—shaping culture, connection, and community in ways that don’t always make the headlines.

“I believe my job at Daly Bay is the job I’m meant to do,” Sharon says simply. And after 14 years in the role, it’s a statement grounded in lived experience.

Sharon’s career didn’t begin with a neat five-year plan. She started university studying law and economics, only to quickly realise it wasn’t for her.

“Working with numbers is not my strong point,” she laughs. “But working with words was.”

A shift into journalism opened something up. Work experience at a local newspaper sparked a love for storytelling, communication, and people—and eventually led her into public relations and communications just as the profession was finding its feet.

Like many women, Sharon’s early career was shaped by motherhood, redundancy, and the reality of trying to stay visible in systems not designed with women’s lives in mind. She returned to university with a baby in tow and found herself gradually building a reputation in government communications.

Then came a turning point. Personal loss, family health challenges, and shifting workplace structures forced a reckoning.

“I made the decision that I did not want to remain in a job that I didn’t like,” she says.

So, she applied for a role that didn’t even list the organisation’s name—one that turned out to be at Daly Bay, From the moment she walked out of the interview, she knew.

“I wanted the job so badly.”

Working in communications within the resources sector means navigating assumptions—about value, credibility, and what “real work” looks like.

“I work in the space that’s often seen as the fluff,” Sharon says. “Getting people to take me seriously and understand that I know what I’m talking about.”

Her career has also included confronting moments no woman should have to endure—sexism, harassment, and being asked to minimise harm to protect men’s careers. Experiences that stay with you, even as things slowly improve.

But Sharon has learned to anchor herself in what she does best.

“I’m an intelligent woman,” she says. “My superpower is predicting things and seeing patterns.”

Rather than forcing herself into a mould, she leads with her strengths—building relationships, trusting intuition, and drawing on deep community insight. She also credits strong leadership and allyship within DBCT P/L, particularly the importance of being supported without being undermined.

“It is possible to support without mansplaining,” she says. “And that matters.”

What keeps Sharon grounded—and deeply fulfilled—is the community-facing side of her work.

“It’s the community work that I get to do, the difference that I get to make in the community, helping people, navigating the sponsorship space—it’s just amazing and so rewarding.”

Through partnerships, sponsorships, and storytelling, Sharon helps connect DBCT P/L with the people and organisations that make regional communities thrive. It’s work that sits at the intersection of strategy and heart—and it’s where her sense of joy lives.

“There are so many worthy causes out there,” she says. “And when we get it right, you can really feel the impact.”

As part of this JSP storytelling series, Sharon is passionate about why women’s stories—particularly regional women’s stories—matter.

“Everybody has the right to see themselves reflected in a story,” she says. “And that’s something regional women miss out on a lot.”

Too often, she believes, regional women are treated as side characters rather than protagonists of their own lives.

“When you see yourself reflected back, it makes you feel less alone.”

It’s a belief that aligns deeply with The Just Saying Project’s mission—and with DBCT P/L’s commitment as a strategic partner of the JSP Women’s Awards, celebrating the women who contribute quietly, powerfully, and persistently to their communities.

Right now, Sharon’s focus is on sustainability—of health, happiness, and a role she genuinely loves.

“I’ve got no desire to leave this job,” she says. “I’m really happy.”

Outside of work, her daily ritual is simple: walking with a friend, talking things through, lowering stress, staying connected. A reminder that strength doesn’t have to be loud to be real.

And if there’s one message, she hopes other women take from her story, it’s this:

“Don’t undersell yourself. You can achieve things. You just need the right people around you. Life isn’t a solo event. Life is a tribal event.”