🌟 The Women Leading the Way: Change Makers Highlight: Stories That Inspire
We proudly celebrate two incredible women creating real change in our community.
Mandi Krpez, Founder of KPZ Finance, is empowering women to navigate the path to homeownership with confidence and clarity, offering compassionate mortgage solutions that support financial stability, independence, and long-term security.
Allison Ockenden, Founder of Today, Tomorrow & Always and From the Heart, is transforming grief and lived experience into purpose-driven support, creating meaningful keepsakes and safe spaces for parents of neurodivergent children to feel seen, heard, and honoured.
đź’ś Allison Ockenden
Empowering families through grief, neurodivergence, and healing
“Allison Ockenden creates meaningful keepsakes and community support that honour life’s rawest moments.”
✨ The Unfiltered Journey of Allison Ockenden: From Grief to Empowerment
Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs at you. One minute, you’re on track, ticking off boxes, doing what you’re “supposed” to do—work, family, play dates, pretending to love kale—and the next, everything changes.
đź“Ś My Story
I’m Allison Ockenden. I’m no superhero, just a woman. A mum. A grandmother. A business owner. A survivor. And, let’s be honest, someone who’s winged her way through more chaos than most.
From grief to grit — and everything in between.
🕊️ A Timeline of Transformation
Pregnant at 16
Married at 17
Baby number two by 18
Moved to NT at 20 with husband in the military
Baby number three premature while husband deployed in Iraq
Returned to NSW in 2011, divorced in 2012
Then came the curveball I never saw coming—but this time, it wore a Canadian accent and had the kindest soul. In 2013, after falling in love with a man I met online (yes, really), I decided to surprise him and flew to Canada to meet him in person.
“It was ridiculous, romantic, and completely unhinged—but it worked.”
Manny became my best friend, my partner, my future. Until he wasn’t.
đź’” Loss and Healing
In 2015, I rushed back to Canada and went straight from the plane to the ICU. I held his hand as he took his last breath. And just like that, the world stopped.
But I knew one thing:
I had to find a way to make it count.
🌸 Finding Purpose
Eighteen months later, something shifted. I had this fire in my gut that screamed:
“Get up. Do something. Make his life, and his death, mean something.”
I stumbled across the concept of breastmilk jewellery. That discovery lit a spark.
🪶 Today, Tomorrow & Always
On the 3rd anniversary of Manny’s passing, Today, Tomorrow & Always was born.
It wasn’t backed by a fancy business plan or a startup grant. It was created from heartbreak and healing.
“No one should be left without something to hold onto.”
đź’– Building a Legacy
Today, Today, Tomorrow & Always has become a space where grief, love, and memory coexist.
“I may not have had a business plan, but I had a reason — and that’s enough.”
🌿 Raw, Real, and Resilient
Life is not a curated Instagram feed. It’s been heartbreak, healing, three steps forward, two steps back, and a few meltdowns in Bunnings’ car park.
“Through it all, I’ve discovered what really matters — connection, community, and giving people the permission to grieve and grow without judgement.”
🌼 From the Heart
In 2024, I launched From the Heart for parents raising kids with big needs, neurodivergence, and mental health struggles.
It’s a space for honest support, where “zero judgement” is the baseline.
🌟 What I’ve Learned
Success is not about ticking boxes or chasing perfection.
“I’ve stopped chasing perfection and started chasing authenticity — and that’s where the real magic happens.”
🫶 A Final Reflection
You’re allowed to change. You’re allowed to rewrite your story. Even when life doesn’t go to plan, you can still create something beautiful from the chaos.
“So here’s to the real, the raw, the resilient.”
By Allison Ockenden
Director of Today, Tomorrow and Always
From The Heart Podcast — Talking Truths, Taboos and Triumphs
đź’™ Mandi Krpez
Mortgage and Finance Broker — Empowering women to achieve lasting financial independence
✨ From Paramedicine to Property Dreams: Mandi Krpez’s Real-Life Mission to Help Others Feel at Home
Life doesn’t always follow the path we imagined — but sometimes, it leads us somewhere even more meaningful.
đź©ş Redirection with Purpose
“When I had to let go of paramedicine, it broke me a little,” Mandi shares.
But she found a new way to help.
“Homeownership is a huge moment in people’s lives. I get to walk beside them, help them feel supported, and make it less overwhelming. That’s everything to me.”
🌸 A Life Built on Change and Resilience
Married to her husband who works in mining, Mandi’s family moved often, adapting again and again.
A turning point came with the birth of their daughter in Kalgoorlie, sparking deeper questions about stability, belonging, and the future.
🏡 The Birth of KPZ Finance
Their answer was a new beginning in Baldivis — and with it, KPZ Finance.
đź’ˇ Doing Finance Differently
What sets Mandi apart is empathy:
First home buyers who need clarity and kindness
Single parents who are dreaming big
Everyday Australians who want someone in their corner
“I know how scary the home loan process can be when it feels like the system isn’t built for you.”
đź“š Education, Empowerment, and Heart
Mandi is passionate about financial literacy, especially for women who feel left out of the finance conversation.
“Finance can be empowering. And when someone feels confident, they start making choices that change their life.”
❤️ Why She Does It
“Everything I do is for my family. My daughter gets to watch me build something, to see that it’s okay to pivot and still thrive. That means the world.”
“I may not wear a uniform anymore, but I still get to help people every day — and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”
By Mandi Krpez
Mortgage and Finance Broker
Empowering women to achieve lasting financial independence through personalised guidance, informed decisions, and financial confidence.
