A significant contribution to the profession, a commitment to developing others and 18 years of leadership within strata have been recognised, with Emily Doherty named the recipient of the SCA (NSW) Greg Haywood President’s Award at the 2026 SCA (NSW) CHU Strata Community Awards for Excellence.
Presented by SCA (NSW) Board Member and friend Liza Pereira, the award recognised Emily’s outstanding service to SCA (NSW), her contribution to the development of the strata profession and the impact her leadership has had on people throughout the industry.
The Greg Haywood President’s Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution through their achievements, development and overall leadership within the strata industry in NSW.
For Emily, that contribution has been almost two decades in the making.
From Strata Assistant to industry leader
Emily began her strata career 18 years ago as a Strata Assistant.
Through dedication, determination and a commitment to the profession, she progressed to Strata Manager before moving through a series of senior leadership positions. Today, she leads one of Australia’s largest and most respected strata businesses, Bright & Duggan.
While her professional journey is impressive, Emily’s contribution to strata extends well beyond the success of her own organisation.
For many years, she has generously contributed her time and expertise to SCA (NSW), including serving as a Board Director from 2019 to 2024, as Vice President of SCA (NSW), as Chair of the Professional Strata Managers Committee, and through her involvement with the Risk and Finance Committee.
During COVID-19, Emily also became a familiar face to many SCA (NSW) members through our weekly webinars, helping members navigate an unprecedented period of uncertainty and change for the industry.
A commitment to developing others
Throughout her career, Emily has placed a strong emphasis on education, mentorship and creating opportunities for others.
She has shared her experience with professionals across the country through conferences, principals’ retreats and industry events, while advocating for stronger professional standards, governance, risk management and ethical conduct.
She has also been a passionate supporter of women in strata and of developing the next generation of female leaders within the profession.
That influence is perhaps best demonstrated by the people who have worked alongside her.
As one colleague reflected:
She is a natural leader, not because of her title, but because of the way she makes people feel. She has an extraordinary ability to bring out the best in others, to build confidence, create opportunities and help people see potential in themselves that they didn’t know they had.
Strata is about people
At the heart of Emily’s approach to leadership is a simple philosophy: strata is about people.
While many see buildings, Emily sees communities.
While others focus on properties, Emily focuses on relationships.
It is an approach that has shaped not only her own career, but the teams, colleagues and industry professionals she has supported along the way.
Her ability to bring people together, help others succeed and contribute to leaving the profession stronger than she found it reflects the leadership and service the Greg Haywood President’s Award seeks to recognise.
SCA (NSW) congratulates Emily Doherty on receiving the 2026 Greg Haywood President’s Award and thanks her for her outstanding and ongoing contribution to SCA (NSW), our members and the wider NSW strata community.
