Councillor Cassandra Coleman describes herself as a polarising personality.
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"I have those who love me and those who don't love me," she laughed.
Both who know or know of Cassandra Coleman are aware she is a woman who will speak her mind and stand her ground, but she is also bubbly, social and self-assured.
"I acknowledge that I'm not everybody's cup of tea. I get that," she said.
"I think most importantly, you've got to be who you are. It's important to take on feedback and criticism and learn from that. Sometimes you have to be yourself and be comfortable in your own shoes."
As well as being a councillor, Cassandra has worked for Revenue NSW for almost two decades. Her love for the job shines through her voice as she talks about it.
One of the things she loves the most about her job is the flexibility and understanding of the demand her council duties require.
"They're very supportive of my role on council, I have the opportunity to take leave when I need to. So I utilise flexible working hours as much as possible," she said.
"I've actually been very, very lucky with my job because my job support my council and my management will surely support my role on council."
The Lithgow region runs deep in Cassandra's blood as a third generational resident, who has remained in the area for most of her life.
Cassandra's father was Noel Hawley, who has a memorial dedicated to him at the Rydal railway station.
Cassandra was raised by a single mother. It was during this time she began to understand the concept of struggle.
"I think we all face struggles. I mean, my mother was a single mother so I understood struggle. For some period of time, between her getting remarried, we were at struggle street there for a while, you know, every dollar would count," she said.
"Living from hand to mouth when you're a single mom, it's pretty tough."
Despite the struggles within her life, Cassandra has never been a person to let things get her down.
"I've had others have struggles as well, but I don't really dwell on it. Someone said to me the other day, you can either be bitter or better. I think that's something that I can really live by. I just focus on that," she said.
"I really love life at the moment. I think, you can learn from the past, but you need to be determined it's not going to be your future."
Cassandra's advice to women in the Lithgow region is about being authentic without apology.
"At the end of the day, you can only be who you can be. Do it with gusto and do it to the best of your ability," she said.
"Don't apologise for it. That's really important. Don't apologise for who you are, and who you want to be.
"I'm not the same person I was at 20 that I am at 49. It's because we learn and we adapt, but at the end of the day I am still who I am and I take pride in that."
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Reidun Berntsen
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
Reidun is a Journalist and writer who lives in a country town 3 hours from Sydney, Australia. From a young age, Reidun has been in love with words and the infinite possibilities they bring. Stories, features and poems have been a major part of her writing career.
