Successful business founder, Bridget Sakr, will ask the Strathfield community to make her their representative in the NSW Parliament at the upcoming state by-election.
A working mother, Bridget spent years in the corporate sector and then was building up her finance business when a family tragedy reshaped her life and focus.
"I was going through the most unimaginable time in my life when this community wrapped its arms around me, opened its heart to me and came to my aid," Ms Sakr said.
"I would like to repay their love, kindness and generosity by fighting for to build a better community for every one of them."
"I will campaign for safer and less congested roads, educational opportunity, policies to improve home ownership in our community, and more accessible grief support, trauma and mental health care for the multicultural community that calls Strathfield home."
Premier Dominic Perrottet said Ms Sakr is a determined and successful businesswoman whose perspective and drive would be an asset to the parliament.
"Bridget is a strong-willed woman who has had success in business and is determined to make a difference for the Strathfield electorate," Mr Perrottet said.
"She is a resilient and extraordinary person with a genuine determination to give back to a community who supported her through her time of need.
"As a candidate, she embodies all of the values we want in our elected leaders, particularly her commitment to giving voice to those who struggle to be heard."
Ms Sakr said she will be a strong advocate for the Strathfield community and local businesses, to ensure that they get the services and infrastructure that is needed to recover and ultimately prosper.
"I grew a successful business from scratch, so I understand the challenges that small businesses are facing; and I will be a vocal advocate for support that local businesses need to help them recover."
"There are still people and businesses doing it tough, and they need a stable and experienced government that can deliver jobs and opportunities. By voting for me, the community will get a tenacious and passionate representative in the Perrottet Government working to build a better future for the community."
Ms Sakr has spent more than three decades working in the financial services sector, and is the co-founder of Granite Home Loans.
Ms Sakr has a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from University of Sydney and a Graduate Certificate in Humans Resource Management from UTS.
She is a former executive at Genworth Financial, former ambassador for The Risk Board, and was an executive consultant to the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia.
Ms Sakr founded heartFELT, an online grief support platform, following the death of her 11-year-old daughter Veronique in February 2020.
Together with Daniel and Leila Abdallah, whose three children were also killed in the Oatlands tragedy, she co-launched 'I 4Give Day'.
The annual event is designed to promote a national dialogue about the benefits of forgiveness.
