What can you tell us about yourself? I am Renata, 45, a mum of two and an early childhood and English as a second language (ESL) teacher. I am originally from Croatia, a small country in Europe, but have been calling Australia my home for 16 years. I have been in Dubbo for only a year and a half after living in Sydney. I run Real Life Results Coaching, working with families locally and online. I also run a free women's group and playgroup@57 in South Dubbo.

Who/what was your inspiration growing up? I had a fantastic English language teacher in high school. Her lessons were incredibly engaging, and everyone knew that she was very demanding. I had to work incredibly hard to get good grades in her class but knew that I could always trust her to be fair. So, I ended up being a teacher of ESL myself, working with children and adults of all ages! Later, life would take me in all kinds of directions, but I always remembered how important it was to have teacher who has a great passion for the work – something I try to live every day.

What advice would you give your younger self? I would tell my younger self not to take life too seriously. Every challenge passes, no matter how big, and every small joy is something to hold onto and be grateful for. Be good to yourself and celebrate small wins.

Do you have any pets? Oh yes. I have two funny sausage dogs, Mikro and Cocoa, who bark our house down every time a neighbour sneezes. Mikro is a pretty chill guy, but Cocoa will show every new person that he’s the boss. If they could, they would spend a lifetime curled up on my lap.

What’s your favourite thing to cook? I used to enjoy cooking and trying out new recipes when I was younger and first started living with my husband. Twenty years later, I prefer to keep things simple. Don’t really have a favourite myself, but my girls would probably say I do a mean Spaghetti Carbonara.

What do you love about our region? I love, love, love the unobstructed views of the sky. And the sparrows. These little things are so easy to take for granted, but absolutely what you start missing in a big city.

Where do you love to visit? I love to visit friends in Sydney, family overseas. In Dubbo, I love to go to many different cafes – You Galah on my street, Patrick's, Press, You Cafe, Lotus, Mini&Me and many many more. Always happy to explore new cafes and their yummy menus!

What is your favourite thing to do in your spare time? Ride my bike, sing and dance, play cards or board games with my family, go for walks, eat out, have a Virgin Pina Colada.

What new skills would you like to master? I would love to learn to play the guitar someday, maybe learn Spanish properly... And finally do a handstand without the wall!

What’s the best way to start the day? With a nice avo smash, some eggs and a warm cup of tea, in a nice warm spot in the sun!

What’s the best single day on the calendar? Monday. Just because it gets so much hate, the poor thing. And quite a few songs written about it.

How different was your life one year ago? A year ago I was probably still doing small jobs around the house. At the time we were still very new in Dubbo so there was a lot of work that needed to be done on our new home and getting the children to settle in. I think I was probably also lining up at the post office to get my passport photos done in preparation for our trip to Croatia.

What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home? Australia has been my home for 16 years now, so I guess France is the farthest I’ve been.

What are you most likely to become famous for? For helping families have happier and easier experiences parenting young children. Or my Spaghetti Carbonara. One of those.

Who has impressed you most with what they have accomplished? My friend Cheryl, who lives at the Sunshine Coast. She has been running a successful business while being a wife and a mum and an overall amazing human being for years.

How do you relax after a hard day? I like to go for a workout at Dubbo Health Club or read something. Ok, ok, I also doomscroll through stand-up comedy shorts or funny videos of dogs. Who doesn’t like a good laugh after a hard day?

What pets did you have while you were growing up? I had a Pekinese dog called Toto and Rocky the budgie. Toto didn’t care for me much, but the budgie loved me to death, even though I liked to hold him in my hand and mess with him in all kinds of ways.

Where would you spend all your time if you could? I am exactly where I want to be already. As long as I can be with the people I love and do meaningful work, I’m good.

What is something you think everyone should do at least once in their lives? Everyone should do something that the world might think is really scary – bungee jump off a bridge, go sky diving... And then a bunch of “small” things in real life that only you find scary. I’ve walked on hot coals at an amazing event and this was nowhere near as scary as going back to driving after a decade-long phobia, starting a business and being on social media. Find your scary thing and beat it!