TODAY, to mark International Women's Day 2019, we've put together a list of the most influential women in Gwent.

Melissa Anderson

South Wales Argus:

Founder of the Valleys Gymnastics Academy, which has grown from fewer than 100 members when it was founded in 2011 to almost 3,000 today. Ms Anderson, who is also an accredited sports coach, gives up more than 70 hours of her time every week to help get children, young people and adults involved in sport.

Kelli Aspland and Laura Griffin

South Wales Argus:

Cwmbran mums and founders of Solar Buddies, a mess-free way for children to apply sunscreen to themselves, which is being stocked by national chain JoJo Maman Bébé.

Kellie Beirne

South Wales Argus:

Deputy chief executive of Monmouthshire County Council and programme director for the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal. The £1.2 billion scheme is intended to generate £4 billion of private sector investment into the area, creasing 25,000 new jobs. In her role Ms Beirne is responsible for working with the 10 local authorities involved in the scheme to make sure projects are delivered.

Jayne Bryant

South Wales Argus:

The Labour AM for Newport West was elected to succeed Dame Rosemary Butler in 2016. She previously worked for Newport West MP Paul Flynn, who died last month, and also chairs the Assembly's Standards of Conduct Committee.

Dame Rosemary Butler

South Wales Argus:

Newport West AM from the foundation of the Welsh Assembly in 1999 until 2016, when she retired. She was also the Assembly's presiding officer from 2011 until her retirement. She was made a Dame in the 2014 New Year Honours for political and public services, particularly to women.

Carole-Anne Davies

South Wales Argus:

Chief executive of the Design Commission for Wales, an organsation set up by the Welsh Assembly to promote good design. Born in Brynmawr, she has worked in a variety of senior management roles with organisations including the Cardiff Bay Arts Trust and was a trustee of National Museum Wales and consultant to the Scottish Government.

Ceri Doyle

South Wales Argus:

Chief executive of Newport City Homes since September 2014, she previously worked at the Big Lottery Fund, including as interim chief executive, and in local government in Scotland. She also serves on the development board of National Museums Wales and is a board member at Victim Support Cymru.

Laura-Emily Dunn

South Wales Argus:

Founder and director of LED Media, a Newport-based digital marketing and social media company. In 2017 she was named as one of 30 influential individuals from across Wales who will help to make the country better over the next 30 years by the Institute of Welsh Affairs.

Nicole Garnon

South Wales Argus:

Editor of the South Wales Argus. She first began working at the Argus as a trainee in 1987 before leaving to spend a short time with the Western Mail. Nicole returned in 1989 to be the paper’s health reporter, a role she held for several years before moving on to the newsdesk as deputy news editor. Nicole was then promoted to assistant editor and then deputy editor before stepping into the editor's chair in October 2016.

Becky James

South Wales Argus:

Cyclist from Abergavenny, who won two silver medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics. She started her career at the Abergavenny Road Club and represented Wales at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, where she won a silver and a bronze medal, and in 2013 was the world sprint and keirin champion. She retired in August 2017 to set up a baking business.

Delyth Jewell

South Wales Argus:

Newly-appointed Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales East. She was appointed last month following the death of Steffan Lewis in January, and previously worked for Citizens Advice and the charity ActionAid on issues relating to women’s rights and international development. Ms Jewell is also Plaid Cymru’s shadow minister for international affairs and culture.

Ann Lloyd CBE

South Wales Argus:

Chairwoman of the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. She served a number of senior health service management roles, including as director general for health and social care in the Welsh Government, overseeing the entire Welsh NHS. She was appointed as the health board's chairwoman in 2017. She was awarded a CBE in 2007

Denise Lovering

South Wales Argus:

Chairwoman of the Caerphilly Business Forum. Having worked in business throughout south east Wales for the past 25 years, Ms Lovering was appointed chairwoman of the forum in 2014. She is active in working with schools and colleges to educate young people on the real-world skills employers need.

Professor Julie Lydon OBE

South Wales Argus:

Vice-chancellor of the University of South Wales. In 2014 she was awarded an OBE for services to higher education in Wales in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Janet Martin

South Wales Argus:

Founder and owner of Barnabas Arts House in Pill. She also recently converted a derelict Grade II-listed toilet block in Alexandra Road into a theatre - named The Phyllis Maud Performance Space, named after Mrs Martin's aunt.

Liz Maher OBE

South Wales Argus:

Director of Newport-based Centurion VAT Specialists. She was previously president of the South Wales Chamber of Commerce and was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list for services to diversity and economic development.

Mica Moore

South Wales Argus:

Member of the British women's Olympic bobsleigh team, from Newport. She started her sporting career as a sprinter and competed at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, before taking up bobsleigh in 2016. She competed in the two-women bobsleigh event at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, finishing eighth - the best-ever result for a British women's team in the event.

Jessica Morden

South Wales Argus:

The Labour MP was first elected for Newport East in 2005 - the first woman to be elected as an MP in south-east Wales. She successfully defended her seat in three subsequent General Elections. Former general secretary of Welsh Labour, she was key in organising a number of the campaigns in the 1997 General Election.

Aine Morris

South Wales Argus:

Chief executive of the highly-successful Abergavenny Food Festival, which was founded in 1999 and has won a range of national awards. Ms Morris was previously festival director for the popular Bristol Food Connections and spent four years working in Italy. She has also been active in getting young people involved in cooking.

Heather Myers

South Wales Argus:

Director of the South Wales Chamber of Commerce and former chief executive of the Abergavenny Food Festival. She also previously worked at Torfaen County Borough Council and played a key role in a number of major regeneration projects, including in conservation in Blaenavon.

Judith Paget

South Wales Argus:

Chief executive of the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. Having worked in the NHS since 1980, she joined the board in 2009 and was appointed chief executive in 2014. In 2012 she was awarded a companionship of the Institute of Health Service Managers, and in 2014 sge wib tge Institute of Directors – Director in Public Service Award for Wales.

Hayley Parsons OBE

South Wales Argus:

Founder of price comparison website GoCompare. Born and raised in Cwmbran, she worked for Admiral Group, where she also helped launched price comparison site confused.com, before leaving in 2016 to create GoCompare. She is a key figure in the BeTheSpark movement, which promotes entrepeurship in Wales, Ms Parsons, and in 2012 received an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list for services to the economy.

Emma Saysell MBE

South Wales Argus:

Chief executive of St David's Hospice Care. She joined the charity in 1994 as a clinical nurse specialist, and was appointed chief executive in 2004. From Chepstow, she was awarded an MBE for services to voluntary sector health provision in Newport in 2014.

Laura Tenison MBE

South Wales Argus:

Founder and owner of national children's clothing and maternity wear chain JoJo Maman Bébé, which is based in Newport. The company was founded as mail order catalogue in 1993 and has gone from strength-to-strength, with stores across the UK and in the USA. Ms Tenison has also worked with charities bringing healthcare, education and clean water, as well as clothes, to communities in Mozambique and Lebanon. In 2003 she was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours List for services to business.

Alison Ward CBE

South Wales Argus:

Chief executive of Torfaen County Borough Council. Starting her career as a solicitor, she later worked for Neath Port Talbot Council, before moving to Torfaen Council in 2002. She was made chief executive two years later. Ms Ward has also mentored young women in public sector management positions. In 2011 she was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours list for services to local government.

Debbie Wilcox

South Wales Argus:

A former school teacher who was first elected as Labour AM for the Gaer on Newport City Council in 2004. She was made the council's leader in May 2016, and later leader of the Welsh Local Government Association. She is the first woman to serve in either of these roles.

Rachel Williams

South Wales Argus:

Mrs Williams survived being shot at point blank range by her estranged husband at a Newport hair salon in 2011, and has gone on to campaign for more support for victims of domestic violence and abusive relationships. Last year she released a book, The Devil at Home, on her experiences.