Inspired Leadership

Amplifying the voices of leaders from Western Australia

Inspiring stories. Powerful leadership insights.

In this free online event, you’ll celebrate the winner of the WA Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership and engage with an insightful panel discussion focusing on allyship in the workplace. We’re amplifying the voices of leaders in Western Australia, but people from all over Australia can benefit from the lessons and insights.

Featuring

Winner of the WA Award for Excellence in Women's Leadership

Asha Bhat OAM (She/Her)

Chief Executive Officer, Southern Aboriginal Corporation

The WA Award for Excellence in Women’s Leadership

Asha’s transformative journey from India to Australia in 2004 has been marked by an unwavering commitment to social justice and human rights. Since her arrival, she has exhibited a tireless work ethic, profound dedication, and genuine compassion. As the driving force behind the Southern Aboriginal Corporation, Asha mirrors the organisation’s mission to bridge the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Drawing inspiration from her upbringing in India, where she witnessed pervasive social disadvantages, Asha has channelled her passion into creating a fairer world through the Corporation. Her advocacy for diversity and inclusion is not just a principle; it is a daily pursuit of change.

For the past 15 years, Asha has called Albany home, where she passionately advocates for women in rural areas. Recognizing her outstanding contributions, Asha was honoured with the Order of Australia Medal in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours for her service to WA’s Indigenous community. Her impact transcends accolades, as demonstrated by her induction into the 2023 WA Women’s Hall of Fame—a testament to Asha’s enduring legacy in championing positive societal transformations.

Panel Discussion

Allyship in the Workplace: Building Collaborative Networks for Impact

Allies play an important role in advancing inclusion in our workplaces and communities by supporting people or groups who are underrepresented, marginalised, or experiencing discrimination. As leaders, engaging allies and collaborating with other supporters is key to increasing our impact. Our diverse panel will share their real-world experiences of allyship in action: what it looks like, what the challenges are, and what can be achieved. We’ll explore practical tips for being a better ally, how we can work with allies to advance change, and how we can all take small actions every day to drive lasting change.

Panellists

Darren Klemm AFSM

Commissioner, Department of Fire and Emergency Services WA

Commissioner Darren Klemm has more than 27 years of experience in fire and emergency services, having served three years with the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service before joining the WA Fire Brigades Board in 1993. Originally posted to Perth Fire Station, Commissioner Klemm served as a firefighter at various metropolitan fire stations. Promoted to Assistant Commissioner in 2012, he successfully delivered and implemented a number of high-level strategic reforms, including delivering key aspects of the DFES response to the Report of the Perth Hills Bushfire, as well as significant structural and cultural reform in the training and professional development of DFES personnel and volunteers. Commissioner Klemm is a member of a number of national committees concerned with emergency management in Australia and holds a Graduate Certificate in Management from the Australian Institute of Management.

Elizabeth Lang (She/Her)

Chief Executive Officer and Principal Consultant, Diversity Focus

Elizabeth Lang is an impactful, dynamic, and visionary leader, currently serving as the Founding CEO of Diversity Focus. This research and training consultancy is dedicated to fostering inclusive workplace cultures, with a focus on racial and gender equity. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science, a Master of Human Rights and is currently completing a doctorate at Curtin University. Beyond academia, she provides advisory services and contributes to several boards, including Chair of the Perth African Nations Sports Association (PANSA) Inc., member of the Hospitality Disability Network WA (HDNWA), member of the Refugee Council of Australia, and panellist of the Refugee Advisory Panel (RAP) for the Australian government Department of Home Affairs. Elizabeth was named in the 2021 Global 100 Under 40 Most Influential People of African Descent. She’s received prestigious awards, including the 2023 Business Migrant Award and the 2024 Telstra Best of Business Award for Accelerating Women.

Tom Monks (He/Him)

Legal Practitioner, Tom & Co Legal; Chairperson of the Board, Avivo; Board Chair, DADDA Ltd

Tom is the legal practitioner director of Tom & Co Legal and is currently the Chair of DADAA, deputy chair of Technology for Ageing and Disability WA (TADWA), and on the board of the Metropolitan Cemeteries Board, Avivo and St Gerard’s Catholic Primary School. In 2023, Tom was nominated for the Lawyer of the Year Award by The Law Society of Western Australia and successfully won the title.

Ishara Sahama (She/They)

Human Geographer; Co-Founder, Echo Impact Group

Ishara is a Human Geographer who focuses on systemic change through social and gender justice advocacy, and community organizing. Their work and passions range from experience design, organizational & systems change that incorporates lived experience & intersectional experiences, and co-designing more equitable community spaces. Ishara’s day-job is as co-founder of Echo Impact Group (EIG). EIG is a multidisciplinary strategy agency that focuses on providing holistic, systems-level impact measurement, strategy design, and community development services that enable long-lasting, measurable change. Conversely, Ishara volunteers in the humanitarian sector work as Chair/’National Director’ of Refugees Welcome Australia (RWA); a decentralized, grassroots, and volunteer-run organization that provides community-led housing for refugees & asylum seekers, and greater capacity & community building across multiple regions. Ishara is committed to collaborating with others to create a more sustainable & regenerative future and does so through their multifaceted understanding of how intersectional barriers develop across or within communities, and how it can impact people, environment, and systems.