EM RUSCIANO
Former SBS Newsreader, Television & Radio Presenter, Journalist
Comedian; Writer; Singer; Radio, Television, and Podcast Presenter

ANTOINETTE LATTOUF
Gold Medallist Paralympian
Host, Columnist, Author 'How to Lose Friends and Influence White People'; Co-founder, Media Diversity Australia

COURTNEY
UGLE
Premier of Queensland
VFLW Player, Essendon Football Club

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MAGDALENA SIMONIS AM MBBS FRACGP DRANZCOG MHHS
Board Director, Author and Youth Advocate
President, The Australian Federation of Medical Women; Federal Council GP Representative, Australian Medical Association; Board Director, Mentor Leadership Program Women in Digital Health

THE HON. NATALIE HUTCHINS MP
Human Rights Activist; Entrepreneur; Inspirational Speaker; Philanthropist; Mentor
Minister for Women; Minister for Education; Member for Sydenham

LYDIA TESEMA
Prime Minister of Australia, 2010-2013
Radio Presenter; Podcaster; Host; Programs Facilitator; Community Leader

DR SARAH HANIEH
Premier of Queensland
Founder and Director, The Tech-Balance Institute; Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne

TEGAN MILLER
Premier of Queensland
First Peoples Engagement Lead, CitiPower, Powercor Australia, and United Energy

DR BE PANNELL
Human Rights Activist; Entrepreneur; Inspirational Speaker; Philanthropist; Mentor
Course Leader, MBA and Coaching, Australian College of Applied Professions

JONATHAN WENIG
Human Rights Activist; Entrepreneur; Inspirational Speaker; Philanthropist; Mentor
Founder, All Things Equal; Partner, Arnold Bloch Leibler

09:00 - 09:05
WELCOME TO COUNTRY
09:05 - 09:30
Welcome & Opening Comments
DR JANET SMITH
Program Specialist and Lead Facilitator, Women & Leadership Australia

09:30 - 09:40
Welcome Address
KAREN TAYLOR GAICD
Chief Executive Officer, Women & Leadership Australia

09:40 - 10:10
Opening Address

THE HON. NATALIE HUTCHINS MP
Minister for Women; Minister for Education; Member for Sydenham
The Hon. Natalie Hutchins MP is the Member for Sydenham, and the Minister for Education and Minister for Women. As Minister for Education, she oversees Victoria’s Education State reforms and is responsible for the provision of education to more than a million Victorian students. This portfolio includes government investment in school infrastructure and programs. As Minister for Women, she has overseen the implementation of the states first Gender Equality Strategy and ensured women have an equal voice in everything the government does. The Minister has always been a fierce advocate for gender equality, for workers’ rights and for justice for Aboriginal Victorians. She was elected to the Parliament in 2010 and has represented the seat of Sydenham since 2014. She has previously served as the Minister for Local Government, Aboriginal Affairs, Industrial Relations, Prevention of Family Violence, Women, Corrections, Youth Justice, Crime Prevention and Victims Support.
10:10 - 10:40
Keynote Address

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR MAGDALENA SIMONIS AM MBBS FRACGP DRANZCOG MHHS
President, The Australian Federation of Medical Women; Federal Council GP Representative, Australian Medical Association; Board Director, Mentor Leadership Program Women in Digital Health
Associate Professor Magdalena Simonis is a general practitioner, government health advisor, board director, educator and researcher with the University of Melbourne Safer Families Centre of Research Excellence, and a leading women's health expert. At the onset of COVID-19, Magdalena was appointed to the National COVID-19 Taskforce women’s health expert advisory group, providing key updates to the profession and community whilst highlighting the needs of ethnically diverse groups. She is the elected Australian Medical Association Federal Council Representative for General Practice (AMA CGP) and received the AMA(Vic) Patrick Pritzwald-Steggman Award which celebrates a doctor who has made an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their colleagues and the community. She is also the President of the Australian Federation of Medical Women (AFMW), which is a vehicle for advocacy in health equity and through which she mentors, leads and coaches the next generation of medical women. In 2023, Magdalena was appointed a Member of the Order (AM) for significant service to medicine through a range of roles, and to women's health.

11:10 - 12:45
PANEL DISCUSSION
Cracking the Code: Innovation for a Gender Equal Future
Building upon UN Women Australia’s theme for International Women’s Day, our panel will look at innovative ideas, technology, and accessibility in the modern age. How can creative ideas and use of technology reduce equality barriers and forge more diverse, inclusive, and accessible workplaces? What can leaders do to foster these types of environments? Our expert panel will share their experiences and stories of technology and innovation and give advice on incorporating these ideas into your own workplace to help shape an equal future for our world.
Panel Members

LYDIA TESEMA
Radio Presenter; Podcaster; Host; Programs Facilitator; Community Leader
Lydia Tesema is a Melbourne-born, Ethiopian Conversationalist, Multidisciplinary Creative, Community Leader and Founder of Below The Surface. Dedicated to carving out a unique and versatile career as Global Presenter, Host, MC, Panel Moderator, Program Facilitator, Cultural Consultant, Mentor and Event Curator, Lydia is deeply committed to community development and making sense of the world using connection, authentic conversation and diverse forms of creative expression. Co-host of the Voices of Australia podcast, Lydia joins Anthea Hancock (CEO of Scanlon Foundation Research Institute) in the exploration of what a socially cohesive society in Australia looks like from diverse perspectives. In August 2022, Lydia was positioned by global brand, Converse, to interview world-famous Tyler, The Creator in what has become a popular YouTube Converse Tyler Talks. Committed to being an example of someone who is courageous enough to build a dynamic career around their genuine interests, Lydia is a force to be reckoned with and never held back by standards or expectations

DR SARAH HANIEH
Founder and Director, The Tech-Balance Institute; Senior Research Fellow, University of Melbourne
Dr Sarah Hanieh started her career as a paediatrician and has over 20 years of experience in clinical, research and policy work, at a global level. She has worked in many countries with organisations such as Medicins Sans Frontiers and WHO (World Health Organization). She is also the founder of The Tech-Balance Institute, an organisation dedicated to promoting a healthy technology balance for children and fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills in young minds. Sarah is dedicated to empowering women from underrepresented backgrounds to chart their own course, regardless of external expectations. She also is a runner-up in the semi-finals of the World Championships of Public Speaking, an alumna of the Homeward Bound expedition to Antarctica, (a leadership, strategic, and science initiative that aims to empower women in STEMM) and was awarded a Strategic Grant for Outstanding Women from the University of Melbourne.

TEGAN MILLER
First Peoples Engagement Lead, CitiPower, Powercor Australia, and United Energy
Tegan Miller is a proud Wiradjuri woman, living in Naarm on Bunurong, Boon Wurrung Country. She started her career in Communications, helping local communities across Australia through bushfires and the pandemic. Now she’s turned her passion for ensuring communities can thrive into transitioning the energy sector, to reconcile its history and work in partnership with First Peoples. She currently works at CitiPower, Powercor and United Energy to build mutually beneficial partnerships with Traditional Owners and First Peoples. Assisting the business on their reconciliation journey and building cultural safety, whilst improving social procurement opportunities for Aboriginal businesses and improving energy equity. She worked previously as an Aboriginal Energy Project Officer with the Victorian Governments Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action, on the Traditional Owner Renewable Energy Program (TOREP) and established the First Peoples Adoption of Renewable Energy Program.

DR BE PANNELL
Course Leader, MBA and Coaching, Australian College of Applied Professions
Dr Be Pannell is a leadership expert and academic who combines business experience in senior management with a deep understanding of psychology and neurobiology to facilitate the thinking required of future leaders. Be provides coaching and leadership development programs in Corporate, Government and Academic sectors. With expertise in senior management, academia, coaching psychology and applied neuroscience, she brings over 20 years of experience working with thousands of people in the field of adult leadership development.

JONATHAN WENIG
Founder, All Things Equal; Partner, Arnold Bloch Leibler
Jonathan is a partner of leading Australian commercial law firm, Arnold Bloch Leibler. His legal expertise spans the breadth of commercial and corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate work, technology and financing. In 2021, Jonathan launched the All Things Equal café, which provides employment opportunities for people with disabilities (and offers some of the best coffee in Melbourne!). Jonathan is also on the Board of Giant Steps Melbourne, a specialist school for children with autism, and is a Board member of Allplay Sports, a venture established between the Australian Football League and Deakin University’s Child Study Centre to promote the inclusion of children with special needs in sport. Jonathan is also the current Chair of ASX-listed Probiotec Limited and a member of the advisory board of Pacific Group of Companies.

12:45 - 13:30
Lunch
13:30 - 14:00
Keynote Address

COURTNEY UGLE
VFLW Player, Essendon Football Club
Courtney Ugle is a star footballer for Essendon’s VFLW team who has played an instrumental role in developing the club’s Women’s football program. Capable of playing in multiple positions, she played a key part in the club’s rise from wooden-spooners in 2018 to Grand Finalists in 2021 and is currently the team’s vice-captain. A Noongar woman and a Deadly & Proud advocate, off the field, she works for Djirra delivering their Early Intervention and Prevention program for family and domestic violence to Aboriginal girls all over Victoria. Having lost both her parents at a young age in tragic circumstances, Courtney is a passionate campaigner against domestic violence and speaks regularly about football’s influence in helping her overcome the adversities she has faced in life.

15:20 - 15:40
Afternoon Tea

16:50 - 17:00
Closing Comments
DR JANET SMITH
Program Specialist and Lead Facilitator, Women & Leadership Australia
KAREN TAYLOR GAICD
Chief Executive Officer, Women & Leadership Australia

MELBOURNE
Friday 4th August 2023
Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, Naarm
25 Collins St, Melbourne, VIC, 3000
If you need assistance with your purchase, please email us at events@wla.edu.au


10:45 - 11:10
Morning Tea
15:40 - 16:10
Keynote Address

ANTOINETTE LATTOUF
Host, Columnist, Author 'How to Lose Friends and Influence White People'; Co-founder, Media Diversity Australia
Antoinette Lattouf is a media personality, TEDx speaker, diversity advocate, author, mental health ambassador and mum. The multi-award-winning journalist is the co-founder of Media Diversity Australia — a not for profit organisation working towards increasing cultural and linguistic diversity in the media. She has worked in television, online, radio, and is currently a host of the daily news podcast ’The Briefing’. She’s a Sydney Morning Herald columnist and has been a guest commenter on Q&A, The Drum, Sky News, The Project, Studio10, SBS’s Insight and The Feed. Antoinette’s first book ‘How to Lose Friends and Influence White People’ was published by Penguin in May 2022. In 2019, Antoinette was named among AFR’s 100 Women of Influence. In 2021 she was awarded a Women’s Agenda Leadership Award and B&T Women in Media’s Champion of Change. Antoinette is also an Ambassador for parent’s mental health organisation Gidget Foundation.
16:10 - 16:50
Keynote Address

EM RUSCIANO
Comedian; Writer; Singer; Radio, Television, and Podcast Presenter
Em Rusciano is one of the most talented entertainers in Australia. She is a comedian, singer, writer, storyteller, and broadcaster. She hosts the Spotify exclusive Emsolation podcast and is a regular panellist on Network Ten’s The Project. Em has amassed a large and very dedicated social media following through her unique and authentic content. With her finger in every piece of the performing pie, Em is one of Australia’s most well-rounded performers and has co-hosted breakfast radio, sold out the Sydney Opera House with her live comedy shows, released chart-topping songs, books, and audiobooks, and most importantly, wielded a Bedazzling gun like no one else on Earth. Em is an engaging and unique keynote speaker; she recently addressed the prestigious National Press Club of Australia on the subject of ADHD and her son’s autism. She has been widely praised for the speech and the effect it’s had on helping to remove the stigma around neuro-divergence.
08:30 - 09:00
REGISTRATION

14:00 - 15:00
DEVELOPMENT SESSION
Women’s Economic Security – in partnership with the Australian Gender Equality Council

Increasing women’s economic security is an urgent societal and personal priority, as the data reveals that Australian women are persistently and overwhelmingly less economically secure than men. Australian women continue to lag behind men in terms of employment security, income and superannuation balance. This development session will examine the current data on Australian women’s economic security and highlight ways that intersectionality further multiplies discrimination and disadvantage for women.