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Agenda

Day One | Wednesday | 12 March

7:50

Registration and Morning Refreshments 

8:30

Welcome to Country

8:40

Women Leaders Institute Welcome Address

8:50

Chairperson's Opening Address 

Dr Catherine Ball, PhD, Associate Professor, Author, Entrepreneur, Scientific Futurist, and Visioneer

 FUTURE READY LEADERSHIP – DRIVING INNOVATION IN STEMM 

9:00

Opening Keynote: A future-focused approach to drive systemic change

  • How is the government supporting women in STEMM careers as they transition from study into work?

  • Creating workforce cultures that support diverse experiences and lifepaths

  • Encouraging systemic change within STEMM sectors through long term scalable funding

Dr Janin Bredehoeft, Chief Executive Officer, SAGE

9:30

Panel: Agile leadership and decision making in STEMM   

  • Enhancing decisions making skills in fast-paced and competitive STEMM environments

  • Steps to managing competing priorities to maintain focus in leadership roles

  • Making data-driven decisions to create a supportive and inclusive culture

Shaun Jenkinson, Chief Executive Officer, ANSTO

Ruth Bishop, Director - Technology and Compliance, Aspen Medical

Dr Rebecca Casson, Chairperson, Building Industry Consultative Council, Independent Director, Infrastructure Victoria

William Cox, Chief Executive Officer, Aurecon

Megan Astle, Deputy Director, Health and Biosecurity Research, CSIRO

10:10

National Breast Cancer Foundation Presentation

10:40

Networking Activity: Get to know your fellow attendees!

11:00

Morning Tea  

ENGAGEMENT, RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT 

11:30

Golden Ticket 

11:35

Case Study: Empower, elevate, excel: Supporting women in IT

  • Developing the women in your business through mentoring and effective leadership programs

  • Attracting top female talent through forward-thinking policies and benefits

Gael McLennan, Chief Financial Officer, Australia and New Zealand, Microsoft

12:05

Panel: Career changes and transitions: The value of STEMM skills in leadership

  • Understanding the value of transferrable STEMM skills in leadership roles

  • Evaluating different pathways to grow and develop your career

  • When to implement a mentoring vs sponsorship program and why you should incorporate both

Alison Every, Director, STEM Careers, Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

Belinda Nation, Chief Architect, Optus IT

Michelle Batsas, Executive Director Government and Stakeholder Relations, Yarra Trams

Katrina Schwetz, Head of Retail and Supply Chain Management (ANZ), Enterprise Support, Amazon Web Services

12:45

Networking Lunch 

BUILDING YOUR LEADERSHIP TOOLKIT 

1:45

Trivia 

1:50

Leadership Lightning Talk: Redefining your leadership path in STEMM environments 

  • Leveraging career pivots as opportunities for growth and innovation

  • Strategies for redefining leadership styles to overcome traditional barriers in male-dominated sectors.

  • Recommendations from the top to elevate your leadership journey

Mary-Beth Hosking, Chief Executive Officer, Women 4 STEM

2:10

Introduction to the "How-To Leadership Toolkit" sessions

Join our "How-To Leadership Toolkit" sessions for two focused 30-minute sessions. Bring your questions and leave with actionable strategies as you'll work with seasoned leaders and peers to tackle key leadership challenges.


"How-To Leadership Toolkit" sessions


Personal Leadership:

  • How to negotiate your worth effectively to advance your career?

  • How to lead with purpose and vision to inspire and motivate others?

Vanessa Xavier, Head of Market Access, Sanofi


Team Leadership:

  • How to coach and mentor team members for development and growth?

Renate Vogt, Executive General Manager Regulation, CitiPower and Powercor

  • How to address sensitive issues in the workplace to create a supportive and inclusive workplace culture?

Claire Singleton, Director, BBD Consultancy

3:20

Afternoon Tea 

BREAKING BARRIERS AND EMPOWERING FUTURE LEADERS 

3:50

Panel: Practical advice for mentorship in STEMM 

  • The value of a supportive mentorship in fostering confidence and championing equity

  • Develop your own mentorship skills to support newer graduates and employees

  • Fostering a culture which supports and values mentorship to see lasting improvements

Dr Eva Balan-Vnuk, Government Chief Information Officer, Department of Treasury and Finance, South Australia; Founder and Company Secretary, HerTechPath

Jamila Hoare, Chief of Staff – Defence Delivery, BAE Systems Australia

Associate Professor Natalie Yang, Medical Director, Department of Radiology, Chair of the Senior Medical Staff Association, Austin Health

4:30

Chairperson’s Closing Address

Dr Catherine Ball, PhD, Associate Professor, Author, Entrepreneur, Scientific Futurist, and Visioneer

4:40

Networking Drinks and End of Summit Day One 

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