10th First Nations Women in Leadership Summit

Explore skills and strategies to harness your unique strengths and leadership style, build resilience to thrive and overcome challenging circumstances, drive change in your organisation and create an action plan for your career success.

Build your personal brand and leadership identity 

- Use your values as a harness for effective leadership 

- Identify your key strengths and leverage your unique leadership style

- Trust your instinct and access your intuition 

Develop emotional agility and overcome criticism 

- Build resilience to thrive in challenging circumstances

- Understand and overcome workplace bias and negative cultures

- View criticism as a stepping stone, not a brick wall

Drive change and innovation as an Indigenous leader 

- Recognise and overcome hurdles to effective change

- Identify your influencing style and how to apply it 

- Inspire others and bring them on the journey 

Plan for your success

- Build skills for self-promotion and accelerated career progression 

- Own your accomplishments and communicate your value

- Achieve improved leadership performance with a personal action plan 

Join Liquid Learning for this kick-off session as we prepare for two days of incredible speakers, senior leaders, expert deep dives, and unmissable panel discussions.

This session will explore the power of disruption as a means to reshape leadership and institutional paradigms. Through real-world case studies and stories Laura will reflect on new strategies that focus on individual empowerment rather than educating the majority.

- Unveil the transformative potential of diplomatic disruption

- Analyse the power dynamics of your team

- Cultivate collaboration and alliances

As women our unique backgrounds and heritage stories play an important role, and can be the catalyst to drive impactful change and enrich our work environment. Hear from Fran who explores how diversity can empower us to become better leaders, inspiring and uplifting the ones around us.

- Encourage a culture of continuous learning

- Foster inclusive leadership for collective strength

- Empower individuals cultivating a sense of belonging

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments

As a leader, it can be a challenge to recognise and call out problematic behaviour, especially if it's a peer or a systemic organisational issue. This session explores strategies that will help you tackle the issues, and empower you to foster healthier, more effective leadership practices that benefit both individuals and teams.

- Deepen your understandings about coercive control

- Cultivate resilience and assertiveness 

- Explore strategies to build you support network

It is important to recognise that the path to impactful leadership is profoundly connected with the social and emotional well-being of our communities. In this session we will deepen our understandings of intergenerational trauma and how by developing SEWB tools we can strive to cultivate a space of healing, resilience, and inspiration.

- Raise awareness for mental health

- Recognise the impact of it at an individual level

- Develop Social and Emotional Well-Being (SEWB) tools

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

Join us for this panel to bring awareness and facilitate a comprehensive exploration of how to successfully navigate the process of transitioning from one community to another. Within this transition lies a spectrum of challenges, but also numerous opportunities for personal and collective growth. We will hear from outstanding women leaders from different communities sharing their own experiences, insights and learnings.

 In a world marked by increasing interconnectivity and the complexities of modern challenges the impact of collective work cannot be overstated. Hear from Jen's own experiences and real case stories about her remarkable achievements for the private and public sector. We explore the transformative potential of aligning your actions with your passion and the positive impact it has on your community.

- The power finding your purpose as a leader

- Cultivating a sense of community

- Overcoming obstacles and seizing them as opportunities

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders. Enjoy a light refreshment before finishing day one.

To advance First Nations women into new roles you have to take the first step, but what does that look like? In this session, Madeline will share her unique story on how she got to where she is today, working with her organisation to develop support structures and create opportunities for women entering into new areas of work at UGL.

- Exposing job opportunities for young women

- Taking meaningful action towards equity

- Creating sustainable pathways

Take the time to reflect on your learnings from the day and how you can achieve your personal goals!

Join us for our end of day one networking. Get to know your peers further, build ongoing relationships, and share your highlights of the day.

Welcome back for Day Two - there's a lot to digest from our amazing speakers and action modules so far!

Recap the key learnings and takeaways from Day One, and prep an action plan to maximise your event experience over our jam-packed second day!

Developing a RAP is crucial for formalising your organisation's commitment to reconciliation, but turning intentions into action requires implementation and continuous improvement. In this session, Di a proud Wiradjuri woman shares her passion for advancing reconciliation and promoting cultural awareness and respect.

- Importance of authentic engagement

- Creating an inclusive workplace

- Where your organisation can best have impact and influence

Australia is a rich country in diversity and history but it is our unconscious bias that often hinder the path to real inclusion and empowerment. Join Suzanne as she shares her experiences and key learnings creating equitable and inclusive spaces where everyone can thrive and contribute to their fullest potential. 

- Overcoming unconscious gender and racial bias

- Explore the concept of intersectionality and its impacts

- Learn to confront stereotypes

Mix and mingle with your fellow leaders over a cup of coffee and light refreshments

Join us for this insightful session as we uncover the transformative potential of reconciliation from the ground up, with First Nations women at the helm. Mel will reflect on the journey and progress made towards reconciliation but with an individual focus, emphasising the impact of personal commitment and expanding the vision beyond reconciliation.

- Reflect in your own understanding of reconciliation

- Highlight the ripple effect of personal commitment

- Explore what is next beyond reconciliation

This session will explore the profound impact that mentorship has on the leadership journeys of First Nations women, unravelling the dynamics of guidance, empowerment and knowledge transfer. Join Belinda as she shares her own experiences and learning throughout her unique leadership journey.

- Maximise your transferable skills and knowledge

- The importance of empowerment and role models for the next generations

- Breaking down barriers and stereotypes

Enjoy a midday lunch break. A time to refresh, refuel, and prepare for a full afternoon of immersive learning and inspiration.

A safe and culturally responsive workplace environment acknowledges, respects, and accommodates difference. This panel invites esteemed leaders to discuss this critical topic, and share powerful tools to address and navigate issues of lateral violence. Join us as we explore the importance of building spaces where every voice is heard, respected, and valued.

- Tackling lateral violence and microaggressions

- Creating cultural competency

- Understanding social and emotional wellbeing 

A quick break to refresh and continue building your network with fellow leaders. Enjoy a light refreshment before finishing day one.

Individuals are inspired by the actions and examples of the ones who came before them. In this session you will hear from Sharna, who will explore the dynamic between leadership and visibility. The positive impact of sharing our stories, the challenges and the accomplishments in order to to shape the aspirations, determination, and pathways of individuals alike.

- Discover the positive impact of storytelling

- Question and challenge the status quo to advance further

- Learn to build strategies and programs that support diversity 

We wrap up our inspirational and jam packed two days with this interactive action planning session. This is your chance to table any topic or trend for a final group discussion. Reflecting on the inspiring stories that have been shared, discussing your key learnings with your peers, and creating your action plan for moving forward.

- Reflect on your key learnings from the Summit

- Identify opportunities for career progression and growth

- Create an action plan for your leadership journey

Maintaining culture to unlock your leadership potential

- Understanding your country and culture in contemporary Australia

- Balancing the commitments of community, career and character

- The importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander female leaders to community

Individual strengths and areas for growth

- Examining your leadership traits and how to apply them

- Understanding where your strengths fit within your community or organisation

- Recognising growth areas and how to reinforce your skills

The importance of authentic leadership and being true to yourself

- The role authenticity plays in effectively leading a team

- Advocating for yourself and developing your leadership identity

Understand and align your cultural and corporate responsibilities

- Be present in all aspects of your life

- Confidently incorporate your personal journey

- Remain genuine to your true self

When cultures clash and how this can impact you

- Juggling corporate and traditional cultures

- Understanding how your communication styles impact your life

- The art of mindfulness

Develop effective tools to communicate your values

- Understanding your personal and professional needs

- Effectively present your values and negotiate your needs with your organisation

- Handling difficult conversations with staff or community members

The importance of resilience and confidence for leaders

- Strategies on how to work with people who have differing values to yourself

- Dealing with disappointment and setbacks throughout your career

- Identifying stress triggers and how to avoid them

Embracing and mastering your emotions

- Understanding the role emotions play in leadership

- Recognising when to lead with emotion and when not to

- Considering the impact of decisions on others