Julia Gillard (she/her) Founder & Chair of GIWL Julia Gillard was the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and the first woman to hold the position. She is the Founder & Chair of The Global Institute for Women’s Leadership.
	Chanel Contos (she/her) Conference Convenor & Chair of the GIWL Youth Committee Chanel started the “Teach Us Consent” movement in Australia, which inspired an ongoing national conversation around sexual assault and the lack of education on consent and sex in schools. As a result, consent education is now mandatory in all Australian schools from Kindergarten until year 10. Chanel was the 2021 recipient of the Australian Human Rights Award Young People’s Medal and her humanitarian work has been internationally recognised.
	Michelle Ryan (she/her) Director of GIWL Michelle is a world-renowned gender equality expert, Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology, and the inaugural Director of GIWL. Her work centres on understanding the psychological processes underlying workplace gender inequality, and designing and implementing innovative and evidence-based interventions to increase gender equality. With Alex Haslam, she uncovered the phenomenon of the glass cliff, whereby women (and members of other minority groups) are more likely to be placed in leadership positions that are risky or precarious. This research was named by the New York Times as one of the top 100 ideas that shaped 2008, and in 2016 the term “the glass cliff” was shortlisted as Word of the Year by the Oxford English Dictionary.

Stay tuned for the full program to be announced, but confirmed speakers and facilitators include...

June Oscar AO (she/her)

June is a proud Bunuba woman from the remote town of Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia’s Kimberley region. She is a strong advocate for Indigenous Australian languages, social justice, women’s issues, and has worked tirelessly to reduce Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorde. She is the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner and the co-patron of WOW – Women of the World Australia.

Alex Fisher (she/her)

Alex is a postdoctoral research fellow at GIWL ANU and studies how gender role expectations affect women’s personal and professional lives. Alex’s research focuses on social identity in close relationships, exploring the experiences of individuals and groups whose identities or relationships defy social norms, as well as the societal and interpersonal backlash that can occur as a result.

Brooke Franklin-Paddock (she/her)

Brooke is dedicated to exploring the psychology of the manosphere, an online community known for its misogynistic and anti-feminist viewpoints that can be harmful to both men and women. Through her research, Brooke aims to empower young individuals to resist harmful ideologies and help foster a safer online environment. 

Ligia Carolina Oliveira-Silva (she/her)

Ligia’s research focuses on why women have difficulties entering, remaining and ascending in their careers, mainly in STEM fields, as well as the factors that contribute to the economic empowerment of women and the reduction of gender inequities. One of her biggest concerns is to make knowledge from academia accessible to all people and organizations.

Natalie Barr (she/her)

Natalie is the Chief Operations Officer at GIWL ANU and brings a diverse range of experience to the role, having worked as a political adviser to the Hon. Julia Gillard AC from 2007 to 2010, as a Senior Policy Analyst at the HC Coombs Policy Forum at the ANU and as an Executive within the Australian Public Service for over a decade. Natalie has extensive experience in strategic policy development, project management, communications and stakeholder engagement.

Betty Barkha (she/her)

Betty’s research is focused on examining the gendered impacts of climate change induced mobilities in the Pacific, and has been involved with various development organisations in Asia and the Pacific region since 2009.  She is currently on the board of directors for the CIVICUS alliance and is also an advisor to FRIDA Young Feminist Fund and the Global Resilience Fund for Women and Girls.

Sarah Furman (she/her)

Sarah is a Research Assistant at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership. She has a strong interest in climate-related research and initiatives and has conducted research into the role of women’s leadership in creating a gender responsive circular economy.

Matt & Sarah Brown (he/him), (she/her)

Taimalelagi Mataio Faafetai (Matt) Brown, is a New Zealand born Samoan author who works to eradicate domestic violence by supporting those who perpetrate violence, to heal. For over a decade Matt has hosted free men’s anti-violence support groups from locations like barbershops, construction sites, gang pads, prisons and in indigenous spaces. He has facilitated multiple programs inside men’s and youth prisons and was named a Corrections NZ patron in 2020. 

A New Zealand Māori (Ngāpuhi/Te Rarawa) wāhine, Sarah is a writer and producer who is passionate about the mandate of ‘creating violence free communities’. Together the couple co-founded the She Is Not Your Rehab movement. 

Since 2018, they have partnered with the NZ Ministry of Social Development as ambassadors for their ‘It’s not OK Campaign’ and were funded to develop and launch an app; InnerBoy to promote accessible healing for indigenous men.

Jack Hayes (he/him)

Jack’s research expertise includes LGBTI+ representation in Australian politics at a local, state and federal level, democratic and electoral health, and good governance in public service. Jack is also a PhD candidate in International, Political and Strategic Studies at the Coral Bell School for Asia Pacific Affairs, researching LGBTI+ experience in international diplomacy.

Ashleigh Streeter-Jones (she/her)

Ashleigh Streeter-Jones is a passionate change maker who has worked in youth advocacy and campaigns since she was a teenager. Her work focuses on closing societal gaps – particularly those faced by women and young people from traditionally marginalised backgrounds – she works within the community, provides advice to senior leaders to combat systemic inequality and create a more equal world. In 2020, Ashleigh launched Raise Our Voice Australia (ROVA), a social enterprise to boost the presence of young female and non-binary voices in politics, domestic policy and foreign policy.

Courtney Fewquandie (she/her)

Courtney is the General Manager First Nations Football for Football Australia, the Indigenous and Social Engagement Manager for Bushrangers Basketball and sits on the First Nations Australian and Māori Cultural Advisory Panel for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.