Organizers

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Westpac Group Gail began her banking career in 1980, and by 2001 Gail had held various senior management roles in a broad range of areas, including retail and commercial banking, strategy, marketing and human resources. Gail has spent the last eleven years as CEO of two Australian banks – St George Bank and Westpac.

Exclusively represented by Saxton Ita Buttrose AO OBE is a truly exceptional Australian: a legendary media editor, businesswoman, best-selling author, committed community and welfare contributor and 2013 Australian of the Year. Twice voted Australia’s most admired woman, Ita Buttrose was the youngest ever and an unprecedentedly successful Editor of The Australian Women’s Weekly.

Anna joined YWCA NSW as CEO in January 2014 following a long and distinguished political career. Anna was elected to the Parliament of Queensland in 1995, became the first female Premier of the State in 2007 and Australia’s first popularly elected female Premier when she won the 2009 Queensland State election in her own right.

Professor Fiona Wood is a plastic and reconstructive surgeon specialising in acute burn care and scar reconstruction. She is the Director of the Burn Service of Western Australia, Consultant at Royal Perth Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital in Perth, the Co-founder and Director of AVITA Medical and Co-founder and Chair of the McComb Foundation.

Julie Goodwin is the epitome of the busy Australian mum and the nation’s favourite home cook. In 2009, a record-breaking 4 million Australians tuned in to watch her become the first ever winner of ‘MasterChef’. Viewers loved her honesty, sense of humour and humble cooking style, and when her first cookbook, Our Family Table was published, she became one of Australia’s best-selling authors.

Carman’s founder Carolyn Creswell is an inspirational leader whose success proves that you can run a multinational business and still love what you do and have a genuine work-life balance. Carolyn has grown Carman’s to become the number one selling gourmet muesli brand on Australian supermarket shelves.

While training to become an Olympic aerial skier, Alisa Camplin completed a Bachelor of Information Technology degree and began her international career as a senior executive with IBM. Twenty years later, Camplin is a unique and contemporary leader, juggling a dynamic portfolio of sport, business and governance roles. Quickly ascending through the ranks in both sport and business, Camplin famously drew upon business fundamentals to meticulously plan and prepare an Olympic campaign like no other.

Di has more than 20 years local, national and international experience in the recruitment and consulting industry. A career highlight was leading the team that

Katrina is a company director, Chartered Financial Analyst and former investment manager with extensive experience in investing both in Australia and overseas, growing organisations and

Liz is a non-executive director in the not for profit and government sectors. She is the Pro Chancellor of the Board of Trustees of the

Rachael Bermingham is currently one the highest selling self-published female authors in Australia. Collectively she has sold over 6 million copies of her books around the globe and has written a new title every year for the last 9 years. One of co-written books ‘4 Ingredients’ is still the highest selling self-published title of the highest selling self-published title of the past decade within Australia.

Melissa is the Host of the Seven Network’s flagship current affairs program, Sunday Night. She is also an award-winning Journalist and Senior News Presenter with Seven News (Australia) and the weekend breakfast host for radio station Smooth FM. She also hosts the 6pm News each Friday and Saturday night for Seven News Sydney. In 2014, Melissa won the Australian Commercial Radio award (ACRA) for Best Newcomer (Metro).

Jane Hunt is the CEO of Adopt Change, a highly influential organisation advocating for change in adoption policy and practices in Australia. She is leading the development of the next stage of the organisation, including setting the strategic direction, developing the business model and establishing a centre of excellence in pre and post adoptive care. Jane is passionate about providing children the best start in life so that they can live rich and full lives.

Deborra-lee Furness is an internationally acclaimed actress as well as a passionate advocate for vulnerable and abandoned children. A graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York Deborra-lee has won many awards including Best Actress awards from the highly regarded Film Critics Circle of Australia, the Variety Award and Best Actress at Seattle International Film festival for the movie ‘Shame’.

Ben Johnson is a Principal Lawyer working in Coleman Greig’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution team. Ben has more than 18 years’ experience working as a lawyer in commercial disputes, strata and construction law.

For more than three decades, Lisa Wilkinson has blazed an unprecedented trail through the Australian media landscape, initially in publishing, then on radio and now in television and online. In every forum she has achieved extraordinary success and earned widespread respect. As co-host of the Nine Network’s Today Show for more than nine years, and August 2015 adding the role of Editor-At-Large of The Huffington Post Australia – Lisa Wilkinson is truly in a field of her own.

Lucy Hughes Turnbull AO is an urbanist, businesswoman and philanthropist with a longstanding interest in cities, and technological and social innovation. She chaired the Committee for Sydney from 2012 to 2015 and has been appointed Chief Commissioner of the new Greater Sydney Commission, tasked by the NSW state government to assist in delivering strong and effective strategic planning for the whole of metropolitan Sydney.

Father Chris Riley AM, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Youth Off The Streets, has worked with disadvantaged youth for more than 40 years in a variety of roles including teacher, youth worker, probation officer, residential carer, principal and CEO. As CEO of Youth Off The Streets, Father Chris oversees the operation of over 35 programs that employ over 200 staff and involve more than 400 volunteers.

Often referred to as ‘the gang buster’, Detective Superintendent Deborah Wallace, has delved into the dark underbelly of crime investigating and dismantling some of the State’s most feared gangs. Throughout a stellar career spanning more than 30 years with NSW Police, Deborah has faced murderers, drug manufacturers and extortionists – to name just a few.

Ruth Medd is a Certified Practising Accountant and former IT professional who has been pursuing a career as a non-executive director since 2000. She is immediate past chair of Australian Ethical Superannuation, a director on the National Foundation for Australian Women and a former director of the NSW Casino Control Authority and the Infants Home at Ashfield.