WiTWA 2024 Tech [+] Conference

Our unique offering to the WA community. Meet our role models, members, community and supporters in one place at our annual WiTWA Tech [+] Conference.

The highly anticipated WiTWA Tech [+] Conference for 2024 is just around the corner, so get ready to embark on a journey of inspiration!

Taking our cue from this year’s UN Women theme around investing in women to accelerate progress, this year’s WiTWA Tech [+] Conference is centered around three core themes —EARN, LEARN, and LEAD — focusing on how to collectively create better (and more!) opportunities for women in technology.

We’ll explore how to:

Earn competitively: Bridging the gender pay gap, advocating for fair compensation practices and accessing funding within the tech industry.
Learn inclusively: Empowering an under-represented workforce with the skills, knowledge, and resources needed to excel in tech careers.
Lead with confidence: Breaking through ceilings and amplifying diverse voices in tech leadership roles.

Get ready to be inspired by top-notch speakers, gain invaluable insights and hear the engaging discussions at the WiTWA Tech [+] Conference.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday, 7 November 2024
Time: 8:30am – 6:30pm
Venue: Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre – 21 Mounts Bay Road, Perth

EARN, LEAN & LEAD

We are thrilled to announce our fabulous line-up for this year’s WiTWA Tech [+] Conference – a carefully-curated group of people who will be leaning hard into our 2024 theme of creating opportunities to earn, learn & lead.

Also, for the first time in WiTWA Conference history, we’ll be escorted through the day by a professional emcee, the one and only Di Darmody. Di is a well-known and well-loved media personality and we look forward to having her energy and deft touch take us through a terrific selection of keynotes, hot seat dialogues, mini workshops & timely panel conversations.

Panel 1 - Investing in Diversity

Beyond fulfilling social responsibility and enhancing brand reputation, companies are increasingly recognising the tangible business benefits of promoting diversity and equality. These benefits include improved employee satisfaction and retention, a broader range of perspectives driving innovation, and better market competitiveness by appealing to diverse customer bases.

The discussion will highlight the role of legal and regulatory pressures, with many companies seeking to align with evolving standards and avoid potential legal risks associated with discrimination. Additionally, panelists could explore their company’s core values and mission that is leading to fostering a more inclusive corporate culture.

Panel 2 - Promoting Diversity in Learning Space

This panel will explore effective strategies and practices for promoting diversity and inclusion within educational environments. As learning spaces evolve to better reflect the diversity of the student body and broader society, educators, administrators, and policymakers face the challenge of implementing meaningful and sustainable practices.

Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to effectively promote and sustain diversity in educational settings, as well as a toolkit of strategies and resources to implement in their own contexts.

Di Darmody - MC, Conference Host, Interviewer, Facilitator and Presenter

For over 20 years, Di Darmody was a renowned and cherished voice on ABC Radio, starting in Newcastle and expanding across Perth and Western Australia. She hosted a range of popular programs and covered major sports events, establishing a strong presence statewide.

Now Di is one of Australia’s most in demand journalists, corporate conference hosts and event facilitators, which takes her all over Australia and around the world.

Rhys Paddick - Co Founder and Director, Acknowledge This!

Rhys is an expert in cultural desensitivity, how to explore and connect with Aboriginal peoples and cultures with courage, excitement and joy – as opposed to facilitating cultural change from the all to common place of shame, guilt and fear. Rhys specialises in moving people and businesses out of ticking boxes into a place of authenticity. A storyteller and artist, Rhys takes from his 15+ years of working with and for Aboriginal people and organisations, and has designed and delivered multiple workshops, trainings and keynotes all in an effort to connect fellow Australians to our common cultures.

Emma Gibbens - Co Founder and Director, Acknowledge This!

Emma activates leadership in change, one conversation at a time. She inspires people to take action and create inclusive change through the use of training, conversations and strategic campaigns. Emma’s energetic, playful and dynamic approach enables everyone to participate and belong, creating change that sticks. She believes transformative change occurs through iteration, by walking together on common ground in a shared direction. Emma has managed political and advocacy campaigns across the US and around the world for over 14 years, specialising in building grassroots movements.

Kay Solanki - WA Captain, Epic Angels

Kay Solanki is distinguished by her extensive experience in corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, governance, consulting, and executive development. Recognized as a go-to expert for performance improvement and change activation, she is a trusted parter to CEOs, executives, and business owners to sculpt their professional, business, and board trajectories, both in Australia and internationally.

Kay leads professional development experiences for executive and leadership teams, directs business improvement projects, and facilitates executive career transitions. Her strategic approach seamlessly combines with pragmatic execution to foster high-performance, inclusive environments.

A passionate advocate for professional women, Kay is committed to elevating female talent within entrepreneurship, leadership, angel investing, and boards. She actively shapes networks and business environments. to spotlight and advance diverse talent, driving significant change across industries & shaping new narratives.

Dr. Muneera Bano - Research Scientist & STEM Superstar, CSIRO

Dr Muneera Bano is currently working as a Senior Research Scientist and the Diversity, Inclusion, and Belongingness Officer at Australia’s national science agency CSIRO’s digital arm Data61. She leads pioneering efforts to integrate diversity and inclusion within the artificial intelligence sector. She graduated with a PhD in Software Engineering from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS).

A passionate advocate for STEM and diversity, Muneera’s impact has been widely recognised. She was honoured as the ‘2019 Most Influential Asian-Australian Under 40’ and named a ‘Superstar of STEM’ by Science and Technology Australia. She was a finalist in Women in Tech APAC 2024 APAC as Most Disruptive Woman and the 2024 Woman in AI APAC awards for her contributions to AI in Social Good.

Muneera’s advocacy for an inclusive tech environment continues to inspire and pave the way for future innovations in the industry. Her commitment to diversity and her research in AI not only advance the field but also ensure that the future of technology is inclusive and accessible to all.

Rutchi Kaushal - Founder, Inner Spice

Rutchi Kaushal left her long-term corporate career behind to carve her own journey and redefine the essence of holistic wellness.

As someone who has grown up with first-hand experience of using spices for cooking, healing and cultural practices, Rutchi now facilitates immersive wellness workshops and offers a complementing range of unique products and bespoke blends, to guide us on how to ‘spice up our lives’ by exploring the ancient art of spice and embracing culture.

Holistic health at an individual level is essential for creating a foundation of wellbeing that has a ripple effect across every aspect of our lives, from enhancing relationships at home and the workplace, to cultivating connection within society and beyond. Rutchi believes that food connects us globally, and through awareness and acknowledgement of the historical influences and traditional practices that spices possess, we can unite people and communities.

Michelle Cowan - Head of Women's Football - AFLW, West Coast Eagles & Motivational Speaker

Michelle has had over 18 years of coaching experience in the WAFL, AFL and AFLW, and has had a huge impact on the development of both the football world and the game itself. She was 21 when she became the first woman to coach professional AFL football when she was appointed assistant coach of the West Perth Football Club in the WAFL. Her role at West Perth resulted subsequently with three-years at The South-Fremantle Football Club as their resident midfield coach.

Michelle soon took on a dual role at Melbourne Football Club as the Senior Coach of their Women’s Team and Development Coach for the Men’s team before being appointed by The Fremantle Football Club to be the coach of their AFLW team from 2016 through to 2018.

In 2019, Michelle was appointed as Assistant Coach of the West Coast Eagles’ AFLW team and in 2021 was offered the opportunity to become Head of Operations & Player Wellbeing for the team. Michelle was awarded the AFL Football Woman of the Year in 2013. In 2014, she was announced as AFL DSR Coach of the Year.

Michelle’s extraordinary achievements are a tribute to her character. She has paved a path for footballers of the future and has set a precedent in the football world, evolving the game for good. Michelle is eager to share her story and seeks to instil her own determination and vigour in her audiences. A truly empowering speaker and personality.

Sheila Vijeyarasa - Keynote Speaker, Author and Executive and Transformation Coach

Sheila Vijeyarasa is the founder of coaching program The Brave WomanTM. As a high-performance coach, she helps business leaders to step into their full potential. She works with emerging leaders and senior managers, to clear their limiting beliefs and address common blocks including burnout, perfectionism, and imposter syndrome. After decades of leading and leadership training, she has an enormous tool kit of high-performance habits, confidence hacks and communication tips to deal with challenging staff and difficult conversations.

She is a cutting-edge leader in the movement towards courageous and conscious leadership. She holds an MBA (with Distinction) and has held multiple positions as a Finance and Commercial Director. She has trained with The Institute of Executive Coaching and Leadership and is a qualified NLP practitioner. Sheila’s internationally bestselling book, Brave: Courageously Live Your Truth has been described as a ‘comprehensive spiritual guidebook’ for the conscious corporate leader.

She recently appeared on the Channel 9, Australian television documentary series, Big Miracles, where she courageously shared her yearlong IVF journey with the Australian public. Sheila is passionate about teaching Brave Leadership and authentically living it too.

She has been featured in the media sharing her insights and strategies for an empowering and courageous successful life from Thrive Global, Sydney Morning Herald, Body + Soul, CEO World Magazine, New Idea, Women’s Agenda, CFO Australia, just to name a few. She has spoken on the main stage at the Mind Body Spirit Festival and appeared on Australian Television.

Dr Katherine Iscoe - Motivational Speaker on the impact of self-respect on the way women live, love and lead

Dr Katherine Iscoe is a female motivational speaker who challenges leaders to take bigger risks by letting go of imaginary judgement and criticism.

She is also a board member, a former tech CEO of a dually-listed public company, author, multiple scholarship winner, and summa cum laude graduate.

While she is proud of these achievements, she considers them perfect examples of the masks we all wear. Because the reality is these accomplishments hid 24-7 self-hate, a debilitating eating disorder, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts.

She discovered that as a high-achiever, external validation and praise, not inner motivation fuelled her pursuits. And as a people pleaser, she couldn’t be a true leader when her main goal was trying to be everyone’s best friend.

For these reasons she believes self-respect, more so than confidence, is the missing ingredient that truly helps leaders fear less and never settle for mediocre so they can do those scary things that truly propel careers forward, without worrying about looking ‘stupid’ if we fail or mess up.

Her keynotes share the Seven Non-Negotiables of Self-Respect – achievable, daily and ‘ick-free’ practices that help any leader drop their act so they can make a bigger impact within your organisation.

Alongside her professional escapades, Dr Katherine is a dog-obsessed, murder-documentary loving nerd, who uses sewing as therapy and shoes as her healthy addiction.