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Agenda

Day One | Wednesday, 20th August

8:30

Registration and Morning Refreshments

9:00

Welcome to Country

9:10

Welcome Address from the Women Leaders Institute

9:15

Chairperson’s Opening Address

Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Accelerate change and bring along a male ally from your organisation to attend the morning block of sessions (up until morning tea). Send across the details of your ally to info@womenleadersinstitute.com at least 6 weeks before the event.*

Fostering Fair, Inclusive & Respectful Workplaces

9:30

CEO Panel: Driving an Industry Cultural Shift for a Fair, Inclusive, and Respectful Workplace

What concrete actions are leaders taking to create workplaces that attract, retain, and advance women?
What are the key organisational commitments to gender equity, and how are they being measured?
How are organisations embedding inclusivity into leadership, ensuring workplaces are agile, collaborative, and equitable?

Moderator: Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Anne Jolic, Chief Executive Officer, Development Victoria

Romilly Madew, Chief Executive Officer, Engineers Australia

Mark McManamny, Chief Executive – Australia New Zealand, AECOM

10:10

Interactive Session: Rising Together through Allyship

Strategies for leaders and allies to navigate resistance while keeping gender equity on the agenda: How to engage and influence colleagues who are hesitant to change
Unpacking the role of allies in driving culture change: How to actively support and advocate for women and promote gender inclusivity

Greg Rafferty, Social Inclusion Manager - Infrastructure & Major Projects, John Holland; NAWIC Victoria 2024 Industry Ally Award Winner

10:50

Sharing Your Commitment to Change

What’s one action you will take to drive meaningful change in your workplace?
How can we hold ourselves and each other accountable for these commitments?

11:00

Networking Activity: Get to know your fellow attendees

Connect with at least three attendees to exchange successful strategies or solutions for driving cultural changes in their organisation.

11:15

Morning Tea

Leadership Innovation & Career Progression

11:45

Why Retention Is the Key

Why inclusive, culturally safe workplaces help women stay and thrive
How women who stay become visible role models—boosting future recruitment
Driving long-term diversity across construction, engineering, and infrastructure by focusing on retention

Clea Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Tradeswomen Australia Foundation

12:05

Case Study: CPB Contractors' All-Women TBM Crew for the Suburban Rail Loop Tunnels

Explore CPB Contractors' groundbreaking project and the challenges faced by an all-women Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) crew, and how this initiative is transforming leadership in infrastructure projects.

Isolde Piet, Construction Manager – Tunnels | Suburban Connect, CPB Contractors

12:35

Lessons in Leadership: The Journey from Technical Expert to Senior Leader

Transitioning from a technical or operational role into senior leadership requires more than expertise—it takes strategic thinking, business acumen and the ability to influence change. In this panel, senior women leaders will share their career journeys, key learnings, and practical advice on navigating leadership pathways in construction, engineering and infrastructure.

Moderator: Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Sue Brown, Executive Group Director Sustainability and Corporate Affairs | Executive Sponsor, Women of Worley, Worley

Liz Westgarth, Managing Director, Hassell

Teeshal Bal, Head of Metro Tunnel Transition Office, Metro Trains Melbourne

1:15

Conversation Starter: What’s one leadership barrier you’ve faced or observed for women in the industry, and what strategies have worked to overcome it?

1:30

Networking Lunch

Leading Through Change & Driving Industry Innovation

2:20

Interactive Mini Workshop: Navigating Difficult Conversations as a Leader

Discover ways to assertively communicate your needs, navigate resistance, and establish boundaries in team environments
Learn how to raise difficult topics like gender bias, promotions, pay equity and transparency, and performance challenges with confidence

Kelly Maslin, Senior Vice President, Growth and Sales – Asia Pacific and Middle East, Jacobs

3:00

Introduction to Role Play Scenarios

Delegates are given crisis scenarios (e.g. financial collapse, supply chain disruptions, safety incidents) to lead a simulated team response, with moderated real-time feedback. Delegates can participate in two sessions of their choosing, and each session will run for 30-minutes.

3:05

Role Play Scenarios

Scenario 1: Building Psychological Safety and Empowering Teams to Speak Up

A junior team member has privately raised concerns about a colleague’s toxic behaviour, but they fear speaking up due to potential backlash. At the same time, you’ve noticed a culture of silence, where workers hesitate to report safety issues, voice challenges, or provide feedback.

Michelle Nation, General Manager Health, Safety, Environment & Quality, Seymour Whyte

Scenario 2: Mediating a Conflict between Key Stakeholders

A significant conflict arises between two senior stakeholders, where one is advocating for aggressive project timelines, and the other insists on stringent safety protocols, resulting in a standstill.

Allyson Woodford, GM Engineering and Planning, APA Group

Scenario 3: Leading through a Major Budget Cut

A sudden budget cut threatens the completion of a high-profile project; you must adjust the scope and resources while maintaining team morale and stakeholder confidence.

Sandra Nilsen, General Manager of Design and Engineering, BESIX Watpac

Scenario 4: Leading through a Project Crisis

The primary contractor on a critical infrastructure project unexpectedly goes bankrupt, causing delays and leaving the project at risk of failure, requiring you to rally the team and manage the fallout.

Jessica Qiu, Major Project Executive, WSP; Chief Judge - NSW - Engineering Excellence Award, Engineers Australia

4:05

Afternoon Tea

Building Strategic Influence

4:25

Keynote: Unlocking Leadership Influence for Career Advancement

Overcoming career barriers: How to navigate common obstacles like gender bias and lack of mentorship, and fast-track your progression into senior leadership roles
Building Leadership Influence: Discover how to strategically enhance your leadership presence, gain visibility, and influence key decisions within your organisation
Industry Impact: Understand how to contribute to building a diverse leadership pipeline and foster opportunities for the next generation of women leaders

5:00

Networking Drinks and End of Summit Day One

Day Two | Thursday, 21st August

8:30

Registration and Morning Refreshments

9:00

Welcome Address from the Women Leader’s Institute

9:05

Chairperson’s Opening Address

Drawing from NAWIC's “Not So Little Things Affecting Women in Construction report”, microaggressions—though seemingly small—have a macro impact on women’s retention, job satisfaction, promotion, and representation in the construction industry, underscoring the urgent need for cultural change and organisational action.

Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Intersectionality In Action - Addressing Micoagressions To Build A More Inclusive Industry

9:25

Keynote: A Framework on Intersectionality

Explore the foundations of intersectionality and how it differs from traditional diversity approaches. Gain a clearer understanding of how overlapping identities create multiple experiences of exclusion and why applying an intersectional lens is key to building fair, inclusive, and respectful workplaces.

9:55

Panel: Addressing Microaggressions and Intersectionality to Create Safe, Inclusive Workplaces

How microaggressions disproportionately affect women of colour, CALD communities, LGBTIQ+ individuals, and other marginalised groups in the industry
How can leaders, allies, and teams recognise, address, and prevent microaggressions in workplace culture?
Organisational strategies for building psychological safety, fostering inclusive leadership, and holding people accountable

Moderator: Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Vanessa Hetherington, Associate Director, RPS

Yasmin Roper, Business Leader - Roads and Streets (VIC) | Future Voices, People Council, Arup

Pragya Gupta, Senior Associate | DE&I Chair, Gray Puksand; Founder and President, Multicultural Association of Property Professionals

10:35

Morning Tea

Building Inclusive Working Environments

11:05

Industry Update: Tackling the Skills Shortage and Unlocking New Talent Pipelines

Making the sector a career of choice for women: What will have the biggest impact in attracting and retaining more women in the industry?
Diversifying talent sources: How can the sector leverage transferable skills, upskilling programs, and leadership development to create sustainable career pathways?
What policies, workplace initiatives, and industry-wide efforts are needed to build a more inclusive and future-ready workforce?

Moderator: Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Belinda Virant, Managing Director – Australia, Arcadis

Steve Brogan, Chief of Policy and Research, Infrastructure Australia

Jocelyn Martin, Managing Director, Housing Industry Association (HIA)

11:45

Case Study: Implementing On-Site Workplace Flexibility

Gain insights from the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce's pilot projects on implementing the cultural standard through workplace flexibility on-site. Hear from one of the pilot projects as they share how they maintained productivity while enabling their teams to have better working hours and flexible working arrangements.

Dean Riha, National Manager Civil Operations, Fulton Hogan

Cassandra Chalmers, Alliance People, Capability and Inclusion Manager, Fulton Hogan

12:15

Inclusive Supply Chain Showcase: Bridging the Gap with Diverse Vendors and Practices

This session will focus on how companies can adopt inclusive procurement practices to build resilient and innovative supply chains. Hear from diverse vendors, as they share their experiences in transforming the supply chain landscape and contributing to sustainable, community-focused outcomes.

Moderator: Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Jenika Stubelj, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Amarapave Pty

1:05

Conversation Starter: What’s one moment in your career where you felt truly included, valued, or supported? How can we create more of these moments for others?

1:15

Networking Lunch

1:55

Trivia

2:00

Panel: Insights and Lessons from Major Projects on Engaging with Diverse Suppliers

Hear from leaders of major projects as they share successes, challenges and lessons learned on partnering with a diverse supply chain. Gain insights into how inclusive procurement practices are being applied to improve workplace conditions, foster positive culture, and drive long-term retention of women in construction, engineering, and infrastructure.

Moderator: Cathryn Greville, Chief Executive Officer, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)

Kylie Adeniyi, Acting Director, Social Value and Inclusion, Major Road Projects Victoria

Jane Inglis, Director - Social Procurement and Workforce Development, Transport for NSW

Nicole Donnison, Social Procurement and Inclusion Manager, ICON

Taking Action & Leading Through Change

2:40

Introduction to Leadership Strategy Scenarios

In this interactive breakout session, delegates will take part in one session where they apply insights from the summit to real-world leadership challenges. Guided by industry leaders, co-create actionable strategies to navigate complex team dynamics and strengthen inclusive leadership.

2:45

Leadership Strategy Scenarios

A: Navigating Gender Bias and Harassment

During an important board meeting, a fellow colleague dismisses your idea without consideration, offering a solution similar to your own but framed by a male colleague. The same has happened repeatedly, and it's starting to affect your confidence and your team’s perception of your leadership.

Portia Pitt, General Manager Transport, Ventia

B: Managing a Diverse Team on a High-Pressure Project

You’re managing a multi-generational and culturally diverse team working on a high-profile government project. The team is experiencing tension as there are differences in communication styles and work practices that are starting to cause friction.

Lisa Wetuschat, Director HCS Rail Systems | Major Projects, Downer

C: Leading through Organisational Change and Transitions

A leader is tasked with leading a construction firm through the adoption of a new technology that will transform their project management processes. However, there is resistance from a significant portion of the team, who are either uncomfortable with the new technology or feel that their traditional ways of working are being overlooked.

Nicole Neal, General Manager Health Safety, Environment & Sustainability, McConnell Dowell

D: Building Allyship Across Leadership Pipelines

You are a senior leader on a major project where key decisions are being made in a cross-departmental leadership meeting. However, you notice that marginalised voices (e.g., women in trades, Indigenous workers, junior staff) are consistently excluded from these discussions.

Luisa Panuccio, Senior Project Manager | VIC Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Chair, Arup

3:35

Deciding your Call to Action: Where to from here? What you can do as an individual to inspire positive change in your workplace.

3:40

Chairperson’s Closing Address

3:45

Afternoon Tea and End of Summit

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