Meet Our Speakers
Ronni Kahn AO
Founder of OzHarvest
Ronni Kahn AO is a South-African born Australian, social entrepreneur and founder of food rescue charity OzHarvest. She is an advocate, lobbyist and activist well renowned for disrupting the food waste landscape in Australia. Ronni appears regularly in national media, serves in an advisory capacity to government, and is a keynote speaker all over the world.
Her mission towards sustainable action is supported through close collaborations with some of the world's finest chefs, including Jamie Oliver, Massimo Bottura, Neil Perry and Bill Granger. Ronni is an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and was named Australian Local Hero of the Year in 2010. In 2018 her journey became the subject of the independently produced documentary, Food Fighters.
Francesca Emerson
Author & Activist
In her 79th year, Francesca Emerson has seen a thing or two. Living between Sydney Australia and Selma Alabama USA , she has been troubled not only by the recent pandemic but also by the continual racial tension in her country of birth.
"Where does this Fear and Hate come from?" We are not born with prejudice it is something we learn by example. It would be great to see a world with the sight of a young child who's innocent eyes look at the world not through fear and hate but through curiosity. My vision would be as a woman especially a woman of colour for people to see colour and appreciate someone who looks different from us and have it not matter.
Lt Col Olga Custodio,
USAFR (Ret); American Airlines Captain (Ret)
The first Latina to complete U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training and become a pilot, Olga E. Custodio points to three principles that have helped her become successful in a profession dominated by men: overcoming self-doubt, staying open to possibilities, and seeing herself as an equal.
The path to her dream, however, has not been a walk in the park.
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Rebecca Davidson,
Founder & CEO of GeboCall
Carol Anderson started me out on my Anti-Racist path. I sought to learn from a black person about black experience in America. My way of doing that has always been through a historical overview. From here on out I will advocate for education from black people rather than white folks.
Lilli Morgan
High School Teacher & Activist
Lilli Morgan is currently a high school teacher in outback WA, exploring the education system and how it can be better. She has an undergraduate degree in International Studies, a Masters in Public Health and a Masters in Teaching. After years of working and travelling overseas she has recently come back to Australia to see how we can be doing better, and what is it that our young people want.
Lynda Millin Osborne
Founder & Creative Director of Cockatoo Dreaming
She is a proud Bundjalung Aboriginal woman from the north coast of NSW, and a proud Kuku Yulanji and Kuku Thyphan woman from Far North Queensland. She is a gifted speaker, host, MC, storyteller, mentor and coach. Using ancient and modern-day practices Lynda Millin uses the gifts bestowed to her from her Ancestors, Elders, nature totems and a deep connection to her Aboriginal culture.
Boneta Marie Mabo
Youth Program Manager
Sisters Inside
During this pandemic the world ended as we have known it, we have been forced to be present. It's been a revelation of what we need to do. Slow down, take care of each other, prioritise our health and wellbeing and heal.
Since colonisation my peoples have accumulated trauma with every generation, have been forced to live in a whirlwind of separations while our health deteriorates and our overall wellbeing is an inconvenience to the colony.
Jacquie Love
Founder, Secret Sisterhood
Jacquie has always been passionate about women’s causes. After completing a Fashion Degree at the University of Technology in Sydney, she was on the road to becoming a famous fashion designer (or so her partner thinks), when she went to India and realised her life mission was to help women and girls in need.
Susan Geria
Public Policy Specialist
Susan Geria is a first generation African Australian, federal government policy advisor and self-proclaimed world citizen.
Specialising in social and regulatory policy, Susan has worked for both the Australian and Canadian governments.
Joanne Fedler
Author & Activist
Becoming the Spellbreakers
Covid19 has challenged the dominant narratives that drive the world (politically, economically, socially) and exposed unsustainable hypocrisies and inequalities.
We as women in our midlife are the ones being summonsed to break these old narrative spells and restory the world fearlessly, humbly and humanely beyond the cult of the individual.
How can we reframe the conversations, break the spells and hold the paradoxes for the benefit of humanity?
Jane Waterhouse
GM, Bauer Media's Story 54
My vision is that we don’t have to single out women in the media and have a vision for them because they will no longer be under represented in the C suite of media companies.
We will be living in a media world where there will be more age and ethnic diversity, a greater focus on EQ and SQ over iQ in management and more originality.
I will continue to seek and crave more original ideas particularly in mainstream media that are more relevant to what women really think and feel.
(Waskam) Emelda Davis
Activist & Community Leader
(Waskam) Emelda Davis has worked across Grassroots, State, Federal government agencies and capacity building initiatives for First Nations, Australian South Sea Islander and broader community development.
As a proud woman of colour, I am grateful for the opportunity to represent 'Women for Election Australia' as a symbol of equal opportunity and access to the pathways and learnings to encourage women to engage across all areas of government and important decision making especially for marginalised communities.
Amisha Ghadiali
Yogi, Mentor & Activist
I have always been curious as to how we can live in awareness, be present and feel energised, whilst doing our best to make the world a better place. It was this quest for understanding myself whilst working on innovative and demanding projects that led me to yoga and meditation, and ultimately to becoming a teacher and healer. I love sharing this ancient wisdom and find it to be truly transformative.
Vanessa Burns,
Geographer & Social Researcher
Vanessa is a geographer and social researcher based at Scotland’s leading environmental research institute, The James Hutton Institute. Vanessa’s work is broadly interested in how concepts of Nature are understood. In particular, the ways in which these concepts facilitate and obstruct good governance of environmental change.
More Speakers to Come
Meet Our Entertainment
Chan & Fleur
Comediennes
Chan & Dee's Drink Tank is a comedy series created by Helen O'Connor, Louise McCabe and Claire Haywood. Beauty salon owner Chanel is feeling invisible at 50, so she creates her very own chat show. She enlists the help of her old school pals from Kinkytoppers Ladies College to co- host the show. But as the past catches up with Chanel and the set erupts in mayhem, Chan's dark roots are exposed.
Marcia Howard
Singer & Songwriter
Award winning singer-songwriter Marcia Howard (Goanna Band) has graced the stage with many International artists over her long career. Her voice described as “one of the finest” (The Voice) and her songs recorded in Ireland, Nashville, and Australia reflect her Celtic and folk-rock influences.
Bunny Star
Hoop-Star
Bunny Star (aka Bunny Hoop Star) is the founding owner and lead instructor of Australia’s first hula hoop business, Hoop Empire. Whirling around Australia and the world since 2005, Bea has activated thousands of events, classes, and parties with the magic of the hoop for both adults and kids.
