We are thrilled to offer a glimpse into the themes from our panel speakers as they will explore in greater depth at the 2026 International Women’s Day Business Luncheon, to be held on Friday, 6 March at the Adelaide Convention Centre.
To feel safe, heard and autonomous is a basic human right, yet it’s one that has not always been available to a large part of the population. Despite all that we have achieved, there’s still work to be done in the journey to equality, and this year’s theme is an invitation for reflection and pause – an opportunity to consider how far we’ve come, and a reminder to continue to strive for better equilibrium. For me, it’s an opportunity to consider my ambitions both as a woman and as a leader, and to think about how we can create a better environment for everyone.
My personal values have guided me through my career, underpinning my decision-making and informing the impact of my work. One such value is courage. It’s having the confidence to back yourself, to be bold and advocate for your beliefs, and to remain authentic to your vision in the face of dissidence. Architecture and design are famously challenging industries, and it takes conviction and perseverance to find your place. The other is empathy. Design is an inherently empathetic occupation that continually requires us to put ourselves in the shoes of others. At its heart, it’s the pursuit of clear communication and empathy-informed problem solving. As a human-centred practice, design requires us to consider every user, not just the loudest voices in the room. This is a value I try to bring to my approach to leadership. It’s this balance of conviction and compassion that has guided me through my career.
I’m looking forward to hearing different perspectives from an amazing group of women with diverse voices across a breadth of industries. I’m anticipating some honest and forthright discussion about challenges – those we have overcome, and ones we’re still facing. Women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership and decision-making roles within Australian business, especially within our sectors:. Every representative at this luncheon will have overcome obstacles, challenged the status quo, and beaten the odds, helping to shift the balance for greater representation for women everywhere.
“Balance the Scales” immediately makes me think about sustainability — not just environmentally, but economically and socially. In agriculture and rural enterprise, we’re constantly balancing risk with opportunity, growth with integrity, and innovation with tradition. For me personally, it also reflects the balance between ambition and purpose. I left a secure salaried role to build something that aligned with my values — food security, education, and regional viability. Balancing the scales means ensuring that progress doesn’t come at the expense of people, land, or future generations. It’s about creating systems — in business and in community — where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, not just survive.
The two values that have consistently guided me are courage and stewardship. Courage — because every meaningful step I’ve taken has required it. Starting a heritage hatchery from scratch, navigating drought, flooding and rapid growth, stepping into leadership spaces — none of it was comfortable. But growth rarely is. Stewardship — because I don’t see business as something you “own”; I see it as something you care for. Whether it’s preserving rare poultry genetics, educating the next generation about where food comes from, or building rural industries through IncubatePro, I believe we have a responsibility to leave things stronger than we found them. Those values shape every decision I make.
I’m most looking forward to the honesty. Events like this bring together women who are building, leading, failing, learning, and trying again — often quietly and without applause. There’s something incredibly powerful about hearing the unfiltered realities behind success. I’m excited to explore what “Balance the Scales” means across different industries and life stages — and to contribute a regional and agricultural perspective to the conversation. If even one woman in that room walks away feeling braver about taking her next step, then the discussion has done its job.
Balancing the Scales in resources and technology means creating safer, more flexible, data‑driven workplaces with fair pathways into site, operations, and leadership roles for everyone. The real way we move the dial is by measuring our progress transparently against the representation and leadership targets we’ve set, and being honest with ourselves about where we’re performing and where we need to do better.
Courage and Care. Courage to challenge the status quo and focus on what needs to be true to achieve meaningful change, rather than getting stuck on the reasons something can’t be done. Care because the best cultures are built on genuine respect for people, where trust is the norm, every voice is valued, and psychological safety isn’t negotiable.
I’m really looking forward to sharing what we’re trialing locally, female‑focused pipelines for delivery and operations, structured internships, and mentoring that actually supports long‑term retention. And I’m equally excited to hear from others and explore how we can partner to scale what’s working, faster.
*SA Business Chamber Members can use their unique member code at checkout to access discounted pricing.
