The 2024 Inclusion & Diversity Summit aims to bring together people who truly value diversity and inclusion as an essential part of their personal learning (and development) as well as contributing to their organisation’s success. Through a unique experiential format – Learn, Think & Do! – the Summit will provide delegates a supportive environment to further develop their strategic thinking and practice.
DATE — Tuesday 10 September 2024 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM
VENUE — RMIT Storey Hall, 342 Swanston Street, Melbourne
TICKETS — Starting at $548 for EEON Members, Table bookings get an extra 10% discount and $198 for students and concession holders.
Platinum Sponsors
Some presentations and resources from our speakers
Our speakers and Topics
Karen Milward
Karen owns and operates Karen Milward Consultancy Services with extensive consulting experience and networks across Australia. Karen is a Yorta Yorta woman who was born and raised in Melbourne. Karen is a strong advocate for developing culturally appropriate solutions to the issues confronting Indigenous people that empower individuals and communities so they can confidently and effectively move forward.
Michelle Sheppard
Michelle Sheppard, often known as "Mama Mish," is a role model for all women in the field of gender equality. Her experience as a transgender woman has given her a unique viewpoint and significant insights into the complex difficulties that the gender gap brings. Michelle's steadfast commitment to using her experiences to educate and encourage others on their journeys distinguishes her. Her personal story exemplifies bravery, empowerment, and an unshakable dedication to promoting inclusiveness and equality. Her narrative of resilience is one of breaking down boundaries and an unyielding commitment to assisting others in living truthfully, just as she has. Her path exemplifies the fortitude required to stand in one's truth and the power it may release. But Michelle's influence goes beyond her personal story. She's a bridge builder who fosters understanding and collaboration by making meaningful relationships with individuals from all backgrounds. Her work unites, bringing together divergent groups, boosting voices, and cultivating solidarity for marginalised people. Michelle exhibits inherent empathy, an indomitable spirit, and an unwavering will to effect positive change. Michelle Sheppard's achievements have everlasting imprinted on local, national, and worldwide communities. Her radio shows and advocacy activities have been effective in promoting transgender voices, combatting prejudice, and encouraging inclusion. Her relentless dedication to fostering inclusivity and campaigning for the LGBTIQ+ community's rights has repeatedly guaranteed that their issues are a priority, even in the face of obstacles. Michelle's strenuous efforts serve as an inspiration, demonstrating the enormous power of collective action in moulding a more welcoming and supportive culture, regardless of gender identification. Michelle was inducted into the Victorian Museum of Women and appointed to the coveted 2023 Victorian Honour Roll of Women as a Change Agent in appreciation of her outstanding efforts. This honour places her in the company of other extraordinary Victorian women who, like her, demonstrate excellent leadership, unshakable perseverance, and an unrelenting dedication to furthering gender equality and strengthening our state. Michelle Sheppard, in essence, emerges as a trailblazer, a visionary leader, and a catalyst for good change in gender equity and inclusivity. Her inspirational work has left an everlasting mark on individuals, institutions, and communities, cementing her position as a symbol of hope and a source of inspiration for all.
Cilla Robinson
Cilla is an employment law partner at a top tier law firm, specialising in employment and industrial relations, dealing with matters from sexual harassment, discrimination to industrial disputes and enterprise bargaining and running large scale litigation for both her private sector clients and government clients. An expert in discrimination laws and regular spokesperson for issues regarding both gender and cultural diversity, Cilla is considered a leader on the topics of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Cilla has led Gender and Cultural Diversity initiatives streams within law firms, she is a fellow of the Dr John Yu Culture and Diversity Leadership Fellowship, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors published her report on a practical roadmap for Boards on the Australian Human Rights Commissions Respect at Work Report. She has worked with the Attorney Generals Department on the Respect at Work recommendations as well as consulting with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency in broadening pay equity reporting from companies to include partnerships. Cilla is an Advisory Member of the Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession UNSW) and a Director on the Board of the Wayside Chapel. She has devoted her career to keeping her large corporate clients in check and giving a voice to those who don’t always feel heard, working towards a future where all workplaces are safe and inclusive.
Kerry Tavrou
Kerry has over 10 years of experience in creating welcoming, safe and inclusive sporting environments for people from diverse communities. Kerry is the Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Tennis Australia who are working through a range of initiatives that engage people with disability, multicultural communities, First Nations people and people who identify as LGBTQ+. Tennis Australia is committed to create a diverse workforce that feel valued and included, a game that reflects the diversity of our communities and events that are inclusive and celebrate diversity.
Sarah Luttrell (she/her)
Head of Diversity & People Policy & Education at Tennis Australia
Sarah has been a lawyer at Tennis Australia since 2019 and now serves as the Head of Diversity & People Policy and Education. In her role, Sarah develops policies that lay the groundwork for a supportive and equitable workplace. She also leads educational initiatives aimed at building awareness of legal entitlements and protections and shaping leadership practices to foster a safe and inclusive environment for all.
Sarah also serves on the Board of L2R Dance, a social enterprise dedicated to providing free dance programs and employment opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds typically underrepresented in the arts.
Kate Gaffy
Kate is an accomplished Talent Acquisition professional with a diverse background spanning the FMCG, sports, and entertainment sectors. Currently, she leads the Talent Acquisition function at Tennis Australia, including the Australian Open and Summer of Tennis events.
With deep expertise in recruitment management, strategic sourcing, EVP development, and employer branding, Kate is dedicated to fostering inclusive recruitment practices and building diverse high-performing teams.
Jonathan Lee (he/him)
Jonathan has over twenty years of leadership roles within the global events industry, across the UK, Europe and Australia – including Wimbledon, Glastonbury and Le Mans 24hr Race. Currently, Jonathan is the Retail Manager for the Australian Open.
Driven by creating spaces that deliver best in class customer experiences, efficient operational process’s and exceptional and inclusive workforce environments drives Jonathan’s passion within the sports and entertainment event sector.
Irena Farinacci (she/her)
As a deaf woman with a profound hearing loss, Irena is passionate about ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to participate in society without barriers. Currently, Irena is the National Inclusion and Diversity Coordinator with Tennis Australia who has overseen and delivered a range of inclusion initiatives.
Irena has also been involved within the deaf and hard of hearing community having worked at Deaf Sports Australia and also as a volunteer with Deaf Sports Recreation Victoria, Deaf Basketball Victoria and Deaf Basketball Australia. Her involvement with the Australian Deaf Women’s Basketball Team also saw her represent Australia at the 1997 and 2005 Deaflympic Games.
Keynote Speaker Karen Milward
LEARN about what is important in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities right now and how you can fold this into your DEI practice
Karen will be speaking on:
- The future of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities since the Referendum, including progress on Treaty, the Yoorrook justice commission and the self determination fund.
- Karen’s travels to Kansas to get funding and support for local Victorian Businesses.
- Conversations about economic prosperity and how a treaty can help.
Some local business will have stalls at the summit.
Karen owns and operates Karen Milward Consultancy Services with extensive consulting experience and networks across Australia. Karen is a Yorta Yorta woman who was born and raised in Melbourne. Karen is a strong advocate for developing culturally appropriate solutions to the issues confronting Indigenous people that empower individuals and communities so they can confidently and effectively move forward.
Keynote Speaker Michelle Sheppard
There are many voices calling to roll back the human rights and social advances made in the Trans and Gender Diverse communities. Hear what you can DO to make a real impact in this sphere.
Tennis Australia will present a panel on the work that they are doing to support participation of people with a lived experience of disability for the Australian Open.
Summit participants will hear about the they you are doing, the commitment to inclusion and learn from the approach Tennis Australia have adopted.
Keynote Speaker Cilla Robinson
2024 has a significant number of changes that directly affect DEI and HR practice. Our experts will give you a roundup of what you need to know to not just comply but to excel.
Cilla is an employment law partner at a top tier law firm, King Wood Mallesons, specialising in employment and industrial relations, dealing with matters from sexual harassment, discrimination to industrial disputes and enterprise bargaining and running large scale litigation for both her private sector clients and government clients.
An expert in discrimination laws and regular spokesperson for issues regarding both gender and cultural diversity, Cilla is considered a leader on the topics of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Cilla has led Gender and Cultural Diversity initiatives streams within law firms, she is a fellow of the Dr John Yu Culture and Diversity Leadership Fellowship, and the Australian Institute of Company Directors published her report on a practical roadmap for Boards on the Australian Human Rights Commissions Respect at Work Report.
She has worked with the Attorney Generals Department on the Respect at Work recommendations as well as consulting with the Workplace Gender Equality Agency in broadening pay equity reporting from companies to include partnerships.
Cilla is an Advisory Member of the Centre for the Future of the Legal Profession UNSW) and a Director on the Board of the Wayside Chapel. She has devoted her career to keeping her large corporate clients in check and giving a voice to those who don’t always feel heard, working towards a future where all workplaces are safe and inclusive.
Summit Themes
The 2024 Inclusion & Diversity Summit aims to bring together people who truly value diversity, equity and inclusion as an essential part of their personal and professional development. Through a unique experiential format – Learn, Think & Do! – Delegates will,
- Learn to influence, engage, and enable
- Apply fresh thinking to address systemic issues and explore concepts of power and privilege and overcoming resistance
- Walk away with practical ideas, and a plan for action to champion change in your workplace, and reinvigorate your own practice as part of your personal development
- Network with other participants, EEON forum and our partner organisations and sponsors.
What is our Learn, Think & Do! philosophy?
At EEON’s Summit we place an emphasis on ensuring our participants leave the day with concrete actions to take into their life and workplace. We do this with our philosophy of ‘Learn, Think & Do!’ where each keynote or group panel has the following elements, expertly facilitated by our MC.
LEARN — a presenter of panel will share stories, information, new ideas and current thinking.
THINK — our Conversation Leaders will lead a discussion about the preceding presentation.
DO! — participants will be encouraged to develop their personal DEI action plan.
Key to this is both the facilitation by our MC and the use of Conversation Leaders, who have been given early access to the speakers and the topics and are provided with prompts to guide the Think and Do! portions of the process.
our Conversation leaders
Read more about our confirmed Conversation Leaders
Andrew Fitisemanu
Andrew Fitisemanu is a Creative DEI Consultant with a strong background in adult education and vocational training. With experience in project management, corporate wellbeing strategies, and mentoring programs, he has worked across various international settings in both public and corporate environments. Andrew is dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and actively volunteers with Inclusion and Diversity groups to raise visibility and support mental health awareness in the workplace. As a former athlete, he still enjoys health and exercise, integrating these elements into his] approach to wellbeing. Andrew is a sharer of insights and strategies for fostering psychological safety and creating inclusive, supportive work environments.
Dr Shae Wissell
Dr Shae Wissell is an award-winning advocate and entrepreneur specialising in dyslexia and neurodivergences. With a background in speech pathology and public health, she uses her expertise to run successful ventures including re:think dyslexia and the Dear Dyslexic Foundation. Dr. Wissell's internationally recognised research focuses on the social inequalities faced by adults with dyslexia in Australia, and she also offers workforce solutions and advisory services to promote inclusive environments for individuals and employers. Her work has been recognised with national and international awards, and she is a sought-after public speaker and author. Through her advocacy and education efforts, Shae is making a positive impact on individuals, educators, and workplaces.
El Chaston
Ex AFLW player and current VFLW captain El Chaston is super excited to collaborate with EEON in this years Summit. El begun their gender identity journey while on the AFLW list at Collingwood. They came out as non binary in 2022 and underwent a gender affirming surgery (double mastectomy) in early 2023. Having made a full recovery, El now plays in the VFLW for Essendon FC while also working full time for Brown & Watson International. El is a strong advocate from trans participation in sport and gender diversity education in the workplace.”
Matthew Haanappel OAM PLY
Matthew is a senior industry leader experienced in policy, project delivery and advocacy to achieve accessibility and equal opportunities for many community populations in public and private sectors. He is also an experienced swim teacher and has run multiple swim school programs across his career. He contributes regularly to multiple outlets in print and broadcast media on Diversity and Inclusion, Disability and Paralympic sport and has a decade of experience in the public and not for profit Diversity & Inclusion sector. Recognized for his impactful contributions globally, Matthew was honored with the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2014 and received the International Paralympic Committee Contribution Award (PLY) in 2022.
Wendy Lundgaard
As a behaviour change specialist I work with organisations to build more inclusive and respectful workplaces, as well as review and co-design HR systems with clients which attract and retain top talent. Engagement, innovation and business success hinge on getting the people elements right. Win-Win Workplace Strategies is known for innovative and engaging behaviour change solutions targeting leadership, respect at work, diversity and unconscious bias awareness and we integrate smart technologies to sustain commitments to new learnings through changes in behaviours. Because we care about delivering ‘return on impact’. Training content is only valuable when applied!! About us: Win-Win Workplace Strategies was established in 2006. We offer a range of boutique offerings which build capability and improve workplace culture.
Edward Osano
Edward Osano is the Head of GradWISE, Graduate Disability Placement Services at WISE Employment. Edward Osano is an accomplished and highly skilled people and project manager with over ten years of experience in high-level, high-achievement management. Edward has led the development and design of GradWISE, the first-of-its-kind program focused, committed, and determined to deliver graduate employment outcomes. GradWISE champions students living with a disability, enabling them to fully achieve their potential. Edward currently leads a national team to achieve a GradWISE vision and is an advocate of diversity and inclusion, passionate about creating opportunities for others.
Sugandha (Sig) Chapman
Sugandha (Sig) Chapman is a Senior Manager of Client Delivery at Inkling Group with nearly two decades of experience across Big 4 consulting, non-profit, startup, and tech industries. A passionate advocate and expert in diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), she combines psychological science with commercial insight to drive long-term cultural change. Sig has partnered with major companies like Coca-Cola, Woolworths, Adobe, Aurecon, and CBA, leading initiatives that foster diverse and inclusive cultures. At Inkling Group, she helps leads the D&I practice, using her consulting expertise, learning design, and executive coaching skills to help organisations leverage diversity for innovation and competitive advantage. Her work is deeply informed by her personal journey as a woman of colour and her late diagnosis of ADHD at 39, challenging leaders to see diversity and inclusion as critical to business success. Sig is a trusted advisor and strategist, embedding DEIB into core company strategies. Sig is also a sought-after keynote speaker on inclusion, leadership, neurodiversity, and professional wellbeing, and mentors future female leaders through initiatives like Future Women and in STEM. Her authentic, results-driven approach makes her a powerful voice for leaders committed to meaningful change. Outside of work, Sig enjoys salt and vinegar chips, K-dramas, and has too many unread books on her nightstand.
