The session featured leadership conversations where senior women professionals shared their career journeys, experiences of navigating male-dominated sectors, and practical insights on advancing Gender Equality, Disability, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in action. These interactions enabled participants to better understand both the how and why of fostering inclusive workplace cultures and the long-term value such approaches bring to organisations and the sector at large. The speakers included Donna Jones (Founder, Asheville Consulting Group), Angela Mejia (Consultant – Transport, Civil Engineer and Road Safety Auditor), Dr Taru Jain (Department of Transport and Planning), and Emilie van de Graaff (Department of Transport and Planning), who collectively shared perspectives on leadership, resilience, and inclusive decision-making.
On 31 July 2025, a networking lunch was organised in Canberra for participants of the Women in Transport and Logistics course, providing a platform for meaningful engagement with women leaders from across the transport and logistics ecosystem.
As part of the broader networking experience, participants undertook site visits to the Bunnings Head Office, where they learnt about GEDSI practices within Australia and New Zealand’s leading home improvement and lifestyle retailer. Senior women leaders at Bunnings shared reflections on career progression and leadership within a large, complex organisation. The programme was further enriched by interactions with Tricia Malowney, Chief Accessibility Advocate for the Victorian Department of Transport, who emphasised the importance of amplifying the voices of people with disabilities in shaping inclusive transport systems. Participants also visited the Melbourne Metro Tunnel HQ Community Centre, gaining insights into one of Australia’s most significant transport infrastructure projects. The visit provided an opportunity to understand large-scale project delivery while encouraging peer-to-peer learning and exchange.
The networking engagements concluded with a visit to the Ian Potter Museum, which sparked interest and dialogue around Australian Indigenous communities and cultural inclusion. Collectively, for the participants, they got to hear from panellists about mentoring, sponsorship and coaching and how inclusive leadership and collaboration are shaping the future of transport and infrastructure across the region.