Women’s Forum

26–27 November 2015 Rendezvous Grand Hotel, Scarborough, Perth

Sticky Floors & Glass Ceilings Breaking the Barriers

Forum Objectives: • Strategies for Career Development • Inspiration and Motivation Sticky Floors & Glass Ceilings Breaking the Barriers The 2015 LGMA Women’s Forum will equip you with tools and contacts to plan a successful career path—right to the top of local government.

You won’t get there by accident. You need a real plan and structure, so you know what you have to do to get there and what your next step will be. You must be an opportunist and seize chances that arise, which move you towards your goal. It can help your career trajectory to join committees and boards, even if they are not directly related to your job.

At this Forum, you will hear many more tips about things you can do to create the rungs on your career journey.

The Forum will offer insights into finding and getting the most from mentors. A ‘speed mentoring’ session will be a chance to meet potential mentors and networking spaces will put you in touch with a strong cast of key local government leaders.

You will learn more about work–life balance and the importance of juggling the commitments of higher positions with family responsibilities.

At interactive panel discussions, you can get direct responses to your questions about career and its challenges, and perhaps test out a bit of self-promotion— essential for effective career advancement. Although, this should be tempered with some good advice you are likely to hear at this Forum: be true to yourself, be authentic.

If you are already working in local government and you want to build a long-term career that takes you to the top management levels, then this Forum is for you. You will take away practical things to do to advance your aspirations, boost your motivation and inspire you to take the next step.

Now is the time to step up, choose your goal, set your sights on it and build your pathway to it.

Yvonne Loveland Chairperson 2015 LGMA Women’s Forum Women's Forum Sticky Floors & Glass Ceilings Breaking the Barriers

Thursday 26 November 2015 Forum MC: Anne Banks-McAllister

10.00 am Arrival Coffee and Registration 10.30 am Offi cial Welcome and Opening LGMA State President and Jennifer Mathews, Director General, Department of Local Government and Communities 11.00 am Opening Keynote Address—Where have all the women gone? Marion Fulker, Chief Executive Officer, Committee for Perth Women make up half of the graduates from universities in . So why are there so few women in senior executive positions and in the boardrooms of our businesses? That was the question that led to the Committee for Perth’s ground breaking Filling the Pool report. It’s a report on the conditions in Perth, for the people of Perth and it shows something very different is happening here, compared with other parts of Australia. Marion will share with delegates the outcomes of the report and, most importantly, highlight the comprehensive roadmap of 31 recommendations that have been crafted to address local conditions. These recommendations are aimed at government, the private sector, women and men too… achieving gender equality is everyone’s responsibility. 12.00 pm Lunch 1.00 pm Aspiring to Leadership in Local Government Melissa Gibbs, Deputy Chair, The Australian Centre for Excellence in Local Government (ACELG) The Australian Centre for Excellence in Local Government (ACELG) has undertaken some great research into the issues facing local government, and particularly the leadership challenges our sector needs to address. As Deputy Chair of ACELG, Melissa can share with us the findings of their research, and some of her own views, with particular reference to the opportunities, challenges and potential strategies for women aspiring to leadership positions in local government. 1.45 pm Personal Journey Panel Session Interviewer: Jonathan Throssell, Chief Executive Officer, Shire of Mundaring Panel Speakers: Lyn Russell, Chief Executive Officer, City of Canning Rhonda Hardy, Chief Executive Officer, Shire of Kalamunda Kelly Howlett, Mayor, Town of Port Hedland In a moderated panel session, three of our women leaders in WA local government will share their personal stories about their career journeys, outlining high and low points, how they juggled competing priorities, and what they learned along the way. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of the panel and gain personal insights. This will be a revealing and sometimes humorous session about the realities of leadership for women. 3.00 pm Afternoon Tea 3.30 pm Women taking a seat at the table Dr Lianne Cretney-Barnes, WA Representative Women on Boards How do you get a seat at the table and what are the roles available for women? This session will highlight the importance of more women taking up a seat at the table and the benefits associated with their career development. 4.15 – Health, Wellness and Work life balance 5.00 pm Gretchen Lumsden In today’s busy world with constant change and endless deadlines coupled with demands from family and community etc, achieving life balance underpins our overall health and wellbeing. Life balance is a juggling act changing with each age and stage of our lives. This presentation will explore strategies to cope better each day. The seminar will also explore another important aspect of life Balance, life in balance which is the ultimate in achieving a fulfilling life and overall health and wellbeing. 6.30 pm – Forum Cocktail Event (includes 3 course dinner, beverages and entertainment) 11.00 pm Mentelle Room, Rendezvous Hotel, Scarborough Special Guests: Swing Zing Women's Forum Sticky Floors & Glass Ceilings Breaking the Barriers

Friday 27 November 2015

8.30 am Arrival Coffee and Registration 9.00 am Your Social Media Footprint and the Impact on Reputation Management— how one click can ruin it all Gemma Tognini Gemma is a Telstra Business Women’s Award winner, entrepreneur, business owner, broadcaster, company director, journalist and mentor. Starting out, Gemma was told she’d never make it in TV news. Ten years after that conversation, she walked away from a multi award-winning and high profile media career to start her own corporate PR consultancy with nothing more than a vision, a mobile and contact book. Fast forward another decade and Gemma was named WA’s top female business owner of 2014. Her story will surprise, challenge and motivate. A highly engaging and articulate presenter, Gemma’s vast corporate experience is sought after by a wide cross-section of industries. She cuts to the heart of an issue with a no BS approach, wrapping her presentations in boundless good humour and a healthy dose of self- deprecation. 10:00 am The Recruitment Process Helen Passmore, Executive Director, LOGO Appointments You’ve probably heard the following statistic: Men apply for a job when they meet only 60% of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100% of them. Helen Passmore has been involved in the Local Government recruitment industry for many years and will share her tips on how women can build the faith within themselves to take the step to apply for a position and then carry with them through the recruitment process the assertiveness, confidence and skills required to ensure they are a great candidate. 10.30 am Morning Tea 11.00 am Mentoring—a powerful career development tool Anne Banks-McAllister Whether you are searching for a mentor or keen to become a mentee, the career development benefits associated with both of these roles is invaluable and quite often overlooked. Anne will share with delegates her expertise in securing and maintaining successful mentoring relationships. 11.30 am Sharing Conversations—Speed Mentoring Session A Wealth of Information at your fingertips Delegates will be given the opportunity to ask all those burning questions of a variety of specially selected female leaders and speakers they have heard from over the two days. Speakers will spend 5–10 minutes at each table. This session promises to be fast, stimulating, engaging and fun! 12.30 pm Lunch 1.30 pm Build resilience and manage the impact of change in your Organisation Lynda Folan, Managing Director, Inspired Development Solutions Ltd In today’s business environment, personal and organisational resilience is paramount. Research confirms resilience enhances our ability to recover and continue to deliver results under pressure and local governments that invest in building the resilience of their people will have the capacity to dynamically respond to and maintain momentum in the context of change. Lynda will present recent research in the field of resilience and discuss pragmatic ways to build resilience in your local government. 2.00 pm Closing Keynote Address—Floral Bras and Footy Boots Michelle Cowan 42 blokes and me smashing stereotypes and breaking nails as a woman in AFL. Join Australia’s first professional female AFL accredited coach on her inspiring journey from the dream of a passionate teenaged athlete, to her pioneering entry into the most sacred of Aussie male domains. In this inspiring, entertaining and sometimes hilarious account, Michelle shares the drive, daring and determination which saw her planning strategy, giving guidance but not taking any cheek from 42 of the biggest blokes in the WAFL competition. Join her for an intimate tour of the changerooms, the training sessions and the attitudes of some of WA’s premier athletes and what it has to teach all of us about the potential of young women in leadership and power of living our dreams. From being the only girl in the locker room to the only girl in the boardroom, Michelle’s story will inspire you to achieve your dreams with grit and groove. 3.00 pm – Networking and Refreshments 4.00 pm Women's Forum Sticky Floors & Glass Ceilings Breaking the Barriers

Speaker Highlights

Marion Fulker Marion Fulker is the founding Chief Executive of the Committee for Perth Ltd. She took up the position in January 2007 having previously been the Executive Director of the Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) WA Division. Through her on the ground research Marion has become recognised as one of the leading experts on the future growth and development of the Perth region. With a focus on the reshaping, reforming and revitalising of Perth, the Committee undertakes research and supports and proposes solutions in order to maintain the region’s high levels of liveability and increase its global competitiveness. In the past decade, Marion has travelled extensively throughout the US, Europe, Australasia and the UK to examine how cities work. Her research focus has been on a range of topics including inner city vibrancy, urban renewal and public transport. Marion’s opinions are regularly sought by the media and she writes for Business Insider on urban issues. Additional to her role as the Committee’s CEO, Marion has been a Councillor with the Heritage Council of Western Australia (HCWA) since 2005 and was appointed as Chair in 2009. She is also a director of RugbyWA.

Michelle Cowan At 21 Michelle Cowan became Australia’s first female WAFL assistant coach and put West Perth through their paces. At 23 she managed 150 staff through a $10.3 million Leisure Centre redevelopment. At 25 she became Managing Director of her own national company. And at 27 she became a Mother—also known as: story-teller, doctor, teacher, fireman, garbage truck driver, princess, kangaroo, 5th wiggle and more… Michelle is currently an Assistant Coach with the South . In 2013 Michelle was appointed as the first Senior Coach for the Women's side. Michelle was also awarded the Football Woman of the Year for 2013. Michelle has also recently been appointed the 2014 AFL DSR Coach of the Year. Homegrown success story and compelling speaker, Michelle Cowan, has always defied convention. From being the only girl in the locker room to the only Gen-Y in the boardroom, Michelle's is a daring story of success against the odds.

Gemma Tognini 2014 Telstra Business Women’s Award winner Gemma Tognini is a business owner, entrepreneur, author, broadcaster, company director, award winning journalist and mentor. Founder and Managing Director of gtmedia strategic communication, a leading corporate communications consultancy with national and international clients, and a leading strategic advisory firm with clients in Canada and the Asia Pacific region. During her former life as a TV journalist and chief of staff with the Seven Network, Gemma perfected the art of communicating to a mass audience in 70 seconds or less. As fun as this sounds, after 10 years in senior newsroom roles Gemma ventured to the dark side and found it no murkier than the fourth estate. As well as running her successful consultancy, Gemma is also a broadcaster with Macquarie radio and a contributing columnist The West Australian and Fairfax on a range of subjects from corporate reputation management, media and the digital age to gender equality. She is a regular media commentator and a quoted authority on all areas of media, PR and reputation management. Gemma’s journey from television journalist and Chief of Staff to award-winning business owner and entrepreneur has not been typical by any means. After a decade with the Seven Network, she walked away from her high profile career to start gtmedia with nothing more than a vision, a mobile and contact book. Throw into the mix two life-altering personal challenges and you have a personal and professional story that is a testimony to the importance of emotional resilience and the power of choice. Gemma is a firm and passionate believer in the importance of generosity, and in mentoring and investing in the next generation of business owners.

Disclaimer The information contained within this booklet is correct at the time of publication. Local Government Managers Australia WA, and the Conference Organising Committee reserve the right to alter or delete items from the program or alter costs. The above mentioned shall not be held liable for any costs or damage arising from any action based on the information contained herein. Women's Forum Sticky Floors & Glass Ceilings Breaking the Barriers

Want to book online? Go to http://www.lgmawa.org.au/Womensforum

Our thanks to:

LGMA FOUNDATION PARTNERS LGMA PRINCIPAL PARTNER LGMA MAJOR PARTNERS

Government of Western Australia Department of Local Government and Communities LGMA SUPPORT PARTNERS

Accommodation: LGMA has secured a group booking at the Rendezvous Grand Hotel, Scarborough, for the duration of the conference. Please note that the venue only has a limited number of rooms therefore we recommend that you make your accommodation booking promptly to avoid disappointment. To book accommodation:

Please book directly with the hotels Group Reservations Team Contact Information: Email: [email protected] Local Government Managers Australia Phone: 08 9340 5649 Delegates should mention the following information when booking to ensure Unit 21, 168 Guildford Road, they receive the special conference accommodation rate: Maylands WA 6051 Block Name: LGMA Western Australia Tel: 08 9271 1136 Fax: 08 9271 1197 Block ID: 731937 Email: [email protected] Alternatively you may fill in the attached accommodation booking form. Website: www.lgmawa.org.au