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Aruna Pattam
Zurich Insurance
Carrie Hu
New Aim
Cheng Yeo
Crown Resorts
Colleen Pender
NAB
Dominique Barker
Australian Institute of Family Studies
Dominique Harrison-Bentzen
Luniate
Ellenor Cox
GAIA Coaching
Emma Taylor
Virgin Australia
Forough Khandan
EMVision Medical Devices
Gabriella Hepworth
Medibank
Gaby Carney
University of Technology Sydney
Hayley Sheppard
TasNetworks
Judith Powell
Transgrid
Katrina Troughton
Adobe ANZ
Lucy Poole
Digital Transformation Agency
Margo Stephen
Yarra Trams
May Lam
Australian Payments Plus
Miranda Ratajski
Westpac
Mirella Robinson
Acenda
Natalie Saunders
AGL
Nicole Nixon
Five Faces
Pia Seeto
TPG Telecom
Renece Brewster
Her Tech Circle
Romina Sharifpour
Commonwealth Bank
Sam Love
Quantium Telstra
Sarah Carney
Microsoft
Sarah Vale
Domain
Shantell Williams
Tiimely
Stevie-Ann Dovico
Beyond Bank Australia
Suneetha Boddulur
Service NSW
Susan Gibson
University of Technology Sydney
Suzie Cardwell
Nine
Tracey Evans
Virtus Health
Ellenor Cox
Executive Master CoachGAIA Coaching
A certified Master Coach and leadership facilitator, Ellenor is known for unlocking the “zone of genius” in leaders facing high-stakes decisions and complex change. Her sessions combine brain-based tools with real-world experience, equipping professionals to lead with clarity, impact and resilience.
At Women in Tech Fest 2026, Ellenor will guide participants through practical strategies to sharpen their communication, strengthen negotiation skills, and expand their leadership presence with confidence, empowering them to future-proof their careers and create a lasting impact in a fast-changing tech landscape.
Speaking at
Masterclass A: Leadership, Communication & Negotiation for Women in Tech
Renece Brewster
Co-Founder & Co-Managing DirectorHer Tech Circle
I'm a strong advocate for empowerment, especially for women in their careers. I believe it's essential for all of us to have the confidence to articulate our value and bravely ask for what we want. This conviction drives my work as Co-Founder and Partner of March Collective, where we support women-led scale-up businesses with bespoke advisory services, community support, and growth opportunities. Our mission is to dismantle barriers and foster inclusive business growth.
Using technology to achieve amazing things is another area close to my heart. As Co-Founder and Co-MD of Her Tech Circle, I'm dedicated to fostering connections and growth for women in tech. My experience as Co-Founder of GoList and COO of Workinitiatives also highlights my belief in leveraging innovative solutions to drive success.
My commitment to innovation and impact has been recognised through honours such as being an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Finalist and a Telstra Business Awards Finalist. I often have the privilege of sharing insights on these themes – connection, business growth, supporting women, and the power of technology and networks – at various events.
Speaking at
Sarah Carney
National Chief Technology Officer ANZMicrosoft
Sarah’s career has taken her across continents and industries—from think tanks in Europe to marketing in the Middle East, and even a stint attending ballet for a living!
Named the 4th most powerful woman in tech in Australia by B&T in 2025 and winner of ARN’s Rising Star award for 2024, Sarah brings a unique, adventurous lens to innovation and the power of technology.
Speaking at
Career playgrounds not paths - lessons in growth, rejection and resilience
Colleen Pender
Program DirectorNAB
Colleen has worked with senior client and vendor stakeholders spanning over multiple international locations. She has a strong delivery focus and excels at finding solutions to challenges. Her strong communication and negotiation skills help her to operate effectively in complex environments and achieve the best outcomes for organisations and customers. She is a passionate leader and coach who empowers individuals and inspires teams to drive change and continuous improvement.
Colleen has a love of learning, with a Masters of Business Administration, a Masters of Information Systems Management and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Systems. She also holds multiple project management, technology and cloud certifications, with her latest accomplishment being a Diploma of Building and Construction.
Speaking at
Concrete strategies to elevate women in tech: leveraging processes, programs and action to move from awareness to results
Roundtable 8: Strategies to develop strategic and critical thinking
Judith Powell
Chief Information OfficerTransgrid
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Triumphs, failures & lessons learned on the path to diversity & career success
Tracey Evans
Group Chief Information & Digital OfficerVirtus Health
With a ‘culture first’ leadership style, Tracey empowers teams through right-sized technology frameworks that fuel innovation, close capability gaps, and unlock new growth opportunities. She brings extensive experience engaging with Boards and executive teams to translate strategic vision into operational reality. Drawing on a broad industry background - including digital services, financial services, professional services, and Not-For-Profit.
Tracey offers an ‘outside-in’ perspective that’s uniquely suited to today’s rapidly evolving tech landscape. Tenacious, collaborative, and always future-focused, she’s a catalyst for meaningful and sustainable transformation.
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Triumphs, failures & lessons learned on the path to diversity & career success
Pia Seeto
Technology Transition Lead & Head of Planning & Reporting Technology GovernanceTPG Telecom
She is Alumni of UNSW Computer Engineering and currently chairs the Industry Advisory Board for the School of Computer Science and Engineering. Pia was awarded the UNSW Engineering, Dr Judy Raper Women in Leadership award in 2014 and has been an active advocate for the school and the work it does to further student careers and build a stronger industry.
Pia is an IT & Telecommunications Professional who loves enabling impact through technology. She is an active learner, passionate about "keeping it real" leadership and thought diversity. She enjoys working with high performing teams and people who are not afraid to try.
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Triumphs, failures & lessons learned on the path to diversity & career success
Mirella Robinson
Chief Technology OfficerAcenda
With over 20 years of experience as a senior technology executive, Mirella joined our business in February 2024. She brings a depth of experience spanning financial services, telecommunications, media, and retail energy industries. Most recently, Mirella worked at Cbus, where she served as Chief Information and Technology Officer.
Mirella is passionate about building strong teams and driving innovation, agility, and performance in diverse and complex environments.
Mirella has a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Mathematical Statistics from Monash University, an MBA from Swinburne University, and Certification in Digital Modelling and Practices from MIT Boston.
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Triumphs, failures & lessons learned on the path to diversity & career success
Miranda Ratajski
Chief Information Officer, Group Business UnitsWestpac
She has worked across industries including finance, telecom, and government, leading initiatives that drive innovation, operational excellence, and customer engagement.
Miranda has developed strategic and tactical direction, built high performing teams and enabled service to uplift customer experiences.
Her leadership, focus and business direction results in improved engagement and productivity through enhanced employee experience, delivering significantly engaged teams who have more time to delight customers.
She is passionate about building people-centric cultures and embedding sustainability and diversity in tech strategy.
Community is a strong anchor for Miranda, and she is also a volunteer yoga teacher.
Miranda has been globally recognised as a Fintech Top 100 Woman and an Inclusive Leader.
Miranda’s recent awards and nominations include:
• 2025 Women Leading Tech Power List #15, presented by
Atlassian
▪ 2025 Top Women in Tech Australia, Womentech Network
▪ 2024 Fintech Top 100 women globally #28
▪ 2024 Women in Banking and Finance Inclusive Workplace Award
(team lead).
▪ 2023 Women in Banking and Finance Inclusive Leader award
▪ 2023 Women in Banking and Finance Diversity & Inclusion
Initiative of the Year (team lead)
Speaking at
Adapting to a world of robotics & the impact on tech roles & careers
Carrie Hu
Chief Information OfficerNew Aim
Carrie’s leadership in standardising the digital supply chain and driving marketplace transformation has earned her a strong reputation across the enterprise. Her contributions were recognised in 2023 when she won Digital Transformation Leader of the Year at the Women in Digital Awards. Carrie’s industry expertise is further evidenced by her participation in eCommerce strategy panel discussions at Online Retailer Expos and her role as a judge for the 2024 Women in Digital Awards.
Committed to nurturing future leaders, Carrie actively mentors team members and serves as a Director of Inspiring Girls Australia. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Accounting and Finance from the University of Melbourne.
Speaking at
Empowering your team, organisation & career through digital transformation leadership
Dominique Barker
Chief Information OfficerAustralian Institute of Family Studies
Speaking at
Building resilience and adapting with agility
Roundtable 6: Overcoming imposter syndrome: strategies to build confidence and thrive
Sam Love
Executive, Product & TechnologyQuantium Telstra
As an intellectually curious and results-driven professional, I thrive in fast-paced, high-growth environments, tackling complex challenges with a strategic mindset and a focus on long-term value creation. Passionate about aligning technology, data, and business strategy, I am committed to developing innovative solutions that enable organisations to achieve transformational growth.
Speaking at
Developing critical non-technical skills to open doors & improve project outcomes
Suneetha Boddulur
Chief Technology OfficerService NSW
She is deeply passionate about creating exceptional experiences and unlocking potential by placing technology at the core of organizational enablement. She has successfully led national whole-of-government digital modernization and transformation programs, securing buy-in at the highest levels, including Ministerial levels. She specialises in building independent organizational structures focused on perpetuating customer experience, agile methodologies, innovation, and a strong commitment to delivery.
Thriving in dynamic environments, she blends technical expertise with business acumen to achieve impactful results. Her strengths include leading cross-functional teams, fostering cultures of innovation, and implementing scalable solutions that meet current and future needs. She excels in navigating complex challenges, optimizing infrastructure, deploying robust cybersecurity measures, and leveraging emerging technologies such as AI and cloud computing.
Throughout her career, she has developed a profound understanding of modern digital technologies, including DevOps, DevSecOps, FinOps, Privacy and Security by design, Service Management, Contract Negotiations, and Vendor Management. This expertise enables her to drive digital strategies that yield competitive advantages and foster growth. Committed to continuous learning, she stays ahead of industry trends to ensure my teams consistently exceed expectations.
Speaking at
Balancing tech expertise with commercial acumen: driving innovation from concept to commercialisation
Emma Taylor
Chief Technology Officer – Airline OperationsVirgin Australia
Emma Taylor is the Head of Technology at Virgin Australia where she leads a department of over 200 technology professionals overseeing critical enterprise platforms including AI/ML, data analytics, systems integration, automation, and digital engineering. She directs the Enterprise and Solution Architecture practice, delivering strategic value through innovative projects while ensuring platforms remain resilient, secure, and industry-leading.
With over 15 years of experience in Financial Services and 7 years in the airline industry, Emma has developed expertise in digital transformation, enterprise architecture, IT-business alignment, and value creation.
She excels in crisis management and communicating complex technology strategies at the board level.
Emma holds a degree in Information Technology - Business Systems and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Known for her adaptive leadership style, Emma combines strategic vision with agility in responding to industry changes. She fosters a culture of transparency and calculated innovation to drive business outcomes. Emma is a mother of 2 young teenagers, loves travelling, scuba diving and is a passionate about encouraging girls to pursue a career in IT.
Speaking at
Roundtable 1: Navigating new horizons: identifying & moving into new roles & career opportunities
Shantell Williams
Chief Technology OfficerTiimely
Since joining Tiimely in 2021, she has guided high-performing teams through scaling challenges, fostering innovative ways of working that enhance collaboration and delivery. Under her leadership, Tiimely’s platform has been transformed to support growth, scale, and innovation, delivering on the company’s vision for seamless, AI-powered financial solutions. She believes that cultivating great talent is the most powerful driver of innovation in technology.
Speaking at
Roundtable 2: Wellbeing and work-life integration: how to make it work for you
Making transformation work: from personal edge to business impact
Aruna Pattam
Head of AI PlatformsZurich Insurance
Aruna specialises in building enterprise AI platforms, driving innovation, and developing scalable frameworks that deliver measurable business value. She is a recognised thought leader on AI, Agentic AI and its applications in financial services and insurance.
Passionate about ethical and responsible AI, Aruna focuses on shaping strategies that balance innovation with trust, ensuring technology enhances both business outcomes and human experiences. As a woman leader in AI, Aruna is passionate about advancing diversity in AI and creating pathways for more women in the field.
Speaking at
Roundtable 3: Thriving in the AI age by leveraging the technology as an opportunity & not a challenge
Gaby Carney
Senior Fellow, Strategic AI, UTS Human Technology InstituteUniversity of Technology Sydney
Speaking at
Roundtable 4: Shaping high impact culture & high performance through leadership
Harnessing the power of agentic AI & navigating the risks
Hayley Sheppard
Head of Digital SolutionsTasNetworks
In her current role, Hayley focuses on digital tooling, architecture, and the security aspects of the energy industry transformation, specifically the intersection between Operational Technology and core IT. Having spent her career specialising in digital projects delivering organisational change, Hayley uses that experience to focus on digital adoption and identifying ongoing needs for customers and team members.
Speaking at
Roundtable 5: Interview power play: landing your next role in tech
May Lam
Chief Information OfficerAustralian Payments Plus
Speaking at
Roundtable 7: Strategies to succeed on a high-pressure, high stakes project
Panel discussion: Finding success in non-traditional tech paths: maximising diverse and non-linear career trajectories
Lucy Poole
Deputy Chief Executive Officer – Strategy, Planning & PerformanceDigital Transformation Agency
Lucy oversees the management of the government’s digital investment pipeline to ensure an integrated and coordinated approach to government’s investment in digital and ICT. A key priority for Lucy is driving the achievement of the Australian Government’s vision to implement world class digital capabilities to deliver outstanding outcomes for all.
Lucy also manages the Digital Transformation Agency’s development of policies, governance models, and assurance frameworks for the implementation and use of Generative Artificial Intelligence technologies across the Australian Public Service.
Prior to joining the Digital Transformation Agency, Lucy held senior executive roles at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Australian Public Service Commission where she led several transformation programs. Lucy has experience across a range of sectors including Australian federal and state governments, the private sector and the UK civil service.
Speaking at
Future-proof or fade out – reinventing your skills & career in the AI era
Cheng Yeo
General Manager Architecture & StrategyCrown Resorts
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Finding success in non-traditional tech paths: maximising diverse and non-linear career trajectories
Romina Sharifpour
Leader - Multi-Agent Product EngineeringCommonwealth Bank
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Finding success in non-traditional tech paths: maximising diverse and non-linear career trajectories
Suzie Cardwell
Chief Data Product & Technology OfficerNine
In Her roles with Foxtel and New Corp, Suzie was responsible for developing new commercial data-driven digital products. At News Corp she launched he industry-first audience segmentation and intelligence platform, Intent Connect.
Currently, in her role as Chief Data, Product & Technology Officer, Enterprise for Nine Entertainment, Suzie is leading the development and implementation of Nine's data strategy, focusing on building value from Nine's AI strategy, she leads a team of date technologists, product managers and data scientists.
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Finding success in non-traditional tech paths: maximising diverse and non-linear career trajectories
Nicole Nixon
Chief Executive OfficerFive Faces
Empathy lies at the core of Nicole’s approach. With a deep understanding of human connection, she champions the importance of putting consumers at the forefront of every experience. She ensures equal opportunities to thrive in the digital age by supporting vulnerable consumers with easy, accessible technology. Internally, Nicole inspires and motivates the Five Faces team to deliver exceptional solutions and service, fostering a supportive culture of excellence and continuous improvement. She forges strong and enduring partnerships with clients, where goals, design and achievements are shared as one team.
These exceptional people skills are backed by a solid foundation of structure, process, and problem solving which Nicole acquired during her time in the Royal Australian Air Force and honed through diverse professional experiences in manufacturing, business consulting and entertainment. This rich background enables Nicole to lead with a unique blend of empathy and pragmatism, ensuring that innovation is not just a lofty ideal but delivered in a reliable and consistent fashion.
Nicole was the driving force behind Five Faces’ pivot during COVID-19 to focus on consumer experience solutions – initially on the frontline of the healthcare industry and then broadening to other complex service organisations such as education and government. She oversaw investment in the company’s new technology platform to ensure that the unprecedented innovation during COVID-19 would become the new normal.
Nicole is an empathetic entrepreneur, guiding Five Faces to fuel the growing appetite for digital transformation among complex service providers that provide essential services for society’s most vulnerable people.
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Finding success in non-traditional tech paths: maximising diverse and non-linear career trajectories
Forough Khandan
Chief Technology OfficerEMVision Medical Devices
She has a demonstrated a track record of successful technologies, and product(s) in the medical device, automotive, and consumer industries. Skilled in people and project management. Strong new technology and product development professional who always finds a new or more efficient way to overcome or bypass obstacles.
"Working with a great team makes work much better and helps turn challenges into fun and just "another puzzle" to solve. Still learning and growing."
Speaking at
Owning your journey: how to advocate for yourself at every career stage
Gabriella Hepworth
Data Ethics & AI Governance LeadMedibank
That focus has guided her through a career spanning education, government, and industry, where she’s helped organisations navigate complex decisions about data, privacy, and AI with care and accountability.
Now leading Data Ethics & AI Governance at Medibank, Gabbie is building enterprise frameworks to ensure emerging technologies are designed and deployed responsibly. She brings heart, rigour, and a values-first mindset to innovation, grounded in curiosity, reinvention, and a deep commitment to fairness.
As a woman in tech (often the only one in the room) Gabbie is passionate about creating space for ethical leadership, inclusive design, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Speaking at
Coding fairness: women leading the ethical AI revolution
Dominique Harrison-Bentzen
Chief Executive Officer & Co-FounderLuniate
She is an Executive MBA scholarship recipient at London Business School, a published author, and a passionate advocate for technology and social impact. Her community work has been recognised with the UK Prime Minister’s Points of Light award and a place on The Independent’s Happy List.
Speaking at
Rethinking AI: common enterprise missteps and how to get It right
Sarah Vale
Head of Technology ArchitectureDomain
Speaking at
Achieving success through cross-team collaboration
Susan Gibson
Head of Data Analytics & AIUniversity of Technology Sydney
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Empowering the next generation of women in tech
Katrina Troughton
Vice President & Managing DirectorAdobe ANZ
I am a Chief Executive Women member, and passionate about the importance of culture, diversity and inclusion in high performance organisations. I am proud to have received the CEO of the Year award at the 2021 Australian LGBTQ Inclusion Awards.
I serve on the TAFE NSW advisory board, and pleased to act as a a Careers NSW Ambassador as the IT industry continues to grow and offer significant new career opportunities where new skills and pathways into IT are required.
My solution experience spans data and analytics, cloud, AI, BPM, Digital Strategy, software and Software as a Service (SaaS)
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Empowering the next generation of women in tech
Natalie Saunders
Head of Technology – Service ManagementAGL
As Chair of AGL’s Equality Committee, Nat is a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion. She is committed to empowering women in energy and encouraging others to step outside their comfort zones and explore the industry’s vast opportunities.
Based at Torrens Island, Nat brings a people-first approach to leadership and is proud to contribute to Australia’s renewable energy transition.
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Empowering the next generation of women in tech
Margo Stephen
Chief Technology OfficerYarra Trams
I bring over two decades of experience delivering secure, customer-centric digital products and platforms—balancing revenue objectives with innovation, compliance, and operational excellence. Experienced in navigating ambiguity, driving cultural change, building and leading cross-functional teams and translating complex challenges into scalable solutions; always focusing first on the "why", then the "how".
Highly adaptable, my leadership spans complex ecosystems involving government, enterprise, and emerging tech—always with a focus on risk-aware delivery, strategic partnerships, and long-term value.
I thrive at the intersection of policy, product, and technology. I'm passionate about enabling trusted digital interactions and helping Australians protect their personal information. Recognised as a leader in digital identity, as an advisor to government, I have helped shape Australia's national Digital Identity program, legislation and standards.
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Empowering the next generation of women in tech
Stevie-Ann Dovico
Group Executive for Technology & Chief Information OfficerBeyond Bank Australia
Speaking at
Panel discussion: Empowering the next generation of women in tech
