Meet the Speakers
Host
Amanda Rose
Founder and CEO of Western Sydney Women and Entrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia, Mentor and Media Commentator.
-
Amanda Rose (#BossLady) is an advocate for women in business, a media commentator, keynote speaker and an entrepreneur. Appearing weekly on Sunrise and SkyNews and contributing regularly to the Australian Financial Review, the Daily Telegraph and SmartCompany, Amanda applies compassionate critical thinking to disseminate complex issues affecting everyday Australians.
Amanda is the Founder and CEO of Entrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia (ESBWA) and the Founder of Western Sydney Women. She founded and sold Business Women Media, the first platform of its kind to advocate for small business women. As a mentor and advisor to women in executive roles and SMEs, Amanda is known for her strategic, practical approach to leadership and business.
A passionate keynote speaker, professional development trainer and workshop facilitator, Amanda Rose has worked with the Australian Defence Force, CPA Australia, Law Institute, UTS, UBER, ANZ, Deloitte, Local Government and the Royal Australian Navy in the areas of confident leadership, conflict resolution and relationship building.
Working with John Holland, Laing O’Rourke, Downer, EG Funds and local councils on policy consulting and stakeholder engagement, Amanda has been described as the “glue connecting communities, government and business” on critical infrastructure and social impact initiatives.
Amanda is a member of the External Committee for Western Sydney University’s creative leadership degree and a small business mentor for the Australian Government’s Boosting Female Founders initiative. Her qualifications include a BBA (Mktg & Psych) from Macquarie University, a Masters CommMgmt from UTS, and a GradCert Educational Leadership from Macquarie University. She is currently studying a Masters Business Law at Sydney University.
Keynote Speakers
Gina Pavlovic
Head of Sustainability, Endeavour Energy
-
Gina commenced at Endeavour Energy in early 2021, bringing a wealth of knowledge in sustainability strategy implementation and environmental improvement project management.
Gina is an experienced Sustainability and Environmental professional working in large Community Service and Infrastructure Businesses, such as City of Sydney, WaterNSW, and John Holland.
Whilst at Endeavour Energy, Gina has lead the development of the inaugural Sustainability Strategy, supported securing a Sustainability Linked Loan and the organisation has also scored 5 star three years in a row in GRESB a global sustainability benchmarking tool. Gina is ensuring sustainability is embedded into decision making, as well as delivering systems and processes to empower staff and partners for success.
Paul Digby
Chief Executive Officer, Parklife Metro
-
Paul is the CEO of the Parklife Metro, the consortium that is delivering the Stations, Systems, Trains, Operation and Maintenance (SSTOM) works package for Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport. Paul has extensive experience leading complex infrastructure projects having held Interim Project Co CEO positions on the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing and Gold Coast Light Rail and is known for leading collaborative, high-performing teams at all phases of transport PPP projects.
Wendy El-Khoury
Founder and CEO, Wedded Wonderland and Western Sydney Woman of the Year 2022
-
Wendy El-Khoury is a visionary entrepreneur, philanthropist, and educator with a global footprint, celebrated for her exceptional leadership in the wedding and lifestyle industries. As the co-founder of 'This is Wondergroup' and Creative Director of Wedded Wonderland, Venue Wonderland, Wedded Week, Proposals in Wonderland, and Honeymoon Wonderland, Wendy has pioneered digital innovation and international expansion, reshaping the wedding landscape on a global scale. With over 12 years of experience as a Tourism Advisor, Global Brands Consultant, Mentor, and Educator, Wendy has revolutionized traditional business paradigms, fostering economies of trade and scale across continents. Her expertise spans travel, hospitality, fashion, beauty, real estate, and lifestyle sectors, overseeing brands with a weekly reach and engagement exceeding 10 million worldwide. Wendy's strategic acumen and marketing prowess have propelled her enterprises to cultivate a vibrant online community boasting over 3 million followers globally. She has collaborated with renowned entities such as Vera Wang, Dubai Tourism and Economy, the Australian Government, InterContinental Group, and Marriott Group, orchestrating impactful launches and events on an international stage.
Wendy is a dynamic keynote speaker, advocating for the power of authentic dialogue in driving business excellence. Her steadfast commitment to inclusivity and empowerment has earned her prestigious accolades like "Entrepreneur of the Year" and "Woman of the Year" in 2022. Wendy's influential voice has graced esteemed publications and media outlets worldwide, including Forbes, Fortune Magazine, Financial Review, QANDA, BBC and Harper's Bazaar, solidifying her status as a visionary thought leader and industry trailblazer. As a devoted mother of five, Wendy continues to inspire and uplift small businesses while making a profound impact through her philanthropic and entrepreneurial initiatives on a global scale.
Marian Casey
Deputy Commissioner - Volunteering, St John Ambulance NSW and Western Sydney Woman of the Year 2023
-
Marian Casey started volunteering when she was 10 years old. She started because she wanted to give back to her community, but soon realised that she got to learn skills while outdoors and make life long friends.
Marian has a degree in forensic biology and psychology, as well as an MBA. She previously worked at Macquarie University and Sydney University for 14 years, where she initially started working in a laboratory but discovered her passion for teaching and has taught at a university level clinically applied anatomy, neurophysiology, anatomy for archaeology, human physiology, bioethics, social enterprise, medical communication, and professionalism. In addition Marian has worked in event management and run her own business in creating corporate team building days. In 2019, she was asked to become the first female non-clinician to instruct on the Training in Professional Skills Course for the Royal Australian College of Surgeons and was the first non-clinical to be invited to become a committee member in 2022.
Marian has been with a volunteer St John Ambulance NSW since 2010 and has focused on enabling diversity and positive experiences for Volunteers. She has taken on several different roles to support Divisions in logistics, member welfare, training, and event planning and has led Macquarie Division and been a Hub Leader in Sydney Metro during her time at St John Ambulance NSW. In 2020 she was admitted to the Order of St John, received her 10 year service medal, and National Emergency Service Medal for the 2019-2020 Bushfires.
Marian also has volunteered for NSW State Emergency Service, StreamWatch, Australian Youth Parliament for the Environment, UniMed Australia, Share the Dignity, CSIRO Scientists in Schools, CheckPoint mental health for gamers, and the Warrior Women Foundation. She was awarded volunteer of the Year for Central Sydney in 2022 and, Volunteer of the Year and Woman of the Year for Western Sydney Women.
Panellists
Diversity and Politics
-
Panel Facilitator – Amanda Rose
Founder and CEO of Western Sydney Women and Entrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia
-
Senator Maria Kovacic
Liberal Senator for New South Wales
-
Dai Le MP
Independent Federal Member for Fowler
-
Donna Davis MP
Labor NSW Member for Parramatta
-
Tanya Raffoul
General Manager - Policy and Government Relations, Service and Creative Skills Australia (Jobs and Skills Council)
-
Veronika Miller
Student Activist
Economic Participation Via Entrepreneurship
-
Panel Facilitator – Brigid Glanville
Director – Government Communications, GRACosway
-
Debbie Burgess
Joint Managing Director, Bright Print Group
-
Gina Field
Founder and Managing Director, Nepean Regional Security
-
Michelle May
Michelle May Buyers Agents
Transport & Logistics
-
Panel Facilitator – Alia Karaman
Project Director - Southwest, Sydney Metro
-
Shiara Samarasinghe
General Manager - Major Project Interfaces, Western Sydney Airport
-
Nicole Dollin
General Manager Customer Contact & Distribution, NRMA
-
Madeline Wu
Chief Remote Pilot - Drones, Sydney Trains
Next Gen Youth Pathways
-
Panel Facilitator – Zoë Robinson
Advocate for Children and Young People
-
Betty Nguyen
Western Sydney Young Woman of the Year 2022 and Participation Officer at the Office for the Advocate for Children and Young People in NSW
-
Heidi Rogl
Recruitment & HR Specialist, Parklife Metro
-
Daniya Syed
Mechatronics Engineering Student and Robotics Enthusiast
-
Cally Dixon
Research Intern, Western Sydney Youth
Built Environment & ESG
-
Panel Facilitator – Yvette Carr
Director, Planning, Ethos Urban
-
Annalisa Amiradakis
Partner, Deloitte
-
Melissa Doueihi
Head of Strategy & Innovation, Endeavour Energy
-
Professor Olivia Mirza
Research Theme Champion and Associate Dean Engagement, Western Sydney University
-
Olivia Widjaja
2023 Western Sydney Young Woman of the Year and Space Operations Analyst, EOS Space Systems
Further speakers to be announced.