What would change if women and girls were believed the first time? Facilitated by Balveen Ajimal, Chief Executive Officer of Women’s Health and Equality Queensland, this conversation explores what women and girls deserve to know about their bodies, and why so many are still forced to fight for answers.

Not just a conversation about health services, but about power, body literacy, cultural safety, access, shame, silence, and the lifelong impact of not being heard.

How do we build health systems that trust, support and equip women and girls with the knowledge and confidence to advocate for themselves and each other?

Speakers

Balveen Ajimal

Balveen is an experienced senior leader and advocate for women and children, with a diverse background spanning international corporate law and over a decade in the not-for-profit sector. 

The founder of Community Capital, she has held senior strategy and board roles across major organisations, including Queensland Treasury Corporation, GoodWolf Partners, and Endometriosis Australia. 

Now stepping into the role of CEO at WHEQ, Balveen is dedicated to advancing high-quality, uninterrupted services for Queensland women and their families, noting that "there has never been a more important time to advocate for women and their families." 

Naomi Evans

Born and raised in Cairns, Naomi Evans has worked in the community sector for 15 years, and has a strong passion to bring together creativity, community connection and social impact. An artist, curator and community project facilitator, Naomi has developed and curated exhibitions, workshops and community arts projects that create space for connection, expression and empowerment.

She is currently the Events Manager for Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), one of Australia’s leading Indigenous art events. Through her arts practice and community work, Naomi is passionate about creating accessible spaces where people can share their stories, build confidence and recognise their own strength, creativity and resilience.

Anna Jones

Anna Jones is a public health educator and community leader with experience advancing health literacy, cultural safety and inclusion. She has managed projects with Queensland Tropical Public Health Services and delivers primary health education to First Nations students. As President of the Cairns African Association, Anna advocates for African, migrant and refugee communities across Far North Queensland. She also coordinates the Maisha Bora Skills Appreciation Program, supporting diverse participants to build confidence, foundational skills and pathways into employment. Her work brings together public health expertise, cultural understanding and leadership to amplify women’s voices and challenge barrier.

Yupin Robson

Yupin Robson is a Thai-Australian healthcare executive, entrepreneur, and transformation leader with over 25 years of experience across pharmaceuticals, medical devices, specialist care operations, clinical research, and AI-enabled healthcare. She holds a clinical foundation in microbiology alongside postgraduate qualifications in Business and Science.

Yupin is CEO and Co-Founder of Edify Medical, where she leads the development of AI-enabled solutions that streamline clinical documentation and reduce administrative burden for healthcare teams. Its flagship product, Dict8ion, has become the foundation for new innovation streams in voice banking, voice preservation, and language technology aimed at improving inclusion in healthcare.

A committed advocate for women in business, Yupin has served as an Activator with Coralus (formerly SheEO) since 2018.

Shirley-Ann Rowley

Shirley-Ann Rowley is a Christian songwriter, musician and creative community practitioner with 38 years’ experience as a Registered Nurse. Much of her nursing career was spent working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in health, education and leadership. A Stage IV bowel cancer survivor, Shirley-Ann understands the importance of compassionate, culturally respectful and community-centred healthcare from both professional and lived experience.