Women Investing
in Women 

Women Investing in Women 
Conversation & Reception
Friday 11 September
5.30-6.30pm
Bulmba-ja Arts Centre, Cairns
$20pp

Join WOW Founder in Australia, Cathy Hunt AM and some of her friends for a conversation on women investing in women, followed by a reception to share our thanks to all of our supporters that have worked so hard with us to bring together the WOW Women of the World Festival Cairns 2026!

Women Investing In Women

Too often we tend to put things in the ‘too hard’ basket when it comes to finding new solutions to problems that we face in the world today. Sometimes it is easier to leave it to someone else to ‘fix’ the problem. But this is an opportunity to hear from some remarkable change makers, women who have taken it upon themselves to break down barriers for women through investing their time, ideas and financial resources in building a better world including Founder of the Ubuntu Foundation Carolyn Vincent, Investor and Founder of Impact Queensland Lisa Siganto and Founder of Sharing With Friends Susan Davies

Glass of wine/beer + finger foods included in price of ticket.

This event has been made possible with support from Morgans and the Morgans Cairns team and Regional Development Australia

Speakers

Cathy Hunt AM is a mission-driven leader and change-maker in the cultural, creative, and community sectors. She champions cultural expression as key to solving societal challenges, innovating to deliver impact and has extensive international experience in cultural project management, planning and policy development. Cathy co-founded the WOW movement in Australia and has initiated 10 WOW Festivals across the Country including directly producing 8 in Queensland.

Cathy has always had a focus on the economic security of artists and women, developing initiatives like the QuickstART microloan fund and investing in women led businesses. Recognised with an AM for services to arts, culture, and women, she is committed to equity and inclusion and serves on various governance boards including Screen Queensland.

Carolyn Vincent is the Founder of the Ubuntu Foundation, a Queensland-based philanthropic organisation built on the philosophy of Ubuntu — "I am because you are." Guided by a lifelong belief in community and generosity, Carolyn invests her time, ideas and resources in building a kinder, fairer world. As a 2025 Dancing CEO, she raised nearly $120,000 for Women's Legal Service Queensland, supporting women and children impacted by domestic violence.

The Ubuntu Foundation was a finalist for Philanthropic Foundation of the Year at the Queensland Philanthropy Awards. Carolyn is launching Kindness Out Loud, a movement amplifying everyday acts of kindness — because kindness shouldn't stay quiet anymore.

Lisa Siganto’s focus is on impact investment and supporting female founders through loans. She has experience as a board member (including as Chair of the Bama Services Board in Cairns) business advisor and founder of for purpose organisations and social enterprises.

Lisa has worked on building both the social enterprise and the impact investment sector in Australia. She is a grandmother of two special little people who represent the future that she contributes to.

Susan Davies is a housing activist and President of not-for-profit housing developer Sharing with Friends Foundation - working toward a solution to the problem of older women’s housing for the past seven years. Sharing with Friends’ has created an elegant model called Seniors Co-housing where a woman gets affordability, lifetime security, and friendship in a unique five-person housing development.

Susan’s background is journalism, communications, and business. She joined Zonta International in 1978 fighting to make women’s rights human rights. It helped her realise that the current state of housing for older women in Australia was a systemic - not an individual - failure.