WOW IS COMING TO GLADSTONE!
WOW IS COMING TO GLADSTONE!
PANEL CONVERSATIONS
At the heart of WOW are the conversations we need to have, led by people who have created change in their lives and in their communities and exploring many of the issues of importance to women and girls today in Central Queensland.
Welcome to the Festival and Opening Address 9.00am
Hall B
9.30am – 10.45am
A Woman’s Place Is in the Economy!
Why is economic security so much more precarious for women and what are we doing about it? How are women contributing to the economic development of the Gladstone Region? What is your ‘money story’ and how does this impact on your daily decision making when it comes to your finances? These issues and more will be discussed in this first conversation of the day led by WOW Executive Director Cathy Hunt AM including
Kylie Devney, 2024 Gladstone Chamber of Commerce and Industry Best in Business winner, Marcia Senn Director Wealth Management for the Morgans network. Cr Natalia Muszkat Deputy Mayor Gladstone Regional Council, Shona Markham, General Manager Boyne Smelters Limited (BSL)
This panel made possible with the support of Morgans Financial
Hall B
11.00 – 12.15pm
Beyond City Limits: Why Location Shouldn't Dictate Women's Health
Join us for a vital panel on women's health in the regions. We'll explore how geographical inequities profoundly affect regional and rural women's health and access to reproductive and other services in Queensland. Leading health professionals, steer the discussion on community engagement and empowering partnerships that drive positive change and local solutions to foster healthier, more equitable futures. Discover how understanding diverse needs enables positive change for all women in our region. Facilitated by Kate Veach, CEO of Gladstone Women's Health with Registered Nurse Friederike McCartney, Social Worker Yaleela Torrens, Consultant Obstetrician Dr Preeti Patil and Clinical Lead Ariela Rother.
This panel made possible with the support of Gladstone Women’s Health
Hall B
9.10am – 9.40am
In Conversation with commissioner
Katie Kiss
Katie Kiss is a proud Kaanju and Birri/Widi woman who grew up in Rockhampton, Central Queensland on the lands of the Darumbal People. She commenced as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on 3 April 2024 and was previously the Executive Director of the Interim Truth and Treaty Body supporting Queensland’s Path to Treaty, and held senior positions in the Queensland Government, including Chief of Staff to the Minister for Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Premier. Commissioner Kiss will be in conversation with Cathy Hunt AM to discuss her career path and what she wishes to achieve in this key role for Australia’s First Nation peoples.
Conference Room A
11.00 - 12.00pm
WOW Bites
Experience tears and laughter and everything emotion in between with our WOW Bites session hosted by comedian Mandy Nolan. Hear outstanding true-life stories from artist Jenny Hansen about migrating to create a new life, author Lesley Synge on how her writing life began in Gladstone, founder of Cosmos Arts for Health Katrina Elliot on arts for health and Associate Professor, Dr Linda Pfeiffer on people, planet and partnerships.
Conference Room A
2.30pm – 3.30pm
WOW Bites
Be inspired with artist and cultural activist Bec Mac as she hosts visual artist Ping Carlyon on weaving emotion through paint, Rosemary Frederickson on her learnings from workplace experiences, grazier and small business owner Casey Alsop on standing tall in work life.
Hall B
2.30pm – 3.45pm
Better Together
Creating communities free from gender-based violence takes all of us — listening, learning, and working together. Better Together explores how we can create safer, more inclusive spaces in our homes, workplaces, schools, and communities by fostering empathy, understanding, and shared responsibility. Hear from people driving change through advocacy, education, and creative engagement — and discover how collaboration can make lasting impact.
Facilitated by Co-Founder and Director of The Be There Group Shaan Ross-Smith, with Rod Ainsworth from CQUniversity and transformational facilitator, researcher and academic Dr Faiza El-Higzi and rites of passage guide Mitch Stent.
Kylie Devney
Hall B
1.15pm – 2.15pm
WOW Bites
Join Of One Mind Executive Director Cathy Hunt AM to hear inspirational stories from an amazing group of local women nominated through a community consultation process in our second WOW Bites session, including Paulette Flint on gutsy Gladstone women, Charlie Blundell on escaping a cult, Noami Asling on transforming trauma through connection and remembering and Angela Fredericks on how to become an effective disruptor.
TALENT BIO’S
Cathy Hunt, AM
Cathy is the Executive Director of cultural enterprise Of One Mind, which produces the WOW events in Australia, and has overseen the development of WOW across Australia since 2013 in partnership with the global WOW Foundation.
Cathy is a cultural strategist with over thirty years experience providing research and advice to governments, architects, arts and cultural organisations and artists in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Hong Kong in her role as co-founder of consulting company Positive Solutions.
Cathy is also a Board Director of Screen Queensland, a member of the Advisory Committee for the Queensland Government Women's Strategy. In January 2023, Cathy was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant services to arts and culture and women.
Kylie Devney
Kylie Devney, Gladstone born, holds Law and Arts degrees. As sole director, she transformed Byrne Lawyers, growing it from 13 to nearly 60 staff across three branches, driven by efficiency. A passionate advocate for social justice and Indigenous rights, Kylie was the first female President of Port Curtis Rotary and leads the Gladstone Law Association. She is the 2024 Regional Woman Lawyer of the Year, Business Leader, and a 2025 Queensland Law Awards finalist.
Kate Veach, CEO of Gladstone Women’s Health Centre, is a registered nurse and passionate healthcare leader. With extensive experience across public, private, and commercial sectors, she champions equitable healthcare access, particularly in regional areas. A former Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union Secretary and a Global Nursing Leadership Institute graduate, Kate fosters women's leadership. She serves on the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Board, advocating for safe workplaces and a sustainable future where women thrive.
Kate Veach
Marcia Senn
Marcia Senn boasts 25 years in Financial Services, 14 with Morgans. Starting as a Financial Adviser, she led the financial planning team for five years before her recent appointment as Director Wealth Management for the Morgans network. Marcia is passionate about providing holistic strategic and investment advice, focusing on helping clients secure their family's financial future by developing tailored strategies to achieve their goals.
Linda Pfeiffer
Associate Professor Linda Pfeiffer is Deputy Dean (Research) at CQUniversity’s School of Education and the Arts. A former science teacher from regional NSW, Linda is a passionate advocate for STEM education, community engagement, and local impact. Her research focuses on improving science teaching in schools. An award-winning educator and author, she’s committed to building a strong STEM ecosystem in Gladstone and inspiring future generations of learners.
Mitch Stent
Mitch is a transformational facilitator and rites of passage guide with 10 years of experience across the not-for-profit and corporate sectors. Much of Mitch’s work has focused on supporting teenage boys to navigate the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities of growing into whole-heartedly engaged adults in our time. He specialises in preventative mental health and transformational program design and facilitation training and has worked with a number of organisations including The Man Cave, Monash University, Movember, The Rites of Passage Institute and the Be There Group..
Rosemary Frederickson
Rosemary is very much of the Baby Boomer generation and so grateful to be a Central Queensland girl. She has been fortunate to be the first person in her families to study at university and her first job was working in early day computing and then moved in due course to work on Critical Infrastructure across Australia. She is well into retirement now, her biggest challenge is certainly around the challenges of the impacts of Artificial Intelligence. Of course this means more and more challenges for us all.
Cr Natalia Muszkat
Cr Natalia Muszkat, Deputy Mayor of Gladstone Regional Council, is the first South American-born woman elected to public office in Australia. With nearly 20 years in local government and non-profit leadership, she co-founded Strong Communities Ltd, an award-winning organisation. A governance professional and active community participant, Natalia champions inclusion, regional development, and sustainability. She is passionate about building a prosperous Gladstone Region, recognised for her authentic and creative approach to connecting with people.
Shona is a trusted leader with more than 21 years of experience across Rio Tinto’s Aluminium business. From starting as a graduate engineer at Bell Bay Aluminium smelter to leading operations across Tasmania, Weipa and Gladstone, Shona brings deep operational expertise with a strong focus on safety and reliability, and a genuine passion for people – supporting her teams, engaging with communities, and advocating for the Gladstone region.
Shona Markham
Friederike McCartney
Friederike McCartney is a Registered Nurse with over 30 years' international experience, specialising in youth health and well-being. For 14 years, she has focused on developing innovative programs like "CQ Youth Connect" to support disengaged youth and address health gaps in Central Queensland. Friederike has instigated health needs analyses, established partnerships, and developed training courses. Recognised for her contributions, she serves as Vice President of Every Child Central Queensland, championing initiatives for child and youth development.
Dr. Patil
Dr. Patil is a highly accomplished Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist with over two decades of international experience. She serves as Chair and Clinical Director of the Central Queensland HHS Maternity Care Network, overseeing four regional hospitals. A Fellow of RANZCOG and RCOG, Dr. Patil has driven numerous quality improvement initiatives, including securing RANZCOG training accreditation for a regional hospital. Actively involved in medical education, she also co-founded the Rockhampton Women in Medicine Society, and is a mother, artist, and former national athlete.
Yaleela Torrens
Yaleela Torrens is a proud Gooreng Gooreng and Bundjalung woman, living and working on her ancestral lands of Gladstone. She is a dedicated mother and advocate in the Gladstone allied health sector. As the founder of her own private practice, Yaleela blends her social work expertise with leadership in allied health to drive positive change and enhance community wellbeing.
Ariela Rother
Ariela Rother is the Clinical Lead for OneBridge in West Moreton and Darling Downs, overseeing nurse-led outreach services for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. She ensures safe, trauma-informed care, leading a team of nurses and social workers. Ariela delivers diverse care, including wound management and mental health interventions, collaborating with local partners for seamless pathways. She is passionate about equitable healthcare access, strengthening community partnerships, and improving outcomes for vulnerable populations through innovative models.
Kate Kiss
Katie is a Kaanju Aboriginal woman from Cape York Australia; and a Biri & Wiri of the Bowen region of North Queensland through her Grandfather. Katie graduated from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in International Relations. She has been involved in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs at the local, community, state, national and international level for the past 25 years across a wide range of issues including: community development; social justice; constitutional reform; governance; native title and land management; cultural heritage and environment protection and management; education, training and employment.
Prior to her appointment as the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner in April 2024, Katie was the Executive Director of the Interim Truth and Treaty Body supporting Queensland’s Path to Treaty. Katie also undertook senior advisory positions supporting the Queensland Ministry including as Chief of Staff to the Queensland Minister for Seniors, Disability Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, and Senior Adviser to the Deputy Premier.
Casey Alsop
Casey Alsop is a business owner and grazier and mother who proudly runs Little MeMe Designs, an Australian leather footwear e-commerce business with stockists nationwide. She also operates Seed and Sparrow, a children's clothing store within Little Market Co. Casey is passionate about empowering women in the bush, to contribute to our communities to see them withstand the hard times and still be thriving in years to come.
Dr Faiza El-Higzi
Dr Faiza El-Higzi OAM is an early career researcher and nationally recognised professional awarded an Order of Australia Medal and a Queensland Outstanding Achiever Award for her contributions to the community. Of African, Mid-Eastern descent, Faiza has worked in Australia and overseas, in the public, private and the NGO sectors and has more than ten years public sector experience in Australia providing strategic policy advice at both the State and Federal levels.
Faiza's interest is in knowledge translation with a focus on ideas that address social inequality across gender, faith and culture. Her research focuses on social issues such as gender and Islam; health anthropology investigating cultural views of blood donation, concepts of health, and domestic and family violence in culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Angela Fredericks
Angela Fredericks joins us from Biloela, where she works in private practice as an Accredited Mental health Social Worker. In 2018 Angela leapt into the national and international headlines as she fought for the safety of her friends, affectionately known as “The Biloela Family”. With little experience but lots of passion she and her friends launched the “Home to Bilo” campaign. She has learnt what it takes to lead a small town’s fight into the national arena, changing the hearts and minds of many along the way.
