International Women's Day Breakfast Panel Discussion | Hosted by re:think dyslexia
Give to Gain. When women are seen, everyone rises.
International Women’s Day 2026 invites us to Give to Gain — a powerful reminder that progress doesn’t happen in isolation. When we give time, resources, attention and opportunity, we don’t lose. We multiply impact.
And right now, one group of women is still being asked to succeed quietly, adapt constantly, and carry the load unseen.
This International Women’s Day, re:think dyslexia invites you to give — so we can all gain.
A Panel Shaping the National Conversation
We are bringing together an extraordinary group of women whose work is influencing workplaces across Australia:
Melissa Webster (ADHD Australia)— Keynote speaker and lived-experience advocate
Dr Annalisa Contos — Senior public health leader and late-diagnosed ADHD and dyslexic professional
Dr Kim Gordon (Diversity Council Australia) — DEI researcher shaping national workplace frameworks
Nicci Richman (PwC Australia) — Disability Inclusion leader embedding neuro-inclusive practice at scale
Their perspectives span research, policy, corporate leadership and personal insight.
Why This Conversation Matters for Industry
Neurodivergent women are not a niche cohort. They are part of every workforce — across sectors, across leadership levels, across disciplines.
When organisations fail to recognise and properly support neurodivergent talent, the impact is tangible:
Increased burnout and turnover
Reduced productivity
Lost innovation
Communication breakdowns
When inclusion is embedded strategically, the benefits are equally clear:
Higher retention
Stronger engagement
Broader, more diverse thinking
More sustainable leadership pipelines
This breakfast has been designed for leaders, HR professionals, DEI practitioners and executives who want practical insight — grounded in research, corporate implementation and lived experience.
An investment in visibility, inclusion and real change
This inaugural International Women’s Day Breakfast is more than a morning event. It’s a statement.
By purchasing a ticket, you are:
Investing in awareness for neurodivergent women in the workplace
Backing education and advocacy that drives real inclusion, not lip service
Contributing to a community where women don’t have to mask, apologise, or work twice as hard to belong
When we give visibility to women who have been overlooked, we unlock talent, innovation and leadership that benefits everyone.
That’s Give to Gain in action.
Keynote Speaker: Melissa Webster
We are thrilled to welcome Melissa Webster as our Keynote Speaker, CEO of ADHD Australia and COO of Melba Support Services.
Melissa is a powerful advocate, leader and lived-experience voice who brings depth, honesty and insight to the conversation around women, work, identity and inclusion. Her keynote will challenge assumptions, spark reflection, and leave you energised to think — and act — differently.
This is a conversation you’ll be glad you were in the room for.
What to expect on the day
📍 Henry and the Fox | Melbourne CBD
Join us for a high-energy, heart-led morning featuring:
a la carte breakfast and bottomless coffee
Door prizes generously donated by values-aligned brands
Valuable networking opportunities
We’ll celebrate the strength, intelligence and contribution of neurodivergent women, while challenging outdated systems that weren’t built with them in mind.
Because when women are supported properly, they don’t just survive — they change the game.
Be part of what comes next
On the day, we’ll also unveil re:think dyslexia’s new monthly online networking series, created to keep the conversation — and the collaboration — going well beyond International Women’s Day.
Giving back: where your ticket makes a difference
10% of profits raised on the day will be donated to Prison Network, a charity supporting women as they transition from prison back into the community.
Your support helps fund relationship-based, consistent care that empowers women to:
Rebuild their lives
Strengthen family connections
Create safer, more stable futures
This International Women’s Day, your ticket helps support women every step of the way.
Give your seat. Give your support. Gain connection, perspective and impact.
- Limited seats available
- High-value door prizes
- A room full of women who care — and act
Secure your ticket now and be part of Give to Gain.
The Inner Metropolitan Melbourne Local Jobs Program is a proud sponsor of this event. For further information, click here.
Supported by:
Lineup
Key note Speaker: Melissa Webster, CEO ADHD Australia | COO Melba Support Services | Disability Sector
Melissa Webster is a highly respected and forward-thinking leader in the health, disability and community services sectors based in Melbourne, Australia. She brings over 20 years of strategic leadership experience driving service excellence, organisational change and quality outcomes across complex service environments. Mel is proudly neurodivergent and a passionate advocate for human rights, social inclusion and equitable practice. She has held senior leadership roles including Chief Home, Living and Community Officer and Acting Chief Operating Officer at Melba Support Services, where she has overseen operational improvements and transformational change initiatives. Melissa also has a strong history of governance and sector advocacy through non-executive directorships and executive leadership contributions, including voluntary CEO roles in national organisations such as ADHD Australia. Renowned for her ethical leadership, collaborative approach and commitment to continuous improvement, she champions inclusive systems that empower individuals, families and communities
Panellist Dr Annalisa Contos: Atom Consulting | Adjunct Professor, The University of Sydney | Water Sector
Annalisa is a passionate public health professional with over 20 years’ experience specialising the management of chemical and microbial risks in drinking and recycled water. She has a chemical engineering degree with a doctorate researching aquatic chemistry and microbial ecology, both from Sydney University. She is a chartered professional engineer in the Chemical and Environmental Colleges and a Fellow of the International Water Association and Engineers Australia. Annalisa has grown Atom Consulting over the last 15 years into a trusted provider of water expertise to government and water utilities. She has led her team on projects ranging from national research to boots-on-the-ground capacity building for operational staff in NSW’s far west and the Pacific. She is a strong advocate for neuroinclusivity within the water sector, drawing on her lived experience as a parent of two sons with ASD and ADHD. Their journeys led to her own diagnosis of ADHD, and more recently, dyslexia. These experiences inspire her commitment to creating more understanding, inclusive, and supportive workplaces for all neurotypes.
Panellist Dr Kim Gordon: Diversity COunsil Australia | Researcher, Writer, and Strategic Advisor| Not For Profit Sector
Kim (she/her) is researcher, writer, and strategic advisor with over two decades of experience working across research, education, policy, and practice in Australia, Asia, Europe, and the Pacific. She specialises in building inclusive, impact‑driven collaborations that address complex social and environmental challenges, drawing on deep expertise in systems thinking, partnership development, and culturally-centred engagement. Kim has led multi‑stakeholder projects in sustainability, the circular economy, public health, climate resilience, and cultural heritage, working with universities, government, industry, and the not‑for‑profit sector. In her current role at the Diversity Council Australia (DCA), she develops evidence‑based insights and organisational frameworks that strengthen and support diversity, equity, and inclusion in Australian workplaces. She holds a PhD in Literature (University of Sydney), a Master’s in Gender and Intersectionality (Linköping University, Sweden), and a Master’s in Cultural Heritage Management (ANU). Her unique skill set and perspectives are shaped by her lived experience as a late‑identified ADHD woman of mixed‑race Malaysian Chinese heritage, bringing a nuanced intersectional lens to understanding identity, belonging, and systemic inequality. Kim also brings significant governance and leadership experience. She serves on the Women of Colour Melbourne Committee and is an alumna of the Equality Institute’s 2024 Women of Colour Leadership Program and the Centre for Sustainability Leadership. Previously, she held key cultural heritage leadership roles in the Pacific and contributed to national policy conversations as a founding member of the UNAA Public Policy Committee, championing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Panellist Nicci Richman: PwC Australia | Diversity and Inclusion Manager | Corporate Sector
Nicci is a Diversity and Inclusion Manager at PwC Australia, where she leads Disability Inclusion, progressing the firm’s Access and Inclusion Plan. With over 20 years’ experience across Human Resources, Organisational Development, Disability Inclusion, and neurodiversity, she focuses on embedding inclusion into business operations and coaching leaders in accessible communication and neuro‑inclusive leadership. A late‑diagnosed autistic and ADHD professional, Nicci’s lived experience shapes her work and advocacy. Her own clarity emerged through her daughter’s diagnostic journey; Nicci left her HR Business Partner role in an engineering firm to start a consulting practice that offered the flexibility to support her family. She home‑educated her daughter for five years, creating opportunities for learning and mapping evidence to curriculum outcomes. That period reframed her “zig‑zag” career as a strength—guided by deep interests and resulting in a unique skillset she brings to organisations today. Previously a neurodiversity consultant, Nicci developed the Diverse Minds at Work workshops and coached neurodivergent entrepreneurs and leaders to harness their strengths and those of their teams. She is passionate about building neuro‑affirming workplaces, reducing the costs of misunderstanding, stigma, and misaligned communication, and fostering environments where everyone is heard, valued, and able to thrive.
Agenda
- 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Morning Agenda
8am Networking and Connections 8.40am Opening 8.55am Host & MC Introduction Dr Shae Wissell, re:think dyslexia 9.10am Keynote address by Melissa Webster ADHD Australia 9.35am Panel Discussion 10.30am Networking and Connections
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
