Join us for International Women’s Day at Crystalbrook Vincent Hotel as we hear from three generations of women working across conservation, sustainability and the environmental sectors to create a sustainable future for Brisbane and beyond.

Be inspired by their stories as we focus on #embracingequity for women of all ages this International Women’s Day.

Proudly presented by Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA), Bush Heritage Australia, Brisbane Sustainability Agency and BirdLife Australia, the Environment Matters breakfast will be the first of the event series, with bi-annual events providing connection with a diverse range of like-minded professionals to strengthen collaboration across the sector.

Spaces are limited so be quick. Registrations close Tuesday 28 February

SPEAKER PANEL

Holly and Charli Garrity

Teenage Founders of the Great Gap Fashion Swap

Holly and Charli began their mission to protect the environment, wildlife and natural habitat three years ago when they were just nine and 11 years of age and have not wavered in their

dedication to the cause. Over the last three years these budding conservationists have launched a bi-annual Great Gap Fashion Swap and recycled over 52,000 cans and bottles which have collectively raised $20,000 for wildlife charities.

They have proven you can care for the planet at any age with their commitment to planting trees, clearing waterways and rehabilitating the environment in The Gap and coordinating Clean Up Australia Day in their local area. Their vision and passion will inspire you and give you hope for the future of the planet.

Emma-Kate Rose

Executive Director of the Food Connect Foundation

Emma-Kate is a mother, sister to five, auntie to 19 and was born in Sydney and raised in Brisbane. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Justice Studies) and draws on over 30 years’ experience working in criminology, social enterprise development, environmental sustainability, food justice and bottom-up economic development.

Emma-Kate is a past Fellow of the Yunus Centre for Social Business at Griffith University. She’s currently a Special Advisor to the Board of the Queensland Social Enterprise Council, where she was previously President from 2017-2020. During her time there, she helped secure philanthropic and government funding to coordinate a sector-wide strategy to scale impact across Queensland, as well as winning the bid to bring the World Social Enterprise Forum to Brisbane in 2022.

Tida Nou

Science Communications Officer, AMRRIC

Tida has a background in environmental science and management. Most of her work has been in the Northern Territory, where she was involved in biodiversity surveys, research and monitoring, conservation planning, partnership programs for conservation of threatened species, and community and stakeholder engagement activities. She was privileged to spend time working with Indigenous ranger groups and communities on threatened species conservation projects, healthy country planning and the management of weeds, fire and feral animals.

Tida has particular interests in improving the integration of research into environmental planning, policy and on-ground management, supporting and expanding Indigenous land and sea management programs, and exploring different ways of communicating science research to different audiences. She currently works as a science communications officer for Animal Management in Rural and Remote Indigenous Communities (AMRRIC), a non-government organisation based in Darwin.

Professor Emeritus Carla Catterall

Griffith University & Wet Tropics Management Authority

Carla Catterall is a wildlife ecologist, mother of two and grandmother of four. Now semi-retired, she is Professor Emeritus at Griffith University, where she has worked in teaching and research since 1977. With colleagues and students, her research investigates how plants and animals in the wild respond to environmental changes, and how to enable a diverse flora and fauna to persist within landscapes used by people.

For work on birds and their habitats, Carla was awarded the 2009 Serventy Medal for ornithological research. During the 1990s, this research revealed very high rates of native vegetation clearing in south east Queensland, and Carla worked with community groups to improve landscape-scale vegetation conservation.

During the past 20 years, she has researched the processes and outcomes of rainforest restoration. Carla has published some 150 peer-reviewed scientific articles, as well as a range of fact sheets and educational materials for land managers and the wider community. She has also been active in advising governments and community organisations about ecological issues, and is a previous president of the Ecological Society of Australia.

MC

Victoria McKenzie-McHarg, WELA

Victoria is the Strategic Director of Women's Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA), an organisation dedicated to empowering, supporting, funding and diversifying women's leadership for our environment and climate action to transform Australia's response to these crises.

WELCOME TO COUNTRY

Songwoman Maroochy Baramba

Maroochy Barambah is an Aboriginal Elder from Brisbane. She is of Turrbal and Gubbi Gubbi ancestry with additional bloodline connections to Wakka Wakka, Kamilaroi and Birri Gubba Country.

SCHEDULE

7.15am Arrival, registration and coffee

7.30am Breakfast canapes

7.45am Enjoy our speakers, followed by short Q&A

8.45am More coffee and networking

9.00am Event concludes