Women in Leadership & Innovation Luncheon and Symposium 2025

Friday, 20 June 2025

Luncheon 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Symposium 2:00 PM - 4:30 PM

Networking Event 4:30 PM - 6:00 PM

Hilton Cairns City

Empowering Women. Driving Innovation. Leading the Future.

After the successful 2024 event, we would like to invite you to join us for the Women in Leadership & Innovation Luncheon and Symposium 2025, an event designed to celebrate and elevate women’s contributions to leadership and innovation. Hosted as part of the TIFx program within the Tropical Innovation Festival, this inspiring event offers a unique opportunity to connect with like-minded people, hear from local and visiting female leaders, and gain practical tools to advance your career and community impact.

Luncheon Keynote Speaker Announced

GRACE LILLIAN LEE - International artist and founder of First Nations Fashion Design

Grace Lillian Lee is an Internationally recognised fashion designer, artist and leader. A descendant of the Meriam Mer people of Erub (Darnley Island), one of the eastern islands of the Torres Strait, Grace was born and raised in Cairns. She is the founder of First Nations Fashion and Design and the Cairns Indigenous Art Fair Indigenous Fashion Performance. Grace's impact was recently acknowledged with an Honorary Doctorate in Design from the University of Technology Sydney and is a graduate of RMIT University with Honours in Fashion Design. She has not only established herself as one of Australia’s leading Indigenous artists and designer but has also empowered the next generation of First Nations Fashion Designers and Artists through her altruistic work and mentoring. Grace has works collected by the National Gallery of Victoria, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Art Gallery of South Australia, Cairns Art Gallery, Australian Institute of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander Studies and Kluge-Ruhe University of Virginia. She has personally showcased her works overseas in New York, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand and San Francisco. With a strong desire to work with Communities and to encourage creative expressions, her purpose is to guide First Nations designers towards developing their practice into wearable art and adornment in a contemporary platform. As consultant and mentor, she has worked with Darnley Island + Moa in the Torres Straits, Northern Territory communities Nuiyu and Katherine as well as Mornington Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria , Waringarri in Kununurra + many independent creatives.

Time	Topic	Facilitator / Speaker
11:30am	Registrations and Networking
12 NOON	Women in Innovation and Leadership Luncheon Commences	Tara Diversi \| Launch Y(E)P
	VIP Addresses	TBC
KEYNOTE	Innovation for contemporary leadership	Bree James, MP \| Assistant Minister, Far North Queensland
FIRESIDE CHAT	From North Queensland to New York – How Curiosity, Creativity and Culture have driven success	Grace Lillian Lee \| Artist & Founder of First Nations Fashion Design
PANEL	Women in Innovation: Building the future with female leaders in innovation.	Facilitated by Heather Smith \| Anise Consulting Lucy Sattler \| Study Work Grow Donna Patane \| DRIPL Elle Russell \| Night Café Kate Lamason \| Little Tuna
BREAK	Networking Break
2pm	Women in Innovation and Leadership Symposium Commences	Tara Diversi \| Launch Y(E)P
CONVERSATION CIRCLE	Local Leadership in TNQ Conversation Circle	Cr Amy Eden \| Mayor of Cairns Cr Teresa Millwood \| Mayor of Cassowary Coast Cr Lisa Scomazzon \| Mayor of Douglas tbc \| TBC
INTERACTIVE SOLUTION ROOM	Solution Room When women work together, problems are solved. In this hands-on session, the problems that women face will be workshopped in groups through a facilitated process. This workshop will enable people to think more broadly, practice collaborating and enhance leadership skills.	Facilitated by Taz Devadass & Emilee Rigby \| Future Isle
PITCHES AND DEMONSTRATION	Women in tech & innovation lightening talk showcase	Hear from female founders, business owners and tech employees who are building the future.
4:30 PM	Thank you and Closing	Tara Diversi \| Launch Y(E)P
4:30pm – 6pm	Women in Innovation and Leadership Networking Event Commences	Network with new colleagues and collaborators and old friends.
NETWORKING SPEAKER	Inspiring women to take a career in tech – an innovative approach	Sharon Hunneybell \| Firstwave / QLD Innovation Advisory Committee

Founder Opportunities

Are you a female entrepreneur or innovator? Showcase your ideas and gain exposure at the Lightning Innovation Pitches or within the Tropical Innovation Festival program. Apply here: https://forms.office.com/r/MXqvcVNbuN

Sponsorship Opportunities

Align your brand with innovation, leadership, and diversity. Sponsorship packages for this event or Tropical Innovation Festival offer tailored benefits. Contact us to explore sponsorship opportunities and find a package that aligns with your goals: https://forms.office.com/r/yDm7rcJL1N

If you or your organisation wants to support a female founder without the means to attend (buy one, give one) or donate a raffle prize for the day, please reach out to community@launchyep.com

Event Partners

This event is proudly presented in partnership with:

Launch Y(E)P

Stay Updated

Visit the Tropical Innovation Festival website for the latest updates.

We look forward to welcoming you to a day of inspiration, collaboration, and innovation. Together, let’s lead and shape the future.

Contact the host of TIFx Women in Leadership & Innovation

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