Every year, our Industry Leaders Breakfast serves up fresh stories from across our beautiful state just before the day's work begins.

Three great women join the discussion panel sharing the highlights and challenges of their careers to this point in their lives. What’s behind their strong drive and how they keep their focus will be a key discussion point on the day.

Meet the panel

Emily Elmer, Founding Director of Younique Stays, has grown her award-winning luxury accommodation business to represent more than 130 premium properties across Tasmania's East Coast. Known for challenging traditional approaches to short-term accommodation, Emily believes holiday homes should create meaningful connections between people and place.

Katharine Dean, General Manager of the Taste of Summer festival, has spent more than two decades delivering some of Tasmania's most recognised festivals and events, including senior leadership roles with Dark Mofo and the City of Hobart. She believes there is no single path to leadership, only resilience, curiosity, lifting others up, and the courage to back yourself.

Sofia Tsamassiros, founder of Eudaimonia Cycling Tours, launched her award-winning business at just 22, after stepping away from a career path in medicine. She built Eudaimonia on the belief that travel should be about genuine connection, to place, to people and to ourselves, not just ticking destinations off a list.

Emily and Sofia are past recipients of the Tourism Minister's Young Achiever Award (TICT Tourism Awards), in 2024 and 2025 respectively.

Your host

Guiding the conversation is Alex Heroys, CEO of Destination Southern Tasmania and a tourism and business leader with more than 25 years' experience. Alex is a passionate advocate for Tasmania's visitor economy and believes great leadership starts with people, creating workplace cultures where people feel valued and encouraged to bring their best selves to work. Something you may not know about Alex: he previously owned and operated Indepth Diving, a tourism business with operations across the Mediterranean, employing more than 70 people at its peak.

To hear about the ‘why’ (and how to nurture that) from this year's panel, join us over breakfast.

Our sponsor

Hospitality Tasmania is proud to sponsor the Women in Tourism and Hospitality Industry Leaders Breakfast as part of their commitment to supporting and celebrating women across Tasmania's hospitality sector.

Through their Women in Leadership program, they are helping build the next generation of industry leaders by creating opportunities for connection, learning and professional growth. Hospitality Tasmania is proud to support an event that champions women's leadership and helps strengthen a more inclusive and vibrant tourism and hospitality industry.

When: Thursday 15 October 2026
Time: 7:00 am to 8:30 am - please arrive at 6:45 am for a prompt 7 am start!
Where: LUMINA, The Tasman

Tickets: Members $60 | Non-members $70 | Students $40

If you or your organisation would like to purchase a full table of 10, please get in touch with the WITH Committee directly at info@withtas.com.

Contact the host of WITH Tas Industry Leaders Breakfast 2026