WiTWA Tech [+] Conference 2026

Get ready for the WiTWA Tech [+] Conference 2026!

Our 2026 theme is DigitALL: Design the Future. Build Smart. Drive Change.

DigitALL reflects the idea that everyone belongs in technology. Today, technology is embedded in almost every part of our lives, in how we work, how we communicate, how we lead, and how organisations operate. It shapes our daily experiences and the way we solve problems.

DigitALL is the theme for this year’s WiTWA [+] Tech Conference, built on a simple but powerful belief: everyone has a place in technology, and every voice can shape what comes next.

🎤 Keynote Speakers:

Kirryn Zerna

Kirryn is a keynote speaker, author and company director who helps leaders understand the human dynamics behind high-performing teams.

Through her signature framework, The Connect Effect™ (Trust → Tribe → Thrive), she explores how trust, belonging and meaningful connection shape leadership, culture and business performance. With more than 20 years’ experience in communication, leadership and strategy, she brings practical insights for leading teams in a world being reshaped by technology.

Angela Bliss

Angela is a behavioural scientist and designer with more than 20 years of experience helping some of Australia’s largest organisations transform products, services and experiences.

As Head of Behavioural Science at NAB, Angela is a leading expert in behavioural design, using insights into how people think, decide and behave to create better experiences and drive meaningful change.

Her work spans major organisations including NAB, MECCA, Wesfarmers Health, Telstra, MYOB, Bunnings and Coles, as well as significant government projects, including the redesign of Victoria’s mental health services following the Royal Commission.

Angela is also an Industry Fellow at QUT’s Graduate Business School and holds a Master of Science in Behavioural Science from the London School of Economics, where her research explored the behavioural design of chatbots.

Michelle Sandford

As Azure Developer Engagement Lead for Microsoft Australia and New Zealand, Michelle helps developers and organisations turn the potential of AI, GitHub and Azure into practical solutions and new possibilities.

A TEDx speaker, AI developer and technical storyteller, Michelle has built her career around making complex and emerging technologies accessible, practical and impactful. She is passionate about empowering people to experiment, build and innovate with confidence.

Beyond technology, Michelle is a strong advocate for STEM, diversity in tech and thriving developer communities, connecting industry, education and open-source ecosystems to accelerate learning and collaboration.

With a philosophy that the best way to learn is by building, Michelle will bring her hands-on approach to the WiTWA Conference 2026, inspiring us to stay curious, experiment with emerging technologies and turn bold ideas into action.

Dr Sara Webb

Dr Sara Webb is a multi-award-winning astrophysicist, science communicator and technology innovator working across astronomy, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.

Recognised in the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia list for Science & Healthcare, her research uses machine learning to explore rapidly evolving cosmic events and challenges such as space debris. She brings a fresh perspective on how AI and data are reshaping discovery, decision-making and the future.

Dr Kristy Goodwin

Dr Kristy Goodwin is a leading expert on peak performance in a technology-driven world. Drawing on neuroscience and human behaviour, she helps leaders and teams improve focus, productivity and performance without sacrificing wellbeing.

An award-winning speaker, author, researcher and former academic, she brings practical strategies for working smarter, leading effectively and sustaining performance in an increasingly connected world.

👩‍💻 Tech Bites :

Tech Bites is our short, energetic showcase where practitioners and hands-on tech professionals share their ideas, challenges, lessons learned, and the cool things they’re working on.

Driving Change

Leya Wall

Leya Wall is Co-Founder and Head of Clients at Town Square, a technology company connecting Australian strata managers with owners and residents, helping communities stay informed and connected to the places they call home. With a background in people leadership, Leya is passionate about making technology accessible and helping traditionally non-technical industries embrace digital transformation.

At Town Square, Leya plays a key role in bridging the needs of customers with the team building the technology, turning resistance into adoption and helping people embrace new ways of working. Her people-first approach demonstrates how understanding customers, building trust and bringing people along on the journey are essential to successful innovation.

A passionate advocate for women in technology and leadership, Leya believes you don't need to be a technical expert to drive meaningful change. She is committed to challenging traditional perceptions of technology and empowering more women to shape the future of their industries.

Nina Ajnira Karisik

Nina Karisik is a software engineer, entrepreneur, and founder of MadeApt, a fashion technology startup reimagining how custom clothing is designed and made through sustainable, ethical, and technology-driven innovation. Passionate about creating products with purpose, Nina combines software engineering, design, and storytelling to solve real-world problems.

An early member of the She Codes Australia community in Perth, Nina is a passionate advocate for women in technology, startups, and innovation. She is also part of the team behind Australia's largest founder meetup, helping foster a vibrant community where entrepreneurs can connect, collaborate, and learn from one another.

Driven by curiosity and creativity, Nina believes technology is at its best when it empowers people, challenges traditional thinking, and creates meaningful change. Through her work, she is helping shape a future where innovation is both human-centred and sustainable.

Miriam Sanchez-Blanco

Miriam Sanchez-Blanco is Chief Technology Officer at the City of Stirling, where she leads technology and digital transformation with a simple philosophy: technology should make things better, not just more digital.

With experience spanning government and the private sector, Miriam brings a practical approach to innovation and emerging technology. Her interests include responsible AI, data and privacy, and digital governance, with a focus on moving beyond the hype to deliver meaningful outcomes for organisations and communities.

A passionate advocate for diversity in technology leadership, Miriam believes visibility matters and hopes to inspire the next generation by showing there is no single pathway to success in technology. A 2021 WiTWA Tech [+] 20 Award winner, she now gives back as a judge for the Tech [+] Awards, helping recognise and celebrate the diverse talent shaping WA's technology sector.

Design The Future

Isabelle Charter

Isabelle Charter is Head of Venture Studio at RAC BetterLabs and CEO of Town Square, bringing nearly 20 years of experience in startups, entrepreneurship and corporate innovation. Passionate about turning bold ideas into successful ventures, she helps founders challenge conventional thinking, embrace creativity and build businesses that make a meaningful impact.

Throughout her career, Isabelle has founded, scaled and sold businesses, including Drip, Australia's first investing app for under-18s. She has led innovation programs including Plus Eight Accelerator and She Codes, and founded Olabi, a Brazilian non-profit using technology and innovation to create a more inclusive society.

Recognised as a 40 Under 40 honouree and 2025 WiTWA Award winner, Isabelle also serves on the board of Meridian Global Foundation. She is passionate about empowering entrepreneurs, challenging traditional approaches to innovation and creating opportunities for people and ideas to thrive.

Stephanie Stoll

Dr Stephanie Stoll is a Data Scientist and AI specialist based in Perth, with more than 10 years’ experience across research, startups and consulting. She holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Surrey, where her research focused on automatic sign language production using neural machine translation and generative AI.

Stephanie’s work sits at the intersection of technical depth and real-world impact. At Rmkble/DataDivers, she helps organisations adopt AI, machine learning and data science in ways that are practical, explainable and trusted. She is particularly passionate about building shared language between technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring that AI systems are not only innovative but also useful and responsible.

Stephanie is committed to mentoring, knowledge-sharing and growing Western Australia’s AI community. She contributes to internal learning initiatives, speaks at industry and community events, and is a founding member of the Perth AI Builders Get Together.

Dr Kat Ross

Dr Kat Ross (she/they) is an astrophysicist at the Australian SKA Regional Centre (AusSRC) at Curtin University, where she studies active galactic nuclei, black holes, and galaxy evolution using world-class radio telescopes, including the Murchison Widefield Array in Western Australia.

Alongside her research, Kat is an internationally recognised science communicator and advocate for equity and inclusion in STEM. She is the founder of IncludeHer, a global initiative dedicated to reshaping science education by celebrating the contributions of women, people of colour, and other historically underrepresented groups in STEM.

Drawing on both her professional expertise and lived experience, Kat is passionate about creating safer, more inclusive environments for women, LGBTQIA+ communities, neurodivergent people, and those living with disability or chronic illness. Through her work, she is helping to shape a future where everyone can see themselves reflected in science and technology.

🎤 Panel :

Emma Eltringham

Emma Eltringham is Principal AI Product Manager at Woodside, where she leads enterprise AI strategy and the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence across a global workforce of more than 10,000 people. She plays a key role in shaping Lumina, Woodside's internal AI ecosystem, helping translate emerging technologies into practical business value.

Beginning her career as a Geospatial Analyst, Emma has built extensive experience across digital innovation, product management, and enterprise transformation. Recognised for her leadership in responsible, human-centred AI, she has presented at international forums, including NASA's Johnson Space Center and LNG2023, and was recently awarded the CME Woman in Resources Technology Award for her contribution to technology leadership in the resources sector.

Siobhan Avenell

Siobhan Avenell is Executive Director at Greenroom Robotics, where she leads business operations, people, and growth initiatives across the organisation. A people and culture leader with almost 20 years' experience in the technology sector, she is passionate about building high-performing, inclusive workplaces that enable both people and organisations to thrive.

Holding a Master of Human Resource Management and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), Siobhan also lectures in MBA programs on leadership and organisational psychology. A long-time advocate for diversity in technology, she has played an active role in Perth's technology community through DDD Perth and is committed to developing future leaders while fostering workplaces where innovation and people thrive together.

Monisha Dutta

Monisha Dutta is a Software Engineer at Bankwest, where she designs, builds, and maintains software solutions that support the bank's core banking platform. Working at the heart of critical banking systems, she develops secure, resilient technology that ensures customers can reliably access their accounts and transactions.

Collaborating with product owners, data scientists, and operational teams, Monisha delivers innovative solutions while driving platform modernisation, improving operational efficiency, and maintaining the highest standards of security and resilience. Passionate about solving complex technical challenges, she combines deep technical expertise with a collaborative approach to simplifying complexity, sharing knowledge, and delivering meaningful outcomes for both customers and businesses.

And our MC, Michelle Redfern

Michelle Redfern is a globally recognised gender equity strategist, speaker, and author who helps organisations create more inclusive workplaces by identifying and changing the systems that drive workplace inequality. She is the founder of Advancing Women in Business and Sport, co-founder of Lead to Soar, and author of The Leadership Compass.

Through her work, Michelle challenges leaders to rethink the policies, structures, and decisions that influence who succeeds and who has a voice. She also equips women with the business, emotional, and social intelligence to navigate their careers and lead with confidence in a changing world.

Returning after delivering the opening keynote at the 2025 WiTWA Conference, Michelle joins us as MC, bringing her energy, insight, and passion for advancing women in technology to guide us through the day.

🗓️ Detailed Conference Agenda: Download the Agenda Here

✨ Why Attend the Tech[+] Conference & Awards?

• Be inspired by industry leaders: Hear powerful keynotes and panels from WA’s top innovators and changemakers, sharing insights you won’t find anywhere else.

• Connect in a unique community: Network in a room where most attendees are women in tech from WA, building genuine relationships that open doors.

• Boost your career: Get exclusive 1:1 time with exhibitors, explore opportunities, and even lock in the job you’ve been looking for.

• Enjoy the full experience: A full day of inspiring sessions, fully catered so you can focus on learning and connecting.

• Celebrate together: Wrap up with networking drinks — the perfect chance to relax, celebrate achievements, and grow your professional circle.

• Career development: Gain practical insights and connections to help you take the next step in your professional journey.

• Be part of the movement: Join WA’s largest community championing diversity and inclusion in technology — and play your part in shaping the future of tech.
  

Seating Note: Reserved seating will only be available for sponsors and pre-booked tables of 8. Individual ticket holders are encouraged to network and connect by picking any available seat on the community tables.

The conference usually sells out, so don't miss this chance to be part of the movement - secure your spot and invite your colleagues and friends now!

Thank you to our WITWA Tech [+] Conference Sponsors who support our community: Bankwest, Data#3, Kinetic IT, SoftwareOne, Accenture, CyberCX, Internet Association of Australia, Keystart, Rio Tint, VGW, Code Construct, Akkodis, Woodside, and Curtin-EECMS.

🤝 Interested in sponsoring?
Get in touch with our Partnerships Team: partnerships@witwa.org.au

🎟️ Ticket questions?

Contact: ticketsupport@witwa.org.au

📰 Media & Press Pass
Interested in covering our conference or featuring the event in your publication?
Contact: ca-committee@witwa.org.au

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations, refunds and ticket changes will be accepted up to and including 30 October 2026. From 31 October 2026, no cancellations, refunds or ticket changes will be accepted. Tickets are non-refundable after this date, including in the event of illness, travel changes, work commitments or other personal circumstances. Ticket transfers may be considered at the organiser's discretion.

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PS:

We also run a fabulous Awards Night the day after the conference to celebrate all the incredible women in the industry. We would love to have you join us there as well! More information can be found at: https://events.humanitix.com/witwa-tech-awards-night-2026