Women Leading AI: Connecting, Scaling & Growing in Western Sydney
Description
Ticket sales close Monday 14 September. Purchase your tickets today!
AI is changing the way we do business, build careers and live. This is your chance to hear from women leading the way and build the capability to take hold of what's coming.
Women Leading AI is about connecting women founders, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and students in Western Sydney with the skills, networks and confidence to lead in AI and emerging technologies.
You'll hear from keynote speakers and expert panels on how businesses are putting AI to work. There's dedicated time to network and meet people worth knowing, and you'll take home a toolkit for using AI that you can put to use straight away.
If you're building a business, growing a career, or want to understand where AI fits in your work, this day is for you.
Proudly presented by Western Sydney Women, sponsored by Investment NSW, and hosted by our venue partner, KPMG Parramatta.
Speakers
Amanda Rose
Founder & CEO, Western Sydney Women, Entrepreneurial & Small Business Women Australia (ESBWA) and Women-Owned Business Australia
Dr Jaclyn Aldenhoven
Dr Jaclyn Aldenhoven is the Executive Director, Fostering Innovation, at Investment NSW. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a PhD in Animal Genetics from the University of Sydney. After completing postdoctoral research at the University of Utah, Jaci joined the NSW Government. During her career, Jaci has shaped science policy, delivered programs to drive economic and industry development, and provided strategic advice to Ministers, agencies, and stakeholders. She has led a range of innovation-focused initiatives to strengthen research, foster investment, and accelerate industry growth, including programs in biotechnology and natural hazard mitigation. As part of her current role, Jaci leads the Fostering Innovation Branch, within Investment NSW, in delivering the NSW Innovation Blueprint—a whole-of- government strategy designed to make NSW the best place to innovate. The Blueprint sets a clear vision and consistent policy direction to strengthen the innovation ecosystem, drive economic growth, and support priority missions such as net zero, housing, and local manufacturing.
Narisha Karan
Director, KPMG Narisha is a Director in KPMG’s Parramatta Risk Consulting practice with more than 15 years of experience across risk, internal audit, finance and governance. Having held senior leadership roles in both professional services and industry, she brings a practical perspective on how organisations can harness emerging technologies, including AI, while managing risk and driving better business outcomes. Narisha works with public and private sector organisations to strengthen governance, improve decision-making and build trust in innovation and transformation initiatives.
Mona Chiha
Founder and CEO of JurisTechne Mona Chiha is the Founder and CEO of JurisTechne, where doctoral research into Algorithmic Law became a working legal infrastructure business. JurisTechne provides structured access to Australian legal corpora, case law and legislation, resolved through the court hierarchy and validated against primary sources. She was named Innovator of the Year at the 2026 Australian Law Awards. She came to legal technology from litigation funding, where she saw how much high stakes decision making still rests on manual research and subjective judgement. She holds an MBA from UTS, is completing a Juris Doctor at UNSW, and is an industry PhD candidate at UTS. Beyond JurisTechne she chairs OneMaronite, an Australian medical aid charity, and mentors emerging entrepreneurs in business and STEM.
Zainab Mohammadi
Co-founder of Optara Systems Zainab Mohammadi is the co-founder of Optara Systems, using AI to turn existing CCTV networks into real-time intelligence for safety, security and operations. An engineer by background, she previously worked on major infrastructure projects including the Western Sydney Airport, installing CCTV and security systems including Australian Border Force infrastructure. Optara's technology is now being rolled out across schools in NSW and Victoria, and is expanding into manufacturing environments for safety and procedure checks.
Ann-Mary Rajanayagam
Founder and CEO of Alderon Ann-Mary Rajanayagam is the Founder and CEO of Alderon, an independent technology, data and AI advisory helping organisations turn emerging technology into practical business outcomes. She has more than 20 years’ enterprise technology leadership experience across Australia, the US and UK and now advises boards and executives on AI strategy and governance, technology and transformation. She is the creator of the Human-First, AI-Native Framework, which helps organisations balance AI enabled transformation with responsible governance and human accountability. Her perspectives have been featured in the Australian Financial Review and on Channel 10.
Chaitali Samani
Project Manager – AI Strategy, Institute of Applied Technology I am an education and project professional with more than 20 years' experience across vocational and higher education, curriculum design, stakeholder engagement and technology-enabled learning. My career has spanned a range of educational institutions, including TAFE NSW, the University of Technology Sydney, Macquarie University and other learning organisations. Throughout this time, I have remained passionate about creating meaningful learning experiences that support individuals to develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a rapidly changing world. Having worked across teaching, curriculum development, educational quality and industry engagement, I have developed a strong understanding of both learner needs and workforce requirements. I enjoy collaborating with educators, industry representatives and organisational stakeholders to design learning solutions that are practical, engaging and aligned to real-world outcomes. In recent years, my work has expanded into project delivery, innovation and emerging technologies, including supporting initiatives related to Artificial Intelligence, capability development, governance and digital transformation. These experiences have strengthened my interest in how technology can enhance learning, improve organisational capability and support better outcomes for learners and businesses alike. I am particularly interested in the intersection of education, workforce development and technology, and enjoy contributing to projects that explore new ways of building skills, improving learning experiences and responding to emerging industry needs. At the core of my work is a commitment to continuous improvement, collaboration and quality. Whether supporting strategic initiatives, contributing to course development or working alongside diverse stakeholders, I am motivated by opportunities to make a positive and lasting impact through education and innovation.
Sponsors and Partners
Thank you to our sponsors and partners for making this event possible.
Major Sponsor
Venue Partner
Supporting Partners
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
