YAIA Brisbane: International Women's Day - 2025 Young Women to Watch Launch

On the 8th of March, in celebration of International Women’s Day, YAIA will release our annual Young Women to Watch in International Affairs (YWTW) list in International Affairs (YWTW) list. In Brisbane, our team will be hosting a panel event on Monday 17 March involving several female panellists on the theme March Forward.

Young people, and especially young women, will gain insight into opportunities available to them in a career in international affairs – as well as unique successes and challenges faced by women in this field. The event will include a moderated panel with an audience Q&A followed by optional networking.

Meet our Panellists!

Jess Stone (2025 Young Woman to Watch)
18-year-old Jess Stone is an award-winning youth advocate and former youth parliamentarian. Her work in international relations and Pacific collaboration has been featured in The Brisbane Times, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, 7NEWS, and ABC Radio Brisbane. She serves as Queensland State Secretary at United Nations Youth Australia and sits on its National Data Committee. In 2025, she will lead the Global Shapers Brisbane Hub and later this year represent Brisbane at the World Economic Forum in Geneva. This month, Jess begins her role as the Asia-Pacific regional liaison for Sustainable Development Solutions Network Youth.

Asher Piari
Asher Piari is a third-year student at Griffith University, pursuing a dual degree in Business and Political Science & International Relations. A proud Papuan New Guinean and Australian, she is passionate about women’s advocacy and economic empowerment. She works with the Rotary Club of Paddington’s Teacher in a Box project, facilitating digital learning in the Indo-Pacific. Asher also contributes to the PNG Melpa Women’s Association of South-East QLD and the Future Ancestors Program. In 2025, she will serve as the Queensland Youth Parliament representative for Chatsworth, advocating for education, employment, and small business development.

Ebonie Kibalya
Ebonie Kibalya is a Ugandan-Australian peace activist and 2025 Humanitarian Affairs Global Peace Ambassador. Shaped by her lived experiences in conflict zones across Sudan, Côte d'Ivoire, Uganda, and East Timor, she is deeply committed to gender analysis, peace journalism, and decolonisation. In January 2025, she represented Australia as a delegate at the 4th Annual Global Peace Summit in Bangkok. Ebonie currently serves as an Advocacy and Alliance intern at Genocide Watch, where she monitors and works to prevent genocide in Africa. She is also the first Youth Asia-Pacific Liaison for the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, leading efforts to engage young feminists in peacebuilding.

Dr Julie Ballangarry (2023 Young Woman to Watch)
Dr Julie Ballangarry is a proud Gumbaynggirr/Dunghutti woman and academic passionate about First Nations rights and recognition, amplifying First Nations voices, as well as decolonising policy processes. She strives to drive transformative change across more just and equitable policies by interrogating policy structures and systems in her research. In recent years, she has shared her insights through policy roundtables, conferences, publications and a podcast. Julie also contributes her expertise and advocacy as a voluntary Director for Reconciliation Queensland, an advisory board member for AP4D and a member of the Australian Feminist Foreign Policy Coalition (AFFPC).

Q&A

What time will the panel discussion begin?

The panel will begin at 7:00 pm AEST. Doors will open to attendees from 6:45pm AEST. Please arrive prior to the starting time to avoid interrupting the panel discussion.

What is YAIA's Young Women to Watch list?

YAIA's Young Women to Watch list list is an annual program which celebrates and elevates the achievements of young women across the breadth of international affairs.

How do I get to the venue?

The venue is near the Chancellors Place and UQ Lakes bus stations.  There are also a number of paid parking areas located near the venue. For more information, please view the 'Accessibility' link at the top of this webpage.