OWN Conference Speakers

Get to know the trailblazers, changemakers, and visionaries speaking at this year’s OWN Conference. These are the women redefining leadership, business, and impact.

Adelaide Speakers

Thursday 18 September
10:00am – 2:30pm
Tank Stream Labs, 63 Pirie Street, Adelaide SA 5000 

Earlybird ends 1 September

MAINSTAGE SPEAKERS 

JENNIE ZEIHER 

Rising Sun Pictures, Former President

Jennie Zeiher is a seasoned VFX professional and business leader. In 2024, she led RSP to win the Australian Exporter of the Year Award and the Autodesk Design & Make Award for its pioneering use of machine learning in VFX. Jennie also received the 2024 Women in Innovation SA Award for her leadership in tech innovation.

DANIELLE SEYMOUR

SOUTHSTART, Co-Owner and Director

Danielle Seymour is a Co-Owner/Director at Southstart, an immersive experience company which plays a critical role in connecting people to the skills, networks & knowledge required to grow – exponentially – through the creation of conferences, summits, hospitality activations and more. She also established the Adelaide Chapter of the Global Shapers Community, a network of young people driving dialogue, action and change, supported by the World Economic Forum.

PAULETTE KOLARZ 

BespokeHR, Managing Director

As Founder and Managing Director of BespokeHR, Paulette brings over two decades of experience transforming how organisations approach their most valuable asset—their people. Throughout her career, she has partnered with over 500 organisations ranging from nimble startups to multinational enterprises across diverse industries. 

EXPERT CIRCLE SPEAKERS

ASHLEIGH GREAVES

simplefy.ai, Founder

JASMIN ILLIC

CYBR, Co-Founder and CEO

JO PALMER

Pointer Remote, Founder

ONNIE CHAN

Women in Creative Technologies (WiCT), Founder and Director

SONYA STATTMANN

Sonya Stattmann, Coaching & Corporate Speaker

SOFIA KETTE

SoMe AI, Founder and CEO

CARLEY GRELIE

Birchal, Head of Operations

Brisbane Speakers

Friday 24 October
10:00am – 2:30pm
The Precinct, Level 2/315 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

Earlybird ends 1 October

MAINSTAGE SPEAKERS 

CHRISTIE WHITEHILL

Tech Ready Women, Founder

Christie, founder of Tech Ready Women, launched an award-winning program to bridge the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship, leveraging her 15 years of experience to upskill female founders. Her program quickly gained industry recognition, winning Accelerator of the Year 2017 and securing government funding, before being sold to Scalare Partners in 2024.

 ELLE RUSSELL

NightCafe, Co-Founder

Elle Russell is the Co-Founder of NightCafe Studio, which has grown into a global community with over 28 million users and well over 1 billion creations. Recognised three times by Andreessen Horowitz as a top 50 Gen AI web product, their platform empowers anyone to create stunning AI-generated art.

 

 EMMAGNESS RUZVIDZO

VAKA Consulting, Managing Director

As Managing Director of VAKA Consulting, Emmagness Ruzvidzo provides coaching and

training that helps marketing service providers eliminate blind spots in their

marketing. She is also the Co-founder of the Women of Colour Founders Network

(WoCFN), a coaching and storytelling platform amplifying the voices of Black and Brown

founders worldwide.

EXPERT CIRCLE SPEAKERS

CRYSTAL MCGREGOR 

Tech Ready Women, General Manager

NICOLE GRAHAM

Kinba, Founder

ANGELA HENDERSON

Angela Henderson Consulting, Founder

DR ANNA HARRISON

RAMMP, Founder

ZOE HAYES

Zoe Hayes Branding Strategy, Founder

JACQUI MALONEY

Media and Public Speaking Coach

SAMANTHA MCCALLUM

Outfoxed, Managing Director

TYLA HODGSON

Formulaik, Co-Founder

EMMA KIRKMAN

Emma Kirkman, Founder

CHRISTINE CORCORAN

Sales Strategist & Business Mindset Master Coach

LISA MARTENS

Brightwell, Founder

ALICENT WONG

The Women of Colour Founders Network, Founder

Sydney Speakers

Tuesday 28 October

10:00am – 2:30pm

 

Tank Stream Labs, International Tower 3, Level 17/300 Barangaroo Ave, Barangaroo NSW 2000

MAINSTAGE SPEAKERS 

ANGELA PRIESTLEY

Women’s Agenda, Founding Editor

KIRSTIN HUNTER

Birchal, CEO

DR AMANDEEP HANSRA

Australian Medical Angels, Co-Founder

EXPERT CIRCLE SPEAKERS

VINISHA RATHOD

P3 Studio, Managing Director

BROOK MCCARTHY

Hustle & Heart, Founder

KATE COFFEY

Airtree, Investment Manager

MICHELLE FRAGIAS

Boss Lady Academy, Founder

CRYSTAL MCGREGOR 

Tech Ready Women, General Manager

LAUREN CALAUTTI

Scalare Partners, Chief Revenue Rocketeer

FIONA ANSON

Middle8 Analytics, Founder

JULIE TRELL

Playful Purpose, Founder & Chief Play Officer

RACQUEL COLLARD

Marketing Launchpad, Director

Melbourne Speakers

Thursday 30 October

10:00am – 2:30pm

 

Tank Stream Labs

Level 5/440 Collins St

Melbourne VIC 3000

MAINSTAGE SPEAKERS 

KRISTINA KARLSSON

kikki.K, Founder

 JEANETTE CHEAH

HEX, Co-Founder and CEO

 HANNAH SPILVA

LVLY, Co-Founder + Done, Founder

EXPERT CIRCLE SPEAKERS

 SUZ CHADWICK

Personal Branding and Business Coach

IRENE TSANG

Lift Women, Founder and CEO

NICOLE SMITH

The Artisans Solutions, Founder

PENNY LOCASO

Hacking Happy Co, Founder

PAZ PISARSKI

The Community Collective, Co-Founder

RENECE BREWSTER

March Collective, Partner

JO PALMER

The Connection Table, Founder

SIMONE WESTON 

Kismet, CPO

JENN DONOVAN

Social Media and Marketing Australia

EMELI PAULO

SoCo Collective, Co-Founder

MIRIAM DELIVA

Press Run, Founder and CEO