Full Program Revealed – Women in Media National Conference 2025

Claudia Karvan, Hannah Ferguson, Bridget Brennan, Aimee Buchanan and more lead a bold, agenda-setting lineup as the Women in Media National Conference returns to Sydney on Friday, 15 August – with sessions that go there on power, PR, AI, and the future of media – and a community dedicated to supporting women in media to thrive in their chosen paths and careers.

This one-day event brings together Australia’s most influential voices across journalism, production, comms, politics, tech, PR, publishing and the screen sector – live at ICC Sydney.

About the sessions

DEI, Quotas and Backlash

From newsroom floors to Parliament House, diversity, equity and inclusion policies are under pressure. Do they go too far, or not far enough? Is the U.S. led backlash against DEI gaining ground here? And why are media figures split on content quotas and workforce targets? Join insiders as they unpack policy shifts, the future of representation in Australia, and what it means for you.

• Charlotte Mortlock - Founder, Hilma’s Network

• Paula Kruger - CEO, Media Diversity Australia

• Katy Gallagher - Federal Minister for Women

• Moderator: Tanya Hosch - Non-Executive Director

Keynote: Claudia Karvan OAM

Presented by ABC

Award-winning actor and producer Claudia Karvan OAM, one of Australia's most celebrated and enduring talents, is delivering an unmissable keynote. Claudia's contribution to the screen industry has been recognised with multiple Logie Awards, an Order of Australia for her service to the arts, and a lasting legacy of strong, complex female characters that have reshaped Australian television. Her career trajectory – from child star to industry leader – offers unparalleled insight into resilience, creativity, leadership and innovation in media. This is a rare opportunity to hear Claudia Karvan share her experiences, lessons and perspectives at a pivotal time for women in media. An audience Q&A will follow her keynote.

Crisis Comms: Surviving the Storm

Ready or not, here comes the storm. Leading crisis communications specialists will share their approaches to common PR crises – from workplace affairs and executive misconduct, to product failures and bad reviews, the tone-deaf misstep and following ‘non apology’. Guilty or not, being embroiled in a PR crisis can be genuinely traumatic. So how do you fix the problem, keep your brand intact, and survive the storm?

• Sue Cato AM - Partner, Cato & Clive 

• Adam Ferrier - Chief Thinker, Thinkerbell

• Sally Cray - Chief Communications Officer, Reserve Bank of Australia 

• Moderator: Prof Monica Attard OAM

Flipping the Script: Women Shaping the Story

Presented by SBS

Media shapes how we see ourselves – and storytelling is having a breakthrough moment. Today's women creators are flipping the script, crafting layered, surprising, intersectional characters who leap off the page and screen. From busting clichés to reshaping entire narratives, they're expanding what's possible in storytelling. Join a brilliant panel of women producers, writers and creators as they reveal how they're creating compelling portrayals that resonate with audiences everywhere.

• Shankari Chandran - Miles Franklin Award winning author

• Amanda Duthie - Head of Stan Originals

• Jodi Matterson - Film Producer & CEO, Silent Firework Group

• Moderator: Dilpreet Kaur Taggar - Executive Producer & Co-Host, SBS Spice

The Future of Media

Presented by Seven

The media world never stands still – from AI and shifting audience behaviours to new business models and industry reinvention. Join the decision-makers shaping what comes next – for a rare look into the future of the industry, showcasing leadership driven by women at the helm. What’s keeping them up at night? What excites them most? Where is it all heading? Big shifts, bold ideas and straight talk from the top.

• Deirdre Brennan - CEO, Screen Australia

• Aimee Buchanan - CEO, GroupM Australia & New Zealand

• Amanda Laing - Managing Director, Streaming and Broadcast Division, Nine

• Sarah Stinson - Director of Morning Television, Seven

• Moderator: Megan Brownlow - Managing Director, Housten Consulting 

New Power: The Rise of Women Content Creators

Presented by Paramount

Young women have long been underestimated – their social, political and market influence overlooked. Enter the new guard of women content creators. They're capturing millions of engaged political voices, building media empires, and landing interviews with the PM and budget lock-up invites. Discover what drives these content powerhouses and how their strategies are reshaping politics, commerce, and content.

• Hannah Ferguson - CEO, Cheek Media

• Jessie Stephens - Executive Editor, Mamamia

• Sarah Thornton - Head of Unscripted, Paramount ANZ

• Moderator: Maria Lewis

Marvellous Mentors (and the other ones!)

Presented by ABC

What makes a strong mentor-mentee relationship – and how do you even find one? In this interactive session, journalist and broadcaster Libbi Gorr hosts a spirited Q&A with experienced media mentors. You can ask anything – from how to make the first approach to what mentors look for in a mentee and what not to do. Hear real stories, common missteps, and practical tips to help you build a mentor relationship that’s meaningful, mutual and career-shaping.

• Bridget Brennan - Host, News Breakfast, ABC

• Beverley McGarvey - President, Paramount

• Jodi Matterson - Screen Producer & CEO, Silent Firework Group

• Moderator: Libbi Gorr - Broadcaster, Writer, Performer

Keynote Speaker: Hanna Rosin

and Q&A with Edwina Bartholomew

One of the most distinctive voices in U.S. journalism and a pioneer of podcasting, Hanna Rosin, is visiting from Washington DC to take the stage at the 2025 Women in Media National Conference.

Senior Editor at The Atlantic and host of Radio Atlantic, Hanna Rosin is renowned for her groundbreaking work exploring gender, power and politics. She is best known to many as co-host of NPR’s pioneering podcast Invisibilia, and as author of the international bestseller The End of Men: and The Rise of Women – the landmark 2012 book that examined women’s growing influence across education, work and society. 

Now more than a decade on, Rosin brings a sharp and timely lens to what many see as a global reversal – a swing of the political pendulum that is being promoted throughout media and reshaping gender dynamics and debate over who holds power. 

Her latest podcast, We Live Here Now, is an intimate portrait of post-insurrection America. The series follows Hanna Rosin and her partner Lauren Ober as they get to know their new neighbours – who include Micki Witthoeft, a hero of the MAGA movement and mother of Ashli Babbitt, the woman shot and killed by police during the January 6 Capitol riot.

Through intimate interviews and deeply human storytelling, We Live Here Now examines the personal and political fault lines dividing the United States – and what it means to live side by side with people whose values may stand in stark opposition.

Hanna will be joined by Seven’s Edwina Bartholomew for a Q&A where you can ask questions.

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