The Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation held its inaugural International Women’s Day Conference from 6 to 8 March 2024. The conference was a celebration of women from our funded partners, with all travelling to Newcastle from across Australia for the event.

Over three days, women from our funded partners shared their insights, highlights and challenges with each other across a program of keynote speeches and panel discussions.

We welcomed women to Soul Hub, one of our funded partners sharing space at our new headquarters at 437 Hunter Street, Newcastle. They heard from Sue Prosser, Soul Hub’s Hospitality Manager, who shared stories from guests of Soul Hub.

The conference proper was held at Newcastle City Hall with Traditional Custodian and Cultural Healer Theresa Dargin providing a heartfelt Welcome to Country.

Founder and Chair of the Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation Tracy Norman provided a welcome and opening address telling delegates “we see you and we absolutely and utterly hear you.”

The agenda for the day included

• • What does it take to be a social impact leader? Fiona Pelling from NRL Cowboys House/Cowboys Community Foundation

• • Women in philanthropy panel discussion with Tracy Norman, Ian & Shirley Norman Foundation, Jo Taylor, Siddle Family Foundation and Geraldine Campbell, Waratah Education Foundation

• • Female founders learning and tips panel discussion with Annette Brodie, The Reconnect Project and Hannah Andrevski, Roundabout Canberra

• • Innovative thinking – a female lens panel discussion with Deann Steves, Outback Futures Limited, Rachel Evans, Family Inclusion Strategies Hunter and Lucy Payne, Food Ladder

• • Transformative leadership with Lauretta Morton OAM, Newcastle Art Gallery Director

• • Resilient leadership with Suzanne Smith, author and journalist, Barabara Fitzgerald, education consultant and Kathleen McPhillips, sociologist with the University of Newcastle

A reflection of the day was provided by Coralie Nichols, CEO, Ian & Norman Foundation followed by a conference dinner at Peibri Place with Tracey Spicer AM – Australian newsreader, Walkley Award-winning journalist and social justice advocate providing the keynote address.

Day two started with morning tea with Lord Mayor of Newcastle Nuatali Nelmes. Coralie Nichols was the keynote speaker at the event.

The conference continued with the final session, Leadership and The Voice with Semara Jose from Deadly Inspiring Youth Doing Good (DIYDG) followed by a final reflection by Tracy Norman.