Leadership Victoria

22/04/2024

During April, our Williamson Community Leadership Program (WCLP) 2024 cohort has been exploring their second theme of the year: privilege. Our location for last Friday, the Abbottsford Convent, provided a change of pace and a historic backdrop to explore this theme.

Our day began with a heartfelt Welcome to Country by Uncle Bill Nicholson, setting the tone for a day of meaningful dialogue. John Di Natale, Abbottsford Convent COO, then framed discussions for the day within the broader context of creating change in the community through the lens of privilege.

Throughout the day, we heard from diverse leaders, Good Human Org. CEO and Founder Rana Hussain, Darebin City Council Mayor Susanne Newton (WCLP '23), former Youth Development Officer Anne Ho**er OAM, Ajak & Associates Founder Daniel Ajak, The Ian Potter Foundation CEO Paul Conroy (WCLP '08), Women's Giving Foundation Co-Founder Patricia Burke OAM and Victorian Equal Opportunities and Human Rights Commissioner Ro Allen (FAICD).

During these sessions, we invited our cohort to critically reflect as they explored how they face and mobilise our privilege as leaders for a better society by holding up a mirror to their own leadership journeys. This included determining where the advantage and disadvantage lies due to different facets of one's identity, education and status and understanding where they have been held back or propelled further as a result. Finally, the cohort worked through how they can ensure that they are using their privilege to reach those without, lead more effectively and ultimately create conditions for their organisations and communities to thrive.

Thank you to Abbottsford Convent for hosting us and to all our guest speakers for your invaluable insights and for answering many tough and thought-provoking questions from our WCLP '24 cohort!

22/02/2024

Last night, we held the 2024 Williamson Community Leadership Program (WCLP) Welcome Event, officially welcoming the 2024 cohort to the next 10 months of their transformational leadership journey. On the evening, the cohort were joined by Leadership Victoria Leader in Residence Christine Kotur AM, members of the LV Board, 2023 Williamson Fellows as well as Williamson Fellows and Valedictorians from previous years.

Building community and enduring networks are key aspects of WCLP and this was evident last night as new connections were built, traditions were carried on and legacies were shared. Traditions such as the long-running gift giving practices of the LV Socks and the newly added Inclusion Cup were presented by Laura Thompson (WCLP '18) and Amanda Lawrie-Jones (WCLP '23). Laura and Amanda have both made a mark in their own way, identifying opportunities to make these practices equitable and inclusive and we thank them for their contributions to the legacy of WCLP.

Additionally, 2023 Valedictorians Charlie McMullin (WCLP '23) and Kevin Kapeke (WCLP '23) shared their "To My Pre-Williamson Self" letters - letters that centre on reflecting on their time in the program, with the added advantage of hindsight - were shared, giving the 2024 cohort an opportunity to better understand what lies ahead on their own leadership paths. Thank you Charlie and Kevin for sharing so openly and candidly.

We look forward to continuing this journey with the 2024 cohort, following along as they make their own marks, build on WCLP traditions and leave lasting legacies.

23/10/2023

The countdown is on! This Thursday, we celebrate the Leadership Victoria Alumni Community at the Reignite Alumni Gala 🎇

For over 30 years, extraordinary leaders have come together to work towards the collective purpose of a sustainable, equitable and inclusive Victoria and beyond. The breadth of this work would not be possible without the commitment and contribution of the dedicated network of alumni, mentors, volunteers, speakers and partners.

We look forward to connecting and reflecting on the experiences, stories and challenges that have shaped the Leadership Victoria Community throughout the years. We'll see you there!

17/10/2023

Throughout October, our Williamson (WCLP) 2023 cohort has been exploring their final theme of the year: enchantment. Our location for last Friday, the Mount Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre was the perfect backdrop to explore this theme, providing a change a of environment and pace.

After a powerful Welcome to Country, our leads for the day opened the day with the quote “Enchantment, by my definition, has nothing to do with fantasy, or escapism, or magical thinking: it is founded on a vivid sense of belongingness to a rich and many-layered world; a profound and whole-hearted participation in the adventure of life.” (Sharon Blackie, 2018).

We invited our cohort to keep this is mind throughout the day as we explored how the connections made with each other, the land we are on and the world around us plays a part in our ability to lead effectively. As we heard from Odonata Foundation Conservation Facilitator, Sam Lancaster, Writer and Author, Dr Maya Ward and Artist and Activist, Matt Wicking, our cohort had moments to reflect on their purpose and sense of belonging. They had the opportunity to engage in workshops to experience wonder, deepen their awareness of themselves and finally, their perception of the natural world.

Thank you to the Mount Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre for hosting us and to our guest speakers for providing space for new experiences and learning.

13/10/2023

The fourth series of the Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program has begun this week, delivered in conjunction with Department of Families, Fairness and Housing - VIC Office for Women.

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of being joined by Sinèad Redmond (OFWJK ’22) Head of Infrastructure Delivery at Geelong Port, Fatima Everitt (WCLP ‘23), Founder and Creative Director at Dreamtime Art Consultancy and Kate Kennedy AM, Chair Advisory Board at Emit Capital Asset Management and Non-Executive Director at iPRO Software.

Our panelists shared their experience on the issues of gender bias, structural barriers and enablers to career development. The session brought to light a wide spectrum of issues facing young leaders today, including societal expectations and the pressures that arise when growing up in a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) community. There was also a strong focus on building support networks in all sectors. Finally, the session addressed how as leaders, everyone can better equip women to fully participate in the workplace in the face of intersectional disadvantage and discrimination.

Thank you to our panelists for sharing their wisdom and insights on such a complex and challenging topic.

11/10/2023

Last chance! The Reignite Alumni Gala is quickly approaching and it's a night you don't want to miss. This is a special opportunity to reconnect with alumni and friends and reignite your connection with the Leadership Victoria community.

Ticket sales close on Monday, October 16th so act now!

Date - Thursday 26th of October
Location - Melbourne Town Hall
Time - 6:30pm - 10:30pm

🎟 Get tickets below:

REIGNITE - Leadership Victoria Alumni Gala, Hosted at Melbourne Town Hall, 90-120 Swanston St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia, Thu 26th Oct 2023, 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm AEDT. Tickets are only $143. Only on Humanitix

09/10/2023

This week at Leadership Victoria, we're excited to commence the fourth series of the Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program, delivered in partnership with the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing - VIC Office for Women. In preparation, we sat down with LV Alum Linda Liwewe, Valedictorian of the third series to talk about her experience in the program and how the outcomes have informed how she leads today.

Linda is an emerging leader who has spent the last several years in the Victorian public sector, specifically in the criminal justice space as a Senior Project Manager with Victoria Police. Her interest in systemic thinking has seen her contribute to a more inclusive community. This has shown through her work in managing public sector digital and reform projects aimed at greatly enhancing the lives of Victorians, in particular women, CALD and LGBTIQ communities.

Whilst telling her story, she spoke about imposter syndrome, what it means to find your footing as a leader and offered her advice to other emerging leaders undertaking the program. Read her full story here: https://www.leadershipvictoria.org/news/alumni-spotlight-linda-liwewe-joan-kirner-emerging-leaders-program-s3-valedictorian/

We're delighted to welcome 20 new emerging leaders to the Joan Kirner Program and can't wait to follow their stories as well. Find out more about the program here: https://www.leadershipvictoria.org/program/joan-kirner-emerging-leaders-program/

Meet Linda Liwewe, Valedictorian of the 2023 third series of the Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program. Named in honour of Victoria’s first woman Premier, Joan

06/10/2023

To our Alumni, we want to hear from you! Join our CEO, Katherine Ellis for an Alumni Consultation over breakfast, lunch or online, to share your LV experience, your ideas for further contribution to community, and what you would like from an Alumni Program.

Book a breakfast time consultation here: https://events.humanitix.com/lv-ceo-alumni-consultation-breakfast

Book a lunch time consultation here: https://events.humanitix.com/alumni-consultation-lunch

Book an online time consultation here: https://events.humanitix.com/alumni-consultation-or-online

Alternatively, if you would like to gather a group from your cohort, or your workplace, please contact us and we'll come to you!

04/10/2023

Yesterday at the Leader Evolution program, we had the pleasure of hearing from Sean Jameson (WCLP ’10), Director of People and Culture at the Melbourne Theatre Company about how vulnerability can make us better leaders. Sean has over 20 years of executive leadership experience across the private, public and not-for-profit sectors.

Sean inspired our current Leader Evolution cohort by sharing how being honest with yourself is crucial, particularly whilst facing daunting leadership challenges and finding your purpose. He highlighted how this can help leaders own their responsibility in the obstacles they are facing, and the importance of keeping ego in check.

He also encouraged the cohort to be authentic, transparent and “speak their truth” as part of strengthening their ability to lead effectively, and demonstrated how showing vulnerability ultimately allows others to do the same.

We are always honoured to welcome our Alumni to our current programs and hear how their leadership journey has shifted and changed over the years (as we all know this journey never ends!). Thank you, Sean, for allowing us to share your insights here and for an empowering session.

02/10/2023

We are thrilled to commence our second series of the Leader Evolution Program this week! We’re welcoming 25 leaders from across Victoria with a wide range of experiences and skills to challenge themselves as part of their leadership journey. Throughout the program, they will learn to approach issues in a way that allows them to lead adaptively, mobilising and empowering others and managing self to overcome daunting leadership challenges.

📚 Find out more about the program here: https://www.leadershipvictoria.org/program/leader-evolution/

💡 See what a previous participants had to say about the program afterwards below:

02/10/2023

Leadership Victoria brings together leaders with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, and inspires and encourages them to challenge systemic barriers to equality, inclusion and sustainability.

We all have a responsibility to understand the importance of the Voice Referendum, and to make an informed vote. To that end, we should be clear on the question being asked, seek unbiased information to help us decide, and show leadership in helping others do the same.

We encourage you to read the full statement from Leadership Victoria regarding The Voice referendum here:

We all have a responsibility to understand the importance of the Voice Referendum, and to make an informed vote. To that end, we should be clear on the question being asked, seek unbiased information to help us decide, and show leadership in helping others do the same.