Courage. UNLIMITED.
We are leading in a time of sustained pressure, complexity and constant change. Across the public sector, leadership now means holding the line – delivering reform, meeting rising expectations, operating with constrained resources, and supporting teams through uncertainty while navigating it ourselves.
Women UNLIMITED creates the space to lead in exactly this context
In 2026, this landmark summit brings together leaders working through ambiguity and disruption. Headlined by global leader The Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern, it brings together voices who have led with clarity, empathy and courage under pressure, making high-stakes decisions when the path forward is uncertain. It explores how leaders create direction, momentum and trust when certainty is limited.
Across two days, the focus is practical and immediate: staying steady under sustained pressure, leading through change fatigue, and making confident decisions with incomplete information, while sharpening clarity, conviction and direction in how we lead.
Women UNLIMITED is where leaders reset, rebuild confidence, and return ready to lead with grounded courage.
2026 theme: The courage to lead differently
Watch out our summit video below
Our speakers in
Adelaide 2026
The Rt. Hon. Dame Jacinda Ardern
Natasha Stott Despoja AO
The Hon. Katrine Hildyard
Lucy Stephan OAM
Fiona S Dorman
Jackie Bray
Annabel Crabb
Emma McCahon
Jill Whittaker OAM
Hannah Wandel
Jade Wilson
Leah McLay
Shona Reid
Sinéad O’Brien
Judith Lovegrove
Thilan Legierse
Ann Buesnel
Monique Roberts
Rhiannon Pilkington
Dawn Likouresis
Julia Grant
Dr Peta Smith
Alison Lloydd-Wright
Holly Ransom
Why attend
Adelaide Public Sector 2026
The Women UNLIMITED Summit provides two days of insights and strategies, plus two post-summit online seminars forming a three-month learning journey.
All times are shown in ACST.
Welcome to Country
Opening remarks
Rowing to gold: Lessons in leadership, resilience & teamwork
- Leading with impact and inspiring teams to perform at their best
- Overcoming setbacks, staying focused and turning challenges into opportunities for growth
- Building trust, supporting peers and creating a winning culture both on and off the water
Authentic leadership in complex environments: Identity, culture & the courage to lead
- How leaders navigate expectations, identity and cultural dynamics in positions of influence
- Confronting bias, invisible labour and the realities leaders don’t always talk about
- Leveraging lived experience to shape stronger, more inclusive teams and organisational cultures
Morning tea
Mentor to lead: Building influence, legacy & the next generation of leaders
- How to find, approach and build meaningful mentor relationships
- What tools do you need to become an effective, influential mentor, regardless of career stage
- Developing a clear framework to use mentoring as a pathway to stronger leadership and long-term impact
Networking UNLIMITED
Join your fellow attendees for a networking experience curated by Women UNLIMITED. With a set of intriguing questions in hand, you’ll engage in casual conversations and discover new connections as you work your way through your Summit Bingo card. It’s a great way to break the ice and start building valuable connections from the very beginning.
Leading where it matters: Influence, impact & community-driven leadership
- How to lead with authenticity and build trust to influence outcomes across diverse stakeholders
- Turning community insight into decisive action
- Navigating competing priorities with confidence while staying grounded in purpose and values
Lunch
Connected leadership: Building a culture of safety, trust & collaboration to drive high-performing teams
- Reflect on some key questions to ask ourselves as leaders
- Do I create space for other voices? How do I respond when others speak up? Do I model trust and safety through my own behaviours
- Learn skills that will enhance your leadership to connect with your team
- Take away practical tools that you can apply immediately to your leadership
Power pause
Jot down one key takeaway so far and how you’ll apply it
Leadership In Times Of Chaos
Annabel Crabb has spent nearly 30 years watching Australia’s leaders up close — in parliament, in their kitchens, and increasingly, in the group chats they weren’t added to. With a gift for naming dynamics that professional women recognise instantly but rarely see said out loud, she draws on the very latest from Canberra to illuminate the unwritten rules that still govern who gets to lead, who gets to stay, and who gets handed a mop. Funny, forensic and deeply human, this session will leave you with a new vocabulary for the workplace moments you thought only happened to you.
(This session will be livestreamed)
Afternoon tea
Leading with integrity in the Public Sector: Turning values into everyday leadership practice
- Applying practical ethical decision-making frameworks to navigate complexity and competing priorities in public sector roles
- Building and modelling a culture of accountability that sets clear expectations for conduct, performance, and transparency
- Strengthening team behaviours that embed integrity into daily practice, not just policy or compliance requirements
Power pause
Sip, breathe, smile — small pauses lead to big breakthroughs
Silencing the inner critic: Confidence, credibility & claiming your space
- Recognise and reframe self-doubt and shift it into empowering self-belief
- Building visible credibility and making your contributions seen and valued
- Stepping confidently into your space, assert influence and lead with authenticity in any environment
Closing remarks
Networking & refreshments
Welcome from The Hatchery & MC
Ministerial Keynote
Lead loudly, lead differently: Courage in the face of resistance
- What it takes to challenge entrenched systems and keep going when the pushback comes
- Navigating leadership when you’re underestimated, dismissed or “too different”
- Turning conviction into influence without losing authenticity
Redefining success: Navigating pressure, identity, and resilience as women leaders
- Analysing the multifaceted identities of women and the unique pressures and expectations they face in leadership and life
- Building strong networks, resilience and sustainable strategies to thrive despite systemic challenges
- Challenging structures not designed for women and empowering emerging leaders to create change
Morning tea
Power pause
Connect briefly with another delegate, sometimes insight comes from a quick conversation
In Conversation with Jacinda Ardern: Discovering, cultivating & unleashing a different kind of power
In this special Q&A moderated by Holly Ransom, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern joins the stage to redefine the architecture of influence. Aligned with our theme, “The Courage to Lead Differently,” Ardern draws from her bestselling memoir, A Different Kind of Power, to challenge the outdated notion that leadership requires a “thick skin” or an iron fist.
Moderated by Holly Ransom, Acclaimed Interviewer of Barack & Michelle Obama & Hillary Clinton, Chief Executive Officer, Emergent Global & Author, The Leading Edge.
(This session is livestreamed from Melbourne)
Uncovering one leadership lesson that changes everything
- What is the single leadership habit that has had the greatest impact
- A pivotal moment that reshaped how to lead teams, make decisions or influence others
- One piece of advice they would give their younger self stepping into leadership
Lunch
Conflict mastery for leaders: Turning tension into trust, alignment & results
- Navigating and mediate conflict with confidence to foster understanding and stronger relationships
- Aligning teams through shared values to move from friction to focused collaboration
- Leading high-stakes conversations with calm authority while maintaining trust and credibility
Leading through uncertainty: Tools to lead change, make decisions under pressure & navigate complexity
- How leaders maintain clarity, confidence and direction in unpredictable environments
- Strategies for leading teams through policy shifts, political change and organisational disruption
- Turning uncertainty into opportunity by building resilient, adaptive and future-ready organisations
Afternoon tea
Ambition for a better future: Turning data, evidence & collective vision into actionable policy and leadership decisions
- How collective leadership has enabled an ambitious vision for Thriving Families in SA
- Examining the critical role of data and evidence for social impact
- How to drive innovation by taking calculated risks and empowering bold decision-making
Seeing the whole system: The real power leaders have to make change
- Why leaders must see beyond their patch – understanding the full system, unintended consequences, and where real influence sits
- Moments where leaders should lean in – decisions, trade‑offs and behaviours that shape culture and outcomes more than strategy documents
- What you can do from tomorrow – practical ways to step back, reframe problems, and act with greater system awareness in your current role
Closing remarks & close of summit
Leading in times of uncertainty: How to stay grounded & lead with impact
Overview
The pace and complexity of today’s work environment demands a new kind of leadership steadiness. This practical seminar draws on VUCA leadership principles, the concept of the Impact Player, and the critical distinction between distractions and genuine disturbance to help leaders cut through the noise, protect their focus, and show up with clarity and purpose – without burning out in the process.
Attend & learn
- Apply VUCA leadership principles to navigate volatility & complexity with confidence
- Distinguish between distractions & genuine disturbances that deserve your attention
- Identify what it means to be an Impact Player & how to lead beyond your formal role
- Build practical self-care habits that sustain your performance & judgement under pressure
- Develop your personal approach to staying grounded when conditions keep changing
How to make better decisions, prioritise your time & lead with confidence
Overview
The most significant leadership development happens when we confront the thinking, habits and assumptions that have quietly shaped our careers. This practical seminar helps leaders identify what’s holding them back, cut through competing priorities and define what success genuinely looks like at this stage of their journey — then leave with the tools to act on it immediately.
Attend & learn
- Identify & let go of the thinking patterns that quietly limit your leadership potential
- Prioritise what matters most when everything feels urgent & the list never gets shorter
- Reduce low-impact work to create space for the leadership that actually moves things forward
- Make faster, more confident decisions without second-guessing yourself at every turn
- Set clearer boundaries with stakeholders & teams without damaging trust or relationships
- Manage competing priorities & define success on your own terms, using a practical framework
Why bring your team
Strengthen your team
Develop and retain talent
Enhance your visibility
Collectively learn and implement
Get discounted table bookings
Who should attend?
Download our Business Case for Attendance template to easily share the value of this event with your organisation and secure approval to participate.
The use of the term “women” across the event is inclusive of both cisgender and transgender women. We acknowledge the under-representation of non-binary people in leadership, which is also a result of gender inequality.
Adelaide 2026 | Pricing
Can’t attend in-person? Join the online interactive Adelaide Summit and save $200 off the current rate
Groups of 3-4 save 5%
Groups of 5-9 save 10%
Groups of 10-19 save 15%
Groups of 20-29 save 25%
Groups of 30-49 save 30%
Groups of 50+POA
All prices shown in AUD
Special rates apply for non-government community service providers, & schools.
Call 1300 918 334 or email [email protected] to book.
FAQs
Do all the speakers present live in person?
All speakers at The Hatchery present live and in person unless specifically noted on the event program or circumstances prevent the speaker from appearing live.
Are there opportunities to network with other delegates?
The Hatchery provides a number of networking opportunities for all event attendees. Clearly printed name badges are provided to all attendees at registration. Attendees are encouraged to wear these for the entirety of the event to ease networking processes during all session breaks. Attendees are also encouraged to bring plenty of business cards.
Online attendees are encouraged to network and collaborate during break out sessions or via chat forum on the online platform.
How do I access the slides and resources?
Once the event has finished you will be given the opportunity to provide feedback which will provide access to the session resources which we have permission to share.
Are meals included in my registration?
The program will include morning tea, lunch & afternoon tea for all participants. Please refer to the agenda tab above for more details.
Do you cater for dietary requirements and any additional needs?
Dietary requirements and any additional needs are to be communicated to event organisers minimum one week prior to the event commencing. Please identify yourself to The Hatchery staff upon arrival to ensure all your needs are met.
What if I cannot attend all sessions?
Some sessions are being recorded and will be made available after the event ends online (subject to speaker consent).
What happens if I am no longer able to attend?
All cancellations must be raised at least 2 weeks before the event. For cancellations received in writing more than 2 weeks before the event date, a credit voucher will be issued and valid for 12 months from the registration date to use for another The Hatchery event.
Cancellations must be made in writing to [email protected]. The company regrets that no cancellations will be refunded. Course documentation will however be sent to the attendee.
A substitute attendee is always welcome at no extra charge, you must notify us in writing at least 48 hours in advance if you wish to send a substitute participant. Please email [email protected] and quote your invoice number to arrange this. Delegates may not "share" a pass between multiple attendees without prior authorisation.
For an event cancelled by The Hatchery registration fees are fully refundable.
