WiT's Inspiration Series Presents -
Inspiring Women in STEM Panel
Join us for an inspiring panel as we celebrate women in STEM. Aligned with WiT’s 2025 theme, Stronger Together, this event will highlight the power of collaboration and resilience in the STEM community.
We are excited to also present this panel as a hybrid event with ticket options of attending in person or dialing in!
This special Inspiring Women in STEM event will feature our incredible panel members, including 2024 WiT Award winner Professor Moe Thandar Wynn as well as Karen Balfe & Felicity Rudd as they share their journeys, insights, and strategies for overcoming challenges and driving progress in STEM.
With opportunities for networking before and after the panel, this event is the perfect space to connect with like-minded professionals and be part of the movement to March Forward and be Stronger Together.
Let’s celebrate the achievements of women in STEM and inspire one another to build a stronger, more united future.
Your ticket includes:
Timing:
7:30am - 8:00am - Arrivals and networking
8:00am - 9:00am - Welcome, panel and Q&A time
9:00am - 9:30am - Networking opportunities available for attendees who wish to stay after the panel discussion
Your host and moderator
Iyari Cevallos has over 15 years of global experience managing unique and complex engagements in the resource, banking, telco, energy and tourism sectors. She has a proven record of delivery in operational performance, digital transformation change, governance and risk management in both the public and private sectors.
As a passionate leader in fast paced and evolving environments, she has been fundamental in influencing and leading positive change, contributing to a more equitable, just and sustainable society.
Meet your panel!
Karen Balfe
Karen is a Strategic Commercial Manager with 25+ years of experience in aviation and IT, specialising in strategy, technology implementation, and business transformation. A Black Belt Lean Six Sigma professional, she has led major digital transformation initiatives, driving growth through strategic partnerships and innovative solutions across multiple industries. Known for her ability to build strong relationships and deliver impactful change, she currently works as a Sales Manager at bdna.
Felicity Rudd
Felicity is an accomplished IT Project Specialist with a passion for empowering others through technology and education. With extensive experience in managing innovative learning solutions, she has driven digital transformation and continuous improvement within her organisation. Felicity has effectively integrated advanced technology and plays a pivotal role in the deployment and adoption of Microsoft Copilot at Powerlink. Felicity is a respected leader and mentor, known for her collaborative approach and commitment to inclusivity. She has built strong relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, ensuring the success of key projects.
Outside of work, Felicity is a devoted advocate for work-life balance and personal well-being. She enjoys quality time with her family, including her children Gabe and Penny, and her husband Steve. An avid traveller, she loves exploring new cultures and cuisines. Felicity is also dedicated to supporting women in tech, believing that diverse perspectives are crucial for innovation. As a panellist for "Inspiring Women in Technology," Felicity is excited to share her journey, insights, and lessons learned. Her story is a testament to the power of perseverance, passion, and making a difference.
Professor Moe Thandar Wynn
As a professor of Information Technology specialising in data and process science, I develop foundational knowledge and innovative data-driven algorithms to support the digital transformation of organisations. I am co-director of QUT’s Centre for Data Science and the leader of the Process Science research group within the School of Information Systems. My current research investigates theories and techniques in data quality management and process intelligence so that ethical and unbiased insights are generated from digital trails left by process executions. I am working on integrating process technology with artificial intelligence and data mining to revolutionize how organizations adapt their processes in real-time and respond to external threats by continuously sensing from process digital trails. My research takes a process-centric lens to design data science methods that visualize, automate and innovate processes. I have more than 15 years of experience in interdisciplinary research with 25+ Australian partners. My research findings have been applied in diverse business contexts, visualising road trauma patients’ end-to-end journeys from roadside to bedside, undertaking privacy-preserving data analysis of Australian electronic health records, predicting agri-food supply chain risks, pinpointing bottlenecks in insurance claims, and modelling truck movements across Australia using Telematics data. As Vice Chair and steering committee member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) Taskforce on Process Mining (2019 – 2023), I revised an IEEE event data format standard, ran a global survey of process mining professionals to advance data quality approaches, facilitated the certification of process mining tools, and promoted process mining research for wider industry adoption.
With Thanks to our Event Sponsor:
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