International Women’s Day 2019 - Inspiring women support business events and make big impacts

March 08, 2019

Melbourne is home to the world’s brightest minds who day to day inspire, innovate and deliver big impact. Being the knowledge capital means that we have on our doorstep some of Australia’s most inspiring women in their fields who passionately strive towards creating real change among the community.

Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB) is privileged to have the opportunity to work with these women to help win significant conferences for the state.  These women are passionate about the work they do, they dedicate time to advancing in their field and collaborate with MCB to assist in winning notable conferences that leave long lasting legacies that go beyond the dollars.

This International Women’s Day we are celebrating and acknowledging just a few of these women whose commitment to improving people’s lives sees no end and who have supported MCB in securing events that serve as platforms to advance in different fields and bring real impact.

Bronwyn Stephens – District Governor for Rotary Victoria

Rotary International Convention 2023

Bronwyn’s professional career spans over 30 years of nursing in several specialties including infection control advisory services, seating on peak bodies, and accreditation on regulatory advisory boards. She has been involved with Rotary over the last 10 years serving various roles in the Club, and recently became the District Governor supporting 65 clubs. 

Describing Rotary as a change making organisation, Bronwyn said “Rotary for me allows a person to bring an idea to help another person, a community, or the whole world, and for likeminded people to join me to make it happen”.

Bronwyn brings passion and commitment to her involvement with the community with the priority of delivering real impact to people. MCB is privileged to work alongside such an inspiring woman to bring the largest conference ever coming to Victoria, Rotary 2023 which is expected to bring over 20,000 Rotary members from over 200 countries and regions worldwide.

“The Melbourne Convention Bureau was pivotal in achieving the success of the Convention Bid with many other countries vying for the opportunity.  With over two-years preparation of this Convention Bid, MCB’s high ethical behaviour, professionalism and goodwill sees friendships created that were not just successful but will endure.”

Professor Susan Davis - Director of the Specialist Women's Health Clinic at Alfred Health Melbourne

World Congress on Menopause 2020

Club Melbourne Ambassador, Prof. Susan Davis is Director at Monash University Women’s Health Research Program and a Consultant Endocrinologist at Alfred Hospital and Cabrini Medical Centre, Melbourne. Prof. Davis is a leading women’s health researcher focused notably on menopause and menstrual disorders. She is President of the International Menopause Society, a past president of the Australasian Menopause Society and Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences.

Prof. Davis has made leading contributions in the women’s health area and her commitment to advancing this sector has been outstanding. She is also a pioneer in the field of reproductive endocrinology and has also played a vital role in raising awareness about women’s health in Indigenous communities. 

MCB and Club Melbourne worked collaboratively with Prof. Davis in order to be successful on bidding for the World Congress on Menopause which is coming to Melbourne in 2020. This conference will gather 2,000 experts to connect and work towards improving women’s health globally.

Professor Jayashri Kulkarni - Director and Professor of Psychiatry, Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc)

World Congress on Women's Mental Health 2021

Club Melbourne Ambassador, Prof. Jayashri Kulkarni is Professor of Psychiatry and the Director of Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) - one of Australia's largest and most innovative centres for clinical mental health research.  Internationally recognised for her expertise in the treatment of mental illness, particularly in women's mental health, she is a passionate advocate of patient-focused mental health research.

With more than a third of those experiencing a mental health condition not responsive to current treatments, Prof. Kulkarni believes there is an urgent need for investment in clinical psychiatry research so new and effective treatments for mental illness can be developed.

As the President of the International Association for Women's Mental Health, a two-year term position she commenced in March 2017, Prof. Kulkarni continues to advocate globally for better resourcing for women's mental health.

MCB and Club Melbourne had the opportunity of working with passionate and inspiring Prof. Kulkarni to be successful in the bid to host the World Congress on Women’s Mental Health coming in 2021 and attracting 800 delegates to Melbourne.

Professor Sharon Lewin AO - Director, The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity

AIDS 2014

Club Melbourne Ambassador Prof. Sharon Lewin is an infectious diseases physician and basic scientist. She is the inaugural Director of The Doherty Institute, a joint venture of the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital. She is also Professor of Medicine, The University of Melbourne, a consultant physician at the Alfred Hospital and a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Practitioner Fellow.

Known internationally as a global leader in HIV research, Prof. Lewin was named Melburnian of the Year in 2014, in recognition for being an inspirational role model for all Melburnians.

Prof. Lewin played a pivotal role in the successful bid for AIDS 2014; hosted in Melbourne during July 2014 welcoming just under 12,000 delegates from 173 countries, the largest ever health conference hosted in Australia.

The conference provided a platform for people working in the field of HIV, committed to ending the pandemic, to present new scientific knowledge and dialogue on the issues facing the global response to HIV.

Following over of two years of extensive planning and preparation and “Team Melbourne” approach, this conference has seen some of the most significant lasting legacies that have changed and improved the lives of people effected with HIV around the globe.

Prof. Lewin was the local co-chair of AIDS 2014. The strength of Melbourne’s scientific community and expertise in HIV-related research, clinical care and community partnerships together with Professor Lewin’s national and international leadership and profile, was a major factor in bringing AIDS 2014 to Melbourne.

Let us celebrate such inspirational women who play significant roles in improving women’s lives and tirelessly work towards positively impacting communities worldwide.