Join us for a special anniversary event as we celebrate 10 years of the Diversity Practitioners Association and recognise the people, partnerships and progress that have helped shape diversity, equity and inclusion practice across Queensland.
A lot can happen in 10 years. This event is an opportunity to to reflect on how diversity, equity and inclusion practice has evolved in Queensland over the past decade, and explore what the next 10 years may hold.
What to Expect
A panel discussion featuring Julie McKay (Director, Full Harvest Advisory), Melanie Grills (ANZ First Nations Lead, Arup), Louise Baxter (Diversity Manager, News Corp Australia), Matt Pronger (Co-Director, Workplace Respect) and facilitated by Andrea Smith (Senior Advisor DEI, Energy Queensland) who will discuss:
how diversity, equity and inclusion practice has evolved over the past decade
what we can learn from our current circumstances
how diversity, equity and inclusion work is likely to evolve over the next ten years, and how we as practitioners will need to evolve alongside it
Reflections from DPA's President, Natasha Caflisch
Canapés, drinks and the opportunity to connect and reconnect with practitioners, leaders, and allies who have contributed to inclusive practice in the last decade
Event Details
Date: Thursday 6 August 2026
Time: 3:00pm – 5:30pm (including networking, drinks and canapés from approx. 4:30pm)
Location: The Sebel Brisbane, Corner Albert and Charlotte Streets, Brisbane City
Complimentary for DPA members, non-members: $50
All welcome.
What you'll enjoy:
Gain insights into the future of diversity, equity and inclusion practice
Learn from experienced practitioners and leaders
Connect with peers from across sectors and industries
Celebrate the collective impact of Queensland's diversity practitioners
Be part of the conversation about what comes next
We would love to see you as we celebrate the collective contribution of practitioners and advocates in Queensland and look ahead to the opportunities, challenges and impact of the next 10 years.
Who Should Attend?
Diversity, equity and inclusion leaders and practitioners
HR, people & culture and organisational development professionals
Employee network and ERG leaders
People who've contributed inclusive practice over the past decade
Anyone interested in learning more about the Diversity Practitioners Association
We encourage attendees to invite colleagues, leaders and allies who are interested in the future of diversity, equity and inclusion work.
Our Panelists
Julie McKay, Director, Full Harvest Advisory
Julie McKay is the Director of Full Harvest Advisory and a recognised leader in organisational culture, inclusive leadership and workplace performance, advising corporate and government organisations across Australia. She helps leadership teams build safe, respectful and high-performing cultures by embedding inclusive leadership practices. Julie previously served as Chief Diversity, Inclusion and Wellbeing Officer at PwC Australia, was the inaugural Gender Advisor to the Chief of the Defence Force and led UN Women Australia for nearly a decade.
Matt Pronger, Co-Director, Workplace Respect
Matt is a qualified social worker, family dispute resolution practitioner and experienced group facilitator with more than 17 years’ experience across domestic and family violence (DFV), men’s behaviour change and workplace culture transformation. Over the past decade, Matt has led the delivery of more than 3,000 hours of workplace DFV and Respect at Work training, reaching over 20,000 participants across public and private sectors.
Louise Baxter, Diversity Manager, News Corp Australia
Louise is a proud queer woman who is passionate about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, human rights, and fairness especially in relation to employment opportunities and access to services. She is currently the Diversity Manager for News Corp Australia and has a background in mental health and community services. This experience has given Louise a deep understand of the impact inclusion and belonging have on mental wellbeing and the flow on benefit of more inclusive communities. Louise believes everyone has a leadership role to play in building inclusion in our workplaces and society and specialises in supporting and upskilling organisations and individuals to play their part. Louise is part of the Diversity Practitioners Association Management Committee and is also the Vice Chair of the Stepping Stones Clubhouse Board, a local mental health community organisation.
Melanie Grills, ANZ First Nations Lead, Arup
Melanie is a proud Gomeroi woman, trusted advisor and cultural strategist. Melanie brings over two decades of experience across infrastructure, energy, native title, and government sectors - but at the heart of everything is a deep commitment to embedding First Nations knowledge, leadership, and integrity into the systems that shape our lives.
As the ANZ First Nations Lead at Arup, Mel works at the intersection of culture, strategy, and systems change. Her work spans early-stage project planning, Connecting with Country frameworks, policy design, and executive-level advisory. She helps organisations move beyond performative reconciliation to embed meaningful, place-based relationships and Indigenous governance into the way they do business. She leads with cultural courage, care, and clarity. Whether she's sitting with Elders on Country or sitting at the boardroom table, she's focused on building bridges that honour both legacy and innovation - because the future of infrastructure must include the wisdom of the world’s oldest living cultures.
Melanie holds a Bachelor of Science with a Psychology Major, and a Graduate Diploma in Learning and Teaching.
Andrea Smith, Senior Advisor Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Energy Queensland
Andrea is a passionate DEI practitioner with a career devoted to delivering people solutions in the resources and utilities sectors. Andrea is currently leading the DEI practice at Energy Queensland, focusing on sustained cultural change that drives tangible business results. Andrea was recognised as a finalist for the AHRI HR Diversity Champion award in 2018 and won the Be There Group’s Inspiring Change Agent award in 2023. Devoted to connection and knowledge sharing, Andrea was one of the founders of the Diversity Practitioners Association in 2016 and has contributed to leading the Association over the past decade.