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CBCC Annual Women In Leadership 2025
Women in Leadership Event
Hosted by the Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce
Join us for an inspiring evening celebrating the remarkable contributions of women in our local economy and community at the Women in Leadership event.
Venue: The William Inglis – MGallery
Date: Friday, 7th March 2025
Time: 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM
This event will bring together business leaders, entrepreneurs, and changemakers to honour the achievements of women who drive innovation, growth, and positive change in our region. Network with like-minded professionals, hear from influential speakers, and enjoy an evening filled with celebration and connection.
Food & Beverage: Sparkling drinks on arrival
Dress Code: Dress to Impress
This memorable occasion is made possible by our Major Sponsors:
We extend our gratitude to our Event Sponsors:
- U-Go Mobility
- Optus Business Centre
- Care Wide Australia
- Katalyst Construction
- El-Khair Florist
- Collappor8
We would also like to thank our Event Supporters:
Let’s come together to celebrate the power and impact of women in leadership.
Moderator
Tracy Alexakis
Hands-on CEO & Patient-Fronting Pharmacist
Tracy has dedicated her life to pharmacy, inspired by her childhood spent in her father’s pharmacy. She continues his legacy through Minett Group, promoting accessible, affordable healthcare for the community.
As a Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce (CBCC) board member since 2022, Tracy brings business expertise and a passion for supporting local businesses. She also advocates for improved healthcare awareness and access in South West Sydney.
A founding member of the CBCC Women’s Committee, Tracy inspires and empowers women in business and entrepreneurship through the Women in Business program.
Panel Speakers
Mona Chiha
Founder & CEO
Mona Chiha is an innovative entrepreneur, researcher, and legal innovator redefining the intersection of technology and law. As the Founder & CEO of JurisTechne, she is leading the development of the world’s first ethical and explainable AI model for law, pioneering the field of Algorithmic Law with a focus on litigation assessment.
A PhD candidate at UTS, Mona’s research is shaping the future of AI-driven legal solutions, ensuring transparency, fairness, and accountability in legal decision-making. Her journey, from founding and successfully exiting a litigation fund to securing the UTS AI Accelerator Grant, reflects her expertise in legal tech, strategy, and innovation.
Beyond business, Mona is a dedicated philanthropist and advocate for women in leadership. As the founder of OneMaronite, an Australian charity providing medical aid, and a mother of four, she exemplifies the power of resilience, vision, and purpose-driven leadership.
A member of the Women’s Committee for the Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce, Mona is committed to empowering women in business, law, and STEM. Her voice is shaping the next generation, as she frequently speaks at high schools and industry events, inspiring young women to break barriers and lead with confidence.
Mona’s leadership is a testament to the limitless potential of women in AI, law, and entrepreneurship. Today, she stands as a beacon of innovation, ethics, and empowerment in an evolving digital world.
Sally Dale
NSW Valuer General
Ms. Sally Dale has been appointed as NSW’s Valuer General through to May 2028. With a career starting in 1993 after earning a Bachelor of Business in Land Economics from the University of Western Sydney, she has over 30 years of experience across private and public property valuation, including roles as a business owner, executive, and executive director of Value NSW.
Known for her leadership and expertise in organisational change, she is a Fellow of the Australian Property Institute and was this year awarded with the prestigious Lesley Bennett API Women in Property Award. She has also recently been awarded an Honorary Fellowship from Western Sydney University in recognition for her contribution to property economics. As the first ever women Valuer General, Sally oversees the valuation of around 2.7 million parcels of land in NSW, worth almost 3 trillion annually.
Brigadier Jodie Lording
5th Brigade Commander
Brigadier Jodie Lording enlisted into the Australian Army Reserve in 1992 when commencing university. After eight years serving in 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers and attaining the rank of Sergeant,she completed the commissioning course at Sydney University Regiment (SUR), and graduated from the Royal Military College – Duntroon in 2003.
Brigadier Lording’sregimental postings began as Second in Command (2IC) 5th Field Supply Company, Operations Captain and Battalion Recruiting at 5th Combat Service Support Battalion (CSSB); Officer Commanding (OC) 8th Field Supply Company; OC 8th Brigade Operations Support Company (Regular Army position); OC 8th Brigade (8 Bde) Recruiting; and 2IC SUR. She had the honour to command 8 CSSB in 2016-17 during the transition from 8 Bde to 5 Bde.
Key staff appointments include leading the 8 Bde contingent personnel and logisticsforce generation for Timor Leste (2011), and as a Career Advisor concurrently while serving full-time in Headquarters 2nd Division (HQ 2 Div) Plans Branch (2012). In 2018, she was Deputy Director Army Reserve Training at Royal Military College – Australia and then as Chief Instructor (CI) for the Australian Command and Staff Course (Reserve) (ACSC-R) in 2019-20, agilely adjusting the course due to COVID and designing the new ACSC-Remote curriculum. As a Colonel, she was Director of Coordination at HQ 2 Div (2021) and Deputy Commander at HQ 8 Bde (2022-3). Having completed the Defence and Strategic Studies Course (DSSC) in 2024, she has assumed command of the 5 Bde in 2025.
Her operational service includes deploying on Operation ASTUTE as the Civil Assessment Team Commander (2010), and then again, as OC of the CSS Team (2011-12), where she planned and led the force relief-in-place. In 2018-19, she deployed as the Operation INHERENT RESOLVE Combined Joint Task Force Logistics Plans Chief (CJ45) within the US three Star headquarters and led coalition logistics planning for 16,000 people across Iraq and Syria. She supported Operation COVID ASSIST in HQ JTF 629 (2020) concurrently with ACSC-R CI responsibilities.
Academically, Brigadier Lording was awarded the Secretary/Chief of Defence Force Prize at DSSC, and the Course Student of Merit and a Module Student of Merit prizes for ACSC-R. She has a Bachelor of Music (Education) (Sydney Conservatorium of Music (1995)), a Master of National Security and Strategy (Deakin University (2024)), and a Master of Adult Education (2002) and a doctorate (2014) from the University of Technology, Sydney. This descriptive empirical phenomenological research sought to understand multi-national army reserve retention. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (2023) and holds other qualifications in Logistics, Operations, and Government.
Brigadier Lording’s other awards include the Prince of Wales Award in 2005 and the Conspicuous Service Medal in the 2010 Queen’s Birthday Honours. She was awarded the United States Joint Service Achievement Medal for her significant work leading the logistics US retrograde planning from Syria, and the United States Defense Meritorious Service Medal for her CJ45 team leadership.
Brigadier Lording’s civilian expertise is diverse. She has specialised in child and adult education, training and development, and human resource management having led large national teams in consulting, for profit, not-for-profit, and government organisations. She project managed, then led the Defence contractor team for Navy’s deployed information communication systems for eight years, and has owned her own business. She recently concluded six years on the University of Sydney’s Alumni (Advisory) Council culminating as President, is a board member of Volunteers Central Coast; and is a council member of the Australian Institute of Training & Development.
She is married to Rob who has two adult sons and two young grandchildren. Her interests are lifelong learning, playing music, attending theatre and music performances, and swimming.
Lauren Milner
Female Football Operations Manager and NRLW Team Manager
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs Rugby League Club
Growing up immersed in rugby league, Lauren Milner started on the sidelines watching her Dad play and coach, marking the beginning of a lifelong passion for the sport.
As her own children became involved in rugby league, she took on leadership roles in the local junior rugby league committee, serving as secretary and vice president. She then moved to the North Sydney District Junior Rugby League board as treasurer and later made history as the first-ever female chairperson.
Her professional career began as the manager of the Harold Matthews boys team before transitioning to the Women’s game in 2019 as the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership team manager. In 2022, she joined the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs as the Women’s team manager and a part-time employee in female football operations.
Under her leadership, the Bulldogs’ female pathways flourished, with the Tarsha Gale and Harvey Norman Women’s teams reaching the 2023 grand final and the Lisa Fiaola side winning the 2024 premiership. Her most significant achievement was playing a key role in the Bulldogs’ successful NRLW bid, securing a license for the 2025 season.
Now the first Female Operations Manager at the club and the inaugural NRLW team manager, she is dedicated to shaping the future of Women’s rugby league and taking the Bulldogs’ women’s program to new heights.
Elizabeth Paparo
Marketing Manager, Beijer Ref Group | Australia I Kirby Apprentice Fund Manager | Beijer Ref Academy Manager | M.AIRAH | DEI Advocate
Elizabeth Paparo is the Marketing Manager for Beijer Ref Group Australia and also serves as the Beijer Ref Academy Manager and Kirby Apprentice Fund Manager.
With over 30 years of B2B marketing experience within the construction industry and 16 years of experience in the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVAC&R) industry and Elizabeth is committed to driving initiatives that support industry growth, education, and sustainability.
In 2024, the Beijer Ref Academy was recognized as a industry leader, winning the 2024 ARBS Most Outstanding Training/Education Award. The Academy provides accredited training programs, equipping technicians with essential skills in low-GWP and natural refrigerant technology.
As the manager of the Kirby Apprentice Fund, Elizabeth oversees initiatives that support HVAC&R apprentices through trade tool assistance and skills development opportunities. Annual training scholarships provided by the Fund play a vital role in upskilling the next generation of HVACR professionals, ensuring they are prepared for a sustainable future.
A WorldSkills Australia Ambassador and a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), Elizabeth is dedicated to fostering positive change within the HVAC&R industry through education, mentorship, and strategic industry collaborations.
Learn More About the Chamber!
Visit Canterbury Bankstown Chamber of Commerce for more details and to secure your ticket.
We look forward to seeing you there!
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