Creating the workforce of tomorrow starts with building workplaces where people can participate, progress and thrive. One of the greatest opportunities to strengthen participation, productivity and retention lies in an area that has long been overlooked: women’s health.
From menstrual and reproductive health in earlier life, through fertility and pregnancy, to menopause, cancer, brain and cardiovascular health and healthy ageing, women’s health across the life course can influence how women participate, progress and remain in work. Yet, workplaces, research and systems haven’t always been designed around the realities of women’s lives, but new solutions are emerging.
Embedding women’s health into research, policy, workplace design and innovation can help create workplaces that work better for everyone. Greater focus and investment can strengthen evidence, accelerate solutions and ultimately build a more inclusive, productive and resilient workforce.
Join UNSW Medicine & Health, in collaboration with Women’s Health @ UNSW, for a thought-provoking conversation on the role of women’s health in shaping the workforce of tomorrow. Women’s Health @ UNSW is a new strategic initiative connecting research, education, policy, innovation and clinical translation to improve women’s health across the life course.
Enjoy breakfast on arrival, interactive activities, professional development opportunities and meaningful networking with people passionate about creating lasting change.
Dr Melina Georgousakis, Founder of Franklin Women and is a health leader and social entrepreneur whose career spans medical research, public health policy, philanthropy, and gender equity. She brings particular expertise in women’s health, workforce development and systemic change.
She is the Founder and former Director of Franklin Women, a nationally recognised social enterprise that advanced women’s participation and leadership across health and medical research. Under her leadership, Franklin Women supported thousands of women and allies and built a network of 27 partner organisations committed to creating a more equitable sector.
Melina is an experienced speaker and facilitator, known for bringing together diverse perspectives and leading thoughtful conversations on health, innovation, and equity. She holds a PhD in medical research and a Master of Public Health, and is a recipient of the Australian Museum Eureka Prize for Outstanding Mentor of Young Researchers.
Professor Parmjot Bains, Chief Medical Officer at the RNA Institute, UNSW, brings more than two decades of experience spanning clinical medicine, public health, drug development and healthcare translation.
A medical graduate of the University of Auckland and Commonwealth Scholar to the University of Cambridge, where she completed an MPhil in International Relations, Prof Bains began her career at the intersection of global health and policy. She worked at the World Health Organization on the revision of the International Health Regulations before returning to clinical medicine at Sydney Children’s Hospital in Randwick.
Transitioning into strategy and consulting, Prof Bains spent four years at McKinsey & Company before moving into biopharmaceutical leadership. She served as COO and CEO of Neuren Pharmaceuticals, leading early pre-clinical neuroscience programs through to Phase III clinical trials. She subsequently served as CEO of Perseis Therapeutics, focused on monoclonal antibody targets for the treatment of breast cancer, and as an Advisor and Honorary Fellow at The George Institute for Global Health.
Prof Bains spent eight years at Pfizer in global health equity and commercial roles across international markets. This included establishing an oncology medicines access program in Sub-Saharan Africa in partnership with the American Cancer Society and Clinton Health Access Initiative, and serving as Pfizer Country Manager across the six Gulf Cooperation Council markets. Most recently, she was CEO and Managing Director of an ASX-listed medical technology company.
Prof Bains brings to UNSW an end-to-end perspective on translational medicine from bench discovery through regulatory approval, market access and real-world clinical adoption with a passion for ensuring science reaches the patients who need it.
Dr Michael Holland has dedicated his working life to listening to and helping people. An obstetrician and gynaecologist in the Bega and Eurobodalla Shires for close to two decades, and a senior specialist at Moruya and Batemans Bay Hospitals, Michael understands the importance of a healthcare system that supports regional communities. Through his role with the Southern Local Health District, he worked closely with NSW Health to develop policy and guidelines relating to obstetric and gynaecological care, while also teaching the next generation of medical professionals as a lecturer at the Australian National University Medical School. Michael has been a vocal advocate for improvements to emergency, critical care and perioperative services in the Eurobodalla, as well as the delivery of a new level four regional hospital. His priorities for the Bega Electorate include strengthening local health and hospital services, supporting jobs and economic opportunities, improving housing affordability, securing investment in roads and infrastructure, strengthening local schools and TAFE, and addressing climate change while protecting the environment.
Ariella is a doctor, scientist, and founder reshaping women’s healthcare. As a young intern, she witnessed women fearful of the medical system, misdiagnosed, and left searching for answers online. Driven to change this, she built Ovum an AI health partner designed for women. Ovum empowers women to track, understand, and advocate for their health, while creating the world’s first AI infrastructure and longitudinal women's data set for women’s health. Ariella recently raised a $4 million seed round to tackle a $1 trillion global gender health gap, leading a quiet revolution against a system that has excluded women for centuries. Her vision is bold yet deeply personal: a future where women are seen, heard, and believed with healthcare that reflects their physiology, their complexity, and their worth.
