Pathways to Politics for Women

Professor Kate Darian-Smith is Executive Dean and Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Arts, Law and Education at the University of Tasmania, and Chair of the University’s Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Working Group.

Kate has published widely on Australia’s history, and is passionate about the need for gender and diversity to drive Australia’s political, social and economic future.

She has held leadership positions at the universities of London and Melbourne; and held numerous government appointments, including on the Board of the Australia-Japan Foundation, DFAT; the Council, Museum of Democracy at Old Parliament House; the College of Experts, Australian Research Council.

Kate is on the Executive, and will be President (from 2025), of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia.

Sarah is a strategic leader with over seventeen years’ business leadership experience in social innovation, gender equity, ESG integration and responsible investing.

Sarah is currently Chief of Staff for Carol Schwartz AO and CEO of the Trawalla Foundation, and she is the National Co-Convenor of Pathways to Politics for Women.

Sarah has been a sought-after sustainability consultant to major Australian companies, led PwC's award-winning Corporate Responsibility team, and held senior roles creating innovative new businesses including PwC’s Indigenous Consulting.

Katy is an experienced facilitator with a strong background in strategy, futures thinking and systems design.

Her extensive career includes work within financial services, retail, tourism and hospitality, not-for-profit service and health providers, education and local government. Katy runs a successful consulting business and is a director on numerous boards including St Lukes Health.

She also facilitates the Tasmanian Leaders flagship leadership program. Katy is a passionate Tasmanian who is dedicated to building the capability and capacity for Tasmania to adapt to uncertain and complex futures.

Kate Huntington is a strategic engagement and communications executive with extensive expertise in driving transformational change.

She commenced her career in the Australian Public Service working in Indigenous policy roles in Canberra and the Northern Territory and was an adviser to the Hon Jenny Macklin MP during the Rudd and Gillard governments.

Since Kate joined the University in 2015, her roles have included Communications Manager for the Northern Transformation Program and Director of Government Relations.

As Executive Director, Strategic Communications, Kate oversees the University’s approach to internal and external communications, government relations and stakeholder engagement.

Lara Giddings AO was born in Papua New Guinea in 1972. Her interest in politics began at the tender age of three, so it is perhaps not surprising that after completing her high school years, she studied Arts and Law at the University of Tasmania, while also campaigning for her first State election.

In 1996, she became the youngest woman ever elected to an Australian Parliament, serving as a Shadow Minister. She worked as the Whips Clerk in the Senate, overseas for a Scottish Member of Parliament and then back in Tasmania in the Premier’s office before being re-elected in the seat of Franklin, previously held by her mentor, Hon. Fran Bladel. Lara held the portfolios of Attorney-General, Health and Treasury before becoming Tasmania’s first female Premier, a role she held from 2011 to 2014.

She retired from parliament in 2018 after giving birth to her first child, Natasha, and became the CEO of AMA Tasmania in March 2019.

Will Hodgman was Australia’s High Commissioner to Singapore (2020-2023) and prior to that Premier of Tasmania (2014-2020).

In addition to serving as Premier, Will held numerous Ministerial positions in the Tasmanian Government, including Attorney-General, Tourism, Aboriginal Affairs, Prevention of Family Violence, Parks, Heritage, the Arts, Sport and Recreation.

Will was a Member of the Tasmanian Parliament for 18 years, and leader of the Liberal Party for 14 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania. Will was appointed as an Adjunct Professor, University of Tasmania, in 2023.

Born and raised in Burnie, Danielle Kidd has worked in Tasmania and interstate in the public service and the higher education sector.

Danielle has significant experience in community engagement, stakeholder relationship management, strategic planning and operational delivery of programs.

As a strong advocate for the North West region, Danielle has established place-based and community-led responses to local challenges.

Danielle is an alum of the second Pathways to Politics program, in 2017, and was a candidate in the 2018 State election in the electorate of Braddon.

Christine Milne AO is one of Australia's most experienced and respected environmental and community activists and parliamentarians.

Christine was elected as an independent to the Tasmanian parliament in 1989 and became the first woman to lead a political party in Tasmania in 1993. She was elected to the Senate in 2004, deputy leader of the Greens in 2008 and leader in April 2012.

Christine is currently an ambassador for the Global Greens and the Australian Invasive Species Council; patron of the Australian Smart Energy Council, Bob Brown Foundation and Justice Reform Initiative; a board member of Wilderness Australia; and an advisory board member to the US-based Climate Accountability Institute, Solar Heads of State, The Borneo Project and Associate of the Sydney University Democracy Network. She is convenor of the Lake Pedder restoration Committee.