AWSN Summit 2025: A Decade of Impact and a Future of Inclusion

Melbourne, August 1, 2025 - The inaugural AWSN Summit 2025, hosted by the Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN), marked a powerful celebration of the organisation’s 10-year journey in championing women in security. Held at Telstra in Melbourne, the event brought together hundreds of professionals, students, mentors, leaders and allies from across Australia’s security sector. 

A Vision Realised 

Executive Director Jacqui Loustau opened the summit with a heartfelt keynote, reflecting on AWSN’s humble beginnings and its evolution into a vibrant, inclusive community. Her message of transformation, resilience, and collective progress set the tone for a day filled with inspiration and connection. 

Across panels, workshops, and networking sessions, several key themes emerged: 

  • Leadership & Mentorship: From the “How women rise in security” to the “Lifting as We Climb”, speakers emphasised that leadership is not a title but a mindset. Stories of mentorship turning into lifelong impact were shared widely. 

  • Inclusion & Representation: With women still representing only 17% of the cybersecurity workforce, the summit spotlighted the importance of visibility, allyship, and systemic change.

  • Authenticity & Growth: Sessions on personal development, such as Emily Edgeley’s workshop on persuasive communication and self-confidence, encouraged attendees to embrace authenticity and cultivate a growth mindset.

  • Leadership: Narelle Devine talked about her journey to becoming a Global CISO at Telstra and ‘how the road to leadership is never a straight’ 

  • Ripple Effect of Community: Many attendees shared how AWSN had transformed their careers, from mentees becoming mentors to chapter leads creating local impact. The summit was described as a “safe space,” a “revolution,” and a “family.” 

Participants expressed deep gratitude and pride in being part of the AWSN community: 

  • Roma S reflected on her role as an Explorer Lead, asking, “How many people can I inspire today?” 

  • Sarah L noted, “Never in my life have I seen so many women in cybersecurity in one room.” 

  • Paige H shared, “These conversations make me feel like my goals are that much more tangible.” 

  • Candice S highlighted the power of reframing self-talk and building confidence from within. 

  • Jeannette N – ‘It was a fantastic day to put tools down, connect, learn, and grow.’ 

  • Bec F – ‘I am proud to be part of this inclusive community, women who want to see other women succeed and feel supported 

  • Louisa V– ‘Hearing about the impact the network and it’s initiatives has had on women’s careers in the last decade, was my personal highlight of the day’ 

  • Isuru – ‘This summit reinforced why representation, mentorship, and collective growth matter more than ever.’ 

  • Biljana R - AWSN has been a huge part of my personal cyber journey and I wouldn't be where I am today without the support and the amazing connections I have made through this network.
     

Celebrating 10 Years 

The summit was not just a celebration of AWSN’s past but a launchpad for its future. With sessions on incident response, equity in cybersecurity, and building inclusive teams, the event reinforced AWSN’s commitment to driving real change. 

As one attendee put it, “AWSN doesn’t just talk about improving our industry - it takes action at an impressive scale.” 

   

   

This event wouldn’t have been possible without the following people: 

MC: Catherine Rowe 

Panel Moderator and Roundtable Facilitator: Yvette Lejins 

Event organisers: Best Case Scenario 

Keynote Speakers:

  • Jacqui Loustau, Executive Director | Australian Women in Security Network 

  • Jessica Robinson, Chief of Staff, National Cyber Security Coordinator 

  • Leonora Risse, Associate Professor in Economics | University of Canberra 

  • Jennifer Lawrence, Assistant Director-General Organisational Development in the People & Skills Division | Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) 

  • Narelle Devine, Global Chief Information Security Officer | Telstra 

Panellists: 

  • Cracking the code: How women rise in security - Deborah Dalgliesh | Westpac, Tara Dharnikota | Victoria 
    University, Ann Paul | Mott Macdonald, Jason Qoriniyasi | CISO Lens 

  • Lifting as we climb: Championing women in leadership - Laura O'Neill | Fujitsu, Daisy Wong, Lukasz Gogolkiewicz 
    | Accent Group, Dr Morley Muse | iSTEM Co and DEIR. AI 

Workshop Facilitators: 

  • Liane Kemp, Leadership Coach | Kemp Street Partners 

  • Claire Pales, Leadership Coach | The Security Collective 

  • Emily Edgeley, Public Speaking & Storytelling Coach 

  • Lesley Carhart, Technical Director of Incident Response for North America | Dragos 

  • Leonora Risse, Amy Corman, Lena Wang | RMIT

  • Astrid Edwards | Cyber5050 and Future Women

  • Jo Ionnidis | Protoscience

  • Elizabeth Koebel, Thomas Keller | Home Affairs

Lightening talks: 

  • Paula Sillars 

  • Liz B

  • Simone van Nieuwenhuizen 

  • Nadia Taggart 

  • Roma Singh 

Sponsors: 

  • Founding Sponsor: CISO Lens 

  • Hosting Sponsor: Telstra 

  • Coffee Cart Sponsor: OKRDY 

  • Executive Security Leader Roundtable: ISC2 

  • Exhibitor Sponsors: Lumify Learning, SANS Institute, Cisco 

  • Morning Tea Sponsor: IdentityXP 

AWSN Summit Working Group:

  • Amelia A
  • Ashwini K
  • Biljana R
  • Cheryl W
  • Eloise R
  • Gail J
  • Imogen S
  • Jacqui L
  • Jahna B
  • Jeanine F
  • Keryn M
  • Niamh C
  • Nikki M
  • Paula S
  • Pranali M
  • Rini I
  • Roma S
  • Sabrina P
  • Tristan R

THANK YOU