Chair Report

As Chair of the Board for Women’s Health Loddon Mallee, it is my honour to reflect on the organisation’s progress, challenges, and opportunities for 2025.

This year has been one of both continuity and renewal – building upon the strong foundations of past leadership, whilst navigating emerging political and social contexts in gender equity, health promotion, and community advocacy.

When I first took up the role of Chair in 2024, I acknowledged our organisation’s long history and heritage. In 2025, we have continued to carry forward that spirit of activism and transformation, grounded in feminist principles and a deep commitment to equity in health and wellbeing across the Loddon Mallee region.

Using our past as a tool for the future, we have engaged long-time WHLM champions to support several aspects of our contemporary strategic thinking and governance progression, including Anne Somerville, Karen Riley, and Dr Helen Keleher.

Indeed, 2025 has challenged us to respond to shifting social, demographic, and environmental pressures in our region. There is also a strategic necessity to ensure that emerging programs do not dilute our core capacity. To best guide our responses to these and other considerations, our Board has continued to build and strengthen its capacity, governance oversight, and strategic acumen.

We remain deeply thankful to all Board members and staff, past and present, for their dedication during transitions and new programmatic ambitions. We are committed to an innovative and inspiring new chapter in the year ahead.

Priorities Looking Forward (2026 and beyond)

• New Strategic Plan Development
  We have begun preparing for the transition from the 2021–2025 Strategic Plan toward the next planning horizon, and we will prioritise co-design with community, ensuring that evolving rural and regional needs are centred.
• Deepening Equity and Intersectional Focus
  We intend to further embed intersectionality – especially in respect to First Nations women, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, LGBTIQA+ individuals, and regional disadvantage – across all strategic areas.
• Partnerships & Place-based Models
  We will continue to prioritise more place-based, locally tailored models in the outer parts of the region (e.g. Buloke, Gannawarra, Swan Hill areas). Strengthening collaborations with health services, local governments, schools, and community organisations will be critical.
• Sustainability & Diversified Funding
  We will actively seek new revenue streams (grants, philanthropic, partnerships) to reduce reliance on traditional grants, supporting flexibility of program response without overextending resources.

Acknowledgements

I offer my deepest gratitude to:

• The WHLM Board members, past and present, whose wisdom, energy, and commitment guide our governance and strategic intent.
• Our CEO and executive team for their leadership and tenacity in a complex and evolving political and social environment.
• WHLM staff whose dedication, passion, and expertise deliver the impact across our region.
• Community members and partners whose voices, trust, and collaboration are central to our work.

In closing, 2025 has been a year of both consolidation and renewed vision. As we move into the next strategic chapter, I am confident in WHLM’s capacity to adapt, lead, and deepen our impact across the lives of women, girls, and gender-diverse people across our region.

-Dr Skye Kinder