International Women’s Day Breakfast

Breakfast is on us this International Women’s Day (IWD). Join us at 47 Myers Street as we bring together leaders from our community that are redefining innovation and working collectively toward a gender equal future. 

This IWD we are delighted to feature two guest speakers: Dr. Skye Kinder and Alissa Van Soest. Plus, enjoy live entertainment, including singer, songwriter and storyteller Carissa Nyalu. AND get involved in some interactive activities with the Bendigo Discovery Science and Technology Centre team. 

About the IWD Theme:

The United Nations International Women’s Day theme for 2023 is ‘Cracking the Code: Innovation for a gender equal future’ – highlighting the role that innovative ideas, inclusive technologies, and accessible education can play in combatting the discrimination and marginalisation of women across the globe. For more information visit: IWD 2023 – Women’s Health Loddon Mallee (whlm.org.au)

About our speakers and entertainers: 

Dr Skye Kinder:  

Dr Skye Kinder is a passionate advocate for rural and other marginalised patients and their communities. In addition to her clinical work as a doctor, she is a prolific writer and award-winning speaker and health commentator. Dr Kinder was recognised as the 2017 VIC Junior Doctor of the Year and finalist for Australia and New Zealand Junior Doctor of the Year. She was later named the 2019 VIC Young Australian of the Year. Dr Kinder has been featured on the Australian Financial Review ‘100 Women of Influence’ list and is a Forbes 30 Under 30 honouree. She was recently inducted onto the Victorian Honour Roll of Women. 

Alissa Van Soest – General Manager of Discovery Science and Technology Centre   

Alissa is a science communicator and her job is to make science fun. She studied a Bachelors and then a Master’s of Science Communication and for her Masters she was part of the Questacon science circus. The “circus”, as it is known, comprises 16 University Masters students, with a passion for science, who pack up a semi-trailer with amazing science gadgets and travel around Australia for a year.   

After her Masters Alissa continued to combine science communication with travel and joined a forensic science education company.  Driving 100,000 kilometres a year she traversed Australia, Ireland and the UK delivering forensic science workshops to inspire young people to pursue science.  

After four years on the road she decided to unpack her suitcase and Discovered Discovery! Alissa is the General Manager at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre. The Discovery team are committed to breaking down barriers to STEM education. To do this they run virtual programs and incursions for regional, rural and remote small schools across the state.  Work with young families to imbedded STEM literacy in early years, and her favourite project of all, Girls in STEM a program that gets girls from 15 schools across the region to come together once a month to build leadership skills and share their love of science.  

Carissa Nyalu:  

Carissa is a Yorta Yorta Dja Dja Wurrung singer/songwriter and storyteller living on Boonwurrung country on the Mornington Peninsula.    

Carissa expresses her stories through singing in language as well as taking you on a journey to a place where you can feel her deep connection to country and her ancestral roots.