
About Us
The Women’s Leadership Institute Australia (WLIA)
The Women’s Leadership Institute Australia (WLIA) is a not-for-profit organisation, founded by Carol Schwartz AO. WLIA is the research and advocacy arm of the Trawalla Foundation, focused on finding the best levers for change to achieve equal voice, equal representation and equal recognition for women in Australia.
We fundamentally believe in the value of more female leaders. This is about optimising outcomes for our country by ensuring that men and women together share power, leadership and decision making.
We believe that we must grow the critical mass of female leaders in politics, business and the media to truly disrupt and change the way decision making is done. Equal representation will shape culture, decision making, collaboration, and ultimately reflect community issues in a more fulsome way.
Our Values
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We’re independent and apolitical
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We’re agile and entrepreneurial
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We’re bold and courageous
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We’re pragmatic and collaborative
How We Work
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We amplify and advocate
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We leverage our expertise and networks
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We scan the world for best practices and bring them to Australia
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We partner to test and demonstrate
The Board
Our board works to inspire and affect systemic solutions to achieve gender equality in leadership.

"Twenty-five years ago, I spoke at a conference of 500 or so business leaders and I asked the question out loud “Where are the women?” 25 years later, I am still asking that same question! I’m passionate about the value of more female leaders, particularly in business, politics, and the media...We need to grow the critical mass of women in leadership to ensure that both men and women bring their diverse experience to the table, and work together in leadership and decision making to optimise the outcomes for our country."
CAROL SCHWARTZ AO, Founding Chair
The WLIA Team
Leadership and strategy:
Sarah Buckley
Content and special projects:
Ella Mitchell
Events and administrative support:
Lara Richardson
Finance and reporting:
Jessica Bonacini & Cristina Franco