Rise ANZ - Celebrate International Women’s Day 2026

Join Rise ANZ, SMPTE Oceania and SVGW Chairs with Special Guests to celebrate International Women’s Day 2026

From 8am on Tuesday 3rd March, in North Sydney. Light Breakfast: Juices & Pastries

With special guests:

Heather Garriock

Heather has over 25 years in football, Heather has worked across every level of the game - as a Matilda with 130 caps, professional coach, board director, commentator, and now Interim CEO of Football Australia. She’s passionate about high-performance cultures, grassroots development, diversity and inclusion, and delivering impact on and off the pitch. She’s the founder of Game Face Pro, a natural sports sunscreen brand built from lived experience to protect athletes and families with high-performance, sustainable sun care.

Vanessa Arden-Wood

Vanessa Arden-Wood is the Head of Social and Digital for the ABC’s Screen Division, where she leads a newly formed team of digital and social specialists responsible for engaging younger and lighter audiences across the ABC’s own platforms as well as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook.

Her career has spanned both the UK and Australia, working with broadcasters and independent producers on digital transformation and online extensions for screen programs. Vanessa is passionate about connecting audiences with content in meaningful ways and building strategies that ensure public service storytelling thrives in an increasingly competitive digital landscape.

Prior to joining the ABC, Vanessa spent a decade at Channel 10/Paramount, where she most recently served as Head of Content and Commercial Partnerships for the digital division. She has also worked across a wide range of entertainment, scripted and factual projects, and produced a feature film during a brief break from broadcasting, further deepening her experience in the screen industry.

Margie McLew

With 25 years of leadership at two of Australia’s premier networks, Margie has built a formidable career from her foundations in broadcast journalism to high-level newsroom management. After rising from journalist to Executive Producer at Network Ten and currently serving as Deputy News Director at Nine News Sydney, she now brings her deep editorial expertise and multi-platform experience to her new role as Director of Nine News Adelaide.

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