Conscious Leadership In Action
As a leader, would you like to enhance your ability to navigate conversations about equity and justice in the workplace?
Are you equipped with the skills to shift conflict from unproductive or harmful interactions towards constructive dialogue, personal growth and meaningful repair?
By embracing conscious leadership in our workplaces, we can foster a culture of reflexive practice that enables us to address contemporary challenges effectively. Discover how intentional efforts in equity and justice can transform your workplace into a space of accountability, inclusivity and genuine care.
Fill in this registration form to express your interest in the Concious Leadership In Action Program and you will receive further information and instructions from our team.
Facilitators
Maria Dimopoulos, Veronica Pardo and Georgia Prattis
Sessions
Face to Face workshops for this program will take place at the Jack Dyer Pavilion, Cnr Gleadell St & Highett St, Richmond.
Sessions will take place on between 1 - 5 PM on:
Wed 28 May
Wed 25 June
Wed 16 July
Wed 30 July
The Challenge
For those striving for equity and justice, there is growing disillusionment with leadership approaches that prioritise performative gestures over transformative action, short term gains over meaningful, sustained impact, and optics over substance.
Traditional leadership models, grounded in hierarchy and control, inadvertently create workplace cultures where conflict is perceived as a threat rather than an opportunity for growth. This mindset suppresses healthy disagreement, stifling innovation and limiting diverse perspectives.
This results in an environment marked by escalating conflict, polarisation, disconnection and stagnation – hindering progress and meaningful change.
Strategies for Change
This program reimagines leadership through the lens of conscious and transformative practice, enabling participants to lead constructive and critical dialogues. By embracing conscious leadership, we move beyond performative gestures to foster workplace cultures grounded in accountability, equity and meaningful impact.
We equip leaders to navigate complex intercultural and intergenerational dynamics by applying frameworks of self-reflexivity, critical analysis and solidarity. Embedded in human rights and social justice principles, the program explores the centrality of psychological and cultural safety in leadership practice. Leaders will learn to reconcile conflicting and competing truths, inspiring their workforces to mobilise, collaborate and empower one another.
The time to shift from performative gestures to conscious and transformative leadership is now -
Our collective futures depend on it.
About Our Facilitators
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Veronica has been leading the work on cultural equity in Australia for more than two decades, as the CEO of peak organisations Arts Access Victoria and Multicultural Arts Victoria. She has held leadership positions in a range of academic and non-government institutions, focused primarily on policy and structural reform. Veronica’s practice is grounded in human rights, equity and justice, working closely with Deaf and Disabled communities, and Communities of Colour to embed systemic transformation.
Veronica is a highly regarded leader, sought after by institutions to guide the development of interventions aimed at changing organisational culture, structure and practice. She is an experienced leadership and executive development coach, working with individuals to build capacity for culturally safe, high performing teams that enable diverse practice and lived experience. Veronica has designed and delivered multiple leadership programs for state and federal government agencies, as well as her own highly commended Culturally Safe Leadership Program and Theatre Network Australia’s Leadershift Program.
Veronica is a skilled workshop facilitator who brings both lived and professional experience of diversity to the creation of culturally safe learning and reflection spaces. Her understanding of organisational needs and priorities ensures that this work is both aspirational and practical, leading to meaningful and implementable plans for change. Veronica has worked with more than 150 organisations focusing on issues such as racial equity and justice, cultural safety, diversity and inclusion. She is a highly experienced Board Director with 20 years governance experience, with particular expertise in decolonising governance practice. She is currently Chair of Western Edge Youth Arts.
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Maria is a nationally and internationally acclaimed expert specialising in the intersections of diversity, gender equality, and the law. With over three decades of transformative contributions, Maria’s work bridges policy, advocacy, and facilitation, empowering leaders and organizations to embrace conscious leadership and inclusive practices.
Renowned for her extraordinary ability to captivate audiences, Maria is a sought-after facilitator who inspires meaningful dialogue and drives impactful change. Her expertise has shaped strategic capability across a wide range of sectors, peak bodies, and all tiers of government. A champion for human rights and social justice, Maria has been instrumental in fostering informed, inclusive policy responses that reflect her lifelong dedication to advancing equity and justice.
Maria’s exceptional contributions have earned her significant recognition, including being appointed a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for her service to women, cultural diversity, and the prevention of domestic violence. She was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Migration Council of Australia in 2017 for her unwavering commitment to multiculturalism and advocacy for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities
Maria’s leadership extends to numerous high-level advisory roles, including contributions to the National Judicial Council on Cultural Diversity, the National Council to Reduce Violence Against Women and Their Children, and the Federal Multicultural Affairs Access and Equity Inquiry Panel.
Through her work, Maria continues to inspire and equip leaders to embrace conscious leadership, fostering workplaces and communities grounded in inclusion, equity, and shared purpose.
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Georgia is a seasoned consultant and educator with three decades of expertise in delivering transformative leadership training and advancing diversity and inclusion in complex and diverse environments. Georgia has spearheaded numerous initiatives that drive cultural change and build organisational capacities across public, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors in Australia.
With a strong foundation in adult education, Georgia specialises in leadership training that fosters inclusive workplaces, equitable decision-making, and reflective practices. Her work is deeply informed by intersectional analysis, enabling her to address systemic inequities and empower leaders to navigate diverse and evolving organisational landscapes.
Georgia's career highlights include pioneering large-scale diversity reforms, developing competency-based training programs, and conducting impactful research on gendered professional identities in male-dominated industries. Her efforts have shaped strategic plans, policies, and training frameworks in organisations ranging from emergency services to local government and NGOs.
A highly skilled trainer and facilitator, Georgia designs and delivers programs on cultural awareness, gender equality, unconscious bias, and preventing violence against women. Her training initiatives have reached broad audiences, equipping participants with tools to create inclusive and respectful workplaces.
Georgia's qualifications include a Master of Educational Studies specialising in adult pedagogies, a Diploma in Education, and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. She is committed to collaborative engagement and creating supportive environments that foster innovation and sustainable change.
What is Conscious Leadership?
Conscious leadership prioritises introspection and self-critical reflection on the attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that shape leaders.
It emphasises leading with intentionality, integrity and respect for human dignity. Conscious leaders foster critical dialogue, prioritising care and reimagining workplaces as thriving communities for all.
They align personal values with organisational goals and practices, making decisions that are just, even in challenging circumstances.
This program is for leaders, executives and managers who want to:
• Actively pursue just and equitable workplaces;
• Drive sustained and meaningful workplace change through personal and professional transformation;
• Cultivate relationships grounded in courageous truth telling, effectively addressing conflict and prioritising repair; and
• Engage with human rights and social justice frameworks to support systemic and structural change.
Program Outcomes
By the end of the program, participants will:
• Actively pursue just and equitable workplaces;
• Drive sustained and meaningful workplace change through personal and professional transformation;
• Cultivate relationships grounded in courageous truth telling, effectively addressing conflict and prioritising repair; and
• Engage with human rights and social justice frameworks to support systemic and structural change.
Program Outline
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Mapping Our Environment
• Explore the realities of contemporary workplaces by examining the current environment, challenges, and emerging trends.
• Analyse demographic shifts, ideological changes, and their impacts on workplace dynamics.
• Identify key trends shaping the future of work and anticipate upcoming challenges to prepare effectively.
• Discover the practice of conscious leadership and its application to contemporary challenges.
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Foundational knowledge for conscious leaders
• Explore the application of human rights and social justice frameworks to leadership practice.
• Re-centre equity as a critical tool in systemic and structural change.
• Identify how intersectionality can enable a new and impactful approach to DEI.
• Embed psychological and cultural safety as central to effective leadership.
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Reimagining the role of conflict
• Explore the nature of contemporary workplace conflicts.
• Challenge the assumption that all conflict is harmful.
• Understand how leaders can influence the outcomes of conflict, shaping its impact on individuals and workplaces positively.
• Develop strategies for fostering safe and constructive dialogue, equipping leaders to navigate disagreements with safe and constructive dialogical processes.
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Repair Post Conflict
• Gain a deeper understanding of how power dynamics and harm manifest in workplace settings.
• Learn how human rights and social justice frameworks support repair processes that prioritise cultural and psychological safety.
• Build the skills to guide effective and transformative repair initiatives within your workplace.
• Explore how we can care for ourselves and other through processes of repair.
By embracing conscious leadership in our workplaces, we can foster a culture of reflexive practice that enables us to address contemporary challenges effectively.
Discover how intentional efforts in equity and justice can transform your workplace into a space of accountability, inclusivity and genuine care