2024 in review for the Diversity Practitioner's Association

/

It’s been a pleasure to serve as DPA’s President in 2024 - I’m proud to share this update on the association’s activities with you all - Andrea

The Diversity Practitioners Association held ten events in 2024 attracting over 200 registrations collectively:

  • Members Networking Lunch - February 2024

  • Respect at work: from compliant to leading practice, how can we create a genuine culture of respect in our workplace? Workshop with Workplace Respect - March 2024

  • Members Networking Drinks - April 2024

  • Members Coffee Catch-Up - May 2024

  • Reconciliation Action Plans: Faith Taking to Faith Making Conversation with Melanie Grills and Emma Guest - June 2024

  • How to Manage Socially Polarising Topics workshop, delivered by Andrea Smith and Natasha Caflisch - July 2024

  • DEI Practitioner Support: Managing Psychological Wellbeing and Preventing Burnout, delivered by Emma Elder - August 2024

  • Members Networking Lunch - September 2024 

  • Trial Coworking Day - October 2024 

  • End of year event & case study share - November 2024

We were disappointed, though absolutely respected, the need to postpone our second last event of the year with Vonda Malone on the Queensland Government’s Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry. We’ll seek the opportunity to reschedule an event in 2025 and acknowledge the significant interest from our extended community in hearing and learning from Vonda. 

We’ve seen strong engagement in 2024 with in-person events and will look to continue to offer a variety of online and in-person offerings going forward. 

Thank you 

Thanks goes to my fellow 2024 management committee members who passionately contributed to the success of the DPA: Emma Elder, Emma Guest, Natasha Caflish, Sally Gunsberg, April Anfruns, Louise Baxter and Darren Hooper. Our volunteer committee devotes time, expertise and passion in pursuit of DPA’s mission: to support individuals, organisations and practitioners actively seeking to build and sustain diverse and inclusive organisations. 

Thanks in particular to Sally and Apri for their contributions in 2024 as outgoing committee members. I wholeheartedly thank you for everything you have contributed thus far, I look forward to your continued contribution to the DPA community as members. 

Thank you to our 2024 corporate supporters and sponsors: Kingston Human Capital and Urban Utilities. The support of our sponsors enables the DPA to continue to deliver for our members and increases the visibility of the work we do amongst a broader network of D&I advocates.

Lastly and most of all: thanks to all of the Diversity Practitioners Association members. We are a community of 65 as of November 2024, and as an association we are thrilled to see the maturity and knowledge of this community grow and observe the great work being implemented by DEI practitioners in Queensland. The collective contributions, sharing of  knowledge, passion and drive sustains our community and is helping to make our world and workplaces more inclusive in increasingly complex social and political times. 

The 2025 DPA Management Committee 

I’m pleased to announce the 2025 DPA Management Committee with some continuing members and some new contributors: 

  • President - Andrea Smith 

  • Secretary – Emma Guest

  • Treasurer – Luke Nixon

  • VP Memberships – Natasha Caflisch

  • VP Sponsorships – Emma Elder

  • VP Events – Louise Baxter

  • VP Social Media – Melanie Blowes

  • VP Communications – Gina Chambers 

I look forward to seeing what we can achieve together in 2025. 

As members, we all contribute to the success of the association - I encourage you all to continue to make a contribution worthy of the community you seek. 

Andrea Smith
President