Climate change is the biggest challenge facing current and future generations. The world’s poorest people and communities will feel its impacts the hardest, as they have lower capacity to deal with damage from more volatile weather, rising sea levels, more frequent natural disasters, food insecurity and habitat loss.
International development specialists, environmental scientists, engineers, natural resource economists and others bring knowledge and skills to work alongside communities and help them prepare for extreme weather events, protect homes, and land, and mitigate the effect of climate change on infrastructure, the environment and livelihoods.
Climate change will impact every role in the sector so come along to hear from speakers who support communities with sustainable climate change adaptation and mitigation projects that build community resilience and reduce the impact of natural disasters. Our speakers will also share how their experiences have shaped their career in the aid and development sector.
As usual, the night will involve a relaxed chat facilitated by WiAD city leaders with questions to follow, and it will be an excellent opportunity to network.
Everyone is welcome, so please share the event with your friends and colleagues.
Cost: $20 - Non-members $10 - Students and unwaged Free - Members of Women in Aid & Development
Michelle Higelin
Michelle Higelin is the Executive Director of ActionAid Australia. She has more than two decades of experience working to advance women’s rights in Australia and internationally, including as the former Deputy General Secretary of one of the largest women’s rights movement globally, the World YWCA.
Michelle has served on global advisory groups to the United Nations Population Fund and the World Food Programme, and convened the NGO Working Group on Peace at the United Nations in Geneva.
For the past seven years Michelle has worked with ActionAid, driving gender transformative development and humanitarian programming. Michelle has a Master of International Relations and a BA in Communications.
One of three key areas of activity for ActionAid is Climate change which is among the biggest issues of our time. ActionAid is working with women most affected to build resilience and adapt to climate change, while driving alternative policies and advocating for systems that mitigate and reduce its impacts.
Gabrielle McGill
Gabrielle McGill leads Arup's International Development Team in Australia. She is a Chartered Engineer with over ten years’ experience working in the engineering sector, and is also completing her MBA in Social Impact at UNSW.
Gabrielle has a deep understanding and experience of the engineer’s role in development. She has provided both advisory and technical engineering services on projects that deliver essential services such as water, wastewater, and transport to communities in Australia and the broader Pacific region to wide range of clients including government, community, NGOs, contractors.