#itstartswithmen for Women and Girls to live a Life Free from violence
Queries: Contact Ruth Stuettgen 0432 441 146
Let’s stand together and #ChangeTheStory for Women and Girls to live a Life Free from violence.
Guest Speakers:
Tracy Meyer
Detective Senior Sergeant Tracy MEYER has been a member of Victoria Police for nearly 40 years. She is the current Work Unit Manager at the Somerville Family Violence Investigation Unit and responsible for the management of high-risk family violence incidents across Southern Metro Region 4 (Frankston and Mornington Peninsula PSA’s).
She has been an investigator for almost thirty years with roles in general Crime Investigation Units, Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Units (SOCIT) and Taskforce SALUS (now SOFVU), Professional Standards Command involving the internal investigation of Victoria Police employees who commit family violence and sexual assault against family members and vulnerable members of the community.
Prior to arriving at Somerville, DSSGT MEYER was the Work Unit Manager of the Greater Dandenong SOCIT.
Tracy has a keen interest and passion for victim centric themed policing with an understanding that trauma informed practice is critical to supporting victim survivors to feel safe and re-establish control of their lives.
Despi O’Connor
Has served as Mayor and Councillor at the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Movement, a Master’s in Education (Research) and a Graduate Diploma in Education (Primary). Her career has focused on the disciplines of education and recreation (Aquatic and Community recreation - Life Saving and Basketball).
We know that 1 Australian woman is killed by her current or former partner every week, and that 1 in 3 women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence, 95% of cases at the hands of men. Stopping the violence starts with opening up conversations and creating time for reflection. It calls us all to stand up and call out attitudes, stereotypes and behaviours that lead to violence. Enough is enough.
Dr Catherine Baird (DUniv)
NED Board | CX/EX Strategist | People & Culture Advisor | Leadership Coach & Mentor | Master Facilitator & Keynote Speaker
An accomplished people and culture leader, with 40 year’s experience, predominately in the education and aviation sectors. Catherine has worked at senior executive level in complex and dynamic operational roles within large, multicultural, global organisations. Her career has taken her across the world working in Australia, the UK, US, Germany and, most recently, the Gulf region based in Dubai with Emirates Airline.
Catherine is an ardent advocate for inclusion, diversity, and cultivating workplaces and spaces where everyone can feel safe and thrive. She is passionate about empowering and elevating women to transform the leadership landscape.
Catherine is adjunct faculty with Heriot Watt University (UK) and sits on Advisory Boards, both internationally and in Australia. She is Vice Chair of the Women’s Spirit Project.
Sophie Panigirakis
Sophie Panigirakis is the dedicated Service Delivery Manager at Women’s Community Shelters (WCS), where she plays a pivotal role in expanding the organisation’s reach and impact into Victoria. With a strong background in social services and community development, Sophie is committed to addressing homelessness and domestic violence.
She is currently spearheading an ambitious initiative to establish four new women’s shelters over the next five years. Her strategic vision, combined with her passion for empowering vulnerable women, drives her efforts to create safe and supportive environments for women and children in need. Sophie’s leadership and dedication are instrumental in advancing WCS’s mission to foster communities where everyone can live free from fear and insecurity.
Professor Alex Christou
Alex is Director of Corporate Education and Strategic Partnerships at Monash Business School and is a member of faculty at Monash University. An experienced and intrapreneurial leader with a 20-year career in Business School's, Alex has dedicated his career in supporting individuals and organisations to realise their full potential.
In addition to leading the Executive and Corporate Education arm for Monash he is a Program Director for our custom programs and a trainer and facilitator of our corporate wellbeing and human-centric workplace solutions that drive high performance cultures internationally.
Alex is an active supporter of diversity and inclusion. His efforts include adding his voice to supporting talented women and underprivileged international students to obtain ongoing world class education opportunities by reducing the financial barriers that prevent them from further studies.
Event Organisers
Reverend Peter Wiltshire
Minister of Mt.Martha Uniting Church. His professional career includes teaching and educational research. His pastoral ministry specialises in the development of the whole person, the recovery of the True Self and importantly, inclusive Faith community development. His academic interest includes Ethical Inquiry, Personality Development, Spiritual Formation, Pastoral Care, Soul of Leadership and Christian Meditation. Peter is married to Julie, together they have four adult children and seven grandchildren.
Peter has a strong commitment to social justice and local community service and is especially supportive of the vision and mission of White Ribbon Day. He wishes to extend the reach of White Ribbon day and its education programs against men’s violence toward women and children on the Mornington Peninsula.
Ruth Stuettgen
Executive Leadership Team Member and Chair of Pastoral Care at Mt Martha Uniting Church, past Policewoman and Teacher. As Coach, Speaker and Hypnotherapist, she organises women’s empowerment events. A mum of 3 adults, Ruth is a Domestic Violence Survivor. Knowing all too well the trauma surrounding abuse, she decided ‘Enough is Enough’ as she stepped into a more positive future after 23 years of marriage.
It’s her mission to shine a light on this prevalent global issue, working towards ending it. Organising the 2024 White Ribbon Day event together with Mt Martha Uniting, does just that. Ruth’s publication From Misery to Mastery - Journey to Freedom and Empowerment includes her experiences with family violence and self-help strategies for Women who are or have been subject to abuse.
