The Women's Leadership Expo held 12th September was praised for the diversity of approaches to leadership featured and an excellent Gippsland leaders forum. Almost 20 community groups and leadership programs were featured in the Expo and women came from as far as Melbourne and Maffra to get the benefit. One activity which received a lot of attention was a collaborative mural created during the Expo where participants expressed creatively what leadership meant to them, guided by some visual artists from Monash University. The result is a fantastic pastiche of words, colours, images and effects about women and leadership.

The forum was introduced by Councillor Lisa Price from Latrobe City who talked of leadership as engaging with our communities. Speakers Michonne Van Rees, Margaret Guthrie, Mikaela Power and Jill Wood shared valuable insights from their lives and some of the challenges they had faced. The speakers were united in praising the value of mentors as someone who saw something in them that they didn't see in themselves and pushed them to go for it. One audience member asked “I'm in my forties, is it too late for me to become a leader?" and the emphatic response from the panel of speakers was no, it's never too late to stand up for what you believe in and that is the first step in developing as a leader.

One participant called the event uplifting and inspiring; many took advantage of the opportunities on display including the Gippsland Community Leadership Program, Gippsland Women's Local Government Association, Activ8 and expressed interest in the Young Women's Leadership and Mentoring Program which is currently in the pilot stage.

Project co-ordinator Aspen Kilby praised the generosity of the speakers, "We have been honoured tonight to hear of the personal journeys of these women, some may not regard themselves as leaders but there is no question that the tasks they have set themselves would not be possible without it. This event has been about redefining what people think of as leadership; women may find themselves an accidental leader, pushed by conscience and circumstance to take on leadership responsibilities rather than actively seeking the limelight."

Many participants urged that the event be held again next year with a second daytime session for school age young women and those with family responsibilities.