Zonta International District 22 Ltd. 2025 Conference 

12—14 September 2025, at the Mount Isa Civic Centre.

Early bird ticket Sales close 1 August 2025.   Bookings close 5 September 2025.

For more than one hundred years Zonta International has dedicated itself to empowering women and taking action to address the challenges of gender equality. To celebrate our achievements and honour our future work together, Governor Petra Ladwig and the Zonta District 22 Board welcome members from across District 22 for our biennial meeting of members and District Conference.

The theme for the 2025 District 22 Ltd Conference is "Speaking Up for Human Rights: Finding Courage and Voice" . 

The keynote speakers will aim to engage us as a predominantly female organisation with men in addressing the challenges of GBV, and the intersection with male mental health . A panel of our male members will join them to answer the critical question of how to connect with more men to build a Better World together. Saturday workshops will expand on these themes. 

Sarah Chapman from STEM Changemakers will present her program before we discuss it as a possible district project.  

Sunday workshops  will focus on skills in Active Advocacy, Engaging with Youth with International Awards ,and Recognising and Intervening in Coercive control.  

The District Conference is a time for us all to come together to determine the future of our District, install our District leaders for the 2026-2028 Biennium as well as engage in lively workshops and debates about Zonta’s mission and goals. Conference is also a time to make new friendships and renew those we made at previous Conferences and Area Meetings.

Conference Program

Registration and credentialling:  Will be open Friday from 2.00pm - 3.30pm in the foyer of the Civic Centre, then 7.15am Saturday . 

Welcome. The Conference program will begin on the evening of Friday 12th September with a unique welcome to Mount Isa at the Outback at Isa Tourism Centre, where the All Fired Up BBQ food truck will share their love of Low and Slow Homestyle Smoked BBQ "Where there's Smoke there's Flavour", in the outdoor Ampitheatre under the beautiful outback skies.  Guests can also choose to participate in an optional "Taste of Underground Mining Tour", or simply wander around the park and renew acquaintances.  The souvenir shop will be open for one hour to grab those Mount Isa mementos.  The centre is a short 1.5km walk into town, and a shuttle bus will be available.  

Conference.  Saturday 13th September, our conference commences with the Welcome to Country, then a welcome by the mayor and district Governor.  Keynote speakers will start the day before the business sessions which will include debate of motions, an announcement of office-bearers for 2026-2028 as well as a workshop session.  Full program will be forwarded.  

Conference Dinner.  The Saturday night Conference Dinner is being held at the Underground Hospital Museum.  Catered by Terrace Gardens Function Centre, guests can browse through the Beth Anderson Museum and see the collection of medical equipment gathered by former hospital matron, Beth Anderson; and can also check out the heritage-listed Old Tent House, a solution to the 1930's housing shortage.  During the evening, you can grab a lantern and join in a tour and uncover the story of Australia's first and only underground hospital.  An easy walking tour of about 20 minutes, and a shuttle bus will be available. 

Memorial Service.  On Sunday 14th September the morning starts with our traditional ceremony of remembrance held at St James the Great and St Luke's Anglican Church.  This is a short walk from the city centre, and back to the Civic Centre; and a courtesy shuttle bus will be available.  

Sunday Conference.   Our 2024 YWIL and JMK winners will present , together with the second workshop session.  Our ZI representative Christine Dersch will install the board for 2026-2028 .   The proceedings conclude at lunchtime with an address by the new Governor-Elect; and will be followed by a light lunch.  

Optional Sunday Afternoon Tours.  On Sunday afternoon, for those not flying out on Sunday, a tour of Mary Kathleen Uranium Mine has been organised, or for those leaving Isa that day, join the local members for afternoon tea at Lake Moondarra.  

Keynote Speakers 

Aaron Schultz Outback Mind Foundation   

Aaron uses his own life experiences and struggles with mental health to facilitate workshops and Men’s Circles aiming to increase Emotional Literacy in men in regional and rural areas. He works with many large companies and community groups. His training in Yoga and breathwork has led him on a journey from disconnection to connection , aligning with his lifelong desire to help others.

Primarily he teaches men to proactively regulate their nervous system. In May alone he directly reached more than 1500 men screening Boiling Point and teaching Emotional Literacy. This has already prompted guys to reach out when they feel they may be at risk of offending in the family home.

He is motivated to work towards prevention through education as his Mum was victim of sexual abuse and he has worked in the prison system in 3 states seeing perpetrators of DV and SV that had no prior education ; he feels passionately this could reduce the risk. He sees fatigue and burn out as key contributors to common social issues so focuses on working upstream. Prehabilitation beats Rehabilitation 

Check out his story on The Outback Mind podcast series Episode 100.  

Darryl Gardiner Rolling with the Punches  

Darryl Gardiner is a survivor, counsellor, and founder of Rolling With The Punches. Harnessing his lived experience, he fights for a future free from domestic and family violence, standing as a fierce advocate for women and children. Darryl leads trauma healing through breathwork and works with young men in custody, challenging them to face their past with honesty and build better futures. His work breaks cycles of violence and inspires real, lasting change in the communities he serves.

Darryl was in his early twenties when he sought counselling for the first time. Instead of finding support, he was met with judgement—told it was “weird” for a big man with tattoos to cry. That moment pushed him further into isolation. It took years for him to transform that experience into something powerful: the realisation of the kind of counsellor he wanted to be.

Check out his story on ABC Compass “Tough, not Toxic “ September 2024 and hear him speak with Aaron on The Outback Mind podcast Episode 279 “Healing Myself from the Inside”

Christine Dersch 

Zonta Int. Board 2024-2026, Director
Zonta Club of Marburg, Germany, District 28

Ever since Christine joined Zonta in 2004, she has taken on various leadership roles, including club president, vice area director, area director, district membership committee chair, lieutenant governor and governor. As an area director, she successfully established the first Golden Z club and later navigated the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic while serving as lieutenant governor and governor. During this time, she maintained steady membership and facilitated the transition of all Zonta clubs to digital platforms.

In her professional life, Christine serves as a legal adviser at an energy supply company and contributes as a member of the management board of a local public transport company. Her experiences have equipped her to think on her feet, effectively address problems and make decisions while being mindful of cultural differences. She is also proficient in mediating disagreements.

Realizing Zonta's mission to improve the lives of girls and women is vital, Christine advocates for raising members’ collective voices and enhancing visibility to gain global recognition. She also aims to actively involve more scholarship recipients and maximize the impact of Zonta’s programs.

Sarah Chapman STEM Changemakers

Sarah Chapman is the Founder of STEM Changemakers, a program focused on empowering underrepresented regional Australian girls in STEM. She has over twenty years’ experience as a secondary science educator and Science Head of Department. Sarah is also the Founder of the Townsville STEM Hub, a volunteer community organisation that has engaged over 10,000 people in a range of student, teacher and community events. Sarah Chapman is Co-Chair of Women in STEMM Australia and a Board Member of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. She is passionate about inspiring, engaging and empowering people through STEM. Sarah commits extensive portions of her own time lifting the profile of STEM education, by working with students, teachers and the broader community.

In January 2025, Sarah was the Australian Team Lead and Flag Bearer for the Global Chemistry Education Program held in Beijing. In 2019, Sarah was awarded a Commonwealth Bank of Australia Teaching Award Fellowship. In 2018, Sarah was selected as one of ten national STEM Ambassadors by Science and Technology Australia and was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Australian Chemical Institute. She was awarded a Barbara Cail STEM Fellowship in 2016, which involved international travel to research best practice in engaging young people into STEM. Sarah was awarded the prestigious Prime Minister’s Secondary Science Teaching Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in 2013. In 2014 she was selected as a Queensland Government Science Champion. Sarah’s work has also been recognised with a prestigious Peter Doherty, Outstanding Teacher of Science Award in 2008 (Queensland Government) and an Australian Award for Teaching Excellence in 2009 (Teaching Australia).

Websites:Sarah Chapman and STEM Changemakers

Podcast:Paving the way for Girls in STEM-Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation's - "Stories of Giving and Receiving" Podcast Episode 5.

She is passionate about inspiring, engaging and empowering people through STEM education. She will present her program and a potential district project for consideration. 

Jenny Luong District 22 JMK 2024

Jenny Luong began her tertiary journey when she was accepted into the Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics Honours program, having achieved an Equivalent Australian Tertiary Admission Rank over 99. Beyond her studies, Jenny is an advocate for education, financial literacy and personal development. Growing up, she learned the value of perseverance and the power of education early in life. This foundation inspired her commitment to lifelong learning and personal growth, which continues to guide her journey.

She acknowledges the role her struggles have played in shaping her character and resilience. This award from Zonta International motivates her to push her career to new limits and pursue her aspirations with dedication and enthusiasm. In her spare time, Jenny enjoys listening to podcasts and finds inspiration in women who challenge the status quo. She also enjoys hobbies such as exercising, swimming and spending quality time with her loved ones. 

Mary Do District 22 YWPA 2024 

Mary was a student at the Queensland Academy for Science, Maths and Technology. She is now studying Dentistry at Griffith University. She sees health and education as avenues for service, advocacy, and empowerment, especially for women and girls. Having immigrated from Vietnam, a developing country, she understands how limited education can hinder an individual’s future. 

Mary intends to maintain her current volunteer commitments as well as join the Charlie’s Angels team at Prince Charles Hospital in the future, so she can gain both valuable healthcare experience and provide compassionate patient support and services. For the past four years, she has volunteered as a cashier at Citipointe Marketplace, an op-shop offering emergency food assistance to vulnerable individuals, is a volunteer tutor at eTutors Project, participated in the Ekka Strawberry Sundae Stall for the past two years, raising funds for medical research and attended the annual Youth Roundtable during Queensland Youth Week, where she advocated for issues such as mental health support, female representation in the community, and the importance of equal access to high-quality education. 

These experiences have improved her advocacy skills and shaped her into a more compassionate and empathic individual. We look forward to hearing what she has been up to this year. 

Michael Jeh Small Steps4 Hannah

Michael is a proud Ambassador for Small Steps 4 Hannah, the foundation dedicated to the tragic DV murder of Hannah Clarke and her three children. He designed and now delivers a special program called Hannah's Story which is aimed at highlighting the red flags of Coercive Control. He has worked with professional sporting teams, in prisons, with government agencies and big corporates – he is passionate about changing the trajectory of the male response to the way the broader community views the issues around respect for women and children. 

His views on the issue are perfectly summarised thus: Violence against women is one of the great unspoken tragedies of our time and the amazing thing about it is that it can only be fixed by one group in society – men!

www.michaeljeh.com

WORKSHOPS see bios above for more information

Session 1 Saturday

Darryl Gardiner Will introduce his work in using Breathwork as a tool for emotional regulation (includes a guided meditation)

Aaron Schultz "Boiling Point" documentary will start a discussion on emotional literacy as an essential tool for lasting behaviour change and how communities can act together .

Sarah Chapman Welcomes members who want more information on STEM Changemakers and how to engage.

Session 2 Sunday

Active Advocacy. How to maximise impact .  Led by our Zonta Australia members Marie Stewart and Sandra McLean , and Area 2 director Nshara Kingston. 

Engaging Youth with the ZI awards  - how to increase participation . Led by Area 4 Director Libby Gleeson  

Coercive Control -Identifying Red Flags and how to intervene.  Michael Jeh by Zoom with a facilitator present to aid Q and A .