A virtual panel session presented by The Connection Table in partnership with RRR Women.

Many rural women who step into leadership have, at some point, walked into a room where they were the only one. The only woman, the only person from outside the capital city and the only one without the background everyone else seemed to share.

RRR Women’s own research points to rural, regional and remote Queensland women continuing to show leadership and optimism while facing mounting pressure. This discussion is about the rooms where there is opportunity for leadership and what it takes to hold your place in them.

This panel brings together three rural Queensland leaders to talk honestly about how they have navigated those rooms across their careers.

We will cover:

• What it feels like to be the exception in the room and what our panellists have learned about staying in it
• Backing yourself before you feel ready and how each panellist handled the moments they doubted they belonged
• The practical decisions that shifted their careers, including the roles they said yes to and the ones they turned down
• How to build credibility and visibility from a rural base, without a city network to lean on
• What each of them would tell a woman sitting on her first committee or board today

Panellists

Fleur Anderson

Fleur is a seasoned board director and executive leader with over 15 years of experience in governance, regional economic development, and stakeholder engagement. Her career spans agriculture, mining, gas, philanthropy, and public sectors, where she has delivered strategic policy outcomes and driven initiatives with community impact. As a graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Program and a member of AICD, Fleur brings a strong commitment to shaping resilient communities and creating long-term value for stakeholders. She is passionate about enabling sustainable futures for rural and regional Australia

April Cavanagh

April is a dynamic senior executive with a proven record in business, leadership, governance, project management, and consistently delivering exceptional results. Born and raised in the bush, April understands regional needs, challenges, and opportunities. Over the course of her accomplished 25-year career, April has amassed diverse experience across various industries, including financial services, agriculture, and manufacturing. Her professional journey has taken her to London, Sydney, Brisbane, India, the US, South America, Asia and more recently Denmark, providing her with a global perspective. Now settled in Toowoomba, Queensland, April applies her national and global lived experiences and career skills to her role as Deputy Chair of Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise (TSBE), Chair of Manufacturing Skills Queensland and as a Director of Cotton Australia and Queensland Rugby Union.

The Connection Table is the national network for regional, rural and remote leaders who are ready to influence the rooms where Australia’s decisions get made.