Unapologetic: How Women Lead on Their Own Terms 

Women in safety operate under intense pressure — technical demands, operational realities, and the unspoken expectation to be endlessly competent, calm, and accommodating. Stephanie dismantles these narratives with a bold, honest keynote that gives women permission to lead without apologizing for their standards, their boundaries, or their ambition. 

Drawing from three decades in male‑dominated industries, she shares practical tools for navigating bias, managing relational dynamics, and leading with clarity and self‑trust. This session is equal parts truth‑telling, strategy, and empowerment — designed for women who are done playing small. 

• How to interrupt the patterns that drain women’s leadership power
• A practical boundary‑setting model that protects energy and influence
• Tools for navigating bias and high‑stakes environments
• How to lead with conviction — without becoming someone you’re not 

• Translating safety priorities into business priorities 
• Building credibility with executives and operational leaders 
• Navigating competing priorities and organizational dynamics 
• Influencing strategic decision-making and business outcomes 

• Building Safety Culture When Operations Are Under Pressure
• AI, Technology & Safety Tools Professionals Are Actually Using
• Leading Through Burnout, Workload & Constant Operational Pressure
• Difficult Conversations: Accountability, Pushback & Gaining Buy-In
• Visibility, Personal Brand & Building Influence in Safety
• Managing Safety Across Multiple Sites, Teams & Contractors
• Scaling Safety Programs Without Becoming the Bottleneck
• Perimenopause, Menopause & Sustaining Performance at Work
• The Next Generation of Safety Leadership — What the Industry Needs Now
• Mental Health, Trauma Exposure & Compassion Fatigue in Safety Roles

• How AI is being used for inspections, reporting, hazard identification, and training
• The practical workflows and use cases that delivered the greatest value
• Lessons learned from challenges, setbacks, and unexpected outcomes
• What safety leaders should evaluate before investing in AI solutions
  
  

Every time this topic surfaces at a safety conference, hands go up across the room—yet the conversation rarely moves beyond acknowledgment. Workplace sexual harassment and gender-based violence remain documented realities on large infrastructure projects, in remote work camps, and in professional environments that should know better. This panel does not shy away. Panellists share what they've witnessed, where organizations continue to fall short, and what meaningful accountability looks like in practice. The goal is not simply awareness, but equipping attendees with the language, frameworks, and confidence to drive meaningful change. 

• Recognizing and addressing behaviours before they become normalized 
• What meaningful accountability looks like when incidents occur
• Creating cultures where people feel safe to speak up and report concerns 
• Leading difficult conversations and driving change when resistance exists 

• How life-stage health challenges can impact performance, confidence, and career progression  
• What support and accommodations actually make a difference  
• Navigating career setbacks, pauses, and pivots without losing momentum
• Retaining experienced talent before it quietly walks out the door 

• Identifying the organizational factors that contribute most to psychological risk 
• Building the business case for psychological health and safety 
• Influencing change when you don't own culture, HR, or people strategy 
• Practical leadership actions that create healthier, more resilient workplaces 

• Balancing production pressure, operational demands, and safety priorities
• Positioning safety as a business-critical function during periods of uncertainty
• Prioritizing efforts when resources, budgets, and attention are limited
• Practical ways to embed risk-based thinking into everyday decision-making
  
  

• The decisions and unexpected moments that changed everything 
• Lessons learned from setbacks, mistakes, and difficult choices 
• The experiences that shaped them most as leaders and people 
• What became more important—and less important—as their careers progressed 
• What they wish they had known earlier in their careers