EmpowerTech

EmpowerTech x WiT – Ep 9: Curiosity, Cancer Research and Backing Yourself In this episode of EmpowerTech , Iyari Cevallos speaks with Dr Jacqui McGovern , Senior Research Fellow at QUT and the 2025 Women in Technology Excellence in Research Award winner. Jacqui discusses her work developing laboratory models to better understand cancer and researching safer ways to deliver chemotherapy treatments....

EmpowerTech x WiT – Professor Rowena Barrett In this episode of EmpowerTech , Iyari Cevallos speaks with Professor Rowena Barrett, 2025 Women in Technology Raising the Regions Award winner. Rowena shares perspectives on innovation, entrepreneurship, and career development. She reflects on how her career has evolved across different roles and discusses the importance of curiosity, learning, and und...

In this episode of EmpowerTech, host Iyari Cevallos speaks with Tracey Mounce, People Business Partner at GHD and the 2025 Women in Technology Employer of Change Award winner. Tracey shares her experience working in HR and leading GHD’s Career Relaunch Program, a structured initiative designed to support professionals returning to the workforce after a career break. She explains how the program pr...

In this episode of  EmpowerTech , host  Iyari Cevallos  speaks with  Sarah Chapman , founder of STEM Changemakers and the 2025 Women in Technology  Raising the Regions Award  winner. Sarah reflects on her experience as a science educator in regional Queensland and the barriers many girls face when considering STEM careers. She shares how those experiences led her to create STEM Changemakers, a pro...

In this episode of EmpowerTech , Iyari Cevallos speaks with Professor Christine Beveridge, 2025 Women in Technology Excellence in Research Award winner. Christine discusses her work in plant developmental biology, particularly her long-standing research into shoot branching and the discovery of strigolactones. She explains how branching affects crop yield and why understanding plant architecture m...

In this episode of EmpowerTech , host Iyari Cevallos speaks with Dr Aida Brankovich , 2025 Women in Technology Emerging Tech Star Award winner and senior researcher at the CSIRO. Aida discusses her journey from physics and engineering into healthcare-focused AI, and her work developing algorithms for medical imaging and clinical decision support. She explains why ethical and explainable AI is esse...

Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam: Transforming Industrial Waste Into Renewable Value In this episode, EmpowerTech host  Iyari Cevallos  speaks with  Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam , senior industrial chemist and winner of the 2025 WiT  Excellence in Industry Leadership Award . Lalehvash shares her journey from growing up in Iran inspired by stories of pioneering scientists, to leading research that converts agricul...

Dr Clarissa Yates: Predicting Postpartum Depression Before Birth In this episode, EmpowerTech host Iyari Cevallos speaks with Dr Clarissa Yates, neuroscientist, founder of Ketim Technologies, and creator of the world’s first blood-based predictive diagnostic test for postpartum depression. Clarissa shares her lived experience with PPD, the science behind Ketim’s biomarker platform, and how earlier...

Modelling the Future of Our Oceans with a Mathemafishian In the first episode of the  WiT x EmpowerTech  series,  Iyari Cevallos  speaks with  Alise Fox  - stock assessment scientist, artist, and 2025  Women in Technology Emerging Science Star Award  winner. Alise builds mathematical models that help Queensland sustainably manage its fisheries, translating data into insights that guide environment...

In this final episode of Season 2 of EmpowerTech , host Iyari speaks with Kylee Ingram about using creativity and decision intelligence to build smarter, more inclusive organisations. Kylee traces her path from award-recognised interactive storytelling to founding Wizer , a platform that helps leaders identify the right voices, map cognitive strengths, and assemble stronger decision panels. You’ll...

In this episode of the EmpowerTech Podcast, host Iyari Cevallos sits down with William Gooderson, a high-performance coach and former Chief of Staff at Silicon Quantum Computing in Sydney. Will helps us cut through the noise around quantum computing and understand what is real, what is hype, and what leaders should be paying attention to. We explore the basics of quantum computing, how it differs...

In this episode of EmpowerTech , host Iyari Cevallos talks with Lauren Hanson , Senior Mechanical Engineer at CSIRO Robotics. Lauren has played a key role in some of Australia’s most ambitious engineering projects, from competing in Mars rover challenges to delivering the Multi-Resolution Scanning Payload — the first Australian payload with active electronics to be deployed on the International Sp...

In this episode of EmpowerTech , host Iyari Cevallos sits down with Mandy Turner - a globally recognised cybersecurity investigator and intelligence specialist, named a Top 10 Influencer by the International Security Exhibition and Conference. Together, they unpack the sophisticated and fast-evolving world of cybercrime: How criminals and nation-states exploit technology to disrupt societies The r...

In this episode of Empower Tech , Iyari Cevallos sits down with Luca Caruso, a seasoned digital transformation leader and Practice Manager at SoCo, an award-winning IT consultancy. Luca brings a wealth of experience in designing and delivering AI-driven solutions for government and commercial enterprises, offering a grounded perspective on how organisations can embrace AI effectively. From startin...

In this episode of EmpowerTech , host Iyari Cevallos sits down with Paul Woods , a seasoned advisor and author focused on the human side of digital transformation. Paul has spent over two decades helping leaders embrace technology not as a shiny object, but as a tool for amplifying people and culture. From early research in socio-technical systems to building a multi-award-winning consultancy, Pau...

In this episode of EmpowerTech, host Iyari Cevallos chats with Rosie Atwell , Technical Program Manager at CSIRO’s Cyber Physical Systems Group, about the ground breaking world of robotics and autonomous systems in Australia. Rosie shares her journey - from a fine arts degree to managing robotics programs that partner with NASA, the International Atomic Energy Agency, and global wildfire preventio...

In the first episode of Season 2 of the EmpowerTech Podcast, Iyari Cevallos sits down with globally renowned positive psychology expert ⁠ Sue Langley ⁠, founder of the Langley Group and academic director of the Langley Group Institute. Together, they explore the evolving relationship between technology and human wellbeing - from the promises of AI in healthcare to the everyday mental toll of socia...

In this episode of the EmpowerTech podcast, host Iyari Cevallos sits down with Leanne Shelton, CEO of HumanEdge AI Training and AI prompt engineering educator, to discuss the integration of AI in the workplace. Leanne elaborates on the opportunities and pitfalls of leveraging AI, focusing on how to practically integrate these tools into day-to-day workflows while maintaining a human touch. Leanne...

In this episode of the EmpowerTech Podcast, Iyari Cevallos dives into a fascinating discussion with Corrie Dark, a tech translator and founder of Integrity AI.  Corrie shares her journey of making complex technological advancements accessible to business leaders without compromising on the essential human interactions in the workplace. She explains how her role bridges the gap between technical ja...

In this episode of the EmpowerTech Podcast, host Iyari Cevallos chats with Ellen Manning, a leader in data and analytics. Their discussion delves into how organisations can leverage data analytics to make smarter, more impactful decisions. Ellen, who holds a PhD in astrophysics and is currently pursuing her MBA, explains the importance of bridging communication gaps between data professionals and...

In this episode of the EmpowerTech Podcast, host Iyari Cevallos chats with Gabriela, a passionate cybersecurity advisor dedicated to empowering women in the field. Gabriela shares her unconventional path to cybersecurity, which began with a traumatic experience of cyber fraud while working on cruise ships.  This incident led her to delve deeper into the world of cyber hygiene and eventually reskil...

In this episode of the EmpowerTech Podcast, Iyari Cevallos and Dr. Kendra Vant delve into the complexities of new technologies and their proper use. They discuss the importance of being conscientious consumers of tech, particularly focusing on large language models (LLMs) and generative AI.  Kendra, with her extensive background in AI and data product development, explains how tools like ChatGPT a...

In this engaging episode of the EmpowerTech Podcast, host Iyari Cevallos welcomes Cynthia, a passionate advocate for increasing the representation of girls in technology. They discuss Cynthia's journey and motivations for promoting STEM among young girls, sharing personal experiences from her academic and professional life. Cynthia emphasizes the importance of introducing tech concepts early in ed...

In this episode of the EmpowerTech Podcast, host Iyari Cevallos speaks with Inbal Rodnay, a renowned technology adoption expert specializing in AI applications for professional services firms.  Inbal, who runs AI training programs and was formerly the head of technology innovation at Melbourne-based firm Blue Rock, discusses the importance of staying open to new technologies. She shares historical...

The first episode of Empower Tech's pilot season features Jamie van Leeuwen an expert in AI technology shedding some light on the future of AI. The conversation kicks off with Jamie's controversial win in the Digi Direct Photography Competition using an AI-generated image and delves into the subsequent fallout. Jamie then goes on to share his background in photography, filmmaking, and cont...