Women Leading Change: Redefining Health & Safety

Deborah Douglas

Health and Safety Lead | ASB

Nicola Knobel

Head of Safety, Risk and Assurance | Plunket

Kristy Nicholson

Head of Work Health and Safety | Lockton

Women Leading Change: Redefining Health & Safety

About this Webinar

Join us for an inspiring webinar featuring three exceptional women in Health & Safety. Kristy Nicholson (Lockton), Deborah Douglas (ASB), and Nicola Knobel (Plunket) will engage in a dynamic discussion on the evolving role and impact of women in H&S. Through their leadership journeys and real-world experiences, they will explore the challenges, opportunities, and strategies for driving change in various industries. This engaging panel will highlight the role of empathy, influence, and proactive safety management in shaping the future of the industry.

Through real-world insights and lived experiences, we’ll address key issues such as breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated spaces, making safety leadership more inclusive, and equipping the next generation of women with the tools they need to thrive.

Attendees will leave with actionable takeaways on mentorship, leadership, and how to challenge the status quo to create a more diverse and equitable workplace in the H&S sector.

Who will benefit

This session is designed for professionals in Health & Safety, leaders across industries, HR and diversity champions, and anyone passionate about fostering greater representation and leadership opportunities for women in safety.

Key Talking Points

Women in Leadership: Owning Your Space in the Industry: Overcoming challenges in male-dominated fields, women are reshaping the industry by leveraging natural leadership strengths like empathy, communication, and care.
Beyond Policies & Procedures: Rethinking Safety Through Leadership & Influence: Bridging the gap between imagined safety (SOPs) and actual work, shifting from reactive compliance to proactive risk management, and emphasising the importance of soft skills in H&S leadership and governance.
Lifting Women Up: The Role of Mentorship & Organisational Change: The need for more women in senior H&S roles and how to support them through mentorship, leadership programmes, and structural change, while making the profession more accessible and attractive to women.
The Disruptor Mindset: Challenging the Status Quo & Driving Change: Why women in H&S should embrace being disruptors, push boundaries, and use discomfort as a catalyst for driving organisational change and making a lasting impact.
Representation Matters: Embracing Diversity in Safety Leadership: Harnessing diverse leadership perspectives to create safer, inclusive workplaces, understanding leadership through cultural contexts to drive change, and inspiring the next generation of women in safety leadership.

You can hear more from Nicola Knobel and Deborah Douglas on their latest podcast.

Speakers

Deborah Douglas

Health and Safety Lead, ASB

With 16 years of experience in QHSE across high-risk industries, Deborah is a leader in employee safety, regulatory compliance, and strategic risk management. Her background spans banking, steelmaking, logistics, oil and gas, and her role as an Innovation Lead at WorkSafe NZ.

Passionate about human-centred design, she applies innovative approaches to integrate health and safety into business as usual. She excels in building relationships, driving engagement, and delivering impactful presentations.

Believing that people are the solution, Deborah creates spaces where individuals thrive, helping organisations Do Differently, Do Better, Do Together.

Nicola Knobel

Head of Safety, Risk and Assurance, Plunket

Nicola is a highly accomplished Health, Safety, and Strategic Risk Manager with over 18 years of experience across industries such as oil and gas, education, and innovation. Currently completing a Master of Laws, she is focused on humanizing Health and Safety law to create more practical, people-centered outcomes.

Known for her strategic leadership, Nicola brings a unique mix of influence, innovation, and a holistic approach to safety. She is passionate about fostering connection and well-being in workplaces, ensuring that compliance and regulation go beyond checkboxes to drive meaningful change. With a strong track record of excellence, she combines deep expertise with a forward-thinking mindset to shape a safer, healthier, and more effective work environment.

Kristy Nicholson

Head of Work Health and Safety, Lockton

Kristy Nicholson is an experienced safety consultant who leads the Work Health & Safety Practice at Lockton in Australia.

An expert in workplace safety and certified lead auditor, Kristy specializes in designing and developing safety management systems, auditing, safety strategies, behavioural safety and workplace risk management to support clients in achieving their safety performance goals.

Kristy is highly skilled in understanding client needs and creating and delivering tailored client solutions across safety and psychosocial risks to support holistic people risk management.

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