Mind the (gender) gap! Meet the extraordinary women moving Australia and the world

New podcast will showcase the most powerful female transport leaders who are shaping the future of our trains, buses, ferries, trams and more!

Listen to Ep.1 Veronica Davis + Guests on Spotify and Apple

Some of the most influential women in public transport reveal how they got to the top of one of the world’s most male-dominated industries in a new Australian podcast series.

Women Who Move Nations, which launches on International Women’s Day (March 8), offers a unique perspective on the achievements of the women shaping the future of transport in a sector where only 4% of CEOs are female.

The fortnightly series will shine a light on how these trailblazers from Australia and around the world are tackling critical challenges such as the advance of artificial intelligence, building more sustainable networks and making communities safer and more inclusive.

The podcast is produced by the Public Transport Association Australia New Zealand (PTAANZ) and sponsored by smart technology leader NEC.

Among those interviewed for Women Who Move Nations are:

Legendary equality trailblazer Michelle Sheppard, who works tirelessly as a Senior Advisor at Victoria’s Department of Transport and Planning to raise awareness of the barriers that LGBTIQ+ communities face in the workplace. She’s designed and implemented workplace inclusion programs that have created more diverse workforces and ensured communities feel heard.

Author and international transport researcher Dr Nicole Kalms is a leading authority on how cities of the future can be made more female friendly. An Associate Professor and Director of the XYX Lab at Monash University’s Department of Architecture, Nicole’s focus is on devising public transport policies that protect women’s safety.

Author Veronica Davis is a former Director of Transportation in Houston, Texas and has delivered over $100 million in projects that primarily benefit black and brown communities in areas afflicted by poverty.

Speaking on the first episode of Women Who Moves Nations, airing on Friday March 8, Veronica argues passionately that transportation is one of the most important factors in making lives better. And transport discussions need to focus on getting drivers out of cars - something she says is already happening.

“One of the big trends that we're seeing is that kids aren’t getting their driver's licence,” she says. “So, we really need to be thinking about investing in other modes of transport for them like biking, walking and public transport because we know that people can thrive if they can access jobs and education.”

NEC Senior Product Manager Kylie Gorham has over 20 years of experience in the transportation industry.

“Knowing that we make the lives of millions of people easier every day is so rewarding,” she says.

In Australia, while women have historically been pivotal in customer-facing positions within transportation, it's essential to foster greater inclusion of women in leadership roles such as design consultation and engineering to help develop safer, more accessible transport services the public can depend on.”

Smart transport solutions are improving passenger experiences from ticketing to safety and real time data and I’m excited to share some amazing insights on the podcast.” Kylie added.

The podcast series is hosted by former PTAANZ CEO Michelle Batsas, currently the Executive Director of Future Mobility at the Department of Transport Victoria. The series forms part of PTAANZ’s continued commitment to the future of sustainable mobility in the region.

Dr Gillian Miles, Interim Chief Executive Officer at PTAANZ said: “Women Who Move Nations highlights how women are shaping the future of how people move around our cities and towns. “We hope to inspire future generations of female leaders to consider a career in public transport because our workforce needs to be as diverse as the communities we serve.”

Women Who Move Nations is available on all your favourite platforms, including Spotify and Apple