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Virginia Haussegger

Chair and founding Director

50/50 by 2030 Foundation

Faculty: Expert contributors

Australia

Virginia Haussegger AM headshot

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Virginia Haussegger AM is Chair and founding Director of the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation, which she established at the University of Canberra in 2017. She is also Chief Editor of BroadAgenda, Australia’s leading research based Gender Equality media platform. In 2019 she was named ACT Australian of the Year.

An award-winning broadcast journalist and social commentator on women, power and the challenges of 21st century leadership, in 2020 Virginia launched the popular podcast series BroadTalk. Her extensive media career spans 30 years, in which she has reported around the globe for primetime current affair programs on Channel Seven7, the Nine9 Network, and ABC TV. She anchored the ABC’s flagship TV News in Canberra from 2001-2016. Her book ‘Wonder Woman: the myth of ‘having it all’, was launched in a live ABC broadcast at the National Press Club.

A passionate advocate for women’s rights and gender equity, Virginia served six years on the board of UN Women Australia. In 2017 she was commissioned by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) to facilitate the Australian and Philippine Governments co-hosted event ‘Women’s Economic Empowerment’ in Manila, at ASEAN 2017. She was also commissioned by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C) to host the inaugural ‘Empowering Women to Lead’ side event at CHOGM 2011. In 2016 Virginia facilitated the inaugural EU-Australia Leadership Forum, hosted by DFAT and AIIA. She regularly hosts a broad range of public forums, panel discussions, and ‘In Conversation’ events, covering diverse fields of knowledge across academic, public and private sector organisations.

In 2014, Virginia was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), for her “significant service to the community, particularly as an advocate for women’s rights and gender equity, and to the media”. In 2018 she was inducted into the ACT Honour Roll and awarded the 2019 Excellence in Women’s Leadership Award, WLA.

A leading communication strategist and gender equality advocate, Virginia has worked across Commonwealth departments on the design and delivery of bespoke masterclasses on strategic communication; media insights; presentation skills; and women’s leadership.

Virginia is Patron of the Canberra Rape Crisis Centre. She has served on a number of boards and committees including: the Snowy Hydro SouthCare Trust; Our Watch, Media Advisory Committee; Women in Media, Canberra; and served six years as a Board Director on the ACT Government’s Cultural Facilities Corporation. She is Chair and Founding Director of the 50/50 by 2030 Foundation, at the University of Canberra.