This event was proudly organised by the Lower Sixth students at Burgess Hill Girls and this post was written by Bronwen Llewellyn, Lower Sixth Form student:
On Monday 10th March, Burgess Hill Girls proudly hosted the Tomorrow’s Women Conference, themed ‘Pioneers of Progress: Women Leading the Way.’ The event brought together an enthusiastic audience of students from across Sussex – including St. Paul’s Catholic School, Oathall Community College and The Burgess Hill Academy – alongside representatives from local businesses and our own Year 10 students. Attendees were inspired by an exceptional panel of speakers: Abi Mellor, Co-Founder of Morever; Dr Kathy Romer, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Sussex; Louise Street, Director of Worldwide Airports at British Airways; and Natasha Arbon-Stuckle, a BOLD Girl and Strategy Analyst at PA Consulting. Each speaker shared compelling insights from their unique professional journeys and perspectives.
The speakers were invited to discuss challenges that they have faced in each of their respective fields and courses of action they took to overcome them, leading the way for the future through their resilience and innovation.
This conference and all its aspects were organised by members of the Lower Sixth, from reaching out and connecting with the speakers to welcoming and delivering to individuals on the day. This event is regarded by the students as a considerable opportunity to develop their leadership and logistical skills.
Inspirational Speakers Share Their Journeys
Dr Kathy Romer: The Power of Passion in Academia
Dr Kathy Romer discussed how her passion and focus for learning led her to personal success, even after facing previously unconsidered academic obstacles that took her by surprise.
Abi Mellor: Embracing Change and Empowering Others
Abi Mellor reflected on the personal and professional change that she has encountered, from changing career courses to the process of founding her own agency and the experience she has obtained from empowering female leadership in the creative industry.
Louise Street: Building Confidence Through Diverse Experiences
Louise Street revealed her bold approach to taking on a wide variety of roles throughout her career, from Operations through to Engineering, reflecting on how this strengthened her confidence in her own capabilities. She also emphasised the importance of supporting and building a network with the women around you, to remain open and celebrate each other’s strengths.
Natasha Arbon-Stuckle: Finding Strength in Authenticity
Natasha Arbon-Stuckle recounted her personal change in her approach to professional life, acknowledging the challenges of perfectionism and instead how she focused on building her existing strengths and passions. As well as this, she brought light to the topic of subtle sexism, stressing the need to work together as a collective to erase it.
The Tomorrow’s Women Conference continues to be a highlight of the academic year, providing valuable insights and inspiration for students as they navigate their educational journeys and consider their future careers.
A huge congratulations to our Lower 6 students for delivering such an inspiring and meaningful event. Opportunities like this allow them to step up, take the lead, and create something truly impactful—while shining a spotlight on female voices and achievements.
We thank all speakers and attendees for making this year’s event a tremendous success, and look forward to seeing how these pioneers of progress continue to lead the way.