Inspiring Women

NEXT EVENT:

Work Worth Loving: How Job Crafting Strengthens Energy, Creativity, and Impact

👤 Laura Best

📅 Wednesday 7th October 2026

🕒1:30pm - 2:30pm followed by a book signing

What if the key to unlocking greater potential, creativity, and impact lies in doing more of what we love?

Join author, speaker, and founder of Passion Collective, Laura Best, for an inspiring keynote on how passion can drive innovation, engagement, and performance. Drawing on her corporate experience and over a decade of building global communities, Laura introduces the concept of job crafting and explores how small, intentional changes can transform the way we work, connect, and contribute. Through engaging stories, practical strategies, and evidence-based insights, this session will show how aligning more closely with what energises us can boost performance, strengthen relationships, and create positive momentum for individuals and teams.

This keynote will inspire and empower you to create work worth loving and rethink what's possible in your career.

You will:

Understand what passion really is and how it can enhance performance and wellbeing without leading to burnout.
Learn the principles of job crafting and how to apply them in your current role.
Explore the three types of job crafting and use them to shape a more fulfilling work experience.

Laura Best is a Warwick alumna, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and founder of Passion CollectiveLink opens in a new window, a global community helping professionals reconnect with what energises them at work and in life. A former marketing leader, Laura has inspired thousands through her talks, events, and bestselling book Born to Buzz (2025), combining practical insight with humour and authenticity.

Meet-and-greet and book signing

Continue the conversation with Laura after the keynote. If you would like your copy of Born to Buzz signed, please purchase it before the event and bring it with you, as copies will not be available to buy on the day. Laura will be delighted to add a personalised message.

Our aim

Celebrating achievements, building confidence, shaping futures

Since its launch in 2014, Inspiring Women has supported hundreds of colleagues across the University.

Through inspiring speakers, practical workshops, networking opportunities and peer conversations, Inspiring Women helps colleagues build confidence, recognise their impact, and explore their future aspirations.

Athena SwanLink opens in a new window

To champion advancement of gender equality at all levels in the University.

Excellence in Gender Equality AwardsLink opens in a new window

Created to celebrate individuals and teams making a positive difference on gender equality across the University and share best practice.

Equality Act 2010Link opens in a new window

The Equality Act provides a legal framework to protect the rights of individuals and advance equality of opportunity for all.

The Team

Inspiring Women is driven by a passionate group of staff volunteers from across the University of Warwick who believe in the power of visibility, representation and storytelling. Each one of them brings their own experiences and expertise, united by a shared commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive community.

Amanda Lang

Amanda is Director of Student Experience in the School of Engineering at the University of Warwick. With a background in outreach, admissions and widening participation, she is passionate about supporting students and creating opportunities for learners from all backgrounds. She co-founded the Midlands Widening Participation Forum and is a strong advocate for mentoring, collaboration and professional development. As part of the Inspiring Women team, she enjoys helping colleagues connect, grow in confidence and celebrate the achievements of women across the University.

Simran Panesar

Simran works in Development and Alumni Engagement at the University of Warwick, where she helps build meaningful connections between the University and its global alumni community. Having previously worked in student support and education services, she is passionate about creating inclusive environments and fostering a sense of belonging. As part of the Inspiring Women team, Simran enjoys bringing people together, celebrating women's achievements and creating opportunities for colleagues to connect and learn from one another.

Shera Payne

Shera is Student Lettings Manager at the University of Warwick, where she works with students, accommodation providers and community partners to support positive student experiences and build strong local relationships. With extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and community development, she is passionate about creating inclusive environments and ensuring diverse voices are represented. As a member of the Inspiring Women at Warwick team, Shera is committed to supporting a welcoming University community and helping to showcase the experiences and achievements of women across Warwick.

Marie Diebolt

Marie is an Outreach Project Officer at WMG with over ten years of experience in educational outreach and engagement. She is a member of the University's Children, Young People and Families Network and chairs the Hikikomori UK network for families and carers of young people experiencing prolonged social withdrawal. Marie has a strong interest in questions of social withdrawal, belonging and engagement, particularly in relation to women's experiences in the workplace, motherhood and career development, family dynamics, and young people's transitions into education and employment. As part of the Inspiring Women team, she is passionate about creating opportunities for colleagues to connect, share experiences and explore what helps people flourish at work and beyond.

Claire Boyes

Claire is Head of Portfolio (Research) in the University's Information and Digital Group. With over 16 years of experience in higher education, she has held leadership roles in admissions at both the University of Warwick and Birmingham City University, supporting the recruitment of diverse student communities and the delivery of effective institutional processes. Claire is passionate about strategic innovation, people development and creating opportunities for others to succeed. Outside of work, she enjoys running marathons, fundraising for charity, spending time with her two children, and volunteering as a Community Ambassador for Child Bereavement UK. Claire hopes to help amplifying women's voices and creating spaces where colleagues feel valued and heard.

The Programme

This year's programme invites colleagues to take time to focus on themselves: their work, impact, wellbeing, story and future aspirations. Through a series of interactive workshops, inspiring speakers and reflective conversations, we aim to create space for women across Warwick to build confidence, recognise their strengths, support their wellbeing and take ownership of the next chapter of their personal and professional journey.

Your reflective journal

This journal has been designed as an optional companion to support you throughout this year's programme. Packed with pre-session, during-session and post-session activities, it encourages reflection, deepens learning and helps you make the most of your experience. Use it as much or as little as you wish, adapting it to your own goals and journey.

Programme of Events 2026-27

Session 1

Work Worth Loving: How Job Crafting Strengthens Energy, Creativity and Impact

Explore how small, intentional changes to the way we work can increase energy, creativity, fulfilment and impact.

📅 Wednesday 7 October 2026

🕒1.30pm-2.30pm

Session 2

Your Impact

A practical workshop designed to help you recognise, measure and communicate your impact with confidence.

📅Wednesday 3 February 2027

🕒 1.30pm - 2:30pm

Session 3

Your Wellbeing

Reflective session focused on wellbeing, boundaries, energy and thriving both inside and outside of work

📅 Wednesday 3 March 2027

🕒 1.30pm - 2.30pm

Session 4

Your Story

An interactive and creative session exploring personal journeys, strengths, aspirations and the stories we tell ourselves about success and growth

📅 Wednesday 21 April 2027

🕒 1.30pm - 2.30pm

Session 5

Inspiring Women Panel

Hear from a panel of women sharing their career journeys, challenges, lessons learned and reflections on what comes next.

📅 Wednesday 9 June 2027

🕒 1.30pm - 2.30pm

Coffee Catch Ups

Informal coffee conversations will take place following each session, providing an opportunity to continue discussions, share reflections and connect with colleagues across the University. The dates will be published soon.

Previous Events Previous News

November 2025

Launch of Inspiring Women Mentoring

Our mentoring programme brings colleagues together to share experiences, build confidence and support one another's development. Open to staff at all career stages, it offers an opportunity to learn, connect and grow through meaningful mentoring relationships.

July 2024

Inspiring Women Founder Anne Wilson Retires From the University

Anne founded IWW over 10 years ago when she saw a need to have a women's network group that encouraged the career development of female staff at the University of Warwick. Anne retired in July 2024, and is now a freelance trainer - mostly women's development and career coaching. You can read her blog:

https://thecareercatalyst.co.uk/

2023

Gender Equality Awards Success

The Inspiring Women Staff Group was recognised in the Social Inclusion Excellence in Gender Equality Awards 2023 for its "...contribution to the enhancement of gender equality and a commitment to building more inclusive environments and experiences through everyday behaviours at the University of Warwick."

Resources

Reflective Journal

Download your Reflective Journal to capture key insights, reflect on your learning and identify practical actions throughout the our events. Designed to accompany each session, it will help you make the most of your Inspiring Women journey.

Reflective Journal

Join our community on Teams

Stay connected between events by joining our Inspiring Women Microsoft Teams community.

Our Teams group provides a welcoming space for colleagues to continue conversations, share ideas and access information about upcoming events, mentoring opportunities and resources.

Inspiring Women Teams

IWW Mentoring

Whether you're looking for guidance, support and a fresh perspective, or you'd like to share your experience and help others develop, mentoring can be a rewarding opportunity for growth, connection and learning.

Learn more

University Coaching

Need support to achieve a specific goal or overcome a particular challenge? Coaching may be able to help. Coaching focuses on helping you find your own solutions through structured conversations, reflection and action planning. Rather than sharing advice or personal experiences, a coach will use questions and active listening to help you gain clarity, build confidence and move forward.

Warwick Coaching Scheme

Reading List

Here are some books that were recommended to us by our community. If you would like to recommend a book, contact us at

StaffInspiringWomen@warwick.ac.uk

Designing Your Work Life by Bill Burnett & Dave Evans (2020)
The Squiggly Career by Helen Tupper & Sarah Ellis (2020)
The Three Marriages: Reimagining Work, Self and Relationship by David Whyte (2026)
Time to Think by Nancy Kline (2002)
Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg (2015)
Burnout by Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski (2025)

StaffInspiringWomen@warwick.ac.uk

Join our community

Teams Group