International Women’s Day will be held on 8 March. So, quite appropriately, the editor of this magazine asked me to focus this column on my reflections and experiences as a woman in leadership. In the spirit of openness, I’ll admit I felt an instinctive reservation to write about this.

Almost invariably, a woman’s account of her career, viewed through the lens of gender, will reference some unpleasant things. Things like sexism, bias, inequity, and even abuse. It is, at times, a discussion which polarises people.

Late last year, I had the pleasure of meeting the APA Retired Members Group. This group of longstanding members have dedicated the last few years to the preservation of our profession’s history.

Among them are people who have shaped the profession and been involved with seminal moments in its history, including the attainment of first-contact rights in 1976, and the appointment of the first physiotherapist president of the APA.

Knowing what employees look for in their ideal jobs is the first step towards encouraging them to stay with your business. A 2013 global survey undertaken by global management consulting firm Kelly Services identified four main factors employees are looking for in their employer of choice:

The Physiotherapy Board of Australia (the Board) along with the other national boards and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) have released new resources to help explain mandatory notifications and when they need to be made. It follows changes by health ministers to the current mandatory notification requirement.

Two months before she died, Brenda Lake was still hosting a meeting of the Retired Physiotherapists group in Western Australia. As a founding member of the group, Brenda was passionate about the profession and she was held in high esteem by her colleagues and patients.