Private Sector & Overall: Stella Ipang

Driving Inclusion Through Innovation in Public Health

For Stella Ipang, leadership is about ensuring no one is left behind.

A respected advocate for Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) in Papua New Guinea’s health sector, Stella has dedicated her career to making essential health services more accessible, equitable and inclusive for all communities. Her work is helping reshape how health programs are designed and delivered, ensuring women, children and marginalised groups are better represented and supported.

Working in the immunisation sector, Stella recognised that many routine health programs lacked practical mechanisms to assess and strengthen inclusion. In response, she led the development of a comprehensive GEDSI Action Plan and scorecard assessment tool for Provincial Health Authorities across Papua New Guinea. These tools provide health teams with a clear framework for measuring their performance against GEDSI principles, identifying gaps and implementing meaningful improvements.

Bringing this vision to life required more than technical expertise. Stella worked closely with provincial health authorities, government stakeholders and frontline health workers to build understanding, encourage adoption and embed GEDSI principles into everyday practice. Through training, mentorship and collaboration, she has helped create a stronger culture of accountability and inclusivity throughout the health system.

Her impact extends well beyond her professional role. Driven by a passion for making complex concepts accessible, Stella created the GEDSI EmpowerMe Puzzle, an innovative learning tool designed to spark conversations about equity, inclusion and leadership. The puzzle was showcased internationally at the Tool for Transformation event in Fiji and has helped health professionals, community leaders and organisations engage with GEDSI principles in practical and meaningful ways.

Stella is also the author of My Action Words, a children’s book that introduces young readers to themes of empowerment, confidence and inclusion. The project reflects her belief that creating lasting change starts with the next generation and that leadership can take many forms.

Colleagues and partners describe Stella as a values-driven leader who combines innovation with action. Whether developing national frameworks, mentoring health workers or creating educational resources, she consistently demonstrates a commitment to building stronger, more inclusive communities.

As the recipient of both the Private Sector Award and the Overall Westpac Outstanding Woman Award, Stella’s achievements exemplify the power of purposeful leadership. Her work is creating lasting change across Papua New Guinea’s health system while inspiring others to champion equity, inclusion and opportunity for all.