Today, Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV), an annual event held that celebrates the lives, contributions, and resilience of transgender and gender-diverse people around the world, is the perfect day to spotlight Michelle Sheppard — affectionately known as “Mama Mish” — as one of NAWO’s 100 Women in Operations!
🎤 Michelle is a powerful voice for inclusion and equality. Her lived experience as a transgender woman gives her a unique perspective on the complexities of gender, identity, and belonging in the workplace. As Inclusion and Diversity Senior Advisor at the Department of Transport and Planning, she applies her insight and leadership to create inclusive, people-focused operational environments.
Michelle’s work is grounded in purpose and impact. She consistently challenges the status quo to improve processes, uplift others, and embed equity in the day-to-day operations of complex operational industries. In 2023, Michelle was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women as a Change Agent and recognised by the Victorian Museum of Women for her outstanding contribution to gender equity.
🏆 These accolades reflect her commitment not just to advocacy, but to tangible, real-world progress within operations workplaces and industries.
Nominated for:
🔸 Embedding inclusive practices across a large public-facing organisation.
🔸 Leading “Bent Transport,” an industry-wide LGBTIQA+ working group that fosters collaborative change.
🔸 Driving systemic change from policy to customer-facing improvements.
Michelle’s voice, courage and vision continue to reshape what leadership in operations can look like.
🙌 We’re proud to share your story and celebrate your inclusion in NAWO’s 100 Women in Operations!
📖 Be inspired by real stories of leadership and innovation: https://lnkd.in/gM3Khc7F
🌟 Know someone making waves in operations? Nominate them today:https://lnkd.in/gSdBk_5M
You will find the wall of fame HERE and Michelle HERE.
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Original Post:
31.03.25 100 Women in Operations
Michelle is a powerful voice for equity and inclusion across the operations and transport industry. As Inclusion and Diversity Senior Advisor at the Department of Transport and Planning, she applies lived experience to create people-focused, inclusive operational environments. Recognised on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women as a Change Agent in 2023 and honoured by the Victorian Museum of Women, Michelle is driving systemic change and embedding equity into everyday operational practices.
Known affectionately as “Mama Mish,” Michelle Sheppard is a powerful voice for inclusion and equality. Her lived experience as a transgender woman gives her a unique perspective on the complexities of gender, identity, and belonging in the workplace.
As Inclusion and Diversity Senior Advisor at the Department of Transport and Planning, Michelle applies her insight and leadership to create inclusive, people-focused operational environments.
Michelle’s work is grounded in purpose and impact. She consistently challenges the status quo to improve processes, uplift others, and embed equity in the day-to-day operations of complex operational industries. In 2023, Michelle was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women as a Change Agent and recognised by the Victorian Museum of Women for her outstanding contribution to gender equity.
These accolades reflect her commitment not just to advocacy, but to tangible, real-world progress within operations workplaces and industries.
Nominated for:
- Transforming operational culture within the Department of Transport and Planning by embedding inclusive practices, developing cross-sector action plans, and leading initiatives that improve employee and customer experiences across a large-scale, public-facing organisation.
- Establishing “Bent Transport,” an industry-wide LGBTIQA+ working group, aligning multiple transport agencies around shared diversity goals and structured action plans – demonstrating how collaborative leadership can elevate inclusion across complex operational systems.
- Delivering inclusive policy development to system-wide audits and customer-facing improvements, Michelle’s work drives outcomes that bridge advocacy and operations.
Congratulations Michelle, we are proud to share your story and celebrate you in NAWO’s 100 Women in Operations!
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