Outspoken
'Finding Your Voice'

Empowering women* through specialized courses in public speaking, debating, negotiation, and critical thinking. Our biannual program, Outspoken, aims to strengthen skills in verbal expression and self-confidence. We welcome AFAB, BIPOC, non-binary, and those with a trans experience/history to join us on this significant journey.

Sponsor Outspoken

Outspoken Leaders

Sophie Otton

One of Australia’s foremost sommeliers, Sophie is a wine writer and senior wine show judge. She is a Len Evans Scholar, recipient of a Negociants 'Working with Wine' Fellowship, winner of the Judy Hirst Award for Australian Wine List of The Year and two-time finalist in the Vin de Champagne Awards. Presently, she owns and operates She Loves You, a wine and cocktail bar in Newtown.

Bridget Raffal

With over 15 years’ experience, Bridget is a restaurant and wine consultant, sommelier and wine judge. She is the current Vice President of Sommeliers Australia, and in 2021 co-founded WaR. Two-time winner of the Sommelier’s Choice Award, Bridget was formerly the Head Sommelier of Sixpenny Restaurant, where she helped to secure the venue’s highly coveted third hat. She now owns

and operates Where’s Nick Wine Bar in Marrickville.

Jane Faulkner

A journalist by training and wine writer by vocation, Jane has worked in print, television and radio. She has

written for The Age newspaper in Melbourne and Halliday magazine and is a contributor to the Halliday Wine Companion and Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book. She is a sought-after speaker and wine educator, in addition to judging and chairing several wine shows.

Bridget Raffal - President and Co-Founder of WaR

“Outspoken is key to driving real and long-overdue change in the industry and beyond. Following the success of the two pilot programs in 2023 and current trajectory, Outspoken is poised to become the premier learning program in its domain.”

Find Your Voice

To nurture and develop the individual voice.

Addressing Challenges Faced By Women

To help you to better navigate the challenges of professional life.

Get What You Need and Deserve

To equip women to successfully advocate for a position or desired outcome.

How Did It Come About?

Founder Sophie Otton is a sommelier and wine industry professional with 25 years’ experience working at the highest levels of the Australian wine and restaurant community.

In recent years, Sophie found herself reflecting on her career and experiences working in the wine and hospitality

industries.

While, on the whole, it had been a fulfilling journey, there were inevitably instances where she was

exposed to sexism, bullying, exclusion and wage disparity.

She wondered how, as a young woman, she was expected to deal with the emotional and financial impact that

comes with that.

Looking back, she wished she had been more equipped to cope with this discrimination and

fight for better outcomes for herself.

She Found Herself Thinking...

What if there was an initiative that prepared people for some of the challenges of professional life? An education program that helped women secure better terms and conditions through training in public speaking, argument, debate and negotiation?

What if that training extended to helping and supporting others by learning how to identify and tackle instances of discrimination and inequality in the workplace?

These reflections inspired the idea of Outspoken, a forum designed to build women’s confidence in speaking up on matters that affect their well-being, prosperity and happiness.

This initiative coincided with establishment of Women and Revolution (WaR), an enterprise aimed at overcoming gender inequality in the wine sector through education, coaching, community and buddy programs.

This fortuitous timing resulted in the actualization of Outspoken as a collaboration between Sophie and WaR.

Outspoken Programs

Build confidence in self-advocacy and foster your leadership capabilities.

Session 1: Self-Advocacy

Session 2: Influence Without Authority

Outspoken 5.0 - July 2025

Conducted by with Mel Cheng MBA, JD, BMus

Mel has been a lecturer and course convenor at the Australian Institute of Music specialising in music business and law. Prior to law, Mel had a longstanding career in the music industry working as an Artist Manager for a number of high-profile Australian acts.

Outspoken 4.0

We hosted a webinar through OUTSPOKEN with Kate McDonald, the Policy Director of Positive Duty, and Natalie Greenfield, the Principal Investigator/Conciliator at the Human Rights Commission. The hour-long webinar was a guide to understanding the Positive Duty (introduced into the Sex Discrimination Act in 2022) and the Investigations and Complaints System through the Human Rights Commission. It was designed for people within the hospitality and wine sector who want to ensure their staff are clear on what constitutes sexual harassment, alongside resources to improve standards of best, safe, and inclusive practice.

You can watch the recording here.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Why sponsor Outspoken and what benefits would you derive?

Beyond publicly acting to dismantle gender discrimination, some of the key sponsorship opportunities for 2025 include:

 Advertisement and logo inclusion in Outspoken promotional materials
 Logo inclusion on WaR website, printed material, advertising and newsletters
 Dedicated posts on WaR social media and other digital marketing campaigns
 Opportunity for a representative of your organisation to introduce the courses via video link.
 Opportunities to participate in WaR’s workshops, panel discussions, networking events.

We would welcome discussions with any entity interested in supporting the Outspoken program.

Outspoken 'Finding Your Voice'