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Sue Anderson
Author - Unshakeable at Work - How to stop taking things personally and start building resilience...' at Good2gr8Sue Anderson, works as a coach, trainer, speaker and author specialising in resilience and empowerment.
Sue is the author of “Unshakeable at Work”, a book that shows you how to stop taking things personally and start building resilience.
A Thought Leader in the areas of resilience building and individual empowerment at work, Sue helps people move from a place of anger and frustration to strength, control, authority and confidence.
Sue’s programs empower employees and her specialty is helping people develop mental toughness so they can excel in the pressures of the workplace.
Sue believes that developing an Unshakeable workplace culture is critical to improving everyone’s wellbeing and quality of life.
Ria Bailes
Managing Director of Bailes PartnersRia is the founding director of Bailes Partners Consulting and has spent 15 years working in private and public sector organisations helping them to get the best from their people. She has executive and non-executive director experience and specialises in improving business performance through effective leadership and people strategies. Before setting up BPC, Ria was an executive director at One Housing who own and manage over 17,000 homes and is a leading provider of care in London and the South East of the UK. Ria has led numerous organisational-wide change programmes and has a breadth of experience leading human resources, corporate communications, training, community engagement and social mobility teams. She has a keen interest in diversity and has chaired the National Housing Federation’s diversity, equality and inclusion group and oversaw the introduction of the Women in Leadership programme aimed at supporting women working in housing to develop top class management skills.
Steve Bevington
Managing Director of Community Housing LimitedAn Australian of the Year finalist, Steve Bevington has been involved in the development and management of affordable and community housing for over 40 years including development of cooperative housing in London, Chairmanship of London Borough of Camden Council Housing Authority, Housing Cooperative Programs in Victoria in the 1980’s to his present role as the Managing Director of Community Housing Ltd (CHL) Group of Companies.
Steve has lead CHL from a one worker organisation to business operations into three of the four regions of the world which harbour extreme poverty. CHL has over 11,000 properties under management in Australia making it the largest community housing provider in the country with operations across six states and nearly 300 staff delivering services to those most disadvantaged.
CHL is engaging in affordable housing deveopment in Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Indonesia, Chile, Peru and India.
He is one of Australia’s leading experts on housing affordability and is on the board of Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA), Australia’s peak body for community housing and is a key contributor to policy advocacy on housing affordability.
CHL has a strong commitment to housing those on low to moderate incomes, Aboriginal and Torres strait Islander Peoples and those with high and complex needs who have been disadvantaged in the market place.
Michelle Bowden
CEO of Michelle Bowden MediaMichelle is renowned for achieving results through learning and laughter. She has a passionate, entertaining, and highly interactive approach to her presentations that ensures behavioural change every time.
If you’re in sales – she’ll show you how to pitch your message with influence so people buy your products or services.
If you’re in leadership – then she’ll show you how to influence your team so they are motivated and inspired to productively live your organisation’s values.
If you’re in customer service – she’ll show you how to communicate with your clients so they feel part of your tribe and supported by your business.
In short – she’s Australia’s authority on how to communicate persuasively for results.
– An authority on persuasive presenting in business.
– One of only 42 female Certified Speaking Professionals (CSPs) in Australia – the highest designation for speakers in the world.
– Consultant to a blue chip list of international clients.
– Co-creator of the PRSI – a world-first, psychometric indicator that tests your persuasiveness strengths and weaknesses.
– A passionate educator who believes learning must be theory-based, entertaining, and highly interactive.
– Renowned for achieving lasting results through learning and laughter.
– Nominated for the past nine years for the Educator Award for Excellence (NSAA).
– Confident she can ensure behavioural change that impacts positively on your bottom line every time.
– Author of the internationally published, best-selling book, How to Present – the ultimate guide to presenting your ideas and influencing people using techniques that actually work (Wiley), and, STOP! Your PowerPoint is Killing me!
In 2019 Michelle helped her clients win over 3 billion dollars worth of business. Her formula works!
Mark Brown
CEO of Dolphin Index (UK)Mark Brown is a thought leader on ‘open thinking’, creativity and innovation.
Mark is the creator of the Dolphin Index, a research questionnaire that assesses whether an organization’s climate and culture are conducive to creativity and innovation. He and his team are currently growing an international database that will compare countries and industry sectors www.dolphinindex.org/
He is a practical academic, researcher, consultant, author of several books including The Dinosaur Strain (for a free electronic copy go to www.markbrown.co.uk/) and creator of the multiple award winning Ideas into Action video series.
In 1996 Mark he was appointed PWC Visiting Professor of Innovation at Henley Management College, UK.
He has a law degree from Bristol University, is qualified as a Barrister-at-Law (Inner Temple, London), studied psychology and tutored masters students in educational psychology at London University and has been an External Examiner for the MBA at the UK’s Open University.
He was appointed as the PWC Visiting Professor of Innovation at Henley Management College (1996-2001) and remained as Visiting Professor until 2006.
He has written numerous articles for journals and magazines including Management Today, Psychology Today (UK), the Literary Review and the Creativity and Innovation Yearbook. He has been interviewed and broadcast on numerous national and international BBC radio programmes, with extensive local radio coverage along with UK TV appearances.
Other books include:
• Memory Matters
• Left Handed:Right Handed
Mark has advised, consulted, and presented to numerous business and academic audiences around the world about how to create more creative and innovative individuals, teams and organizations including Apple, Barclays, IBM, GSK, Nestlé, Johnson and Johnson, Marks and Spencer, the Economist Conferences, Hong Kong Management Association, Management Centre Europe, the Middle East Management Centre and Reed Elsevier.
His passion revolves around helping people be more open and creative. His long term ambition is to become a dolphin, not a dinosaur.
Bianca Chatfield
Leadership, Media and SportMedia presenter/host - Women's Footy (ch.9), House of Wellness (ch. 7), Super Netball Commentator (Ch. 9) and panellist, Offsiders (ABC)
Leadership and Personal Development: Key-note Speaker, Corporate Workshop Presenter, Online mentoring programs - The Ignition Project
A contestant on Channel 9’s The Block, 2018
Co-Author of GAME ON and EVERY GIRL NEEDS A PLAN - Books about supercharging your life.
Board positions: MCG Trust & The Ready Foundation
Seth Godin’s - altMBA #42
Wayne Clarke
Founder of Global Growth InstituteWayne Clarke is the founding partner of the GGI, based out of the UK/Netherlands. From 2007 until 2012 he was the managing partner of the advisory arm of Best Companies, who produce the Sunday Times Top 100 Companies lists.
He began his career at Arthur Andersen and went on to lead employee engagement for BDO, the fifth largest accounting network, who achieved a top 20 ranking in the Sunday Times Best Companies lists. Wayne is an economics graduate and has spent over 20 years helping to improve the performance of organisations through improved people engagement.
He works throughout the world designing and delivering strategic growth focused programmes within the private and public sector. To date he has worked with more than 700 CEOs/boards and thousands of managers in over 30 countries.
Wayne is an international keynote speaker and has been recognised for 4 years by HR Magazine as one of the top 25 “Most Influential Thinkers” in the world. Wayne is a visiting lecturer on the MBA and International Business Masters programme at Cass Business School in London and Dubai.
In 2012 at the New York JCI/UN Partnership Summit, he was formally recognised as a JCI Ambassador for his work in promoting the principles of JCI and the United Nations Foundation; previous recipients of this ambassadorship include former UN Secretary General Mr Ban Ki Moon.
William Cox
Global CEO of Aurecon GroupBill is Chief Executive Officer of Aurecon.
Aurecon operates in 10 countries across the Asia Pacific, with a team of over 5,500 engineers, scientists and advisors and a net annual revenue of approximately A$1.0 billion.
Prior to becoming CEO in February 2019, Bill was eight years in the role of Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand, and has held senior operational positions within Aurecon throughout his over 30 years with the company. Bill’s engineering expertise has been focused on major transport infrastructure projects which he has been involved in across the Asia Pacific and the United Kingdom.
Bill is a member of the Aurecon Group Board and is Chair of the Group Health and Safety Committee. He also sits on the University of Technology Sydney Faculty of Engineering and IT Industry Advisory Board.
Bill is passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion in all forms and is a member of the Champions of Change STEM Coalition.
Bill was recognised by Engineers Australia as one of the Top 100 most influential engineers in 2015 and was appointed as a Fellow of Engineers Australia and the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering in 2019.
Under Bill’s leadership Aurecon received recognition in 2020 as the AFR BOSS Australasia’s Most Innovative Company as well as being named Most Innovative Professional Services Company. In addition, Aurecon’s Project Gilghi was recognised as Best Social Impact Innovation. Aurecon was further recognised by The Australian Financial Review as one of Australia and New Zealand’s Best Places to Work in 2021.
Peter Cullen AO
CEO and Founder of ReclinkThe Founder of Reclink Australia, Peter has served as a Director since 1990. Having initially trained for Catholic Priesthood and working for the Sacred Heart Mission for over 15 years, Peter has always been passionate about improving the lives of people experieicing disadvantage through sport and arts.
An avid Geelong supporter, Peter is married with three children and has been a recipient of numerous awards, including an Order of Australia Medal (2000), Centenary Medal (2003), Sports Chaplaincy Australia Award for Compassion in Sport (2011), Sports Star of the Year (Southern Region Services to Sport (2001) and Tattersall’s Award for Enterprise and Achievement (1997).
Peter Cullen AO
CEO and Founder of ReclinkThe Founder of Reclink Australia, Peter has served as a Director since 1990. Having initially trained for Catholic Priesthood and working for the Sacred Heart Mission for over 15 years, Peter has always been passionate about improving the lives of people experieicing disadvantage through sport and arts.
An avid Geelong supporter, Peter is married with three children and has been a recipient of numerous awards, including an Order of Australia Medal (2000), Centenary Medal (2003), Sports Chaplaincy Australia Award for Compassion in Sport (2011), Sports Star of the Year (Southern Region Services to Sport (2001) and Tattersall’s Award for Enterprise and Achievement (1997).
Michelle Gegenhuber
Executive General Manager, Housing at AnglicareSA HousingMichelle is a passionate and highly motivated Executive with extensive experience in strategy, business development and project management. Michelle has strong skills and networks from a range of diverse roles in commercial property, local government and not for profit sectors.
Strengths include leadership and management, business growth, communication, project management and creating a positive and results orientated culture.
Sunny Grosso
Culture Chief at Delivering happinessunny Grooso is a happiness coach and global culture consultant on a mission to inspire others to live BIG by being true to themselves and following their purpose. She is passionate about realizing this through positive work cultures.
She held key developmental roles in several business start-ups before becoming a founding member of the Delivering Happiness (DH) coach|sulting team.
As the Culture Chief at DH, Sunny Grooso co-built the model, developed the approach and led the services team. She is one of the few Core Coaches and is personally responsible for improving the culture at hundreds of organizations around the world.
A global speaker, ORSC and NLP trained coach (Organization and Relationship Systems Coaching and Neuro-Lingustic Programming) with a BA in psychology, Grosso’s got the credentials.
But her real street cred comes from her role as a one of the world’s first happiness consultants and culture experts. She has been an impassioned thought leader in the culture movement and featured in books such as The Decoded Company and publications like Fast Company.
Today Sunny Grosso is a sought-after speaker appearing at events such as Good to Great where she inspires groups around the world with her bright and unique brand of coach|sulting [coaching + consulting]. As one client noted: Sunny is more than a name, it’s how she lives. You’ll see when you meet her : )
Brendan Joyce
High Performance Coach & LeaderBrendan Joyce is a professional Basketball coach and has coached all levels of the game. He has been to 3 Olympic Games with both the Australian men's Boomers team 2004, 2008 and women's Opals team 2016 and 2 world championships for Boomers men 2006 in Japan and Opals women in 2014 (Bronze medal). Joyce was also assistant coach of the Boomers at the Melbourne Commonwealth games Gold medal team. Brendan is a former professional basketball player and head coach of the National Basketball League (Australasia) the Wollongong Hawks and the Gold Coast Blaze.
Brendan currently coaches in the NBL1 competition leading the Ballarat Miners through a successful season.
James Kerr
Bestselling Author at and High Performance ExpertJames Kerr is a bestselling writer, speaker, coach and consultant who helps create high performance cultures for elite teams and organisations. He is the author of the global best-seller ‘Legacy’ which provides a unique insight into the most successful sporting team, The All Blacks – and has worked with some of the world’s most exceptional organisations, from Tier One Special Forces to Formula One teams, Premiership Football managers to Olympic teams, Google to Spotify to Boeing.
His forthcoming book, Where the Earth Meets the Sky, travels to Mount Everest with the Gurkhas to understand what it takes to overcome adversity to ‘reach the top’. It covers themes including adversity and resilience, purpose and pressure, leadership at every level, decision-making and the art of delegation, and the formation of strong, self-directed teams that get the job done. For this project, he spent a month embedded with the legendary British Gurkhas in Everest Base Camp as they attempted to summit.
He asks: What do all great teams have in common? What is the Being of Team? How does change happen? How can you create a culture of initiative, innovation and adaptation? How have we got leadership upside down? How do leaders create leaders? How do they create common cause? How do you prepare for and perform under pressure? How do you make your teammates better? How can culture create competitive advantage? And – what will your legacy be?
Jonas Koffler
NY Times Best Selling Author, Growth advisor and Founder of LADA LabsJonas Koffler is the New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestselling coauthor of
HUSTLE: The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum
(Rodale Books), which has been published in more than 10 languages globally. He is co-founder at Lada Labs, principal at Influence Works, and was a founding partner of Radical Wellness Inc., as well as an award-winning media producer, writer, and partner at storytelling boutique Koffler Pictures in Austin, Texas. He suffered a massive stroke while at work in his 20s, recovered and rewrote his life story, becoming a bestselling author and successful entrepreneur.
His has written for the The New York Times and been featured in outlets such as National Publc Radio (NPR), MarketPlace, FastCompany, Time, Yahoo!, Fortune and Success Magazines. He regularly speaks at conferences like SXSW, FestForums and the Future of Work, and at venues like The Wharton Club on topics ranging from personal innovation, risk and creativity to self-care and building conscious communities. Jonas advises organizations in fintech, health and education, Fortune 500 and nonprofit organizations, and notable thought leaders. He has contributed to award-winning films, bestselling books and social innovation projects globally. He is currently at work developing his next book, along with a documentary on musicians and mental health, and growing a Health-Tech startup focused on improving individual and collective wellbeing.
He and his family live in Austin, Texas.
Scott Langford
CEO of SGCHScott believes that running a good business can be a force for good. His executive career has been focused on housing and development, and as Group CEO of SGCH he leads a team of over 220 staff who provide a place to call home for more than 11,700 residents in 6,700 homes.
Applying a business head and a social heart, Scott and his team provide housing services and management of $3.2 billion of assets and are delivering a $500 million development program providing over 1000 new social and affordable homes.
Since joining SGCH in 2016, Scott and his team have secured over $450 million of financing commitments and major transactions have included the Social and Affordable Housing Fund Phase 1 and Phase 2, and the Social Housing Management Transfer program. Prior to joining SGCH Scott held senior roles in community housing and the private sector in property development.
He has served on numerous industry Boards and advisory groups including as Chair of the International Housing Partnership and PowerHousing Australia. He is currently a member of the NSW Community Housing Industry Council, a Director of CHIA NSW and a Director of PowerHousing Australia.
Carrie-Ann Leeson
CEO of Lifeline CanberraExecutive MBA, GAICD, Experienced Chief Executive Officer with a demonstrated history of working in the health care industry.
Strong business development professional with a Marketing focus in Public and Government Relations, Psychology, and Applied Communication from University of Natal, South Africa.
Nicola Lemon
CEO of Hume Community Housing AssociationAs the CEO of Hume Community Housing, Chair of PowerHousing Australia and Vice Chair of the International Housing Partnership, I am an experienced and committed housing professional, who has the joy of working in a sector I am absolutely passionate about.
As the the CEO Of Hume, one of NSW's largest Tier 1 housing providers I am charged with making a positive difference to the lives of more than 9,000 customers across NSW. I am focused on building a more equitable world – one where those most vulnerable have access to safe, secure housing and services to enable them to prosper and contribute.
I position Hume as a profit-for-purpose organisation – in the conviction that CHP's must be outstanding business organisations first and foremost. Since my appointment in 2008, I have forged a thriving organisation, one that is financially sustainable, focused on business growth, innovation, commitment to purpose, and accountability.
My business acumen, appreciation for data, and ongoing commitment to customer-centric service delivery make Hume a truly contemporary CHP. In 2018, Hume doubled its customer base by securing the largest social housing transfer in Australia. In 2019, Hume was announced as the first CHP to be granted access to a finance deal through the NHIFIC.
I champion consultation with customers, employees, and partners to foster continual organisational improvement. I am committed to providing holistic, long-term solutions that support education, and well-being. Equipping people with a roof over their heads together with opportunities to improve their economic and social well-being has seen record numbers of Hume customers successfully navigate their way into private housing, secure jobs and improved social outcomes.
Hume has been recognised with multiple awards, including Zest Awards for outstanding community cohesion programs, Outstanding Employer of Choice Award from the NSW Business Chamber and I was recently named as an Outstanding Business Leader by the NSW Business Chamber.
I hope to contribute to elevating the sector by engendering confidence in CHP's as being capable of delivering cost-effective and efficient housing and social cohesion solutions. I do this through a number of industry body positions.
Before joining Hume, I held a variety roles in housing associations in the United Kingdom. I led regeneration projects, managed assets and tenancy departments and delivered direct person centered support to customers with complex circumstances, as well as conceiving of and initiating a range of service system programs and projects.
Adam Long
CEO of The Ethical CEOMatt Damon and the Chairman of the World Economic Forum both call themselves fans. Al Gore, Marc Benioff and Jane Goodall wear his socks. Law firms around the world use his software. And companies like Sony Pictures, HP and ANZ bank have been taking his advice for years.
Adam Long is The Ethical CEO. He doesn’t just talk about business, he rolls up his sleeves and builds them.
As the Executive Director of Conscious Step: Socks That Fight Poverty, Adam launched and scaled an international social enterprise. As Founding CEO of Smarter Drafter (legal software powered by artificial intelligence), he took a groundbreaking piece of technology and turned it into Australia’s fastest growing legal-tech company. And as a Partner at consulting firm Step Change, he advised hundreds of companies around the world on business, growth and marketing strategy.
He even sometimes finds time to speak in public, usually about getting results from marketing and creating impactful social enterprises.
And in case you were wondering, he’s based in Sydney, is obsessed with a dog named Bubbles, and has an unusual interest in cloud spotting.
Jamie Muchall
Chief Operations Officer at BHCLJamie is also the President of the ahi: (Australasian Housing Institute)
Yamini Naidu
Director of Yamininaidu.com.auIf
• You never want to hear the words ‘I still don’t get this’ again
• You want to connect, engage and inspire people
• You want to move people to action
• You want people to be on board — to invest emotionally
• You want to translate data so it’s compelling
• You want people awake and listening for your presentations
• You want people to understand and embrace the strategy
• You want to touch people’s hearts
• You crave personal and professional impact
• You want to create a legacy through your work
Then business storytelling is for you. Business storytelling is storytelling with a purpose and for results. Hi my name is Yamini Naidu. I am an economist by training and now the worlds”s only economist turned storyteller. I partner leaders and business owners to achieve results using the tools of business storytelling.
My beginnings..
When I was 10, my teacher Miss Asha asked us to write up a sentence that made sense, but the sentence could only be made up of ten words, and each word could only have 2 letters. We tried and we tried and came up with nothing. My teacher then wrote on the board “If it is to be, it is up to me”. That day my teacher influenced a classroom full of children to think and behave differently, not just in that moment but for the rest of their lives. It was my first lesson in influence and leadership and I was hooked!
Storytelling is as old as time and in terms of influence it is the contemporary tool of our time.
Kathy Rhodes
CEO of Thought AlchemistsKathy’s career started at Anderson Knight, a marketing consultancy working with organisations like Harvard, CPA and AICD.
Brought into The Cancer Council NSW to capture the gold in campaigns such as Pink Ribbon Day, Kathy then headed for the UK where she swapped the not-for-profit sector for the luxury goods one. It was during this time she developed a flare for business strategy, as she helped ridiculously extravagant brands navigate bloodbath competition.
Returning to Sydney, Kathy took a leadership position at Zurich before being headhunted by ING to run an advised marketing portfolio. Kathy then spent a number of years holding senior marketing leadership positions for ANZ. Having made her mark, she continues to be invited back to solve strategic problems.
Keen to return to her agency roots, Kathy joined Step Change in 2017 as a Strategy Director. During that time she helped clients like HP and Mad Mex, to solve their trickiest business and marketing challenges.
Always in high demand, Kathy is an invited judge of the B&T Awards and a regular keynote speaker.
Dr Jodi Richardson
Founder of Dr Jodi RichardsonDr Jodi Richardson knows that at the heart of professional success and personal fulfilment is how we think and what we do.
An educational leader, Jodi supports people to reduce their anxiety, strengthen their wellbeing, live by their personal values, think differently about adversity and achieve lasting happiness.
Her impressive academic and professional achievements in the wellbeing, science and educational landscapes blend seamlessly with her innate caring nature, resulting in an interactive, research based yet heart-warming and hope-inducing event experiences. It's common for participants to leave feeling like an “old-friend” of Jodi’s, flocking to her for one last chat or an effusive thank you at live events.
Jodi is an international speaker, the best-selling author of 'Anxious Kids' and 'Anxious Mums' and a respected media commentator in the wellbeing and parenting space. Academically accomplished, professionally experienced and intrinsically compassionate, she has commented via The TODAY Show, ABC Breakfast, Studio 10, Sunrise, The Age, Weekend Today and more.
Joe Roff
Former Australian Rugby Player, CEO of John James FoundationJoe Roff is the CEO of Canberra’s largest medical charity, the John James Foundation.
Joe is a former rugby union player and Wallaby great. He was part of a golden age of rugby union in which the Wallabies won the Rugby World Cup in 1999. He won the Bledisloe Cup, Tri-nations, a British and Irish Lions series, and was instrumental in winning two Super rugby titles with the ACT Brumbies.
Following retirement Joe relocated to Oxford University, reading Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE). He returned to his home town of Canberra and into consulting in organisational capability. He transitioned into the Not for Profit sector as Director of Workforce Training at Lifeline Australia. Joe then took up a role as CEO of the University of Canberra Union where he was responsible for sport at the University. During that time he managed the UC Capitals to a Women’s National Basketball League championship.
Sunny Shaw
Executive Director at Housing Alliance and Community Partnerships and National NAHRO President of Housing Alliance & Community PartnershipsSunny Shaw was sworn in as President of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) in San Antonio, Tex. on October 11, 2019, and will serve in that position for the next two years.
Seventeen years ago, Shaw started at the Idaho Housing & Finance Association as a receptionist, and worked her way up to become the agency’s Branch Office Supervisor in their Twin Falls Branch. In 2010, she became the Executive Director at HACP. Since that time, Shaw has led her team to increase their voucher portfolio by 20 percent and their units owned or managed by 21 percent. The agency was also awarded a NAHRO Award of Excellence this year for its A Book For Every Child Initiative.
She has earned multiple NAHRO Certifications including the Certified Management Executive (CME) and Public Housing Manager (PHM). At the state level of NAHRO, she has served as the Vice President of Professional Development, Sr. Vice President, and as President. At the regional level, Shaw has served as a Member at Large, Vice President of Professional Development, Sr. Vice President, and as Regional President. At the national level, she has served on the following committees and task forces: Board of Governors, Steering Committee, Professional Development, Nominating and Elections, Housing America, Housing and Education, and Club 21.
Fionn Skiotis
Chair at Community Housing LimitedFionn has over 30 years’ experience in the not for profit sector, in staff, executive and governance roles, working in Australia and internationally, and in areas including social housing, advocacy, community development, disability, mental health and human rights.
From 2009-19 Fionn served as Executive Director of International Social Service Australia, part of the global ISS network based in Geneva and spanning over 140 countries. ISS provides legal and social work assistance to families and children separated across international borders.
From 2001-09 Fionn worked in international human rights in a range of roles, focused on the human right to adequate housing. Previously, he worked in the social and community services sector in Australia. Fionn was the CEO of Yarra Community Housing from 1997-2000.
He has been a Non-Executive Director of Community Housing Ltd since 2001 and its Chair since 2013. Fionn has also been on many other NFP committees and boards and been appointed to several statutory roles. He recently stepped down after 15 years as a Community Member of the Victorian Mental Health Tribunal.
Fionn is also a documentary filmmaker, with two films broadcast on SBS TV. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has a Master of Social Science from RMIT University.
Tom Slockee
Chairman at SEARMS Aboriginal CorporationTom grew up in a Aboriginal and Islander community, who although didn’t have much or flash houses, they cared for each other and shared everything they had. His Dad and Uncles built the first real house Tom knew.
Tom left school at 15 to work for the family. At 17 he joined the Army, after time in the Army, Tom settled in Batemans Bay and found that the Aboriginal People of his wife’s people we’re still struggling to find a place to call home.
Tom started a Aboriginal Housing Company after he couldn’t find a house to rent because of racial prejudice. The Walbunja Aboriginal Elders joined in and we went on to provide many homes for homeless Aboriginal People.
Tom founded and was the inaugural Chairperson of the NSW Aboriginal Housing Office, he then went on to establish SEARMS Community Housing Aboriginal Corporation.
Gavin Smart
Chief Executive Officer at Chartered Institute of HousingGvin Smart CIHCM is chief executive at the Chartered Institute of Housing.
Gavin joined CIH in 2012 as director of policy and practice and was made deputy chief executive in 2014 and chief executive in December 2019.
Prior to joining CIH, Gavin was assistant director of research and futures at the National Housing Federation from 2004 to 2012. From 1999 to 2004 he held research roles at the then-Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, before which he was a research officer at NHF.
Born in Cardiff, Gavin studied public administration at the Polytechnic of Wales. He then gained an MSc in sociology at the University of Bristol, where he worked as a research associate on projects for the Department of the Environment, Housing Corporation, Scottish Office and local authorities.
Gavin lives with his family in Northamptonshire and when work allows enjoys running, watching rugby and walking his oversized rescue dogs.
Donna Stolzenberg
Founder and CEO of National Homeless CollectiveCombining 18 years of working in the homelessness support and not for profit sector. Creator of effective and innovative solutions to homelessness and employment instability for people experiencing barriers to employment caused by personal crisis. Thought leader and creator of practical and effective solutions to housing and employment instability.
Current CEO and MD of National Homeless Collective and 2021 VIC Australian of the Year. Donna works with not for profit and government sectors to effect positive and effective change in creating long term sustainable systemic solutions to homelessness.
Kate Thomas
Founder Kokoro Consulting of Kokoro ConsultingKate is a sort out consultant and facilitator who delivers evidence-based and engaging training that challenges audiences' thinking. Since graduating from University with a double degree in Marketing & Psychology, Kate has spent over 15 years working in, designing and advocating for programs that enhance community wellbeing across various professional domains, including education, sport, corporate and community sectors.
With a background in elite sport, both playing and coaching, Kate is an AIS Basketball Alumna and WNBL athlete. She currently sits on the international faculty of the Neurosequential Network’s NM-Sports Program, an evidence-informed program that focuses on building the capacity of coaches around engagement and performance in sport by focusing on how the brain works, develops, changes, and is impacted by developmental adversity, including trauma.
Kate facilitates programs that focus on Wellbeing and Emotional Intelligence and is often asked to consult on projects and programs for various organisations in trauma-informed practice, organisational wellbeing, and gender equality. Kate is also a Lead Consultant with the Centre for Healing and Justice Through Sport (Formally We Coach) and facilitates training in Australia and internationally, focusing on Sport for Healing, Positive Youth Based Sports Development, and Girls in Sport.
Adrianne Todman
CEO of NAHROAdrianne Todman has served as the CEO of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) since 2017. NAHRO, established in 1933, is a Washington, D.C.-based membership organization of 20,000 housing and community development agencies and professionals who house eight million people in urban, suburban, and rural communities across the country. NAHRO’s advocacy, trainings, and industry convenings are focused on inspiring and resourcing strong and sustainable communities, and preserving and creating quality affordable housing. Ms. Todman has rightsized the association’s expenditures, restructured business functions, brought on new talent, and diversified revenue sources. Ms. Todman has focused on creating a member-centric culture at the association, raising the profile of the critical work undertaken by housing professionals, and advocating for funding and common-sense policy development that preserves and develops affordable housing, and helps families and communities thrive.
Before joining NAHRO, Ms. Todman served as the Executive Director of the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA). At DCHA, Ms. Todman focused on strengthening the agency’s business practices and secured unqualified independent audits each year during her tenure. Ms. Todman implemented a national award-winning model to house homeless veterans, increased homeownership opportunities by 50% for low- and moderate-income families served by DCHA, expanded the number of families affordably housed via federal and local vouchers by building stronger business relationships with private landlords and support systems for voucher program participants, increased the number of affordable units available in sub-markets experiencing rapid growth, and oversaw 12 concurrent large redevelopment efforts with the goal of preserving the stock of low-income units and increasing the supply of units available to a range of household incomes. She prioritized youth empowerment programs, workforce development, and commissioned the first citywide needs assessment of public housing residents. Ms. Todman also worked with community leaders and residents to message the need for local and federal investments necessary to make almost $1 billion in public housing capital repairs in the city’s affordable housing inventory.
Ms. Todman also served in several career positions at HUD. First, as a manager of HUD’s $500 million grant competition that focused on the redevelopment of distressed public housing sites, then as a policy aide in both the Office of Public and Indian Housing and the Office of the Secretary where she worked with staff across HUD’s programs on policy solutions and streamlining implementation. She also served as a legislative director in then-Congressman Ron de Lugo’s office, a long-serving delegate representing the U.S. Virgin Islands where Ms. Todman was born and raised.
Ms. Todman serves on Brookings Institution’s “Health and Economic Mobility” policy group, and Urban Institute’s “Renters and Rental Market Crisis” working group, among many other cross-sector collaborations. She is a frequent speaker at housing conferences across the country and has been called upon as an expert witness before the U.S. House of Representative’s Financial Services Committee. She previously served as Vice-President of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities and a Trustee with the National Housing Conference.
Paul Vevers
Deputy Secretary at Department of Communities and JusticePaul is a Deputy Secretary at the Department of Communities and Justice. He is responsible for social housing and disability services. He manages three of the Department’s Districts, which provide child protection, out of home care and housing services. He is a passionate leader of the government’s on-the-street services to people sleeping rough. Starting his career working with young people with a disability in Switzerland, he moved to child protection in London. He subsequently worked for Fujitsu for three years and then joined the UK Audit Commission. Since 2000, Paul has worked in various regional management roles in NSW in housing and homelessness and became Deputy Secretary four years ago. He is the Department’s lead on the Premier’s Priority on Homelessness.
Ian Wright
Founder and CEO of Disruptive Innovators NetworkIan is the Founder and CEO of the Disruptive Innovators Network, a forum he established in 2018 for leaders interested in understanding and responding to how businesses are being disrupted and where real innovation is coming from.
He has worked at senior executive level as a Director/Deputy Chief Executive for the last 15 years, most recently at HouseMark the social housing sectors data and business improvement organisation.
His expertise lies in building cross sector business experience programmes and leaders’ networks. In his work he has developed close partnerships with the likes of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Telefonica, AO.com and BT.
He led on the establishment of the social housing sectors first crowd funded start up accelerator, Evolve. An innovative programme involving 18 housing providers which attracted over 80 submissions from start-ups from across the world wanting to develop solutions for social housing.
He has a particular focus on business innovation, culture, new technologies and improving the customer experience. He has Directorships with Disruption Hub, a 20,000 strong community of innovators and boutique leadership consultancy, Unforgiving Minute, He is an innovation advisor for LMarks a start-up investment accelerator.
From a social impact perspective, he also supports Social Enterprise UK. He is currently retained by a number of the largest Housing providers helping them build capacity and capability in the innovation space to take advantage of the opportunities that disruption is bringing.