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We’re co-designing a diverse and impactful program for Social Impact Summit 2026.
Interested in speaking? Got a case study you’ll think others will want to hear about? We’re always keen to speak with social impact leaders creating partnerships and impact across sectors.
Get in touch and explore our fantastic 2026 lineup below to see what an amazing event Social Impact Summit is.
David Michell is a lifelong reader and has been involved with Tough Guy Book Club for eight years. Originally from Melbourne, he has been running chapters in Sydney since 2020. David works as Director of Partnerships, developing the organisation’s relationships with a number of different groups and organisations. He brings a varied experience in government, large and small business and not-for profits plus a passion for helping people.
Simon Fenech is the Interim CEO of Fruit2Work, a leading Australian social enterprise and registered charity that creates employment opportunities for people impacted by the justice system. A Westpac Social Change Fellow, Simon has spent almost ten years with Fruit2Work, learning the business from the ground up through hands-on frontline experience and lived experience leadership.
For Simon, success is measured not by revenue alone, but by the lives transformed along the way. Every day, he witnesses people who have been written off by society rebuild their confidence, reconnect with their families and children, and become valued contributors to their communities.
Outside of work, Simon enjoys spending time in the gym, being a proud father to his son, and building genuine relationships with the people he works alongside—many of whom become lifelong friends. He
is passionate about creating a better tomorrow and seeing positive change happen firsthand every day.
A healthcare innovator and leader with over two decades of experience in the Australian and New Zealand healthcare sector. The CEO of CareZen, who co-founded a new venture in 2024 that aims to improve equity of access to healthcare and bridge the digital divide, by designing and manufacturing Australian Virtual Care Pods. Margot is passionate about transforming healthcare and connecting communities to care who lack access where they are, when they need.
Margot believes everyday is a school day, and learning new things keeps her curious. Her curiosity has led her to achieve a Bachelor of Applied Science, in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bachelor of Education, where she spent a few years as a Secondary Chemistry Teacher, self professed “hopeless teacher”, went on to complete her Masters in Business & Information Technology, and now a Founder who is proudly connecting Australian underserved communities to care.
Inspiring unimagined possibilities through leadership development, systems and personal transformation is underpinned by Renu’s 38 years of business, leadership and academic experience. Renu is a highly skilled executive coach and workshop facilitator working across all industry sectors globally and in Australia through her consulting practice Burr Consulting. Her passion is to hold space for leadership with greater social impact and is the proud mother of three daughters who also work in areas for social good.
She has a doctorate from and was a faculty member at the University of Western Australia’s Business School from 1991-2023. Currently Renu is part of the Extended Faculty for the Presencing Institute’s Ecosystem Leadership Asia-Pacific Program and has been on the faculty of the IDEAS Asia-Pacific Leadership Program offered in partnership by UID and MIT’s Sloan School of Management’s Global Executive Development Programs.
Described as an “investigative humourist”, Dan is one of Australia’s most prolific comedy voices, known for work across TV, radio, film and live performance. His career spans programs including Hungry Beast, Insiders, Can of Worms and Tonightly, and he has hosted sold‑out shows at the Sydney Opera House and long‑running seasons on ABC Radio National.
Alongside comedy, Dan brings deep experience as a journalist and satirist working at the intersection of media, politics and culture. He has covered US elections, served as senior satire producer at AJ+, and was Executive Producer of Satire for Fusion/Gizmodo Media Group in the United States.
Dan is also the host of the podcast and live show A Rational Fear, which brings together journalists, comedians, industry leaders and politicians to use comedy to explore big issues including climate change, press freedom and the internet.
Recognised as an Obama Foundation Leader Asia Pacific and a Bertha Foundation Fellow, Dan brings a sharp eye, deep curiosity and an ability to hold complex conversations with warmth, edge and clarity. Exactly what this year’s Summit calls for.
Professor Dix is an Underground Disaster investigator and an internationally recognized expert in fire and life safety and underground collapses. He is active on all continents: a member of the British Institute of Investigators, a member of the specialist Underground Works Chambers, a member of the Victorian Bar, and is a visiting Professor of Engineering (tunnels) at Tokyo City University. He is currently the President of the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association – the peak advisory body to the United Nations on all matters underground.
Professor Dix’s unwavering bravery, steady hand, and expertise in handling critical situations has catapulted him into the biggest feel-good story of 2023, the rescue of 41 miners in the Silkyara-Bardot Tunnel collapse in India. Described as ‘the tunnel guy’ who does anything and everything that is complex with tunnels, Professor Dix was contacted by the Chief Engineer of India and the Secretary for the Prime Minister of India asking for his help.
He is convinced that the underground offers a range of adaptive and resilient solutions to most of the perils facing humanity today.
Paula Cowan is a strategic communicator, project manager and capability builder with experience in government, education and community sectors.
She leads the firm’s operations, oversees client engagements and works with senior executives across a range of sectors.
An expert in change management, communications and organisational transformation, she helped establish and maintain the Redesign Network for NSW Health.
Paula has an eye for efficiency and effectiveness, a good sense of what motivates people to perform, and an ability to translate all that into useful policy and processes. She puts all this to good use developing teams and an organisation that support clients’ strategic vision.
Jude Mazon is the Sustainable Procurement Lead for Macquarie Group, where he helps embed environmental, social and ethical considerations into supplier engagement and Macquarie’s global supply chain.
Pei-Shan Wu is the Chair of Eurobodalla Community Care Co-operative, a worker-led co-operative supporting the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care services across the Eurobodalla Shire of NSW. Pei-Shan is a community practitioner and disability support worker, with over two decades of experience across community services, aged care and social programs.
Through her work in the NDIS as a sole trader, she has built strong local networks, including founding a peer support group for NDIS sole traders that has grown to over 400 members. Pei-Shan brings a deeply community-led approach to social innovation, drawing on hands-on experience in co‑design, grassroots organising and inclusive community engagement. Her work spans disability support, community arts and multicultural initiatives, with a focus on strengthening local ecosystems that enable people and communities to thrive.
Kristen Stevenson is Executive Director, Effective Philanthropy at Minderoo Foundation, where she leads the Foundation’s approach to partnerships, impact measurement and learning, strategic philanthropy, and sector development. Working across Minderoo’s global portfolio, she supports the systems, practices and collaborations that enable the Foundation to achieve its mission and maximise its impact.
Since joining Minderoo in 2019, Kristen has held several leadership roles and has played a key role in shaping the Foundation’s evolution towards more systems-led, partner-centered approaches. She has led significant organisational initiatives spanning strategy execution, organisational effectiveness, impact management, governance, and philanthropic practice.
Prior to joining Minderoo, Kristen spent 14 years in financial and professional services, including seven years as a Director in Deloitte’s Australian Consulting practice and senior leadership roles at Bankwest. She advised organisations across Australia and internationally on strategy implementation, organisational transformation, capability building, and operational effectiveness. Kristen serves on the Board of Philanthropy Australia and is a member of its Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. She is passionate about strengthening the effectiveness of philanthropy and fostering collaboration to address complex social and environmental challenges.
Born and raised in the United States, Kristen holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston University and a Master’s degree in Employee Relations and Human Resources from The University of Western Australia. After extensive international travel, she settled permanently in Perth, Western Australia, in 2002.
Jess Graham-Franklin is Manager, Delivery Impact at Paul Ramsay Foundation, where she leads the Economic Dignity portfolio, working to expand economic opportunity so children and young people can thrive.
Jess has over 15 years’ experience across the not-for-profit and philanthropic sectors, with expertise spanning youth employment, children and families, disability, and public health. She brings a strong systems change perspective, with a focus on policy reform, community-led solutions and cross-sector collaboration.
Her recent work includes supporting investments in evidence and innovation to improve employment pathways, including a partnership with Social Traders and Deloitte Access Economics to assess the costs and benefits of work integration social enterprises.
Jess is also a member of the Australian Government’s Employment Services Reform Advisory Group, advising on the redesign of Australia’s employment services system, and it passionate about translating lived experience into practical reform.
Diana is the Finance & Social Impact Manager at The Bread & Butter Project. A member of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand, with 15 years of experience in public accounting practice, she brings deep financial expertise and strong governance capabilities to The Bread & Butter Project. Since joining the organisation in 2022, she has played a key role in strengthening financial management, supporting sustainable growth, and ensuring the social enterprise delivers long-term impact for refugee and humanitarian migrant communities it serves.
She holds a Master of Economics from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Business and Commerce from Western Sydney University, where she was awarded the 2010 Dean’s Medal for academic excellence.
When she is not working, Diana enjoys walking, strength training and learning new skills.
Samey Minkara is the Founder and CEO of Street Industries, a youth-led organisation known for its place-based approach to youth development, community participation and social impact across Greater Sydney.
Over the past decade, Samey has built Street Industries from a grassroots area into a genuine community movement. The organisation brings together young people, communities, government, business and philanthropy around shared goals, running programs across sport, leadership, community development and social enterprise that have reached thousands of young people across Sydney.
Samey’s strength is in bridging worlds: community, policy, business. He makes things happen. Under his leadership, Street Industries has built partnerships with government, major brands, foundations and local organisations that create real opportunity for young people to participate, lead and belong.
That work is reflected in the organisation’s ongoing partnership with Westfield Liverpool, a long-term collaboration built on trust and a shared commitment to community.
Wadzi Katsidzira is a sustainability and social investment specialist with global experience in management consulting, private equity, international development and government. She is currently the Head of Sustainability at Minderoo Foundation where she works with internal teams and external stakeholders to meet ESG ambitions and achieve mission aligned impact.
Geoff Woolcock is the National Manager, Research & Advocacy, for Edmund Rice Education Australia Flexi Schools, after eight years as a Senior Research Fellow at University of Southern Queensland’s Institute for Resilient Regions. His long-standing work with the public, private and not-for-profit sectors concentrates on developing qualitative and quantitative measures of progress and community wellbeing, closely collaborating with local communities in place-based, early intervention/prevention initiative, particularly with children and young people.
He’s also a current board director of the Australian National Development Index (ANDI, since 2012 and Chair for the past 7 years), Brisbane Housing Company (2009-2025), and Queensland Kids Partnership (since 2023). He also co-established the high-profile collective impact initiative Logan Together.
Geoff’s a father of three adult kids and for his sins, a birth was bestowed fandom of Melbourne AFL Demons, the oldest (est 1859) football club of any code in the world and as he is fond of saying, “…and playing like it”!
Melina Morrison is the founding Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM), the national apex body representing member-owned businesses in Australia. She led the establishment of the organisation to strengthen recognition of co-operatives and mutuals as a vital part of the global economy.
With more than three decades of experience in advocacy, communications and sector development, Melina has worked extensively with governments, international institutions and industry leaders to advance policy reform and improve access to capital for co-operative and mutual enterprises.
She has played a key role in building the evidence base for the sector, including leading national mapping of its economic contribution and developing frameworks to measure its social and economic value.
Melina is a leading advocate for member-owned business models that expand economic participation and strengthen communities globally.
A leader in community engagement and social impact, Pam is passionate about implementing shared value initiatives that deliver positive outcomes for communities and business. Pam builds highly effective networks among stakeholders based on shared goals, with the aim of balancing their often competing needs to deliver mutually beneficial outcomes.
Scentre Group is the owner and operator of the 42 Westfield destinations in Australia and New Zealand. As National Community Manager, Pam is responsible for developing community engagement frameworks and programs across the portfolio. This includes Westfield Local Heroes, which has awarded more than $9.8M to 991 community leaders and established hundreds of ongoing community partnerships over the past eight years.
Katherine Leong is a Chartered Accountant whose career has been shaped by a simple question: how can data be used to drive meaningful social change? Beginning in finance, she saw firsthand how powerful data could be in shaping decisions and narratives. But while designing blended capital structures, she noticed a critical gap—impact data lacked the consistency and integrity of financial data.
This insight led her to explore how technology, analytics and emerging tools could strengthen how we measure and deliver outcomes. Today, as Acting Managing Director at CSnet, she leads work that helps community organisations turn data into actionable insights, improving both reporting and real-world impact.
Katherine brings a cross-sector perspective spanning government, corporate and not-for-profit sectors, and is passionate about centring beneficiaries in impact measurement and collaborative approaches to systemic change.
Ben has established the Office of Social Impact inside Queensland Treasury and is now implementing the Social Enterprise and Impact Investing Roadmap published in November 2025. He has extensive experience working across venture capital, philanthropy, government and impact investing, and has overseen over $250m of PbO/SIBs and an estimated similar quantum of impact investments and grants.
Gillian has worked in care and support sectors over many years including in Local and State Governments and the for purpose sector. Key roles included: for Uniting (previously Uniting Care Ageing) as Director of its aged care business; for the NSW Premier’s Department where Gillian led the NSW Office on Ageing; for Housing NSW (previously the Department of Housing) where Gillian led the team that developed the Home Maintenance and Modification Program for the Home and Community Care Program (now included in the Support at Home Program).
In more recent years, Gillian has immersed herself in understanding the pros and cons of different business models which provided a pathway to working with the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) as a strategic adviser. In this role, Gillian collaborated with Melina Morrison, BCCM CEO, to develop the Care Together program, which is Australia’s first co-operative education and development program in Australia. Funded by the Australian Government via the department of Health Disability and Ageing, this innovative program works with communities in regional rural and remote communities to educate them and support their formation of thriving co-operatives in care and support sectors.
Gillian has formal qualifications in Social Work, Urban Planning and a Masters in Business Administration.
Career Highlights include: policy work in the NSW Premiers Department that resulted in legislation to abolish compulsory retirement and to include age as a grounds for discrimination in the Anti-Discrimination act; and meeting Melina Morrison in the founding days of BCCM and learning the benefits of co-operatives.
Gillian never thought of herself having grandchildren until she was blessed with four babies who now call her GG. Her early work in age discrimination could not bring her to agree to being a grandma.
Rachel is an Associate Director at Deloitte Access Economics, with experience across diverse and complex engagements at the intersection of employment, migration and social policy. She has a particular interest in the role of economic participation in breaking cycles of disadvantage and addressing barriers to education and employment.
Rachel’s focus on economic inclusion sees her lead projects relating to:
Rachel holds a Bachelor of Business with First Class Honours in Economics, from the University of Technology Sydney, where her thesis focused on the policy models to improve gender diversity in Australian listed companies.
Dr Suhair Alkilani is a Senior Lecturer in Construction Management at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Trained as a civil engineer by practice, Suhair has built an academic and professional career spanning construction management, infrastructure, and project leadership, with over 15 years of experience across leading Australian universities. Her expertise includes construction productivity and performance, social procurement, sustainability, ESG integration, and workforce inclusion, grounded in strong industry collaboration. A career highlight has been bridging engineering practice with construction management research to drive meaningful social and economic impact in the built environment.
Outside work, Suhair is a single mother of three (age 21, 19 and 13), expertly juggling work with family life. She enjoys relaxing at the beach, listening to music, and never refuses a good dinner, especially when there’s jazz music involved.
Martin Loosemore is Distinguished Professor of Construction Management at University of Technology Sydney. He is a Visiting Professor at The University of Loughborough UK, an Honorary Professor at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building. He has been an adviser to numerous Royal Commissions and Public Inquiries into the construction industry and is internationally renowned for his work in the areas of construction industry reform, social value, corporate social responsibility, productivity and innovation in construction.
He is one of the world’s most highly cited researchers in the field of social procurement, founded an international community of practice in this field and has been consistently ranked within the world’s top 2% most influential scientists.
Aaron Reid GM Social Value at Ventia leads procurement-driven social value, turning policy intent into measurable, enforceable outcomes without compromising commercial or delivery performance.
Aaron has over 30 years’ experience across the UK and Australia in sustainable procurement, social value measurement, and inclusive workforce and supply-chain reform. He co-founded and co-chairs the Australian Social Value Taskforce, which developed the Global TOM System for Australia, used to define, compare, and manage social value in procurement.
Aaron also played a pivotal role in the relaunch of the Supply Chain Sustainability School a collaboration to create free sustainability learning materials for non sustainability professionals. The schools helps buyers translate their requirements for suppliers to build capability to compete and win more work in the future.
His work focuses on moving social value from intent to impact through clear contract requirements, robust measurement, and evidence-first reporting.
Aaron believes in the need for radical collaboration because there is no one organisation or government who can solve the challenges of sustainability alone and there’s nothing to be gained by competing on issues such as climate resilience, social equity or ethical supply chains.
Paul is an Associate Professor of Accounting in the Monash Business School and the Director of the Mutual Value Impact Lab. Paul is a global expert in performance measurement and evaluation in member-owned and purpose-led organisations including cooperative and mutual enterprises (CMEs) and social enterprises. Paul has published in top academic accounting journals and is a leading researcher in industry-focused research programs at the Monash Business School.
Paul has brought in over A$1 million in grant income from industry partners for research projects. One of his research projects with industry partner, the Business Council of Cooperatives and Mutuals (BCCM) has resulted in the development of a performance measurement framework, the Mutual Value Measurement (MVM) framework, which has been commercialised and taken up by CMEs in Australia, UK and the US. Paul’s research has received global and Australian awards. Paul has worked in senior roles in industry (banking, insurance and consulting) prior to moving to academia.
Hanna Ebeling is CEO at Sefa, working with purpose-driven organisations on capital solutions and capability uplift to suit their needs, helping these organisations build organisational resilience and access finance from a range of impact investors. From traditional banking with HSBC to venture philanthropy in the Philippines, Hanna brings a global practice lens to Sefa.
Her passions include blended finance in partnership with foundations, community-led enterprises, and ground-breaking housing models. She is on the board of disability service provider Woodville Alliance and social enterprise Vanguard Laundry, and as a member of government and sector reference groups contributes to improving for-purpose collaboration between government, philanthropy and the private sector.
Tara is the CEO of Social Traders, a leading industry body for social enterprise and social performance established since 2008. Social Traders certify and support social enterprises to increase trade revenue while also supporting businesses to deliver and report on social performance, the “S” in ESG. Tara has international experience across social enterprise, charities, social innovation and for-purpose intermediaries in the UK, Europe and Australia.
Her career has spanned strategy, business development, innovation, marketing, social impact and cross-sector collaboration at executive and Board level. She holds an MBA and Masters in Social Innovation. She’s passionate about seeing more businesses embed purpose – to create a more equitable and sustainable world, for all of us.
Dr Cressida Gaukroger is an independent writer, philosopher, policy researcher, speaker, and a moderator with the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. Her work sits at the intersection of wellbeing economics, ethics, and government systems reform.
Much of her work focuses on how governments around the world can design and embed long-term thinking and whole-of-government approaches that genuinely and sustainably improve people’s lives.
Cressida writes children’s books about naughty kids who get their comeuppance, and is always open to collaborations on wellbeing policy, ethical leadership, research, writing, and advisory work.
Nathan has over 15 years’ experience in leadership roles across education, marketing, not-for-profit and philanthropic sectors. After an early academic career phase in public health research and teaching, Nathan moved into community-based work designing, implementing, and evaluating government-funded public health initiatives.
Since then, he has led charities working to tackle disadvantage both nationally and internationally. He has also provided strategic marketing consulting to a variety of Australian-based companies and most recently, has helped develop growing major and principal gift philanthropic programs, working with some of Australia’s most significant philanthropists. Nathan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) (Hons).
Nathan was appointed Head of Business Development in 2021 and CEO in December 2023.
Ms Marketa Reeves (M.A.) is an experienced project manager and policy specialist with a strong background in research, policy development, and strategic planning. With over 20 years of experience across government, academia, and cultural institutions, she has successfully led complex initiatives, managed stakeholder relationships, and overseen data-driven projects to improve child and youth wellbeing in Australia. Marketa currently manages the Australian Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas.
Outside of work, she enjoys staying active through fitness and Pilates and walking her Pointer, Rommy.
Currently Australian Unity’s Head of Social Impact & Strategy Manager, Siobhan joined the company in 2013 with various roles across Wealth, Banking and Group Operations.
Siobhan leads the continued development of Australian Unity’s social impact work, including the Australian Unity Wellbeing Index and our wellbeing outcomes measurement framework (the Community & Social Value Framework). The framework applies a financial value to the social impact created by the company and is used by Australian Unity to report its social impact, shape strategic and investment decisions and as a tool to advocate for their Members, Customers and the community.
Recently Australian Unity used this reporting to secure one of the world’s first Wellbeing focused Sustainability-Linked Loans with Westpac, demonstrating commitment to increasing and becoming more efficient in efforts to create positive community return and systemic change.
Adele Stowe-Lindner is Executive Director of Institute of Community Directors Australia, which delivers leadership and governance support to over 370,000 people in the for-purpose sector, annually, across Australia.
Adele has worked over two decades across homelessness, refugee support and educational equity in London and Melbourne. She holds a Master’s in Community Work from the University of London and a Master’s in Leadership from Deakin University. Adele’s career centres on scaling for-purpose organisations for innovation and impact and she currently enjoys serving on three community sector boards.
Steve Williams is a Program Manager at CQUniversity’s Social Impact Lab, co-leading collaborative, multi-disciplinary place-based projects across regional Queensland. Steve has a career spanning 25 years of experience in social design, community development, youth work, and social enterprises.
He is a co-founder of the Queensland Social Enterprise Council (QSEC) and has been responsible for developing national award winning social enterprises.
Steve specialises in working with communities using trauma informed social design as a method, with current work spanning working with neurodivergent nursing students, renewable energy engagement, and the evaluation of a men’s behaviour change program.
A long-time yoga practitioner and teacher, Steve brings a grounded, relational approach to facilitation that honours people participating in the way that is right for them.
Sara Brown is a Program Manager at CQUniversity’s Social Impact Lab, working with communities to bring their ideas to life through social design.
With a background in public relations across regional and remote communities, Sara made a purposeful career shift to community-centred work — driven by a commitment to elevating the voices of those too often left unheard. She channels her understanding of place and people into meaningful, community-led outcomes.
Sara works across the full spectrum of social design, with a particular passion for co-design as a method of genuine community partnership. Her experience spans non-profit program management, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement — ensuring that the people most affected by decisions are meaningfully involved in shaping them.
Based in Cairns, Sara believes in the transformative potential that emerges when communities are given the space and support to shape their own futures.
Bronwen Clark is a nationally respected policy strategist and advocate with a career dedicated to amplifying the voices of communities often left out of the policy spotlight. As Chief Executive of the National Growth Areas Alliance, she leads advocacy for Australia’s outer suburban councils — the fastest-growing regions in the nation — influencing national debates on housing, infrastructure and economic equity. Previously, Bronwen was Managing Director of Thriving Regions, a consultancy delivering strategic planning and public affairs support across rural and regional Australia. Earlier in her career, she represented Australia at the United Nations and World Trade Organisation in Geneva, working at the intersection of international trade and economic growth for developing countries. Known for her clarity, conviction and collaborative style, Bronwen brings real-world insight to conversations about how to make government policy more effective, inclusive and future-ready.
Nova is a youth participant in the Q-SEED Project. They are a young person living in Townsville and has added valuable insights to the co-design process. Nova will be sharing their experience as a youth co-designer in this project.
Jhermaine Capistrano is a Research Specialist at the City of Whittlesea, leading the delivery of the Community Insights Study program, providing critical evidence to guide organisational planning and decision-making. She is motivated about driving better public health and community outcomes, and thrives on the ability to translate data into practical insights.
She has worked on projects across government and health sectors, including the development of harm minimisation policies at a local level, large-scale health and wellbeing surveys, and the delivery of the National Audit of Dementia Care on behalf of NHS England and the Care Quality Commission focussing on improving care for people with dementia in general hospitals
across England and Wales. Passionate about evidence-based practice, improving community wellbeing and enabling healthier, more equitable outcomes through informed policy and strategy.
She once tried cooking a new dish from a new cuisine each week as part of a dinner series because she loves the role food plays in connection, between people, between cultures, across time.
So Pyay Thar (Sop) is a Senior Research Officer at the City of Whittlesea, working on various community research projects that inform policy, planning, and social impact outcomes. She previously led the Community Insights Study and now oversees the program, providing critical data to understand evolving community needs, track changes over time, and support council’s strategic planning and long-term community vision.
She holds a doctorate from the University of Melbourne and specialises in designing and delivering evidence-based projects that explore community perceptions, behaviours, attitudes, and decision-making. Prior to joininglocal government, Sop has worked across academia, government, and international development. She has contributed to projects with the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) working closely with farming communities across developing countries to improve agricultural outcomes through research and innovation.
Her career highlights include leading large-scale community projects and contributing to internationally published research on agricultural systems and decision-making.
Outside of her research, she is a mother of two and enjoys spending time at the beach.
Simon Vaughan leads our team who deliver social impact measurement projects across the world, working with organisations across the government, corporate and not-for-profit sectors.
Simon’s experience includes working in international development fundraising for over a decade across a broad swathe of fundraising areas, raising millions for the organisations he worked for. He is also a theatre maker and has created and performed works for, among others, Sydney Festival, Festival of Dangerous Ideas, and Malthouse Theatre.
He loves when his work with Huber leads to practical positive outcomes for our clients, such as when one of our clients received a multi-million dollar grant from the State Government thanks in part to Huber’s finding.
With over 20 years of leadership experience, Jodie brings a deep commitment to equity and empowerment to her roles as General Manager of Philanthropy. She began her career with a Fortune 200 IT company, quickly rising through leadership roles and earning a Women in IT Industry Management Award nomination. At 26, she became one of Queensland’s youngest female IT State Managers for a billion-dollar company, breaking barriers for women in leadership. After launching a home-based food business while raising her family, Jodie transitioned into Philanthropy, combining her professional expertise and lived experience as an immigrant farmer’s daughter to drive meaningful change for vulnerable women, families, and communities across Queensland.
Anna Woolnough represents Eurobodalla on the Youth Advisory Board at the National Youth Body, where she works to advocate for young people and engage in discussions around youth employment and involvement. She is also currently studying a Bachelor of Architecture and Environments at the University of Sydney.
Her previous roles include serving as a school prefect and participating as a national MUNA speaker. These experiences have helped her develop leadership, communication, and public speaking skills. Anna has also served as a youth representative on her local boardriders committee, where she assisted with event planning and fundraising efforts.
Anna is passionate about roles that have a positive impact on communities, and she enjoys opportunities that involve teamwork and learning. Outside of work, she enjoys snowboarding, spending time at the beach, and seeking out new experiences that broaden her perspective.
Anamlee Griffin is the Youth Employment Partnerships and Governance Lead at the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, specialising in mission-oriented practice, systems change, and lived-experience-led governance. Driven by a deep passion for accessibility and inclusion, Anamlee has dedicated her career across Australia and New Zealand to dismantling structural barriers for young people and individuals with disabilities.
Her areas of expertise include genuine youth involvement, inclusive practice, strategies for meaningful and decent work, and coaching emerging practitioners across the disability and community sectors. Her work focuses on shifting traditional power dynamics to create fairer systems where everyone can thrive. Outside of advocacy and facilitating Circles of Support for people with disability, Anamlee can be found exploring Melbourne’s food scene and balancing this with a love for the gym.
Simon’s career spans film and sound production, creative and strategic direction, customer experience design and digital agency leadership. He has led teams across Australia and New Zealand and crafted work for global brands including McDonald’s, ALDI, Toyota, EA Games and Tourism Australia. An obsessive problem solver, storyteller and music fan, Simon believes technology works best when it bends to fit people, not the other way around. Simon joined EthicAi in 2026, focused on helping organisations find genuine pathways into AI that don’t ask them to leave their values at the door.
Sam Huntley is an Implementation and Engagement Specialist at the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre, where she leads engagement activities across the Youth and Technology team, including the Right Care, First Time, Where You Live program. Her work focuses on improving youth mental health systems through co-design, systems modelling, and genuine community partnership approaches that bring together researchers, service providers, governments, and young people.
Sam has extensive experience facilitating cross-sector collaboration, translating complex evidence into practical decision-making tools, and supporting regions across Australia to strengthen local mental health planning and service delivery. She is also a co-author on published research examining the impact of youth mental health service capacity growth and digital interventions on mental health outcomes.
Passionate about meaningful engagement, Sam is known for her warm, practical approach and commitment to ensuring communities feel heard throughout the research and implementation process. Outside of work, she loves creating memorable experiences for people and hosting events that bring others together.
Tim is a CIMA Member and Chartered Global Management Accountant with over 25 years global experience in financial services and commercial enterprise. He joined ADA as a non-executive Director in 2022 before assuming the Chief Executive Officer role in January 2024.
Through lived experience with a close family member who sustained a traumatic injury leading to permanent disability, Tim has deep empathy and drive to improve the lives of people with disabilities and identifies strongly with ADA’s purpose to empower inclusion and independence for people with disability. His years of experience building high performing leadership teams in the commercial sector are serving the organisation well as he leads ADA through a period of significant growth and impact expansion.
Katherine is the Chief Executive Officer of Fundraising Institute Australasia (FIA), the largest representative body for the charitable fundraising sector in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. FIA’s purpose is to drive fundraising excellence and a culture of professional fundraising through education and training, support and advocacy, and the promotion and protection of the fundraising sector.
Katherine’s professional background includes more than two decades in marketing and communications in commercial, government and not for profit organisations in the United States and Australia including six years in her current role as CEO of FIA where she has doubled membership and lifted membership retention rates and Net Promoter Scores each year. She has headed up the marketing and communications functions for a diverse range of companies including the Association for Data Driven Marketing and Advertising and Special Broadcasting Service, Australia’s national multicultural/multilingual broadcaster and online media company.
A keen volunteer, Katherine has served as a board director for several organisations over the past 15 years. She currently sits on the board and is Vice Chair of PayPal Giving Fund (Australia), the public ancillary fund of PayPal Inc, helping people support their favourite charities online through PayPal and other technology platforms. She also volunteers for a variety of other community organisations throughout the year.
A dual US/Australian citizen, she grew up in Minnesota, USA, where she completed her undergraduate degree in English and a Master’s degree in International Business Management. Katherine is also a member and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mardi is a highly experienced professional with over 30 years of expertise in work health safety and injury management. She is a Registered Psychologist with a Masters of Psychology (Organisational & Human Factors) from the University of Adelaide and has a passion for workplace mental health. Starting her career as a nurse and midwife, she pursued her interest in injury and disease prevention. Now, as a Mentally Healthy Workplaces Consultant at ReturnToWorkSA for the last 10 years, Mardi partners with key stakeholders, industries and workplaces, to foster healthy, safe and thriving
workplaces.
Drawing on latest research and best practice approaches, Mardi and the team provide education and support to workplaces around managing psychosocial hazards and risks, responding and supporting early intervention to workplace mental health issues and creating environments that focus on the positive elements of work that enhance employee mental health.
Emily’s experience in the private and not-for-profit sectors spans strategy, communications, research, international development, investment and philanthropy. She has expertise in strategic philanthropy, social innovation, portfolio impact measurement and impact investment.
Prior to joining Snow Foundation recently, Emily was Social Impact Director at Future Generation, the first Australian listed investment companies to deliver investment and social returns, and was previously the Foundation Manager of Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation. She is a Director of Sefa Partnerships and Chair of Backing the Bold Investment Committee, a Director of Mundango Abroad, a giving fund focused on Papua New Guinea and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Hayley Oakes is a Lived Experience advocate and a Youth Worker in the out-of-home care sector at Life Without Barriers. Informed by both professional and lived experience, Hayley works alongside Healthy North Coast, the local Primary Healthy Network, and has recently contributed to the ‘Right care, first time, where you live’ program.
Hayley is currently completing a Bachelor of Psychological Science, with elective studies in social policy and public health focused on mental health. Through education and employment, Hayley has developed a strong passion for social equity, inclusivity, and improving outcomes for people experiencing mental ill-health. Hayley is deeply committed to advocacy that supports compassionate, accessible, and person-centred care.
Beth’s 30-year career across commercial and education sectors honed her expertise in transforming business processes, scaling operations, and ensuring financial sustainability. With a background as a Chartered Accountant (CAANZ), she has driven impactful change and performance through senior leadership roles.
gpex CEO since 2025, Beth continues to lead through a financial accountability lens with a focus on having effective systems, processes, and people in place to achieve sustainable and measurable growth.
Beth successfully led finance and business operations during a period of significant growth at South Australian miner, Murray Zircon; and at TAFE SA, she oversaw complex financial and operational frameworks, including shifting thousands of students and staff to learn and work from home during Covid.
For the past decade Beth and her husband have also run a mixed livestock hobby farm where she enjoys transitioning ex-racehorses into equestrian pursuits.
Laurie Michel is the Business Development Operations & Partnerships Lead at Creating Chances, working at the intersection of partnerships, funding and systems to help scale the organisation’s impact and support its long-term growth.
Having lived and worked across Australia, the UK, France, Norway, the US and Mauritius, Laurie has always been drawn to environments where different cultures, perspectives and stories come together. Moving into social impact work in Australia was a natural progression, combining a background in stakeholder engagement, strategy and operations with a strong commitment to creating positive social change.
Laurie holds a Master’s in Business Development and an MBA in Management & Leadership.
Outside of work, Laurie enjoys ocean swimming, trail running, cross-country skiing and planning the next multi-day adventure.
Jo established Strategic Grants in 2009 and later launched GEMS – now Australia and New Zealand’s largest online grant-seeking management platform. She leads a team of 35, dedicated to building the capacity of for-purpose organisations to secure funding to achieve their missions.
With a background in business, marketing, IT and fundraising, Jo is a sought-after presenter at philanthropy and fundraising conferences, known for her engaging training style and strategic facilitation.
Jo is also a Founder of Women & Change, a Brisbane Women’s giving circle, Founding Fifty Member of River North Community Foundation and a member of 100 Women. Jo also sits on the Board of The Project Rockit Foundation.
Assmaah Helal works in sport for social change and youth development across Australia and the Asia-Pacific, specialising in designing robust, transformative pathways that improve wellbeing, education, and employment outcomes for young people.
As COO of Creating Chances, she leads their operations and strategy, ensuring their work is practical, sustainable, and aligned with their values. Her focus is on connecting strategy with day-to-day delivery, developing strong teams, and building systems that help them do good work well.
Driven by social justice, Assmaah brings a background in youth work, program design, and community engagement. Over the years, she has co-created local and international initiatives that enable young people (especially women and girls) to access opportunities, build skills, and lead change in their communities.
Kara Bombell is the co-founder of EthicAI, an Australian consultancy helping small and purpose-led organisations implement AI ethically, sustainably, and with real commercial impact. With 20+ years of experience in enterprise operations, business strategy, and creative technology, she brings a systems-thinking lens to streamlining businesses and scaling innovation without compromising culture.
Kara has built a reputation for designing practical models that align AI integration with long-term value, psychosocial safety, and equitable outcomes. Her work spans automation, workforce design, data readiness, and ethical frameworks for machine learning and generative AI.
A vocal critic of performative ethics in tech, Kara advocates for honest, bold change. She believes technology should amplify human potential—not replace it—and that progress must be measured by its ability to build a fairer, more inclusive society.
At her core, Kara is a mum of 2, an astronomy nerd, and deeply driven by a sense of moral ambition and a belief in better futures.
Kristi Mansfield is the CEO and Founder of Seer Data, a for-purpose technology company focused on impact measurement and trusted data for AI. She leads the development of a governance-first platform that helps communities, governments and funders turn complex data into clear, credible evidence for better, more accountable decisions. Kristi is widely recognised for advancing community-led data access, ethical AI, and approaches that prioritise sovereignty, transparency and real-world outcomes.
Before founding Seer Data, Kristi held senior leadership roles at Oracle, where she led go-to-market strategy for the SaaS business across Asia Pacific, and at Nuance Communications as Head of Marketing. She is a published author and was named one of the Australian Financial Review’s 100 Women of Influence. In 2022, she received the Trans-Tasman High Growth and Innovation Award, presented by the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand.
With a background in social policy, Sophie Boyle is the Senior Manager, Implementation and Engagement at Healthy North Coast. Sophie has worked across program management, design, implementation and evaluation – with a focus on place-based initiatives. Her expertise spans strategic planning, community engagement, and cross-sector partnerships.
Sophie has led the development of complex social programs in recovery and regional health contexts, including the award-winning Resilient Kids Program. Her work is grounded in social justice and driven by a commitment to empowering young people and community through innovative, collaborative and evidence-based approaches that build equity and capacity.
Based on Bundjalung country in Northern NSW, Sophie is passionate about community-led climate action, food security, and sustainability, bringing an engaging, collaborative spirit to shaping healthier, more resilient futures. Sophie holds a Master of Public Policy, Graduate Certificate in Mental Health and a Bachelor’s degree in Politics and Anthropology/Social Theory.
Kathy is co-founder of the Centre for Collective Leadership, where she works with executive teams, public sector leaders, and cross-sector stakeholders to build genuine collective leadership capability for complex times.
With 25 years in facilitation, strategy, and organisation development, she designs and leads high-stakes collaboration processes drawing on the Centre’s Poiesis methodology to bring diverse perspectives into productive dialogue and shared progress.
Her career spans the federal public service, 15 years leading a boutique consulting firm, a partner in a Big Four partnership, and a recent term as interim CEO of Catholic Health Australia.
She and her cofounder established the Centre for curious experimentation and to create tools, resources and a body of knowledge to enable and spread leadership, cultures and adaptive change insights and approaches that are fit to our complex times.
Tracey is the CEO of Inala Primary Care and the Sandstone Healthcare Group. She is a Churchill Fellow with many awards for her work transforming healthcare to fight the rising tide of chronic disease and disadvantage. Co-design is regularly used in pursuit of the practice’s innovation and collaborative care agendas. In 2024, Inala Primary Care won a Stronger Medicare Award for innovation in healthcare. Tracey is a co-founder of Cubiko and Co.Design4All and Deputy Chair of the AIHW Primary Care Advisory Group. She is research active and regularly produces toolkits and resources for general practice with like minded collaborators making her a sought after speaker and workshop facilitator.
Natasha is a health and social policy expert with a background in health economics and program evaluation. Natasha has over a decade of experience as a partner leading the health and social policy agenda in two of Australia’s largest consulting groups. Natasha served as a dedicated member of the board of Volunteering Queensland for 8 years. In her professional work she has scoped and costed major initiatives, evaluated many pilots and programs, assessed the feasibility of countless novel interventions and led place-based explorations of options in many communities.
Furthermore, Natasha has delivered strategy, policy, economics analysis, social impact analysis, evaluation, market assessments, performance reporting frameworks, funding models and needs assessments. In working with her clients, she is focused on delivering evidenced based outcomes that enhance the quality of life for all Australians. Natasha is the co founder of Co.Design4All and brings strong capability in complex project delivery, including evaluation, economic analysis, business cases, funding model development and social impact work.
Suzi is CEO of Think Impact and has over 20 years’ experience helping organisations create meaningful social, environmental and cultural value. Her career spans climate change, sustainability and resource efficiency as an Environmental Engineer, and impact management, evaluation and stakeholder engagement across the social sector.
This diverse background has shaped her belief that better decisions emerge when evidence is combined with lived experience. She is passionate about helping organisations recognise and create value in all its forms and ensuring community perspectives inform the decisions that shape strategy, investment and evaluation.
Suzi is an Advanced Level 3 SROI Accredited Practitioner, GRI Certified Sustainability Professional, and holds degrees in Chemical Engineering, Economics and South-East Asian History. Suzi worked with SSI to produce their ESG Strategy.
Dhruv Iyer is a sustainability and social impact consultant specialising in ESG, corporate sustainability and impact measurement. He advises organisations across corporate, government and for-purpose sectors on understanding, measuring and communicating their social and environmental impact. His work bridges sustainability strategy and real-world social outcomes, helping organisations move beyond compliance to embed genuine purpose into their ESG commitments. His career includes roles at Socialsuite, the Australian Energy Foundation, and Royal HaskoningDHV in Dubai. Dhruv holds a BSc in Natural Resources Conservation and certifications including GRI Certified Sustainability Professional, ISSB and TCFD Accreditation, and LEED Green Associate. Dhruv managed the development of SSI’s ESG Strategy.
Meg Allan brings a systems lens to social enterprise and community-led approaches, working to shift the conditions that enable rural communities to shape their own futures.
Initially studying politics and policy, and later completing postgraduate studies in regional development, Meg was drawn to the role of social enterprise as a lever for systemic change. She lives in the remote town of Mallacoota, Australia, where she works with the Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (ACRE), leading advocacy and market development. Meg is co-founder and board member of the Wilderness Collective and a non-executive director of the Gippsland Community Foundation.
Matt Pfahlert is a well-known social entrepreneur with a long-standing commitment to rural Australia. One of Australia’s pioneering social entrepreneurs, Matt is helping to shape regional and rural Australia through igniting entrepreneurship in young people and their communities.
Matt started his first social enterprise in 1993 at the age of 23, working with ‘at risk’ young people in wilderness settings. His passion and drive for positive social outcomes saw him receive the prestigious Young Australian of the Year Award in 1996.
Motivated by a desire to create prosperous, healthy, thriving communities, in 2016 as co-founder and CEO of the Australian Centre for Rural Entrepreneurship (ACRE), Matt led a $2.5M community buy-back of the Old Beechworth Gaol. A neglected Australian heritage icon famed for its connection to Ned Kelly and the Kelly Gang and located in Matt’s hometown. The site is being re-purposed as an exemplar of social enterprise, impact investment and rural rejuvenation through community owned assets.
Royden is a big picture thinker who believes we all have a role to play in shaping a better, fairer world.
As Head of Advisory, Royden is exceptionally skilled at bringing together people, data and insights to drive better decision making and unlock meaningful impact in communities.
Royden holds a Masters Degree in public health and spends his free time planning his next cycling adventure across some of the most remote and spectacular countryside in Australia.