2023 CEA Annual Conference: Building ACE Futures

Jason

Founding Director, Thirriwirri

Jason is an Aboriginal man of the Yuin nation.

In May 2020, he co-founded Thirriwirri, a 100% Aboriginal owned and operated consultancy that supports First Nations’ communities and their partners to build the confidence, capabilities and connections necessary to work differently together and achieve tangible social, cultural and economic improvements in their lives.

Jason held senior executive roles in the NSW public and university sectors for over twenty years, including seven years as the Head of Aboriginal Affairs NSW, where he led Government strategy and reform in Aboriginal economic participation, community governance, land rights, culture and heritage and service accountability. Jason has also held the roles of Associate Professor and Associate Dean, Indigenous Strategy and Services at the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health and Executive Director Culture and Heritage in the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.

Jason has been a member of numerous national and state level councils, executive committees and working groups on Aboriginal affairs, state and economic development, public land management, and social policy reform.  He is currently Chair of the National Indigenous Australians Agency’s Indigenous Evaluation Committee.

In 2018, Jason received the Public Service Medal (PSM) for outstanding public service and in 2019 was made a Fellow of the Australian New Zealand School of Government.  He holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of NSW, studied leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, and is a Global Alumni of the Commonwealth Leadership Development Study Conferences.

Jayne

Principal and Founder JBC International

Jayne Blake is a CEO, Chair and Non-Executive Board Director. She originally comes from a large corporate leadership background and now works with NFPs and SMEs. Consulting with Boards and CEOs, Jayne helps identify and fix key strategic, governance, culture and leadership issues, building confidence, skills and commercially savvy leaders.

In her non-executive career, Jayne is Chair of AUSactive and of Marine & Civil Maintenance Pty Ltd. She has previously been Chair and Director HeartKids Australia and NSW, Chair Audit and Risk Committee, Nominations and several other Board Committees. In her corporate career, Jayne worked for Vodafone in international executive roles including Sales Director, CFO, GM Commercial, and GM Customer Service.

Jayne established JBC International in 2009, specialising in assisting other organisations and leaders to effectively plan for and drive personal and business growth. Jayne’s wide range of skills are honed in her corporate life and consultancy work with clients, ranging from Woolworths and HSBC to small business, industry associations and charities. She has distilled this knowledge to create a set of simple tools and processes delivered with a unique no-nonsense approach.

Jayne is currently undertaking a project to assist CCA member Boards of Directors and especially their Chairs. At the Conference, she will lead a workshop for member Board Directors, a unique opportunity to work closely with one of Australia’s top governance experts.

Dr Michele

Chair of the NSW VET Review

Dr Michele Bruniges AM is Chair of the NSW VET Review and has previously held numerous senior public service positions. In these roles she has demonstrated a comprehensive knowledge and significant expertise in delivering operational and strategic outcomes across the education and training sectors. She is a former Commonwealth Secretary (2016-2023) holding responsibility for education, skills, employment and training during this period of time, has been Director-General, NSW Department of Education and Communities (2011-2016) and Chief Executive, Education and Training in the ACT (2005-2008). She also serves as the Chair, OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Governing Board and recently commenced as Chair for the Australian Institute of Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL).

Michelle

Senior Member of the Research and Data Analytics Branch at the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER)

Michelle Circelli is a senior member of the Research and Data Analytics Branch at NCVER. Having been at NCVER for 20 years Michelle’s had the opportunity to undertake or manage research projects covering a wide variety of issues of importance to the VET sector including the impact of VET for disadvantaged learners, adult language, literacy, numeracy and digital skills, VET workforce development, and industry engagement and governance. Michelle is currently a co-opted member of the South Australian Council for Adult Literacy Executive Committee.

David

Executive Director, Training Services NSW

David provides strategic leadership and management of the NSW vocational education and training market to meet the skills needs of industry, individuals and the community and drives improved job and skill outcomes through apprenticeships and traineeships.

David has worked across the NSW and Commonwealth government in a range of skills and employment policy, regulatory and program management roles. With the NSW Government David has led the successful transition to Smart and Skilled, implemented a number of Aboriginal programs and provides ongoing leadership for apprenticeships and traineeships as Commissioner for Vocational Training. Under David’s leadership over 200,000 training places have been delivered through JobTrainer to ensure NSW has a skilled workforce.

David delivers statewide programs through a network of regional offices with a budget of around $750 million.

Professor Mark

Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor of Political Science, University of Melbourne

Mark Considine is Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor of Political Science at the University of Melbourne. He is best known for prize-winning research on public sector reform, new methods of governance and the street-level delivery of public programs. He and his team have pioneered work on the long-run institutional impacts of different service delivery regimes. Mark has also had a significant career in leadership roles within higher education and as a contributor to policy innovation inside government and in civil society organisations. His Conference session will draw from the findings of his recent book The Careless State: Reforming Australia’s Social Services (MUP 2022).

Dr Deniese

Online Education Researcher and Professional Development Provider, TeachingOnline.com.au

Dr Deniese Cox is known as the go-to source for exceptional online teaching strategies that really are effective. Every research-driven strategy presented by Deniese has been extensively trialled, refined, and proven to work in a variety of settings by diverse educators and learners.

With extensive hands-on experience of her own in the online space, a Masters in online learning, and a PhD in online VET practice, Deniese is ideally placed to help our sector cut through the noise around teaching online.

However, it’s her ongoing commitment to research which really sets Deniese apart. Her current focus on digital skill barriers is a welcome one, and the insights being presented here are not to be missed. Dr Cox will speak on the topic of “Digital skills for education & training: A research-driven, practical good practice guide” at the CCA 2023 Conference.

Matthew

Founder, Educonomy

Matthew Dale is one of the co-founders of two award-winning consulting firms, Audit Express and Educonomy. Both firms are passionate about making an impact and improving the quality of service provided to, and the experience of the end user. Audit Express provides internal audit and advisory services for education, health and care-related industries and sectors. Educonomy is a consultancy firm that focuses on the future of learning and working, education policy, learning design, and digital content creation.

Over the past two decades, Matthew has developed a wealth of experience, knowledge and expertise, having worked as a leader in a range of teaching and management roles and also as a former policy advisor to the Victorian state minister of skills and higher education. This has been instrumental in helping both firms make a difference and impact in their respective fields.

The work of Matthew and his teams at both Audit Express and Educonomy reaches far and wide, both here in Australia and across the broader Asia-pacific region. The work in education undertaken by both Audit Express and Educonomy makes a positive impact on the quality of learning and outcomes for more than 1,000,000 learners across the globe each year.

Donna

Manager Training Products, Mining and Automotive Skills Alliance (AUSMASA)

Donna Dejkovski is Manager, Training Products for the newly established Jobs and Skills Council representing the Mining and Automotive sectors.

Donna draws on 20 + years’ experience in building workforce capabilities to identify and articulate competencies and develop targeted learning solutions and support resources.

She has an in-depth working knowledge of Training Packages and the Australian Vocational Education and Training sector having developed nationally endorsed qualifications and resources across diverse sectors including construction, financial services, aged care and early childhood education.

Donna’s session will take us on a journey to learn how a collaborative of leaders in Australia’s mining and resources sector along with leading educators and subject matter experts worked together to design, develop, pilot and launch an innovative psychosocial awareness learning program for new entrants to the mining and resources sector.  Informed by an evidence based curriculum and learning design, the program creates an engaging space for honest conversations about bullying, racism, and sexual harassment.

Kevin

CEO, Audit Express

Kevin is the CEO & Principal Lead Auditor at Audit Express. He has extensive experience on working in senior management positions across the VET sector & as a board member on health regulation & community organisations. Audit Express is a Melbourne-based consulting and advisory firm with a global reach and provides internal audit and advisory services for education, health and care-related industries and sectors.

Anna

Deputy Secretary for Skills and Training, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)

Anna has extensive experience in both the public, private and community sectors leading policy, digital and commercial projects. Prior to joining the department, Anna was a Senior Client Partner in the private sector, supporting public sector clients on a range of digital transformation, data and technology projects.

Anna has held senior leadership positions including as Deputy Secretary at the Victorian Department of Justice and Community Safety and Executive Director at the Department of Premier and Cabinet, where she was responsible for Victoria’s response to the Royal Commission work on Family Violence reform, NDIS implementation, post -disaster recovery and industry and jobs policy. Anna has also designed and delivered innovative jobs and employment ventures at Social Ventures Australia.

Anna holds a Bachelor Degree in Arts and Law from the University of Melbourne and is a licensed Solicitor and Barrister of the Victorian Supreme Court.

Shauna

Education Designer/Project Manager, POP Education

Shauna kickstarted her career in VET as a hospitality trainer and assessor, later combining training manager into her role and teaching the Certificate IV in VET. An early adopter of e-learning, Shauna has created and facilitated a range of courses both fully online and using the blended delivery model.  She sees course design through the lens of all stakeholders, valuing the needs of adult learners, masterfully intertwining their needs, crafting content that’s both innovative and compliant, all while ensuring facilitators have the tools they need to thrive.

Claire

Principal, Claire Field and Associates

Claire is the Principal of Claire Field and Associates, a consultancy practice offering strategic advice across VET, international education, higher education and EdTech.

Claire previously held senior government positions in NSW and the Australian government, as well as in TAFE NSW and Mission Australia. She also served as the CEO of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training.

Claire is a non-Executive Director of the Australian EdTech industry hub EduGrowth, as well as being a member of the Australian government’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Advisory Group. She is HolonIQ’s Australian education contributor and the host of the ‘What now? What next?’ podcast.

Claire is a Board member of MEGT and the Australian EdTech industry hub EduGrowth, as well as being a member of the Australian Government’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) Advisory Group. She is HolonIQ’s Australian education contributor, is a Campus Morning Mail columnist and the host of the What now? What next? podcast.

Chris

Chief Executive, The Essential Foundation

Chris has a wealth of Chief Executive/Board experience in the not-for-profit sector having been responsible for the delivery of services in a variety of areas including employment and training, mental health, disabilities, out of home care, foster care, family, youth and community development. He is currently the Executive Director of The Essential Foundation, a nationally focused organisation which collaborates with like-minded partners to develop new approaches to positively change the lives of Australians facing difficult circumstances. A current initiative of The Essential Foundation is the Becoming A Worker Program which aims to inform, support and empower people entering the Australian workforce for the first-time.

Kurt

Co-Founding Director, WV Technologies

Kurt is co-Founding Director of WV Technologies an Indigenous high security IT disposal and Ewaste recycling social enterprise as well as co-founder of Worldview Foundation which is an Indigenous charity that provides wrap around support. Kurt has a Masters of Business Law and has undertaken multiple diverse further qualifications.

At the CCA 2023 Conference, Kurt will discuss the social enterprise model that WV Technologies and Worldview Foundation have developed and the benefits it can have for society. Kurt will also provide examples of the strategies used to help Indigenous youth overcome disadvantage and achieve excellence in their lives.

Russ

Incoming CEO, Community Education Australia

Commencing as CEA CEO in July 2023, Russ Hawkins brings three decades of public and private sector educational leadership and deep policy networks as a teacher, CEO, school principal, project manager, executive principal and policy advisor to government and non-government sectors. Russ grew up in Western Sydney and started his educational leadership journey as a school principal in Bathurst district, leading to primary and high school principal roles across NSW and QLD.

His Conference presentation will outline the latest data on how Australian ACE providers over-perform in reaching the most vulnerable and disadvantaged learners, updating previous CEA reports.

Russ comes to CEA most recently as CEO at AIIC Murri School Brisbane, the largest community controlled First Nations school in the country under the inspirational leadership of Chair Mick Gooda; and as Executive Principal of eight YMCA Schools in QLD where Russ expanded VET pathways with the Australian Retail Association for student access to training and employment opportunities across 100,000 shop fronts.

Russ is an awarded Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders and NSW Parents and Citizen Principal of the Year for his community leadership model connecting young parents to adult and community education. In addition to his Bachelor of Education, he earned a Masters of Educational Leadership focussed on education law.

Russ cites his most important and cherished role as a husband to Amanda (a Reading Recovery teacher); together with their two children Laura (a solicitor) and Jack (a real estate agent) they will soon celebrate their 30th wedding anniversary. Russ is deeply committed to social justice, social equity, inclusion and CEA member advocacy in adult education with a focus on emotionally intelligent leadership for federal, state and local government policy influence.

Vanessa

Manager, The Reading Writing Hotline

Vanessa Iles is manager of the ​national Reading Writing Hotline, and an experienced language, literacy and numeracy practitioner.  She coordinates a database of LLN providers and a team of teachers who field enquiries from individuals, organisations, government and industry. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Business and Graduate Diploma of Adult LLN Teaching. She is an executive member of ACAL (Australian Council for Adult Literacy), the NSW Adult Literacy Numeracy Council, and a member of DESE’s Foundation Skills Advisory Committee.

Vanessa is committed to optimising opportunities for adult learners by improving connections between learners, training providers and employers, and highlighting gaps in available provision.

Laurie

Master Trainer, Brain Friendly Training

He is one of Australia’s Master trainers, having built a reputation since 1992 on delivering ‘Skills-based’ Professional Training for Adult educators in how to deliver content so Learners learn and the Learning Sticks.

He brings with him an enormous variety of life and corporate experience, working with groups as varied as QFES, Government Departments, The Banking Ombudsman’s Office, Jockeys, H.R. Managers, CEO’s, Railway Gangers, Students, and Nursing Educators, Medical Consultants and Registrars from some major Australian Hospitals as well as educators in Major and smaller RTOs across Australia and the Pacific.

Laurie promises to ‘walk the talk’.  No fluff – just practical skills. Expect to experience the principles of Brain-Friendly Training in practice and see how it works for you.

These are the skills of delivery that trainers need, and student so desperately seek.

Emma

CEO, HumanAbility

Emma was announced as the Chief Executive Officer of HumanAbility in July of 2023. Emma brings a wealth of experience in the caring and social justice space. She has served as the CEO of the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) since 2013, as well as the Chair of Farnham Street Neighbourhood Learning Centre. Emma is also an Advisory Board member on the Victorian Skills Authority.

Professor Eric

Department of Sociology and Institute for Public Knowledge, New York University, USA

Eric Klinenberg is Professor of Sociology and Director of the Institute for Public Knowledge at New York University. At the CCA Conference, Professor Klinenberg’s presentation will draw from his latest book, Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life. Klinenberg believes that the future of democratic societies rests not simply on shared values but on shared spaces: the libraries, childcare centres, bookstores, churches, synagogues, and parks where crucial, sometimes life-saving connections, are formed. Palaces for the People urges us to acknowledge the crucial role these spaces play in civic life. Our social infrastructure could be the key to bridging our seemingly unbridgeable divides—and safeguarding democracy.

Klinenberg’s first book, Heat Wave: A Social Autopsy of Disaster in Chicago, won six scholarly and literary prizes and was praised as “a dense and subtle portrait” (Malcolm Gladwell, The New Yorker), “intellectually exciting” (Amartya Sen) and a “trenchant, persuasive tale of slow murder by public policy” (Salon). A theatrical adaptation of Heat Wave premiered in Chicago in 2008.

Professor Klinenberg’s second book, Fighting for Air: The Battle to Control America’s Media, examines the how media consolidation and the rise of the Internet have transformed culture, journalism, and democracy. Since its publication, he has testified before the Federal Communications Commission and briefed the US Congress on his findings.

Klinenberg has led major research on climate change and the future of cities. Part of this work involves a sociological investigation of Superstorm Sandy (New York, 2012) and the challenge of adapting to the emerging age of extreme, dangerous weather. “Adaptation,”  an article from this research, appeared in the New Yorker in 2013.

In addition to his books and scholarly articles, Klinenberg appears often on public radio and television. In addition to The New Yorker, he has contributed to popular publications including The New York Times Magazine, Time, Fortune, Rolling Stone, The London Review of Books, Le Monde Diplomatique, and the radio program This American Life.

At NYU, Professor Klinenberg teaches courses on cities, climate change, culture, and media, as well as graduate seminars on research methods, ethnography, and urban design.

Jeffrey

CEO, Scouts Australia Institute of Training

Combining Outdoor Education and Vocational Education and Training, Jeffrey Lehrer is the CEO for the Scouts Australia RTO and sits on a number of industry, education and training committees. Through a variety of paid and volunteer roles in commercial, government, not-for-profit and industry associations he consistently advocates for increased recognition of Formal, Non-formal and Informal learning.

Joanna

Educator and Trainer, joannamaxwell.com.au Chair, Sydney Community College

Joanna has been an educator and trainer for many years, in arenas including university, the VET sector, community college courses, and private and corporate workshops. She has been a director of Sydney Community College since 2016 and was Chair from 2019 until recently.

Joanna ran a coaching and training business for over 15 years, helping mature workers rethink their careers and working with employers interested in multigenerational teams. She completed a Master of Education with a focus on older workers and social change in 2016 and wrote Rethink Your Career in your 40s, 50s and 60s, which was published by HarperCollins in 2017.

Joanna has worked at the Australian Human Rights Commission for six years from 2017, most recently as the Age Discrimination Director.

Ben

Director of Policy and Advocacy, NCOSS

Ben McAlpine is the Director of Policy and Advocacy at NCOSS. He has over a decade of experience in the social sector, including a leadership role at one of Australia’s largest mental health not-for-profits, and as a member of the team at Social Ventures Australia. Ben has a Masters in Peace and Conflict Studies, and is passionate about working together to eradicating poverty.

Jo

President, Australian Council for Adult Literacy

Jo has been involved in adult literacy and numeracy for three decades. She is President of the Australian Council for Adult Literacy (ACAL), and a member of both the Reading Writing Hotline Steering Committee and the Foundation Skills Advisory Group. Her current work includes teaching in VET and at university, developing curriculum and frameworks to support learning, and delivering professional development for people in the community, VET and in business.

With a focus on literacy demands in the community, Jo advocates for plain language and reader-friendly approaches to communicating written information. In 2021 and 2022 she consulted and taught on the SBS-TV series Lost for Words seasons 1 & 2, which raised public awareness of adult literacy in Australia and highlighted the effectiveness of tailoring teaching to individual needs.

Jo loves to read and her passion for adult literacy is based on a belief that the world would be a better place if we could all put up our feet, read a good book, and escape into another world for a while.

Dr Madeleine

Senior Research Officer, Brotherhood of St Laurence

Madeleine Morey is a Senior Research Officer at the Brotherhood of St Laurence. She completed her PhD in human geography at the University of Adelaide in 2021. Her current work focuses on how we can strengthen the skills and training system to cater for and meet the needs of diverse learners. This includes reframing how we think about employability, and consideration of the implications the current vocational education and training reforms will have on young people. She is also currently leading the evaluation of AgFutures, which is testing an innovative place-based approach to the co-design and co-delivery of entry-level employment-based training for young people.

The Hon Brendan

Federal Minister for Skills and Training, Member for Gorton

The Hon Brendan O’Connor MP is the Minister for Skills and Training, a Cabinet position in the Albanese Labor Government. A belief in the benefits of secure employment and quality education and training, as well as a commitment to fairness and equal opportunity, led Mr O’Connor to commence his career in a union. He represented the interests of Victorian workers before becoming Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Services Union (ASU).

He was elected to parliament in 2001 and has since headed several portfolios.
As Minister for Employment Participation, he overhauled the employment services system, streamlining the process to provide a personalised service called Job Services Australia. As Minister for Home Affairs, one of his many noteworthy achievements includes reforming Australia’s anti-dumping regime to encourage fairer and equitable business practices.

Mr O’Connor went on to serve as Minister for Small Business at Cabinet level, the first time in over ten years that the portfolio had been elevated to such a level. Mr O’Connor worked to cut red tape and support growth and jobs through tax reform, including the $6500 Instant Asset Write-off to assist Australia’s 2.7 million small businesses to improve their cash flows and the introduction of Australia’s first Small Business Commissioner.
In 2013, Mr O’Connor was elevated to Minister for Immigration and Citizenship and finished the term as Minister for Employment, Skills and Training. From 2013 – 2019, Mr O’Connor was appointed Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations. In 2019, he was appointed Shadow Minister for Employment and Industry, Science, and Small and Family Business as a member of Anthony Albanese’s Labor frontbench team and served as Shadow Minister for Defence from January 2021 until Labor won the 2022 election. Mr O’Connor has degrees in Arts and Law from Monash University and completed Harvard University’s Trade Union Program.

Sarah

Managing Director, POP Education

Sarah has had a long and illustrious career in the sector. Like the proverbial onion, keep peeling away the layers and you’ll be blown away by her vast knowledge, skills and random interests.

Sarah has worked in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) industry since 2005 across many different positions within TAFE, private and Learn Local training organisations. She has also been involved with many reputable Higher Education institutions.

Sarah manages and consults a range of VET and Higher Education projects, specialising in blended and online training and assessment. She is known for her no-nonsense approach to compliance. She has the innate ability to think outside the box with an incredibly heart-driven, professional approach.

Andra

Social Policy Lead, Equity Economics and Development Partners

Andra is a writer, researcher and policy analyst, currently working as Social Policy Lead at Equity Economics and Development Partners.  She has extensive experience writing and researching on key social challenges facing Australia, including on ‘place’ as a driver of identity and opportunity in health, education and employment, and working to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led policy, service delivery and community development.

Andra has also worked at senior levels of the Commonwealth Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Department of Health and Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.   She is currently finalising a Masters of Culture, Health and Medicine at the Australian National University specialising in qualitative research methods and storytelling.

Her conference session will draw on recent work on how place-based approaches are critical to addressing Australia’s policy challenges and the important role of the adult and community education sector: Where are we? Place-based Approaches to Tackling Community Challenges in Australia.

Ross

Chief Customer Officer, Digital Skills Organisation

Ross Raeburn joined the Digital Skills Organisation in October 2020 as Chief Customer Officer, responsible for orchestrating active communities across industry, training providers, state and commonwealth government. Prior to the DSO, Ross built, led and sold digital businesses in Australia, grappling first hand with the scarcity of digital skills and the challenges of developing a diverse digital workforce.

Dale

Principal, Latitude Network

Dale Renner is a Director of Latitude Network, a social impact consultancy that drives innovation on complex social challenges. He specialises in data analytics and strategy, assisting social service organisations and governments improve their performance and better achieve outcomes for they people they serve. He has been leading the development of the ACE Data Collaboration project, supporting CCA and the 27 participating colleges in sharing and analysing their data for the benefit of the ACE sector.

Saxon

CEO, Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA)

Saxon Rice has extensive experience across the VET and employment services sectors as well as the public policy process. Ms Rice previously held a range of senior government, VET and management positions. She was Assistant Minister for Technical and Further Education in the former Queensland Government from 2012 to 2015, and Chair of the then Ministerial Industry Commission responsible for industry engagement.

Ms Rice is a former Director of Global Business Development for an Australian employment services company and was responsible for significant growth into new countries in the European and Asian markets. Ms Rice has also served in a range of Senate Committee Secretariats, including as Acting Secretary and Principal Research Officer to the Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee. More recently, she was a Member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal from 2016 to 2018 and is a Member and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Ms Rice commenced as a Commissioner of ASQA on 16 April 2018, before being appointed as Chief Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer (initially Acting) on 7 October 2019. With effect from 1 January 2021, Ms Rice was appointed the National VET Regulator and Chief Executive Officer for a period of five years.

Dr Belinda

Chief Executive Officer, Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative Limited

Belinda is a proud descendant of the Yugambeh nation and a passionate social justice activist who has worked as the CEO of Tranby Aboriginal Co-operative Limited (Tranby) since 2012. Previously, she worked as a lawyer for Wirringa Baiya Aboriginal Women’s Legal Centre in Sydney.

Belinda leads the Tranby team who work actively to create educational opportunities and develop effective community projects for and with our Community. Tranby’s overarching vision is to educate Community, encourage achievement and empower our Mob. Tranby has always been a place rich in stories and memories and recently received a grant to make Tranby a Keeping Place of Indigenous Knowledges- a place to make and share our Indigenous stories.

As the Chair of the Rona Tranby Trust, Belinda is committed to working with Community to support the recording and preservation of Indigenous Australian Oral Histories.
Belinda is currently co-chair of the Alliance of First Nations Independent Education & Training Providers (AFNIETP), a national peak body. Belinda and the AFNIETP board work with other Indigenous education organisations to ensure that the educational interests of Community are well represented, and that self-determination and cultural wellbeing is prioritised.

Belinda is a Fulbright scholar and Churchill fellow and holds a Bachelor of Arts (USYD), Bachelor of Laws (UTS) and an LLM and SJD (UNSW).

Carmen

Assistant Secretary, Foundation and Transition Programs, Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)

As the Assistant Secretary of the Foundation and Transition Programs Branch in the Australian Government Department of Employment and Workforce Relations, Carmen oversees the design and delivery of Australian Government foundation skills policies and programs. This includes the Skills for Education and Employment (SEE) program, the Foundation Skills for Your Future Program and Remote Communities Pilots; and the redesigned SEE program. Carmen also oversees the Australian Government’s policy response to the House of Representatives Inquiry into Adult Literacy and work on the Foundation Skills Framework. Carmen commenced in this role in May 2022, after several years working in various skills reform roles.

Carmen has over 17 years experience working in the Australian Government, including working on Indigenous economic policy and program delivery and intergovernmental relations. Highlights of Carmen’s career have included working closely with Indigenous led businesses on the design and implementation of the Indigenous Business Sector Strategy, as well as more recent work to support reforms to the Commonwealth’s Foundation Skills programs.

Susan

CEO, Community Services & Health ITAB

Susan Scowcroft assumed the role of Executive Director of the Community Services and Health Industry Training Advisory Body (CSH ITAB) in 2000. CSH ITAB is an independent, not-for-profit organisation focusing on the development and capacity of the Health and Community Services workforce across NSW.

Community services and health continues to be Australia’s largest and fastest growing employer, and this is reflected across all regions of NSW. In her role, Susan creates and facilitates connections across diverse industry sectors, government agencies, RTOs and key stakeholders. This encourages collaboration with a strong focus on the attraction, retention and development of a skilled, responsive, capable workforce that meets the requirements of employers and their clients.

Jay

Program Director, My eQuals

Jay leads the My eQuals initiative.  Launched in 2018, My eQuals has grown to become the globally trusted and recognised Australian and New Zealand platform for official academic credentials, with millions of students and graduates using the platform in pursuit of further study or employment.

In his current role as My eQuals Program Director, Jay leads the My eQuals Managing Organisation, facilitates a unique whole-of-sector collaboration model that is the hallmark of the My eQuals initiative, and provides strategic leadership to the development of the future roadmap aimed at achieving lifelong learning, student mobility and employability objectives.

Prior to his current role, Jay led the Tertiary Education practice of a large professional services firm, guiding complex transformation and reform programs with many education providers sector bodies and government agencies.

HES is the not-for-profit services arm of Universities Australia, the peak body of the University sector.  HES was appointed by the participating Australian and New Zealand universities as the My eQuals managing organisation.

Adam

CEO and Founder, Visage Growth Partners

Adam is the CEO and Founder of the Growth Advisory firm – Visage Growth Partners.  He works with humble, growth-focused Business Owners/CEOs and their leadership teams to demystify growth and find the way through the challenges and complexities of growing a business.

Having made major contributions in the corporate world for over 20 years in a range of strategic and executive roles, including the running of large businesses, Adam had always felt something was missing. He was looking to live more in line with his purpose and in doing so have a broader impact on leaders around the world.

A proud father of 4 bubbly, vivacious children aged 22 through 11, an avid golfer, and “closet DJ”, he has created Visage Growth Partners to pursue a ‘Just Cause’ of “creating incredible companies everywhere”.  These “incredible companies” will exist all over the world, and lead with authenticity, excitement, and an abundance mindset.  They differentiate themselves from those companies who lead with fear, doubt, blame, and a scarcity mindset.

Certified in a range of leadership, strategy, and management methodologies, along with being a Neuro Linguistic Programming Master Practitioner, Adam has an uncanny knack of meeting companies where they’re at to apply the most appropriate methods to deliver major boosts to their enterprise value.

His clients often refer to him as a “virtual business partner”, reflecting the long-term trusting relationships they experience with him, and the care he shows for THEM and their businesses.  As raving referrers, they reflect upon his role as a strategic, thought-provoking, and passionate advisor who operates with an authentic and engaging style.

With a focus on broad, everlasting IMPACT, he is also deeply fulfilled and energised by helping leaders grow and watching them “multiply out” across an organisation and its stakeholders.  This work builds leadership capability across an organisation and continues to be pivotal in Adam’s clients attaining substantial growth and developing industry-leading, thriving businesses.

Chemène

Learning Specialist & Conference Chair, Blackwater Projects

Chemène is an industry leader in education and performance, drawing on her broad experience as an Olympic athlete, national-level sports coach and coach mentor, schoolteacher, and adult educator to inform her work. She mentors and supports experienced facilitators and assessors with their ongoing professional development and is a regular speaker at conferences and special events. Chemène specialises in TAE qualifications and has written TAE materials used by organisations throughout Australia.

Dave

Senior Research Fellow, Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

Dave has worked extensively across Australia and internationally in adult and youth literacy, numeracy and mathematics education research, teaching, and learning, with a focus on professional development, curriculum, teaching materials and assessment. Dave has wide experience in education, working across schools, TAFE colleges, adult community education providers, universities, national educational bodies and with workplaces and industry. Dave has been involved in the development and writing of the numeracy and maths assessments in the OECD’s Programme in Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) and the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). Dave is currently the Chair of the Numeracy Expert Group for PIAAC. Over the years, Dave has contributed to many Australian state and national curriculum frameworks, including the Australian Core Skills Framework (ACSF), and the numeracy and mathematics domains of adult education certificates and Year 11 and 12 secondary school certificates. Dave is a Senior Research Fellow, Numeracy and Mathematics, at the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) and a numeracy and mathematics education consultant.

Dr Daniella

Researcher at the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) and Honorary Research Fellow at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University

Dr Daniella Trimboli is a Researcher at the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) and an Honorary Research Fellow at the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation at Deakin University. She has worked on a range of inter-disciplinary research projects, including as a Research Fellow for the Research Unit in Public Cultures at the University of Melbourne, and with the Ngarrindjeri Regional Authority at the Yunggorendi First Nations Centre at Flinders University. In 2016, she was jointly-awarded a Universitas-21 PhD in Cultural Studies by the University of Melbourne and the University of British Columbia. Since joining NCVER she has worked on projects exploring provider-industry partnerships and the impact of COVID-19 on VET. Her research interests include qualitative methodologies, multiculturalism, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Daniella is involved with a number of community-based arts projects in Adelaide/Tarntanya, and Melbourne/Naarm, as both a manager and participant.

David

First Assistant Secretary, Jobs and Skills Australia

David is responsible for overseeing the operations of the organisation, including providing strategic advice on the work program, technical advice on analytical products, building relationships with partners and stakeholders and managing operational aspects such as budgeting, recruitment, technology and culture and people management.
Prior to his current role, David was First Assistant Secretary, National Skills Commission. David has held executive roles at the Department of Education Skills and Employment, Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, Australian Treasury, and the Department of Finance and Administration. David also worked as an economist at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.
David has worked in a range of policy areas including labour market policy, vocational education and training policy, industry policy, fiscal policy and public debt management. His governance experience covers several Australian Government entity audit committee roles and as Treasurer of a not-for-profit community organisation in the ACT.
David holds a Master of Economics from the Australian National University and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jess

CEO, Good Things Foundation Australia

As the CEO for social change charity Good Things Foundation Australia, Jess Wilson is passionate about ensuring all Australians can participate in our increasingly digital-based society. With a BA, BScWk (Hons) and Grap Dip Education, Jess has held not-for-profit executive roles for over 10 years with a focus on creating systemic change in family support, education and digital inclusion sectors.

Jess leads Good Things Foundation Australia’s programs across government, corporate and community sectors and has built a thriving national network of community partners who deliver life-changing digital inclusion programs in local communities. Jess is recognised as a leader in Australia’s digital inclusion landscape, advocating for greater awareness, investment and collaboration to close the digital divide for all.

Toni

Executive Director, Anti-Poverty Week

Toni Wren joined Anti-Poverty Week in the new role of Executive Director in early 2019. She was Project and Policy Lead at the Australian Network on Disability from 2015-2018. Prior to that, Toni spent a decade advising leading non-profit agencies across Australia on employment and social policy research, development and advocacy, as well as non-profit management and strategic thinking. Between 1995 and 2005, Toni worked in employment and social policy in Japan, the USA and the UK. During her earlier career in Australia, she was a consultant to a Ministers and Shadow Ministers across the political spectrum and worked for ACOSS and the NSW Welfare Rights Centre. Toni was a member of the National Facilitating Group for Anti-Poverty Week from 2009 to 2018 and has been a member of the Advisory Committee for the Life Course Centre since early 2022.  Toni has a Masters in Non-profit Management from the New School for Social Research in New York, and undergraduate degrees in economics and business communication from Australian universities.

Dr Keiko

University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Dr Keiko Yasukawa is an adult education researcher and teacher educator at the University of Technology Sydney. Keiko’s research and teaching focuses on adult literacy and numeracy, and she is particularly interested in the tensions between policy, pedagogy and practice. Her most recent book is Numeracy as social practice: global and local perspectives (Routledge, 2018), co-edited with Alan Rogers, Kara Jackson and Brian Street. Keiko has also taken leadership roles in the adult literacy and numeracy professional associations, and is currently the president of the NSW Adult Literacy and Numeracy Council.