Sisonke Msimang is the author of Always Another Country: A memoir of Exile and Home (Text, 2018). She is a South African writer, living in Perth, whose work focuses on gender, race, social justice and democracy.

Sisonke has been published in a range of publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Newsweek and Al Jazeera. She has also held fellowships at Yale University, the Aspen Institute, and she was the Ruth First Fellow at the University of Witswatersrand in Johannesburg in 2014.

Sisonke is currently based at the Centre for Stories, where she heads up the Oral Storytelling programme. She has stories with The Moth, and Porchlight, and given a TED talk on Storytelling, which was released in 2017.

Prior to turning her attention to writing and storytelling, Sisonke was the Executive Director of the South Africa operations of the Soros Foundations (known as the Open Society Foundations). In this capacity, Sisonke oversaw a team of one hundred professional staff, working across ten countries and managing four offices with an annual operating budget of $50 million (USD).

Before this Sisonke worked for the United Nations – based first in Pretoria, then managing a global programme in New York, and finally providing technical support on gender issues in the East and Southern Africa regional office of the United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Australian award-winning patented inventor, Stefan Prandl is a thought leader in network cyber security. His previous speaking appearances range from international cyber conferences such as BlackHat Las Vegas to local Perth events like Cyber West and B-sides.

The Founder and current Chief Technology Officer at his network cyber security company, Hyprfire, his discovery of the Power Laws has been the foundation for Hyprfire’s network security solution, Firebug.

With 8 years teaching as a Curtin University Associate lecturer on computer sciences, he has since led workshops and demonstrations on the current state of cyber related topics. An active member of WA based cyber events, his efforts to grow local talent include sponsorship of Student of Cyber and Bsides, locally run events aimed at assisting interested students in the IT space. You can find his published cyber security papers are publicly available, as well as his podcast appearances.

Mark is Visiting Professor for Public Service Innovation at Manchester Metropolitan University (UK). He has over 25 years’ experience in reforming public services, including nine years as a director for a local authority. His innovations around supporting people dealing with addiction and and/or trauma have led to transformative outcomes whilst consuming far fewer resources.

As Director of Public Service Reform at Gateshead Council, Mark pioneered the Liberated Method, a relational approach that focusses upon meeting people where they are and helping them build their path at their pace.

He is now combining academic work and independent consultancy in advising multiple community organisations and UK government agencies in their pursuit of public service reform.

Emma King OAM was appointed HumanAbility’s inaugural Chief Executive Officer in September 2023 bringing to the role extensive experience in workforce and education.

Prior to her appointment Emma served as the CEO of the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS) since 2013, where she played an instrumental role in advocating for social justice and equality. Prior to that, she was the CEO at Early Learning Association Australia (formerly Kindergarten Parents Victoria) working with a broad range of early childhood education and care providers, government, and stakeholders to advocate for high quality, affordable and accessible early childhood education for all children.

Emma commenced her career as a teacher and has also worked as a senior education adviser to the Victorian state government and in industrial relations and training roles.  

Emma also serves on several boards including the Victorian Skills Authority and as Chair of Farnham Street Neighbourhood Learning Centre, having previously served as a Board member of Mental Health Victoria.

In June 2023, Emma was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of her service to the community.

I’m a parent, a partner and a social worker, currently working as the Manager of the Ngalla Wirrin Wungening program. Born in Liverpool, England, my family are Scottish and Irish. I moved to Australia in 2016 and have called Boorloo (Perth) and Wungening home since 2020.

Elsie Blay is the Executive Manager at Ruah Community Services, where she leads a diverse portfolio focused on delivering integrated supports to address unmet. Elsie is passionate about solving complex problems and works collaboratively with teams to think creatively, ensuring that services are aligned with best practice and that outcomes are meaningful and sustainable.

Her approach to leadership prioritises a deep commitment to service integration, empowering staff, and fostering a culture of innovation. Elsie thrives on identifying systemic gaps and translating insights into actionable strategies that drive positive change. She focuses on building flexible, efficient, and streamlined service delivery models that ensure continued impact while supporting the teams to adapt and implement these solutions effectively. Elsie is dedicated to creating responsive services that meet the evolving needs of the community. Through her work, she has led initiatives that improve service accessibility, streamline delivery, and create lasting results for those who need it most.

Alex Jenkins is the Director of the WA Data Science Innovation Hub and Chair and founder of the Curtin AI in Research Group. With an extensive background in AI, Alex is dedicated to advancing the use of AI across Australian business, academia, and the public sector. His work emphasizes leveraging AI to enhance education and improve lives, driving innovation and practical applications in diverse sectors. Alex is committed to ensuring that Australia remains at the forefront of AI adoption, elevating WADSIH to a national thought leader in AI and fostering collaboration to promote AI’s transformative potential for societal benefit. He is also known for his impactful TEDx talk, “An AI Tutor for Every Child,” highlighting the potential of AI in revolutionizing education.

Justine Colyer has over 25 years’ experience in strategic planning, project and change management, working in Europe and Australia in the private, public and not for profit sectors. Justine is a significant contributor to the WA community sector through her work on peak and industry bodies and pro bono work for a range of other non-profit organisations.  

She has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors program and is a Telstra Business Woman award winner. 

Sean is the Director of AI Advancements, a Perth-based AI consultancy that has empowered multiple organisations to lead in artificial intelligence through strategic guidance, training, and the development of innovative solutions. With a background in Applied Mathematics and years of hands-on AI research, he is a recognised expert in computer vision and language models. Sean combines deep technical expertise with practical experience, helping businesses stay ahead in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Associate Professor Rebecca Glauert is the Director of the Australian Child and Youth Wellbeing Atlas at the University of Western Australia. Rebecca is committed to the use of data for public good and has dedicated her research career to democratising data to enable the creation of data-informed evidence for improving the lives of vulnerable citizens. She specialises in linking administrative datasets to explore the life-course epidemiology of health and wellbeing.

Associate Professor Glenn Pearson is a Nyoongar and the Director First Nations Strategy and Leadership at The Kids Research Institute Australia which is located on Nyoongar Whadjuk boodjar. A member of the Executive Team his position leads the implementation of the Institute’s Commitment to Aboriginal Children and Families (2020-2023) Statement. A trained primary school teacher, he has 15 years of experience in senior positions within the Australian and State Governments in a range of areas including health, education and child protection including almost 10 years with the now, Department of Communities (formerly Child Protection).

Since joining the Institute in 2005 he has established a broad program of research including in the areas of youth suicide and mental health, child development and FASD. Glenn led the establishment of The Kids’ Kimberley Office to enable the Institute to establish a permanent ongoing presence across the Kimberley working in collaboration with key stakeholder organisations such as KAMS and its member organisations. This approach provides a model for conducting Aboriginal research in other regions such as the Pilbara and Perth Metropolitan areas.

Currently, Glenn’s primary area of research is in Rheumatic Heart Disease (RHD) where he is the Indigenous Lead for the Institute’s END RHD Program as well as the Australian Strep A Vaccine Alliance (ASAVI). The Australian Strep A Vaccine Initiative (ASAVI) is an Australian-led global initiative with the goal of reducing the disease burden caused by Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) infection through effective vaccination.

Glenn is an Associate Professor at The University of Western Australia.

Tara Gilmour, Executive Manager at Centrecare, is a social worker with over 20 years of experience in Australia and Canada. With expertise in therapeutic family support, child protection, and justice programming, she is dedicated to innovatively combating Australia’s alarming rates of Family and Domestic Violence. Tara’s passion lies in ensuring the safety of women and children while fostering secure and stable futures for families nationwide.

Lachlan Denning (he/him) has a youth work background and is currently the Mental Health Strategic Project Manager at Anglicare WA, driving a Strategic Plan initiative to build mental health support capacity across the organisation and support teams to adapt to the increasing complexity and challenge of the work they do.

Kim Brooklyn became CEO of Parkerville Children and Youth Care in November 2019.

Kim holds a BA, Post Grad Dip Psych., and Masters in Psychology. She has spent over 30 years in the Community Service sector either delivering clinical services to children, young people, adults and communities presenting with complex issues, or designing, delivering and overseeing various community services.

Kim advocates for innovative, outcomes-driven, child/family-focused services that are sustainable and impactful. This includes commitment to the wider community services sector, including as Independent Chair of the Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS) Children Policy Advisory Council.

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Sophie is a near life long changemaker working strategically for a more just and equal world. She grew up on Noongar Boodja and is CEO of Social Reinvestment WA, where she has worked for 9 years; Sophie is a Jeffrey Markoff Fellow for Innovation in Criminal Justice; Founder and Chairperson of Swim for Refugees; WA Young Achiever of the Year 2021; TedX Presenter; And in addition to working to end the over-criminalisation of Aboriginal people in WA, has coordinated national refugee rights campaigns and been a youth worker. Sophie has a BA(Hons) in Political Science & International Relations from UWA.

Renna Gayde is a proud Walbunja woman from the Yuin nation on south coast of NSW. Living on Noongar Boodja for the past 26 years she is mother to four beautiful daughters. Renna studies social work full time at Curtin University and works as a lived experience advisor/advocate across various organisations and institutions. Renna sits on the Mayalup Karla Waankginy Co-Design Group and is the Cultural and Community Engagement Coordinator at Foundation for Indigenous Sustainable Health (FISH) Renna is passionate and committed to driving positive, self-determined change for her people and the community in which she lives.

Steph has over 20 years experience as a strategy, impact management and social performance professional with extensive experience helping organisations understand and improve their social impact.

Steph is impact focussed but sector agnostic and has led and advised ​teams to understand and optimise impact across the NFP, public and private sectors.

With a firm belief that every organisation and individual have an important role to play in creating a more sustainable and equitable future, Steph’s real passion is bringing organisations from across sectors together to solve complex social challenges collaboratively.

Steph will talk about a vision for an Impact Economy in WA, where financial, social and environmental considerations are integrated, and economic activities generate positive outcomes for people, places and the planet.

At Impact Seed, Steph leads the Advisory team partnering with social purpose organisations, Aboriginal corporations, governments and businesses on social impact strategy, outcomes management, evaluation and collaboration. Prior to this Steph established and led the WA consulting arm of Social Ventures Australia, led a strategy and performance team in Rio Tinto’s social performance function and has managed a $200m fund for State Government that aimed to create pathways towards social and economic independence and well-being for Aboriginal people. Steph was also a senior manager for Deloitte consulting, a strategy manager for the largest non-profit organisation in the UK and is a board director for Child Australia.

Bret is an Adjunct Clinical Associate Professor at Curtin Med School, Independent Board Director at Puntukurnu Aboriginal Medical Service and a member of EveryGen.

Bret Pioneered the use of the Canadian Early Development Index in WA, a modified version of which is being utilised throughout Australia as the triennial Australian Early Development Census and for this was awarded Honorary Research Fellow at the Telethon Institute for Child Health Research. Bret co-Chaired the State Mental Health Promotion and Mental Illness Prevention Policy Group and co-convened the Global EcoHealth Network launched by Prof Tony McMichael at the Broad St Pump in Soho.

Bret created the Nest Enhancement Program utilising an infant simulator & modified the model to develop the Virtual Infant Parenting Project with a Lancet article describing its impact by the Telethon Kids Institute. Bret previously Established and Directed the Coastal & Wheatbelt Public Health Unit and introduced Marin Seligman’s University of Pennsylvania’s Depression Prevention Program to Australia. Established and Directed the Gascoyne Public Health Unit and “Healthy Gascoyne” initiatives and managed the first outbreak of HIV in a remote Aboriginal community.

Rhiannon Wright is a dedicated leader in the community services sector, with extensive experience in driving meaningful change and advocating for those most vulnerable in our communities.
With a background in public health, Rhiannon is committed to addressing the social determinants of health and improving access to integrated care and support for people facing complex challenges. She is passionate about leveraging cross-sector collaboration to create systemic change and deliver better outcomes for individuals and communities.
As General Manager, Services and Social Impact at Uniting WA, Rhiannon oversees a diverse portfolio of programs spanning homelessness, housing, mental health, disability, and children and family services. She ensures that Uniting WA’s initiatives are not only responsive to immediate needs but also drive sustainable, long-term impact.
Rhiannon has a strong track record in strengthening organisational capacity, fostering innovation, and developing evidence-based solutions to complex social challenges.

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Helen Mitchell is a highly experienced Innovation and Impact Officer with more than 30 years’ experience across the health and recently social services sector, specialising in health promotion, place based co-design for impact, community engagement, research and evaluation. Helen’s strategy and development work has been with government, private and university sectors at a local, national and international level. All of which is has been conducted with a collaborating for impact lens. The core belief being community benefits most when people and organisations collaborate and are curious and focused on meeting community need. As Chief Innovation and Impact Officer at HOPE Community Services Helen’s work focuses on facilitating development and integration of new services and collaborative partnerships, guiding and informing as part of the Executive team strategic agendas and advocacy to progress missions of HOPE. Helen’s role also includes championing effective quality, risk and governance practices. With a Master of Science in Public Health, a Post Graduate Diploma of Health Promotion and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Helen brings a strong commitment to trauma-informed, culturally safe, and client-centred service delivery. Helen is also a Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Director (GIACD)

Dr James (Jim) Morrison is a Minang-Goreng Noongar Elder, a Traditional Custodian of WA’s pristine southern coast who has passed his strong Aboriginal values to following generations of his extended family. He has been a leader in pivotal Aboriginal community advancement roles for over five decades, working for the rights of the Stolen Generations and their families; Aboriginal child protection; the tragic mental health, justice and suicide issues in his community; equity in access to culturally safe services in State and Commonwealth Governments; Aboriginal Elder (Aged) Care overdue prison reforms; trauma informed healing programs and the formation and management of Aboriginal controlled organisations providing services to Aboriginal families and their broader communities.He has won the John Curtin Medal for services to the community and partnered in winning seven awards in the virtual and Elder Survivor story augmented conservation of Aboriginal Missions in WA.Jim is the current Chair of the WA Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation, a founding member of Reconciliation WA and the architect and initial manager of Yokai Healing Our Spirit. Jim’s favourite hobby is hosting a weekly Aboriginal current affairs program Moorditj Mag on Perth’s RTR FM 92.1, which feeds to Noongar Radio.

Anthony (Tonji) Hansen is a Senior Traditional Custodian of the Wardandi and Bibbulmun people of the Southwest with additional connections with the Minang and Wilman people of Great Southern Noongar and Wagyl Kaip Booja. Mr Hansen is a current Director of Karri Karrak Aboriginal Corporation Native Title group.
Tony was born in Katanning in 1967 and at age three was forcibly removed from his family in 1970 and placed into Marribank Mission Institution for the next fifteen years, known as the Stolen Generation. He was released from Native Welfare in 1985. Tony has utilised his lived experiences as a Stolen Generations man and as a Senior Traditional Custodian to insightfully commit to Aboriginal advancement in matters surrounding Closing the Gap reforms locally, regionally, State and at the national

Alan Carter has been involved in a wide range of reconciliation work for over 30 years in the Political, Government, Corporate, University and Community Sectors. He has worked “in-house” on the development and implementation of RAP programs for a number of organisations including the Water Corporation and Curtin University. In addition, he has provided Consultancy Services to RAP organisations at various stages of their reconciliation journeys.
Alan has been active in advocacy work for reconciliation in Western Australia and was the key driver for the establishment of Reconciliation WA nearly fifteen years ago and was the Inaugural Non-Aboriginal Co-Chair of that organisation. He is a Life Member of Reconciliation WA. He has also been involved actively in advocacy for Stolen Generations Survivors and is currently the Non-Aboriginal Co-Chair of Bringing Them Home WA.
Alan is now in “semi-retirement” but maintains an active role in research and advocacy in relation to Truth-Telling and Reconciliation. He is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth and Justice and is currently working with that Centre to establish a specific research project relating to best practice principles and protocols for Truth-Telling.

Brett Ingram is a Yamatji & Noongar Man, Stolen Generation descendant. Brett is passionately focused on addressing intergenerational trauma and helping our Mob heal. Possessing a wealth of experience and deep commitment to our mission of supporting and addressing the needs of individuals & families adversely affected by policies and practices of separating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples from their family, community, country & culture. With over ten years’ experience as a senior leader Brett has developed & managed many programs supporting Aboriginal individuals and communities. These programs span areas of health & well-being, education, business development, community services, alcohol & other drugs (AOD) counselling, family & domestic violence (FDV) prevention & justice.

Keren Caple Chief Executive Officer, ThirdStory (formerly Innovation Unit). Keren Caple is a system leader and innovator, dedicated to transforming public and community services. As CEO of ThirdStory, she works with governments and organisations locally and globally to design and scale innovation, ensuring even more people benefit from sustainable change. Previously, she held senior government roles and led Australia’s first national education transformation initiative. Keren specialises in creating the conditions for change—navigating resistance, building authorising environments, and shifting mindsets. From co-designing new models of learning in Bermuda to driving transformation in Australia, she helps organisations reimagine how they serve communities and create lasting impact.

Zoe is a systems change proponent, facilitator, and former community lawyer with over a decade of experience who enjoys the challenge of working in complexity. With expertise in family and domestic violence (FDV) and cross-cultural work, she brings a human-centered approach to designing better services and systems. At ThirdStory (previously Innovation Unit), she has led key projects in FDV, Mental Health, and in lived experience strategy and governance. She is responsible for “This Is Manly” – third story’s creative FDV primary prevention initiative.  Backed by higher qualifications in social impact, Zoe is committed to making meaningful, lasting change—working alongside communities to turn ambitious ideas into action.

Louise Giolitto has been part of the Community Services Sector for over 26 years. Louise has a great deal of experience, has lived in the Kimberley and worked in the Pilbara which has given her great insight into the needs of regional WA. Her prior positions have provided Louise with years of valuable experience within a broad range of services in the sector. Experience includes management of homelessness programs, housing, youth services, Aboriginal support programs, employment, education, training, mentoring, drug education, seniors and emergency relief.

Louise has a commitment and belief that the Community Services sector needs collective commitment and leadership to improve the quality of life to community members disadvantaged by the inequities in our society. WACOSS provides the ideal platform for the Community Services sector to support organisations deliver essential services, work collaboratively to advocate to government, raise community awareness, network and share best practice to address the inequities and provide a strong voice for those community members in need.

Nicola (Nicky) Linton has worked as a Senior Clinical and Research Audiologist at multiple WA-based Not-For-Profits. Her outreach work spanned Western Australia and the Northern Territory. She was a Sessional Lecturer and Clinical Educator on the Master of Clinical Audiology course for many years while running a private practice specialising in Auditory Processing Disorders and Counselling.

Currently Nicky is Partnerships, Sponsors and Grants manager at Earbus Foundation of WA. Given her passion for improving diagnosis, treatment outcomes and service delivery in remote and underserved communities, she shares the Earbus mission and commitment to genuine outcomes and impact-driven work.

Mark is a proud Aboriginal Australian with cultural ties to the Nyikina, Walmajarri, and Jaru peoples of the Kimberley region. Raised in the Kimberley and Pilbara and now living on Noongar Boodjar, Mark brings over two decades of experience across the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector, government, and health services. Since joining the Council of Aboriginal Services Western Australia (CASWA) in March 2024, Mark has drawn on his extensive leadership background, including roles as Senior Policy Advisor Aboriginal Health at the WA Primary Health Alliance, CEO of Nyoongar Wellbeing and Sports, and positions within the Departments of Health and Communities. Mark is deeply committed to advancing the aspirations, self-determination, and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their organisations. He holds a Bachelor of Sport and Exercise Science and is a graduate of the Leadership WA Rising Leaders Program.

Jacob is a 30 year old Nyoongar man with family relations to the Collard/Bennell, Thorne/Humes, Garlett/Yarran and Winmar/Indich families with cultural connection to the Whadjuk, Ballardong and Wiilman language groups.

Jacob is a proud father to his daughter Mya who is nearly three and actively participates in cultural activities including dance, language with his family on country.

Jacob was the first Aboriginal in Western Australia to play professional soccer for the Perth Glory from 2012 to 2015 making his way through the youth team and into the first team playing a NIB Stadium.

From 2016 to 2025 Jacob has vast experience working as a frontline Police Officer for the WA Police Force, Assistant Director of Aboriginal Services in Acacia Prison, Aboriginal Practice Leader in Armadale District for Child Protection and Family Services, a Committee Member for the Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee for the Department of Justice and recently Director of Youth Justice Reform for the Council of Aboriginal Services WA.

Jacob is passionate about making practical change for the betterment of all people particularly the Aboriginal Community in WA through respectful dialogue.

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Laurel proudly identify as a Goreng/Menang Noongar woman from Katanning, within the ancestral lands of Wagyl Kaip. Her lineage is rich, with her father having Yamatji heritage and familial connections to Martu through his maternal line. Moreover, her ties extend into the Pilbara and Kimberley regions, thanks to her children’s paternal lineage.

Jocasta is a passionate social justice advocate and highly experienced policy and advocacy professional. Her background spans roles in community services, government, and research, including the Department of Justice, Commissioner for Children and Young People, Shelter WA, DFAT, and ECU. Jocasta is currently the Policy & Advocacy Coordinator at Community Legal WA, the peak body for community legal services. A passionate advocate for a Western Australian Human Rights Act and WA4HRA campaign representative, Jocasta believes in the transformative potential of holistic, rights-based approaches to drive meaningful change and achieve better outcomes for everyone.

Linda is a lawyer and child rights advocate. Her working life has focused on law reform and the rights of women and children. She is former Director of the SSAT, Member of the AAT and member of the WA parliament. Her board appointments include UWA International Public Policy Advisory Board and the Voluntary Assisted Dying Board (WA) and Chair of Future Generations WA. In 1997 she received the Law Society of WA’s award for Outstanding Service to the Community. In 2010 she was named Woman Lawyer of the Year. She is a WA Ambassador for Children and Young People and the Women’s Legal Service in WA.

Mike manages the ANDI Project, based at the University of Melbourne. With a background in democracy, human rights and community development, he has worked for over 30 years to develop new community, national and international social progress measures ‘beyond GDP’. Mike has held honorary professorial appointments at four universities, and been an advisor to the Victorian Premier, the Senate, the OECD, the UN, the Canadian Index of Wellbeing, the governments of Bhutan and New Zealand, trade unions and local governments. In 2017 he received the CIC international ‘Heroes’ award for his work on community wellbeing

Professor Fiona Stanley AC FAA is an Australian epidemiologist noted in Australia and internationally for her public health work and research into child and maternal health and aboriginal wellbeing. She is the patron and former Founding Director of the Telethon Kids Institute, founder of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth and a distinguished professorial fellow in Paediatrics and Child Health at the University of Western Australia. Fiona is a UNICEF Child Ambassador, has been a member of the ABC Board and declared a ‘Living National Treasure”. She has been a Director of ANDI Limited and is now principal ‘ANDI Ambassador’.

Elise and Amber each have over 30 year’s experience holding roles in the Education, Homelessness, Community and Out of Home care sector.

Fierce advocates to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in the WA community.

Together they embarked in the Innovation Unit Program exploring implementation of housing first approaches for young people and removal of barriers to access in the existing system. Through this process, and by deeply listening to the voices of lived experience and those assisting homeless young people on the frontline, the project provided a pathway for sector collaboration to end Child and Youth Homelessness

Dr Jennie Gray has been the Chief Executive Officer of Women’s Legal Service WA since 2021. Jennie’s professional career in the community sector has spanned practice, management, research and policy roles, in a variety of settings. This includes many years designing and delivering services in regional and remote Western Australia and being employed as the Deputy CEO, at the WA Council of Social Service.

Jennie’s commitment to working alongside others to ensure a more just, fair and sustainable society has been unwavering across these roles. She shares WLSWA’s passion for women’s education and empowerment within the legal system and beyond. Jennie understands the devastating impact of poverty on women, and that redressing gender inequality is at the heart of making things better for women

I’m the project manager for the newly funded “My Voice, My Rights, My Way” project at Consumers of Mental Health WA. The project will deliver self-advocacy workshops to empower people with psychosocial disabilities navigate the mental health system, assert their rights, and actively participate in their recovery decisions. 

I am also currently studying Peer Supervision and look forward to further my knowledge, enhance my co-reflective practice and create meaningful relationships with peer workers. 

I have a passion for social justice, human rights, equal opportunity, and empowering others to live fulfilling and meaningful lives. 

Jethro is an experienced Not for Profit leader, and is passionate about the way society treats its most vulnerable citizens, and the potential for innovative social services and adaptive systems to respond to complex social issues. At ThirdStory (formerly Innovation Unit) he brings a Service and Strategic Design capacity to projects within Government and the NFP social sector’s response to

underserved populations. Jethro’s work focuses predominantly in the social sector, working in partnership with non-profits and governments to consider the journeys we have through the social systems that have been created, and how those might be transformed by focusing deeply on the experience of the people who are most impacted by them.

Prior to joining the ThirdStory team, Jethro dedicated his work to youth homelessness, spending 17 years in Western Australia’s NFP sector, culminating in the development of flagship project Foyer Oxford, and the development of internal innovation capability at Anglicare WA. He was named one of Business News’ 40 under 40 (2013) and awarded a Westpac Social Change Fellowship (2019).

MPH, GradCertBA, BSc (she/her)

Zeina is the Executive Manager of the WA Digital Inclusion Project (WADIP), a position she’s held since November 2023, after joining the team in August 2023. She is a leader and public health professional who is passionate about social justice and building capacity across the sector to ensure that all services are safer and more inclusive, and accessible spaces for people from all walks of life. Born in Lebanon, growing up in Canada, completing a Master’s in the US, and working and living in Qatar before moving to so called Australia in 2016 has given Zeina the opportunity to experience different cultures, both interpersonal and professional, and learn invaluable skills and insights along the way, including the ability to adapt and the importance of tailored, culturally appropriate, and holistic approaches.  She has applied this to her work with the WADIP, as she advocates for digital inclusion as a human right.

Paul Higginbotham was Principal/CEO of Telethon Speech & Hearing Centre from 1998 to 2013. A successful 15-year tenure saw Paul mastermind a $15 million capital rebuild, increase student numbers from 100 children a year to over 11,000, add services across WA and forge reputation for program excellence.

In 2005, Paul launched newborn hearing screening into WA’s private maternity hospital sector. The 2012 Harry Blackmore Award recognised his outstanding leadership for hearing impaired children.

Paul is Founder of Earbus Foundation of WA. His 10 years as CEO saw Earbus assist 90,000+ children including 15,000 Aboriginal children on 200 sites across WA.

BA Primary Education, M Ed (Religious Education)

Robyn is a Nyungar Yorga from the Whadjuk and Ballardong groups, has 9 brothers and sisters and is a mother of three and nana to 15 beautiful and talented grandchildren.  Her wider family includes the McGuire, Bennell and Shaw families with connections to the Tiwi Islands.

She has developed cultural education programs, offers cultural safety advice from an Aboriginal perspective on a range of issues and builds capacity with everyone she meets. 

Robyn comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience in her career that covers previous roles within the Government and Catholic education systems as a Principal, Team Leader and Education Consultant across the Northern Territory and Western Australia – she continues in her role of storyteller and educator.

Robyn is a very busy Nana cultural and community work in her spare time and supporting her grandchildren in their endeavours at school and sport.

Muriel Bamblett is a Yorta Yorta, Dja Dja Wurrung, Taungurung, Boon Wurrung Elder and has led VACCA as CEO since 1999. Muriel is also Chairperson of SNAICC, the peak body representing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander child and family services nationally.

Muriel is currently active in over 30 advisory groups concerning the Aboriginal community, including the Aboriginal Treaty Working Group; Aboriginal Family Violence Steering Committee; Victorian Children’s Council; Aboriginal Justice Forum; and the Aboriginal Community Elders Service, to name just a few. Muriel was heavily involved in the Northern Territory Child Protection Inquiry from 2009-11.

Under Muriel’s leadership, VACCA has grown exponentially. Today, VACCA employs more than 1,000 people, and is one of the largest employers of Aboriginal people in the state.

A spirited and intellectual force for change, Muriel is driven by the desire to give children in care a connection to culture – ‘they have their Aboriginality, they have a genealogy, and they feel a connection to land’.

Muriel’s work has been recognised with many awards, including the Order of Australia; NAIDOC Person of the Year; Centenary of Federation Medal; Robin Clark Memorial Award for Inspirational Leadership in the Field of Child and Family Welfare; Women’s Electoral Lobby Inaugural Vida Goldstein Award; and Victorian Honour Roll of Women.

In 2009, Muriel was made an Adjunct Professor in the School of Social Work and Social Policy La Trobe University. In 2017, she was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in Social Work by the University of Sydney in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Aboriginal child and family welfare.

Sandra is a Whadjuk/Balardong Nyungar woman and the Cultural Advisor, Noongar Mia Mia Indigenous Housing, Perth. She graduated from UWA in 1994 and has been the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships including the PSC Aboriginal Employment Career Strategy scholarship, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Overseas Study Award, and Murdoch University’s prestigious Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Research Scholarship. She is a highly respected and accomplished woman, cultural educator and has worked in the higher education sector on Nyungar culture, history, and language.

She runs Richmond Consulting a Nyungar business delivering training and cultural projects.

Her projects include Boola Bardip, Zonta refuge, Fremantle Bienale 2022 Gathering Place. Winner of the National Architectural Award with Penhale and Winter.

Kim is a Pharmacist with a Bachelor of Pharmacy from Curtin University. She is the Health Services Manager at Ishar Multicultural Women’s Health Services, overseeing women’s health clinics, health promotion, exercise, and nutrition programs. With extensive experience in the health sector, primarily in management roles, Kim is passionate about equitable healthcare. As a second-generation Australian with parents of a refugee background, she is dedicated to reducing barriers and improving healthcare access for diverse women, families, and communities.

Taylor is an award-winning advocate and social entrepreneur. She is the Managing Director of Foundations for Tomorrow, a non-profit dedicated to advancing the protection of future generations’ interests in Australia, which drove the recent introduction of the Wellbeing of Future Generations Bill in February 2025 and she spent two years working as an Advisor to the Our Future Agenda initiative of the United Nations Foundation in the lead up to the United Nations Summit of the Future.

Additionally, she is the only young person on the World Economic Forum’s Global Foresight Network Advisory Board and the Executive Leadership Team for the global Network of Institutions for Future Generations. She is also a member of the FutureGen Advisory Panel for the Municipal Association of Victoria.

Taylor’s efforts have earned her recognition through various accolades, including Smart Company’s 30 Under 30, the NSW Young Achiever Awards (finalist), YAIIA’s Young Women to Watch in International Affairs, the MBAus Social Impact Awards, and the NSW Young Australian of the Year Award (finalist), Ashoka Together Towards Tomorrow Challenge (winner), and she has also been selected as one of the global 12 Kofi Annan Changemakers.

Kate is a Senior Research Fellow at Deakin University with a background in psychology and epidemiology. Her research focuses on creating environments that can wrap around and nurture health and wellbeing, particularly for children and young people. She is the research lead on two major national projects: Future Health Countdown 2030 and the long-standing Australian Unity Wellbeing Index.

Dr Cressida Gaukroger is a writer, philosopher, and moderator at the Cranlana Centre for Ethical Leadership. She works with governments at all levels in Australia and internationally to put sustainably improving quality of life for all at the heart of government decision-making. Cressida has a PhD in philosophy, and has taught at Oxford, University College London and New York University. She regularly appears on national radio and television, and writes op-eds for Australian media including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, and the ABC. In her spare time, Cressida writes humorous children’s books about naughty children who get their comeuppance.

Jess Wilson is the CEO, Good Things Australia, a digital inclusion leader, advocating, partnering, educating and innovating to ensure no one is left behind in the digital world. With over 20 years of experience in the social purpose and government sectors, Jess has made significant contributions across the child and family, education, and digital inclusion sectors.

She holds a BA, BScWk (Hons), and Grad Dip in Education and has held not-for-profit executive roles for the past 15 years, focusing on creating systemic change. Jess is recognised as a leader in the national digital inclusion landscape, advocating for greater awareness, investment, and collaboration to close Australia’s digital divide. She is a member of the Strategic Governance Committee for Australian Digital Inclusion Alliance and a member of nbn’s Low Income Digital Inclusion Forum. Jess is actively involved in connecting with local, national, and international stakeholders emphasising the importance of community based support to close the digital divide and create kinder, more connected communities.

Ms. Dorothy (Dot) West OAM is a Noongar woman from the south west of Western Australia, with ancestral ties to the north and has been living and working in the Kimberley region since 1977.

Ms West is the director and Head of Productions at Broome-based Goolarri Media Enterprises and its production arm, Ramu Productions, and is known for her writing on The Heights, Little J & Big Cuz, and The Circuit, which she also co-produced.

Ms West is a co-chair of the First Nations Digital Inclusion Advisory Group. Ms West has served on Screenwest’s Industry Advisory Group and WA’s Screen Industry Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Group, as well as on the boards of SBS, NITV, Screenwest, the Australian International Documentary Conference, the National Indigenous Radio Service and First Nations Media Australia.

Cecily Rawlinson was appointed in July 2021 as Director of the WA AustCyber Innovation Hub, recently rebranded as CyberWest Hub.   Cecily is a human-centred design practitioner and is passionate about using design thinking to unlock the creative potential of stakeholders and unlikely innovators. She led the CIVICUS team that facilitated the co-design and establishment of 7 regional innovation hubs around the world, launching the Innovation for Change network in 2015. Working with Innovation for Change allowed Cecily to hone her innovation skills and to witness firsthand the global demand for cyber security awareness and training. Cecily holds a Masters in International Affairs from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID) and a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia.

Kim Hutchinson (she/her) is a Lived Experience Consultant specialising in inclusion and collaborative engagement. As a proudly neurodivergent Australian woman of colour, Kim draws on her lived experience with disability, neurodivergence, and mental health challenges to advocate for a world where everyone belongs. With over 12 years of experience in stakeholder engagement and policy development aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, she passionately believes that putting people at the heart of policies, programs, and services is the key to meaningful change. Kim is committed to fostering belonging and driving systemic change, one conversation at a time.

Trish Owen is a Lived Experience Advisor/Consultant, with personal lived/living experiences of disadvantage including housing insecurity and mental ill health including alcohol and other drug issues. They have a passion to use these experiences and their intersecting privileges (I am a white, educated, able bodied) to support organisations to form a bridge between people with lived/living experiences and the organisations and community that support them. Having worked in a variety of Lived Experience roles across mental health, alcohol and other drug, homelessness and community housing sectors, Trish aims to bring Lived Experience Expertise to support organisations to realise their goals and objectives. 

Described by The Guardian as ‘the World’s First Minister for the Unborn’ and by The New Statesman as leading a Welsh plot to save the world, between 2016 and 2023 Sophie Howe was the first Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, the only role of its kind in the world. She held the Government to account on how their decisions affect future generations, influencing major policy reforms across Wales and has been a significant voice in other countries following suit including the United Nations who passed the world’s first Declaration on Future Generations in Sept 2024.

She now advises other countries and corporates on implementing long term governance, is a Future Governance Adviser at the School of International Futures, a Global Ambassador for the Wellbeing Economy Alliance and holds a number of Board and Academic advisory roles on human and planetary wellbeing.

Named as one of the UK’s Top 100 Changemakers and at number 5 in the BBC Women’s Power List, she is not afraid to call out the madness of short term decision making and is known for being a straight talking and inspirational advocate for those yet to be born.