Meet the speakers

Our distinguished speakers represent the forefront of civil society leadership, bringing expertise from foundations, not-for-profits, government and public service to interrogate the types of leadership needed now and into the future to steer through these turbulent times. 

More speakers to be announced in the coming weeks.

Pre-Summit Dinner

The Hon. Julia Gillard AC

Julia Gillard was the 27th Prime Minister of Australia and the first and only woman to serve in that role. Since leaving office, she has dedicated her time to advocacy, governance roles and writing. In 2021, Julia was appointed Chair of the Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation based in the UK. Julia is also the founder and inaugural Chair of the Global Institute for Women's Leadership at King's College London. Her leadership portfolio includes chairing Beyond Blue (2017-2023), leading the Global Partnership for Education (2014-2021), and leading the Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education in South Australia. Through her book, Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons, she continues advocating for women's advancement in leadership across all sectors. 

Dr Michelle Ryan

Dr Michelle Ryan is a world-renowned gender equality expert, Professor of Social and Organisational Psychology, and the inaugural Director of Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at the Australian National University. Her work centres on understanding the psychological processes underlying workplace gender inequality, and designing and implementing innovative and evidence-based interventions to increase gender equality. Her research examines a range of constraints on women’s careers such as the impact of COVID-19 on gender inequalities, backlash, the motherhood penalty, sacrifice, risk taking, work-life compatibility, impostor syndrome, and men’s support for gender equality.


MCs

Georgina Byron AM

Georgina is CEO of Snow Foundation, and since 2006 has significantly grown the Foundation's reach and impact from its origins in Canberra. Under her leadership, the Foundation has expanded its commitment to Sydney and South Coast regions while backing dynamic social entrepreneurs with bold national agendas. She has championed social change projects including marriage equality, Raise the Rate campaign, the Voice Referendum and eliminating rheumatic heart disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. She serves as Co-Chair of Deadly Heart Trek, Deputy Chair of Sydney Community Foundation and Chair of Sydney Women's Fund Advisory Council.  

Michelle Steele

Michelle is a Kamilaroi/Gomeroi Yinarr from Moree, NSW, and is the Chief First Nations Officer at the Paul Ramsay Foundation and is a Board Member of Hands Across Canberra. Prior to joining PRF, Michelle worked in the public sector for more than 18 years, leading in key policy areas delivering for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, particularly in health and aged care. Michelle has represented Australia at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and the Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. She is also an inaugural Fellow of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity program, an Indigenous-led lifelong collaborative fellowship program and platform for systemic change. 


Plenary

Dr Rebecca Huntley

Leading through the polycrisis: Vision, courage, and change

Rebecca is one of Australians foremost researchers on social trends. She is the author of books including How to Talk About Climate Change in a Way That Makes a Difference and Sassafras: A Memoir About Love, Loss and MDMA Therapy. She is a Fellow of the Women’s Leadership Institute of Australia. Rebecca has led research at Essential Media and Vox Populi and was a director at Ipsos Australia. She is now Director of Research at the agency 89DegreesEast. Rebecca is a member of the Advisory Group for the Climate Solutions Centre at the Australian Museum and the Sydney Environment Institute, and is on the board of The Dusseldorp Forum.   

Professor Thomas Homer-Dixon

Leading through the polycrisis: Vision, courage, and change

Thomas is founder and Executive Director of the Cascade Institute at Royal Roads University in Victoria, British Columbia. One of Canada’s foremost public intellectuals and a best-selling author, his award-winning books include The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization and his latest is Commanding Hope: The Power We Have to Renew a World in Peril. Considered among the world’s leading experts in how global affairs intersect, his research focuses on threats to security, including economic instability, climate change and nationalist authoritarianism – and on how people, organisations and societies can better solve complex problems.


Lightning Talks

Anna Brown OAM

Voices of leadership: stories shaping change across Australia 

Anna Brown OAM is the founding CEO of Equality Australia, a national organisation dedicated to equality for LGBTIQ+ people. She played a critical role in achieving marriage equality, co-chairing the Equality Campaign and spearheading strategic litigation. She has been instrumental in key LGBTIQ+ reforms for over 10 years, including banning conversion practices, gender recognition for trans and gender diverse people, erasing historical homosexual convictions and fending off regressive laws. Anna is also President, ACT Restricted Medical Treatment Board, the first scheme in Australia to protect intersex children from medically unnecessary surgeries. 

Carol Schwartz AO

Voices of leadership: stories shaping change across Australia 

Carol is highly regarded as a commentator and agitator on issues of gender equality, women’s leadership, governance and business. She was named one of Australia’s most influential women in the Australian Financial Review and Westpac’s Inaugural 100 Women of Influence Awards. In 2020 Carol was recognised with the Leading Philanthropist Award by Philanthropy Australia and her board roles include the Governance Board of the Reserve Bank of Australia, EQT Holdings Limited and the Climate Council. As Chair of the Trawalla Foundation and the Women’s Leadership Institute Australia, she has catalysed practical solutions including the Pathways to Politics Program for Women, the Panel Pledge and the Women for Media database. She is a member of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Women’s Leadership Board and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership Advisory Board, Kings College.

Dr Bhiamie Williamson

Voices of leadership: stories shaping change across Australia 

Dr Bhiamie Williamson is a Euahlayi man from north-west NSW. He is a Senior Lecturer at Monash University where he leads the National Indigenous Disaster Resilience research program. Bhiamie holds a PhD from the Australian National University, and a Masters Degree in Indigenous Governance from the University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He also holds post-graduate qualifications from the University of Arizona and the University of Wollongong. His research fields includes Indigenous resilience to environmental hazards, Caring for Country, cultural burning, Indigenous governance, Indigenous data sovereignty and Indigenous men and masculinities. Bhiamie is Chair of the environmental charity Country Needs People and a Director of the Australian Indigenous Governance Institute.



Breakout Sessions

Rachel Ball

Moderator | From privilege to possibility: Leadership in the age of economic inequality

Rachel Ball is CEO of the Reichstein Foundation, which works to back the people and organisations that drive social, economic and environmental justice in Australia. Rachel is also a director of Australian Progress and Mannifera. She’s an ex-lawyer and has previously held senior leadership roles at the Human Rights Law Centre, Oxfam Australia and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria. She has expertise designing and delivering strategies that challenge unfair distributions of wealth and power, including through rights-based advocacy, public campaigns, strategic litigation and political engagement. Rachel lives on Wadawurrung Country on Victoria’s Surf Coast and loves all ocean-based activities. 

Ian Bird

Community-led solutions: Relational leadership for systemic change

Ian is a seasoned executive in the community foundation sector and innovator in the field of collective action and network leadership, largely exercised during his tenure as CEO at Community Foundations of Canada and Chair of the Global Fund for Community Foundations. He is a former sport advocate and Olympian in hockey, having represented Canada at the Summer Olympics in Sydney (2000) and Seoul (1988). Ian’s civic engagements currently include contributions as a member of the Wasan Network and as a director of the Community Forward Fund.


Virisila Buadromo

The crises are connected - is leadership? Collaborative leadership for social change in the region

Virisila is a skilled Pacific and Asia campaigner with over 25 years experience – leading multilingual newsrooms at a private Fijian broadcaster, to being the manager of a 30 year feminist organisation for change in laws to the co-leading of an Asia and Pacific fund to support women and non-binary activists and environmental defenders on the frontlines for human rights and environmental justice. She is one of the co-initiators of the Pacific Feminist Fund and is co-chair of its board as well as co-chair of the global Prospera International Network of Women’s Funds.

Catriona Fay

Moderator | Holding the line: Philanthropy, inclusion and the anti-rights agenda

Cat Fay is a senior investment and business leader in Australia and has spent the last twenty years advising families, individuals and institutions on their philanthropic and social investment strategies. At Perpetual she oversees approximately $7bn is philanthropic and non-profit funds and her clients collectively distribute more than $130M annually through their trusts and foundations. Cat also leads the Perpetual Native Title advisory and Trustee business, working closely with First Nations communities across the country. Prior to her time at Perpetual Cat worked at The Ian Potter Foundation in Australia and the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland and London advising on community and built heritage regeneration projects.


Simon Goff

In a world on edge: What leadership demands now

Simon is inspired by the transformative power of culture and storytelling to drive positive social change. As Co-CEO at Purpose, Simon collaborates with philanthropies, non-profits, and businesses to build and support movements for an open, just, and thriving world. Since joining in 2014, he has played a key role in the organisation’s expansion across Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia. Prior to Purpose, he spent 10 years at MTV, where he worked on campaigns on multiple issues including HIV/AIDS and modern-day slavery. He also serves on the board of School for Life Foundation, an organisation committed to educating poverty out of existence through its programs in East Africa.

Sue Gold

Community-led solutions: Relational leadership for systemic change

With 25+ years’ experience across executive, board and consultancy roles, Sue brings a deep understanding of regional communities and a passion for helping them thrive. Currently Executive Officer of Border Trust Community Foundation, her career spans health, education, research, business, not-for-profit and local government. A former nurse, she’s led strategy, capacity building, and governance reform, and mentored boards, CEOs and executive teams. Sue has held board and elected roles including with Indigo Shire Council, Alpine Valleys Community Leadership, and the Small Business Mentoring Service. A graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course, she brings inclusive leadership, strong financial and strategic skills, and a commitment to collaboration and impact.


Dr Cassandra Goldie AO

From privilege to possibility: Leadership in the age of economic inequality

Dr Cassandra Goldie AO, CEO of ACOSS and Adjunct Professor with UNSW Sydney, has held senior roles in the NFP and public sectors, including with the Australian Human Rights Commission, where she worked on the inquiry into pay equity and paid parental leave, Darwin Community Legal Service and Legal Aid in WA. In 2023, Cassandra was awarded an AO for distinguished services to social justice through leadership and advocacy, promoting the rights of marginalised and disadvantaged people. Cassandra is Co-Chair of the ACOSS and UNSW Sydney Poverty and Inequality Partnership and a member of the Federal Government’s Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee.

Michelle Gortan

Shared problems, collective solutions: Australia's climate and nature leadership for change

Michelle Gortan is CEO of the Macdoch Foundation which is a philanthropic enterprise of Prue and Alasdair MacLeod. Originally trained as a lawyer, she has held leadership positions in the non-profit, public and professional services sectors in Australia, the UK and Chile. Michelle is a Certified Advisor with 21/64, an NYC-based international consultancy specialising in strategy development for multigenerational family philanthropy. She is a board director of the Australian Environmental Grantmakers’ Network, a Steering Committee Member of the Global Alliance for the Future of Food and sits on the International Stewardship Council of the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). She became CEO of the Macdoch Foundation in 2021.


Andrew Hudson

In a world on edge: What leadership demands now

Andrew is currently CEO of the Centre for Policy Development (CPD) promoting policy change in Australia and SE Asia. Previously, Andrew was CEO of Crisis Action, building coalitions to protect civilians in wars such as Syria, Yemen, Ukraine, Myanmar, South Sudan, Congo, Israel/Palestine. Andrew has worked for UNHCR and Human Rights First, where he helped to prosecute military generals in Guatemala for genocide and protect political prisoners in Colombia. Previously, Andrew worked at community legal centres representing disadvantaged clients and refugees and spearheading major law reform projects. He started his career working for the UN in Thailand and the Pacific, after being Australia’s first Youth Representative to the UN.

Nayomi Kannangarra

The crises are connected - is leadership? Collaborative leadership for social change in the region

Nayomi Kannangara is a migrant woman from Sri Lanka living on unceded Wurundjeri Country, bringing over 20 years of leadership in international development and gender equality. As CEO of IWDA, she is driving a bold agenda grounded in feminist principles, decolonial practice, and a culture of care. Her work centres on resourcing and strengthening partnerships with women’s rights organisations across Asia and the Pacific, and shifting power in the aid and philanthropy sectors. Nayomi also serves on the boards of Philanthropy Australia, Australian Council for International Development (ACFID) and Her Place Museum Australia.


Barbie-Lee Kirby

From privilege to possibility: Leadership in the age of economic inequality

Barbie-Lee Kirby is a proud Ngemba, Wailwan, Baakindji-Maraura, Gamilaraay, and Yuwaalaraay woman from Brewarrina in Far West NSW. She is the Executive Director of First Nations Futures, an Indigenous-led impact fund that distributes resources directly to First Nations communities driving transformative change. She worked in finance and international governance at Qantas, before joining Herbert Smith Freehills as the Responsible Business Executive, where she championed First Nations self-determination. Previously, she was the Director of Data Governance and Evaluation in Bourke, where she led the development of the Palimaa Interactive Platform, providing community visibility of data. Barbie-Lee is currently a First Nations advisor to Uber Australia, and Director of The Salaam Institute.

Harriet McCallum

Moderator | Safeguarding democracy: The leadership we need now

Harriet McCallum has served as Mannifera's Executive Officer since 2020. With over two decades of experience, she has led multi-disciplinary teams, fostered cross-sector collaborations, and driven forward advocacy projects across the public health, local government, philanthropy and NGO sectors in Australia and South East Asia. Harriet transitioned into the philanthropic sector out of recognition for the pivotal role philanthropy plays in supporting civil society and convening diverse collaborators for systemic change.


Victoria McKenzie-McHarg

Investing in leadership: Growing civil society's capacity in a time of crisis

Victoria is the CEO of Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA), and has worked in climate and environmental leadership for the past two decades. Her former roles include Chair of the Climate Action Network Australia (CANA), Climate Campaign Manager of the Australian Conservation Foundation, and Manager of Strategy at Bank Australia. WELA is an independent not-for-profit organisation that is empowering, supporting and funding diverse women’s leadership for our environment and climate, in order to transform Australia’s response to these crises.

Warren Miller

First Nations leadership for a just, fair and sustainable Australia

I am a Wirangu and Kokatha man from Ceduna, and CEO of the Spinifex Foundation SA, an Indigenous-led fund committed to resourcing preventative health, wellbeing, and social justice initiatives for First Nations communities. I believe in a holistic approach that centres cultural identity, social inclusion, and collaboration across community and government. Spinifex’s work is about building strong, resilient communities through sustained support, cultural connection, and a funding model that meets young people and families where they are. We aim to empower individuals by supporting wellbeing and strengthening protective factors.


Darius Polok

Community-led solutions: Relational leadership for systemic change

Darius is CEO with the International Alumni Center. The iac Berlin supports impact driven networks and coordinates the Bosch Alumni Network – a multi-community network of over 8,000 partners of the Robert Bosch Foundation. Darius' mission at iac Berlin is to support trust-based and collaborative practices in philanthropy. He is actively involved in coalition building processes and advises social change actors on the design and implementation of networked approaches.

Jim Phillipson

Shared problems, collective solutions: Australia's climate and nature leadership for change

Raised on a farm on Gunaikurnai Country in Gippsland, Jim brings deep respect for community and Country to everything he does. While building several successful businesses, Jim and his wife Heather formed EcoGipps and established four connecting properties across the Avon Wilderness - now being donated to BioDiversity Legacy, which transitions land into a commons structure, and featured in Philanthropy Australia’s latest Inspiring Stories of Giving. In 2018, they founded Rendere Environmental Trust, a collaborative philanthropic funder deploying its full capital by 2030. Jim also chairs Nature Impact Collective, a growing alliance of funders backing trust-based work for nature. For Jim, philanthropy is about relationships, leadership and next generations.


Michelle Reddy

The crises are connected - is leadership? Collaborative leadership for social change in the region

Michelle is a Fiji based lesbian feminist who has been part of the women’s and feminist movement in the Pacific for over two decades. She led the establishment of the Women’s Fund Fiji (WFF) and the Pacific Feminist Fund (PFF). Michelle serves as a Board member on Thousand Current, an advisory member on the Equality Fund’s Catalyse Program and Human Rights Funders Network's Global Racial Justice Advisory Council.

Anthea Roberts

Power, purpose and the rise of AI: Why civil society, philanthropy and government must lead, not follow

Anthea Roberts is the CEO and Founder of Dragonfly Thinking, an award-winning startup that builds AI tools to augment human judgment and strategic decision-making. A globally recognised interdisciplinary scholar, she has held positions at the Australian National University, the London School of Economics, Columbia University and Harvard. Anthea is a systems thinker working at the intersection of policy, impact and emerging technology. She champions a new model of thinking to not just navigate —but actively shape— the AI frontier. Under Anthea’s leadership, Dragonfly Thinking won Australia’s inaugural National AI Sprint in 2024 and was selected for the Edge of Government showcase at the World Government Summit 2025 in Dubai.


Timothy Rosenlund O'Brien

Power, purpose and the rise of AI: Why civil society, philanthropy and government must lead, not follow

Timothy Rosenlund-O’Brien is Australia’s foremost thinker on impact measurement, purpose-driven strategy and natural capital. As Managing Partner of Make Good Measurement, Tim is leading the development of a pioneering impact campaign measurement tool that empowers organisations to truly understand and demonstrate the difference they make. Tim is also the Founder and Principal of Purpose Made, a consulting firm that supports organisations in delivering tangible environmental and social impact. He is also building an AI Impact Measurement tool called Good Measure. Tim is passionate about ensuring that technology and innovation serve the greater good, and is committed to empowering leaders across sectors to drive meaningful change.

David Scammell

Holding the line: Philanthropy, inclusion and the anti-rights agenda

Dave Scamell oversees GPP’s engagement with the world’s leading government donors, providing them with the resources and tools necessary to increase their global LGBTI funding. He has more than 20 years’ experience in human rights and public health advocacy, policy, programming and philanthropy, having worked with CSOs to advance the rights of marginalised communities in 27 countries. He has held management and strategic leadership roles in leading non-government organisations, private foundations, and global networks in New York and Sydney. Dave holds a LLM in International Human Rights Law (with honors) from the University of Essex and a LLB/BA (Politics and International Relations) from the University of New South Wales.


Dylan Smith

Moderator | Community-led solutions: Relational leadership for systemic change

Dylan, Senior Director Foundation and Field Development at Community Foundations Australia, is an experienced social impact leader with a long career in community philanthropy. He is well known to the Australian community sector through his role as founding Executive Officer at the Fremantle Foundation, and through his contributions to First Nations engagement in philanthropy. He previously served as WA State Manager at Philanthropy Australia, overseeing growth of the peak body’s activities in Western Australia, and developing the areas of impact investing, collaborative funding, community foundations and collective giving.

Melissa Smith

Lighting the way: Lessons from trailblazers for bold and inclusive leadership

CEO and founder of Noble Ambition and the She Gives campaign, both focused on accelerating philanthropic investment for positive social change. She Gives celebrates and inspires women’s giving at all levels and will release a landmark report on women’s philanthropy in late 2025, launched by the Governor-General of Australia. Since 2016, Noble Ambition has delivered strategic, high-impact campaigns across sectors including gender, First Nations, health, climate, and culture. Melissa has led major fundraising programs at the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney Opera House, UTS, and RMIT, and is a recipient of both Australian and Global Fundraiser of the Year awards. She is a Churchill Fellow and former Board Director of Stella.


Dr Katherine Trebeck

From privilege to possibility: Leadership in the age of economic inequality

Katherine is a political economist and advocate for economic system change. Her roles include writer-at-large at the University of Edinburgh, Economic Change Programme Director for The Next Economy, and Strategic Advisor for the Centre for Policy Development. She co-founded the Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAll) and WEAll Scotland, and she instigated the group of Wellbeing Economy Governments. She is a member of the Club of Rome and her board roles have included a range of groups such as Hands Across Canberra, Denmark’s Wellbeing Economy Lab, and the Centre for Understanding Sustainable Prosperity. She is Distinguished Visitor at ANU’s Planetary Health Hothouse and was 2024 thinker-in-residence at the Australian Health Promotion Association.

Deanne Weir

Safeguarding democracy: The leadership we need now

Deanne Weir is a film producer, technology investor and company director. She is passionate about storytelling, change-making and gender equality. Through WeirAnderson.com and WeirAnderson Films, Deanne invests in entrepreneurs and storytellers to help them change the world. Investments include Seer Data & Analytics, where Deanne is Chair, culture tech company Othelia, and media platform Missing Perspectives. Deanne is active in the philanthropic sector through The WeirAnderson Foundation, as a board member of Mannifera, a philanthropic giving collective, and as Chair of the Grata Fund. Grata assists Australian citizens with litigation that addresses unfair laws and policies in the areas of human rights, climate change and democracy.


Darrell Wade

In a world on edge: What leadership demands now

A backpacker with a vision, Darrell co-founded Intrepid with his mate Geoff ‘Manch’ Manchester in 1989. Their vision was simple: to offer a new style of low-impact travel that connected travellers with communities. Today, Darrell is regarded as one of travel’s most influential leaders and he plays an instrumental role in advancing the industry’s sustainability agenda through his activism and philanthropy. Darrell is Chair of the Intrepid Foundation and Chair of the Dawn Wade Foundation.