Conference Program
The Lead the Way Conference 2025 is designed to inspire, educate, and empower professionals from education, community services, and mental health sectors. Across two days of keynotes, panel discussions, research presentations, and hands-on workshops, this program will explore and be structured around:
🔹 Why collaboration is essential in creating cultures of safety, mental health, and wellbeing.
🔹 How organisations can implement evidence-based approaches to improve practice.
🔹 What real-world examples show about successful strategies across sectors.
Conference Streams
While we have grouped presentations into three streams to assist with navigation, the heart of this conference is collaboration across sectors. We encourage delegates to explore sessions across all streams, regardless of role or sector, as many presentations offer valuable insights that transcend traditional boundaries. Let the streams guide you, but not confine you — Lead the Way is a space for partnership, shared learning, and cross-sector connection.
Program will be continually updated as times are confirmed with presenters.
Day 1 – Draft Program Agenda
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Registration & Arrival | Main Pre-Function Area |
| 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM |
Opening and Keynote 🔹 Welcome & Housekeeping 🔹 Welcome to Country 🔹 Opening Address – Dr Robyn Miller AM (CEO, MacKillop Family Services) 🔹 Keynote Speaker - Professor Pasi Sahlberg 🔹 Live Audience Q&A |
Centre Stage |
| 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM | Morning Tea & Networking Mindful Yoga in Centre Stage 1 |
Pre-Function Areas & Terrace |
| 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM Concurrent Sessions 1 10:45-11:15 (30 mins) Concurrent Sessions 2 11:20-12:00 (40 mins) |
Concurrent Sessions 1 & 2 (Why & How – Thought Leaders, Research & Evidence-Base)
Why do we need to collaborate to strengthen cultures that prioritise safety, mental health and wellbeing for both our staff and those we serve? How do we do this effectively? Choice of session from thought leaders, researchers and academics. Concurrent Session 1 10:45-11:15 (30 mins) 🔹 Rabbi Zalman Kastel AM - Building Bridges in Fractured Spaces: Intercultural Understanding as a Foundation for Safe and Inclusive Communities 🔹 David Burroghs - Psychosocial Safety at Work: How Organisations Can Assist or Hinder Staff Wellbeing and Mental Health 🔹 Josh Darby - The Whanaungatanga Programme: A New Approach to Mental Ill Health Prevention in Emergency Workforces 🔹 Jahin Tanvir - Equipping Young People for the Future: Wellbeing, Inclusion and Opportunity through Entrepreneurial Education 🔹 Dr Gemma McKibbin – The AVA Project: Amplifying the Voices of Victim-Survivors 🔹 Associate Professor Lisa McKay-Brown – International Practices Improving School Attendance 🔹 Dr Tracy Castelino – Coming Soon Concurrent Sessions 2 11:20-12:00 (40 mins) 🔹 Panel: Dr Beau Hu, Annette Schneider and Simangaliso Nyoni - Cultivating Cultural Responsiveness - Supporting Identity and Belonging for Young People 🔹 Douglas Russell – Friends and Safeguarding – Young People's Views on Safety and Sharing Safety Concerns 🔹 Dr Trixie James – Let's Be Positive Together: Empowering Equity Students Through Positive Psychology 🔹 Cleo Westhorpe – Coming Soon 🔹 Panel – Co-design and Shared Decision Making with Young People |
Various Rooms |
| 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM | Lunch Break & Exhibition Hall Mindful Yoga in Centre Stage 1 |
Main Pre-Function Area & Outdoor Terrace |
| 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM Concurrent Sessions 3 (60 mins) |
Concurrent Sessions 3 (What – Practical Examples & Case Studies)
What is being done across our sectors? What can we learn from each other? Select from concurrent sessions from practioners in a range of sectors including schools, education, children and youth, family and community services. 🔹 Panel: Esmai Manhan & Guests - Culturally Humble Collaborations 🔹 Louise Hall - Building Capacity to Support the Grief Experiences of Children & Young People Living in Out-Of-Home Care 🔹 Keeva Mostyn - Building Emotional and Grief Literacy: Supporting Whole-of-School Communities Following a Suicide or Other Loss Event 🔹 Emma Esposito and Kathleen McInnes - We Belong: The Practical Implementation of Collaborative Practice in Schools 🔹 Kathy Karatasa - Intentional curious cultural conversations. What do we know about best practices, team work and organisational strategies that reflect for culturally responsive connections? 🔹 Alison Parolo - Collaboration to Build a Sense of Belonging and Identity in School 🔹 Yarning Circle |
Various Rooms |
| 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM | Afternoon Tea & Networking Mindful Yoga in Centre Stage 1 |
Outdoor Terrace & Pre-Function Areas |
| 2:15 PM – 3:30 PM | Closing Keynote & Plenary 🔹 Keynote Speaker - Professor Anne Graham 🔹 Closing Address – Dr Robyn Miller AM |
Centre Stage |
| 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM | Networking Drinks, Canapés & Entertainment | Pre-Function Areas & Terrace |
Day 2 Draft Program Agenda
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM | Registration & Arrival | Main Pre-Function Area |
| 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM | Opening Keynote & Plenary 🔹 Welcome & Housekeeping 🔹 Opening Address – Dr Robyn Miller AM (CEO, MacKillop Family Services) 🔹 Keynote Speaker - Meena Singh & Members of Victorian Commission Youth Council 🔹 Keynote Speaker - Dr Ross Greene 🔹 Live Audience Q&A |
Centre Stage |
| 10:15 AM – 10:45 AM | Morning Tea & Networking Mindful Yoga in Centre Stage 1 |
Pre-Function Areas & Terrace |
| 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM Concurrent Sessions 4 10:45-11:15 (30 mins) Concurrent Sessions 5 11:20-12:00 (40 mins) |
Concurrent Sessions 4 & 5 (Why & How – Research & Evidence-Base)
Why do we need to collaborate to strengthen cultures that prioritise safety, mental health and wellbeing for both our staff and those we serve? How do we do this effectively? Choice of sessions from academics, researchers, thought leaders and policymakers. Concurrent Session 4 10:45-11:15 (30 mins) 🔹 Deb Tsobaris - In Conversation: Lived Experience 🔹 Kano Ravalji - Belonging, Identity & Mental Wellbeing: A Roadmap for Young People 🔹 Alison Wainwright - Healing Organisational Systems: From Trauma-Affected to Trauma-Informed Systems 🔹 Phil Lambert PSM - Contemporary Leadership for the Human Professions: Safe Harbours or Turbulent Seas? 🔹Associate Professor Tim Moore – What We Can Learn from Young People to Better Protect Them 🔹 Dr Nikki Jamieson - Moral Injury: A New Dimension to Trauma 🔹Panel Discussion on Suicide Prevention Concurrent Session 5 11:20-12:00 (40 mins) 🔹 Dr John Molineux – Preventing and Reducing Teacher Secondary Traumatic Stress 🔹Hayley Wainwright – Effective Models to Support Young People Transitioning from Care 🔹Matt Spicer – Supporting Workplace Safety and Wellbeing 🔹 Simangaliso Nyoni - Cultural Care Plans 🔹 Alex Dalton - Self-Affirming Care |
Various Rooms |
| 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM | Lunch Break & Exhibition Hall Mindful Yoga in Centre Stage 1 |
Main Pre-Function Area & Outdoor Terrace |
| 12:45 PM – 2:00 PM Concurrent Sessions 6 (60 mins) |
Concurrent Sessions 6 (What – Practical Examples & Case Studies)
What is being done across our sectors? What can we learn from each other? Choice of concurrent sessions from practioners across schools, community services, family services, child and youth, and mental health. 🔹 Smeeta Singh - Challenging ourselves to have challenging conversations with children and young people about sexual safety 🔹 Justin Roberts - Safe and Well Schools: Practical Insights from 3000 Educators on Reducing Burnout, Increasing Wellbeing and Enhancing Engagement 🔹 Fiona McCallum & Prof Anne Graham - Improving Wellbeing and Building Hope: Supporting Students through Natural Disasters with Stormbirds 🔹 Panel: Cameron Burgess, Tennile Abel, Matt Spicer, Kate Martin - The Invisible Toll: Combatting Vicarious Trauma in Human-Centred Workforces 🔹Karen Evans – Improving Wellbeing and Building Hope in Lismore Schools 🔹Panel: Professor Myf Maple and Guests – Coming Soon 🔹 Yarning Circle | Various Rooms |
| 2:00 PM – 2:30 PM | Afternoon Tea & Networking Mindful Yoga in Centre Stage 1 |
Pre-Function Areas |
| 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM | Closing Keynote & Plenary 🔹 Keynote Speaker - Professor Leah Bromfield 🔹 Keynote Speaker - Joe Ball 🔹 Closing Address – Dr Robyn Miller AM |
Centre Stage |
For frequently asked questions visit our Conference Information Page. You can contact us any time by email or phone.
Email: institute@mackillop.org.au | Phone: 03 9699 9177