Robyn is the Chief Executive Officer of MacKillop Family Services. She is passionate about social justice and the rights of children and families. As a social worker and family therapist, Robyn has over thirty years' experience in the child and welfare sector. Robyn is committed to training and supportive supervision for colleagues to provide best practice to the children and families we serve.

Professor Pasi Sahlberg is a renowned Finnish educator, researcher, and author, recognised for his contributions to global education reform. With a career spanning teaching, teacher education, policymaking, and academia, he has influenced education systems worldwide. He has served in key roles, including Senior Education Specialist at the World Bank (Washington, DC), Lead Education Specialist at the European Training Foundation (Italy), and Director General at Finland’s Ministry of Education and Culture (CIMO). Additionally, he was a Visiting Professor of Practice at Harvard University.

Deb Tsorbaris is a leading advocate for children, young people and families with over 30 years of experience in executive roles in the not for profit and public sectors. As National Children's Commissioner, Ms Tsorbaris promotes and protects children's human rights. Ms Tsorbaris provides policy leadership to governments across Australia and has been instrumental in advancing the rights of vulnerable and marginalised children. In recognition of her outstanding work with children, Ms Tsorbaris was honoured with the prestigious Robin Clark Leadership Award in 2022.

Natalie is a passionate advocate for human rights. Natalie has served as Inspector-General of Aged Care and Commissioner for Social Policy at the Australian Productivity Commission. She was also a member of the Queensland Independent Truth and Treaty Body and a Board Member of Ageing and Disability Advocacy Australia. Natalie concurrently works for the UN in the Pacific in child rights, and on the Board of OXFAM. With extensive experience as a CEO, government oversight body leader, and independent statutory appointee, Natalie’s expertise spans across domestic and family violence, sexual violence, child abuse and neglect, youth justice, mental health, disability, aged care, and elder abuse.

Rabbi Kastel was raised in the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic tradition in the racially divided Crown Heights area of Brooklyn, New York. Originally viewing the world through the lens of his community’s traditions, his perspective transformed in 2001 following meaningful encounters with Christian and Muslim communities. His journey of interfaith cooperation has been marked by moments of laughter, challenge, and growth, as he works to bring positive experiences of diversity to young Australians. In recognition of his contributions to interfaith and intercultural understanding, Rabbi Kastel was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in 2020.

Geoff Masters is an international adviser on curriculum and assessment redesign. He was previously long-term head of the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). He is the author of numerous books and has advised governments globally on education and assessment reform.

Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Oklahoma Health Campus (OUHC). Jane is Director of the Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (CCAN), an international expert on tackling Harmful Sexual Behaviours. Starting in 1996, Dr. Silovsky directed CCAN’s Treatment Program for Children with Problematic Sexual Behavior (PSB). She is a licensed psychologist and an initial developer of the Preschool Treatment Program for Children with Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSB-CBT-P). With Drs. Bigfoot and Burris, Dr. Silovsky facilitated the development of Honoring Children, Respectful Ways: Treatment for Native American Children with Sexual Behavior Problems training and treatment manuals, which is a cultural adaptation of the treatment for children with PSB through the Indian Country Child Trauma Center (ICCTC; previously funded through SAMHSA).

Sarah has had a wide-ranging career from executive roles in tertiary education to private sector consulting in Australia and overseas. For the last 20 years she has held leadership and executive positions in the charity and for-purpose sector. Sarah also serves on a range of Boards and committees. Her current community Board roles include Chair of the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) Advisory Board, and non-executive director of the Sisterhood Foundation, the Board of Old Parliament House, which manages the Museum of Australian Democracy, and Social Ventures Australia.

Paul Fitzgerald is a Registered Psychologist with senior and leadership experience across health, safety, and wellbeing departments within the emergency services sector. He is currently employed at Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) and now in his seventh year within the sector, specialising in developing psychological safe leaders & teams, psychological wellbeing, and mental health support for frontline personnel.

Lisa Parsons is a youth mental health and wellbeing advocate and experienced educator with a strong background in school engagement and community support. She currently works as a School Engagement Partner with Kids Helpline @ School, supporting schools to strengthen student wellbeing through evidence-informed, preventative approaches. Lisa brings extensive experience as a primary teacher, alongside qualifications in primary education and TESOL.

Professor Melitta Hogarth is a Kamilaroi woman and the Director of Ngarrngga. She is Professor of Indigenous Education and Principal Research Fellow in the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne. Prior to entering academia, Professor Hogarth taught for almost 20 years in Queensland, particularly in secondary schools. Her PhD on the rights of Indigenous peoples in education won multiple awards, including the Ray Debus Award for Doctoral Research in Education. In 2024 she was named ACEL Vic Hedley Beare Educator of the Year.

Jeremy Kalbstein is driven by one question: how do we help young people think critically and act ethically in an increasingly complex world? As a Learning Designer and the Director of Education for Click Against Hate and Holocaust Education Australia, he designs immersive, story-based learning experiences that support educators and challenge students to engage deeply with complex real-world issues.

Dr Nikki Jamieson is an Author, Suicidologist, Social Worker and Researcher & has undertaken pioneering research on moral injury in Australia following the suicide loss of her son in 2014. Published nationally and internationally on moral injury Nikki also delivers keynotes and workshops and written two books and micro-education app on moral injury for first responders and their families. Nikki has worked in several government departments in suicide prevention including Health and the Departments of Veterans’ Affairs and Department of Defence.

Dan Shandler is a Co-Founder and Director of Elephant Ed. Dan is a passionate educator dedicated to shaping safer, more respectful school communities. With over a decade of experience, Dan has presented to tens of thousands of young people, parents and teachers on national and international stages, helping audiences navigate complex conversations around consent, relationships and online safety with clarity and confidence.

Emma Mason has been a lawyer for 25 years, currently working as an Independent Children’s Lawyer and advocate, representing the voices and best interests of children navigating complex family law matters. She is also a leading voice in national and global conversations around child safety, particularly in the digital environment, work driven by the devastating loss of her daughter, Matilda “Tilly” Rosewarne. At just 15, Tilly died by suicide after experiencing sustained online bullying, including image-based abuse, a tragedy that has shaped Emma’s drive to ensure no other family endures the same loss.

Ben Vasiliou is a social entrepreneur and the CEO of The Man Cave, Australia’s leading preventative mental health charity for teenage boys and their communities. Ben is a champion of social justice, is passionate about helping young boys become great men, and has an insatiable appetite to change the world. Ben is a seasoned CEO, has held a number of non-executive director positions with Australian charities, and is a Victorian Justice of the Peace.

Associate Professor Tom Brunzell (PhD) is an internationally recognised leader in trauma-informed education and wellbeing sciences at the University of Melbourne, Faculty of Education. He examines the impacts of trauma-informed pedagogies through the interdisciplinary integration of the sciences of learning, engagement, and wellbeing, with a particular emphasis on trauma-informed school and education leadership to support both student and staff outcomes.

Madeline is a Clinical Psychologist with a special interest in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), with her PhD exploring the psychosocial determinants of the acts and functions of NSSI convened in 2018. She has been actively engaged for the past 21 years in an educational, therapeutic, practical and theoretical capacity in the area of NSSI, and psychology more broadly. She is passionate about dispelling the many myths that persist about NSSI.

As co-founder of Switch4Schools—a globally recognised wellbeing software company recently named by HundrED and the International Baccalaureate as one of the top 10 most significant wellbeing educational innovations worldwide—Phil is dedicated to unlocking human potential and helping people live fuller, more meaningful lives. He firmly believes that many of the world’s greatest challenges—social, environmental, economic, and political—can be addressed by better understanding, managing, and harnessing our emotions.

Rebecca provides expertise in risk management, clinical governance and systems safety, supporting clients to enhance organisational outcomes through good governance and systems improvement. Her specialist areas of consulting include culture, leadership and complex systems. Her background as a nurse, quality manager and safety professional, equips her with insights on relevant and actionable risk strategies that can be applied across all our clients’ environments.

Professor Timothy (Tim) Carey Ph.D., is Director, Centre > Health Equity in Regional and Remote Communities, CQUniversity. He began his professional life as a preschool teacher and then did further training in special education with a focus on applied behaviour analysis. He taught in special schools and then in primary and secondary schools as a behaviour management specialist. He is a Fulbright Scholar, clinician, researcher, trainer, and educator.”

Sara Tajima is a Research Fellow at Ngarrngga. She holds a Master of Social Sciences (International Development) from RMIT University, and a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education (Honours) from the University of Melbourne. Sara’s work in education has been diverse, with experience across early childhood, schools, and tertiary education settings in Australia and internationally. Her research interests lie in social equity, intercultural education, and the early years.

Sam Wright is an experienced educational leader with over two decades in education, Sam brings a rich background shaped by leadership roles in regional Catholic schools. A passionate advocate for student wellbeing, Sam has led transformative initiatives at Padua College, including the implementation of a tiered mental health program, trauma informed practices and the training of all staff in Youth Mental Health First Aid. His leadership philosophy centres on intentional design and authentic connection, ensuring that wellbeing remains at the heart of school culture.

Mia Bannister is the Founder and Director of Ollie’s Echo: Pathways to Prevention Ltd, a charity established in memory of her son, Ollie, who tragically lost his life to suicide at just 14 following a battle with anorexia, compounded by online harms, bullying, and broader mental health challenges. Through Ollie’s Echo, Mia is committed to changing the narrative around eating disorders in boys and young men, raising awareness, breaking stigma, and advocating for early intervention, prevention, and education, while also addressing the growing impact of social media and digital environments on young people’s wellbeing.

Natasha Tereshchenko is International Programs Coordinator at The Knox School, Melbourne, and Founder of Global Adapt. With twelve years across international development and international schools in Europe, Asia, and Australia, and postgraduate qualifications in development, anthropology, and education, she designs systems and programs that support belonging, safety, and wellbeing for internationally mobile and culturally diverse communities.

Nick is the National Executive Officer of Relationships Australia, a federation of organisations committed to ensuring the well being of individuals, families and the community. With a dedicated focus on human rights, and a commitment to evidence based practice, Relationships Australia promotes healthy relationships for all Australians, in all their diversity. Nick has served as a board member of the Conservation Council ACT and am a member of the Law Council of Australia Immigration Law Committee.

Glen Hayres is a Curriculum Writer at Ngarrngga. With over 20 years of experience spanning early childhood, primary, and tertiary education, Glen has worked as an educator, leader, and consultant in government and independent schools in Australia and internationally. He holds a Master of Instructional Leadership from the University of Melbourne. Glen specialises in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme, an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary framework designed to build conceptual understanding and develop globally minded learners.

Annette brings more than two decades of experience in educational leadership, both in Australia and internationally. She began her professional journey in the classroom as a teacher before moving into leadership and values-driven education roles with organisations such as the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation, UNICEF, the Council of Europe Youth Directorate, and Amnesty International.

Professor Daryl Higgins’ research focuses on public health approaches to protecting children, and child-safe organisational strategies. A registered psychologist, Professor Higgins has been researching child abuse impacts and prevention, family violence and family functioning for nearly 30 years. As the Director of ACU's Institute of Child Protection Studies (ICPS), and the former Deputy Director (Research) of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, Professor Higgins has extensive research experience in the areas of child-safe organisations, child abuse and neglect, child protection, out-of-home care, family law.

National Director of Nanyubak: First Nations Practice and Partnerships at MacKillop Family Services, Esmai Manahan is a proud Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara woman. She was raised in a politically active family who remain passionate to this day about making positive change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people including advocating strongly for Treaty and Truth-telling. Esmai is mother, grandmother, sister and aunty to many.

Associate Professor Tim Moore serves as Deputy Director at the Institute of Child Protection Studies and is widely regarded as an international expert in child and youth research and advocacy for children's rights.

Pola is an Associate Director in the education practice at Deloitte Access Economics. Her work focuses on system-wide improvement in schooling equity and quality. Pola’s experience spans strategic advisory, program monitoring and evaluation, workforce modelling, funding model design, and policy research.

Dr Greig is the Founder of The Stand-Up Project - a voice, agency, and leadership-based anti-bullying program. With a PhD in community empowerment, he is a leading expert in bullying prevention and a frequent speaker and media commentator on student wellbeing, school culture, and preventative education. Drawing on a background in academic research, teaching, and large-scale program delivery, Dr Greig has worked with schools across Australia, Asia, New Zealand, and the United States to embed evidence-based approaches that genuinely shift behaviour.

Jocelyn Bignold AM has been the CEO of McAuley Community Services for Women since 2008, leading innovative support programs for women and children experiencing family violence and homelessness. She has over 25 years of experience in community services, policy development, and advocacy, working extensively with government and non-government organisations to improve policy and service systems.

Cheryl is an experienced CEO and strategic leader with over 30 years’ experience driving growth, performance, and cultural transformation across large organisations. As CEO of Kanda Group, they lead 1,450+ staff across multiple business units, with strong expertise in operational efficiency, HR strategy, and risk governance. Cheryl holds several board roles across health, welfare, and First Nations organisations, with a focus on building high performing teams, strong governance frameworks, and customer focused service delivery.

Jackie Bray is the Chief Executive of the Department for Child Protection. Prior to this, Jackie was the inaugural Head of the Office for the Early Year, which was established as a single point of strategic leadership for universal early years services across government, NGOs, and the broader Early Childhood sector. Jackie has worked in the public and private sector across several senior executive positions both in the United Kingdom and South Australia including UK Health Services, Department for Families and Communities and as the Deputy Chief Executive in the Department for Correctional Services.

David Cross is the CEO of ZOE Foundation Australia, where he leads initiatives to prevent child exploitation and traffi cking, increase understanding of child traffi cking and modern slavery, and develop ways to support children on their restorative journey.

Andrea Cross is the Program Manager at ZOE Foundation Australia, where she oversees restorative care program development, curriculum, and education. She focuses on building trauma-informed practices, developing restorative care programs for children, and leading educational initiatives that increase understanding and help prevent child exploitation. Andrea draws on her experience as a parent, foster carer, and teacher to inform and strengthen ZOE’s restorative care programs.

Gerard McGeough is CEO of Victims of Crime NT, leading trauma-informed, victim-centred services across the Northern Territory. With over 25 years’ experience, including a decade in victim advocacy, he specialises in justice system navigation, policy, and reform. He has strengthened services for remote and First Nations communities, driven organisational transformation, and led innovative programs addressing domestic, family and sexual violence, improving outcomes for victims.

Payge is a Senior School Social Worker with 14 years of experience supporting young people across a broad range of community and education services. Currently working within Student Support Services, Payge provides expertise across newly developed technical colleges, strengthening staff capacity and creating improved opportunities for young people through systems-focused wellbeing approaches.

Caterina has held senior and executive leadership roles across education for 15 years, leading whole-school improvement, community innovation and system-wide reform. She now leads statewide strategy across South Australia’s Technical Colleges, driving innovation in culture, capability development, student wellbeing and organisational systems. With deep expertise in adolescent development, she designs environments where young people and professionals thrive.

Over the past 30 years, Alison has worked in a range of roles in suicide prevention, postvention and mental health with a particular focus on complex trauma and supporting communities from refugee and people seeking asylum backgrounds. Her PhD involved a systemic analysis of service provision for youth experiencing suicidal distress who have childhood trauma histories. Alison has a lived experience of being bereaved by suicide and is chair of the Victorian Suicide Prevention Australia committee.

Mark Bekerman is the Regional Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Coordinator at Eastern Melbourne PHN. He has been involved in suicide postvention protocol groups since 2011, including the establishment of the first collaborative emergency response to suicide clusters in Melbourne’s southeast. He has worked in a range of sectors including Justice, Education, Mental Health, Local Government and Primary Health and holds qualifications in psychology, change management and leadership.

Jenny is a sexuality educator with a passion for ethical business management. Jenny enjoys working collaboratively with other skilled and experienced professionals. Jenny believes it is only by sharing that the best outcomes are achieved.

Chante is an evaluator specialising in child, youth and family programs across government and community sectors. She holds undergraduate degrees in psychology and sociology, along with a Graduate Certificate in Evaluation, underpinning her expertise in measurement and data‑driven decision‑making.

Alexandra Harper is a PhD candidate at Western Sydney University Australia. She has Master degrees in applied positive psychology and international policy, and over 30 years of experience as a classroom teacher and school leader. Her areas of expertise, research and interest are connecting children to nature, loose parts play and designing innovative school playgrounds and practices with affordances for student agency and competence.

Dr. Annaley Clarke is a social worker with over 30 years of experience in the child welfare and out-of-home care sectors. She has held various roles across government and non-government services, focusing on practice, evaluation, and management. Currently, Dr. Clarke serves as the Chief Operating Officer at Infinity Community Solutions Ltd. and is passionate about partnering with families and advocating for family-led approaches that emphasize keeping children and young people connected and safe.

Fiona Giles is an Education Coordinator with the Ronald McDonald Learning Program, Ronald McDonald House Victoria and Tasmania Chapter. As a secondary teacher, Fiona has worked in inclusive education across the government and independent sectors in Australia and the UK. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Learning Disabilities and her primary goal is to ensure students studying whilst managing a chronic health condition or serious illness, have access to the necessary supports and accommodations to be successful in their desired educational pathway.

Vanessa is a sexuality educator and mum to three wonderful kids. Vanessa created Talking The Talk Healthy Sexuality Education in response to her experience, of the alarming moment, when her 5 year old child asked an in-depth question about ‘Sex’ and even though she was a Sexual Health Nurse, didn’t know how to answer that extra level of detail with them!

Matthew is the Director of Clinical Training with CPBS. He has over 25 years’ experience working within positive behaviour support using constructional behaviour analysis and multi-element behaviour support. Matthew is a registered psychologist and Board Approved Supervisor. He has published work on MEBS, nonaversive strategies, and trauma informed practice.

Becca is the Director of Research with CPBS. She has over 15 years’ experience working within applied behaviour analysis and positive behaviour support. Becca has taught ABA courses at Australian and American universities. She has a PhD, is a BCBA, and has published work on assistive technology and student support.

Geoff is the Co-founder and Chief Clinical Officer with CPBS. He has over 30 years’ experience in positive behaviour support. Geoff has extensive clinical and research experience with constructional behaviour analysis and nonaversive strategies. He has a PhD, is a BCBA, and has published work in multi-element behaviour support.

Georgia holds a Masters Degree in Special Education and a Graduate Certificate in Special Education (Autism). Since 1988, she has been engaged in the South Australian independent education sector, bringing extensive experience in teaching and supporting students with diverse learning needs. Georgia currently serves as Diverse Learning Coordinator at St. Michael’s Lutheran Primary School in Hahndorf, South Australia, where she oversees the coordination of learning support and wellbeing initiatives.

Independent Producer; Artist; Writer; Mental health & arts advocate; Social Impact Innovator. Melbourne, Australia / Wurundjeri Country. Tell your story in the mental health system and you get medicated. Tell that same story through the arts and you get celebrated. I believe that mental health recovery is just one small part of a healing spectrum. Things get better when we experience; expression, voice, identity, community, wisdom, equity. The best meeting place for all of these elements, is the arts.

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