Angie Abdilla
Founder and Director, Old Ways, New
Professor Angie Abdilla palawa is the founder and director of Old Ways, New. In her various roles as a strategic designer, creative practitioner, and consultant, Angie advocates for Indigenous peoples, knowledges, and knowledge systems as foundational to technology automation through design and cultural practice. Her published research interrogates the praxis of Indigenous deeptime technologies and Artificial Intelligence, which continue to be informed by the Indigenous Protocols and AI working group (IP//AI), which she co-founded. As a creative practitioner, she works across film and video installation as an exhibiting artist. She created the company’s strategic design methodology, Country Centered Design, leading projects for the public and private sectors over the past decade. Angie continues to advise on the cultural and ethical affordances of automated systems and technologies internationally and locally.
James Aiken
AUSPAC Foundation Manager, QBE Insurance
James Aiken is a corporate foundation, community investment and social impact professional with over 20 years’ experience in working closely with not-for-profit, industry and government to deliver a broad range of large-scale community projects. Currently, James lead’s the QBE AUSPAC Foundation where he is focussed on delivering their core program to “create strong, resilient and inclusive communities”.
Omar Abou-Samra
Director, Preparedness and Climate Services and Global Disaster Preparedness Center, International Services, American Red Cross
Omar Abou-Samra leads the Preparedness and Climate team for the American Red Cross and he is also the Director of the Global Disaster Preparedness Center (GDPC), a partnership between the American Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Omar has been instrumental in the development and cultivation of important partnerships with private sector and government partners as well as a leader in the wider Red Cross and Red Crescent network in areas of Early Warning Early Action, Cash Transfer, Institutional Readiness and the use of new technologies and innovative approaches as they relate to disaster preparedness. Omar is a champion for practical research to expand evidence in humanitarian work and has lead projects and programs funded by USAID and the National Science Foundation.
Prior to joining the International Services Department, Omar served as a leader in the American Red Cross Domestic Disaster Services Department, where he worked closely with American Red Cross chapters, volunteers and staff to implement key programs and initiatives related to disaster service delivery in addition to the responsibilities of leading disaster response on large relief operations including the Superstorm Sandy response. Omar is also an experienced international responder having pioneered cash transfer programs in relief stages in several countries. Omar holds a Bachelor of Arts from Emory University and a Juris Doctor degree from Santa Clara University School of Law.
Marilee Campbell
Senior Advocacy Specialist, Australian Red Cross
Marilee Campbell has been part of the Red Cross Emergency Services as a volunteer and as a staff-member for the past five years. She previously worked at the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) where she conducted research, wrote and shared climate resources and developed and shared stories of climate adaptation for policy-makers and decision-makers across Australia. She's worked closely with governments, businesses, academia and communities to address the complex impacts of a changing climate. She has also worked in federal politics in the Canadian Senate working on the Human Rights and Foreign Affairs/International Trade portfolios. She is an egalitarian and humanitarian, who loves green spaces, libraries, musicals, emergency preparedness and swimming.
Celeste Carnegie
Celeste Carnegie is a Birri Gubba Juru, South Sea Islander woman.
Celeste endeavours to champion the ideas and build platforms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across these great lands and seas, with the hopes of building capability and confidence. She is passionate about digital inclusion and empowering young people to achieve their goals in technology and beyond.
Celeste has over ten years of experience engaging successfully with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Building relationships and working collaboratively to support program development and effective governance. Celeste currently uses her expertise to provide access and support with STEAM education and the digital upskilling of communities across the nation.
Sam Clifford
Senior Specialist – Humanitech, Australian Red Cross
Sam Clifford is the Senior Specialist at Humanitech, an innovation initiative of Australian Red Cross. Sam’s work focuses on convening diverse voices and building strategic collaborations to leverage technology in addressing complex humanitarian challenges.
Sam’s journey with the Australian Red Cross began as a volunteer in migration support programs, shaping a career defined by valuing diversity, ethics, and a commitment to creating positive social change. With a Master's in Creative Writing and a Master's in International Development, Sam is passionate about integrating community-driven and evidence-based approaches to shape the future of humanitarian innovation.
Jackie Coates
CEO, Telstra Foundation
Jackie Coates is a corporate community investment and social impact leader with a focus on the “youth and tech” space. Jackie leads Telstra’s philanthropic arm and Australian charity - the Telstra Foundation (inc Code Club Australia), is a Trustee on the Board of Telstra Foundation Philippines and also a Board Director of Phoenix Australia.
Passionate about supporting children and young people to be more included, connected and empowered, Jackie believes that all young people should have the same opportunity to thrive in a connected world. She advocates for young people to have their say in shaping the digital world and also encourages young people to create with, not just consume, tech. Feminist, mother, tech optimist, and grant-maker, Jackie juggles many balls and tries hard not to drop the glass ones.
Grace Covey
Communications Manager, Kara Technologies
My name is Grace Covey, and I’m the Communication Manager at Kara Technologies. As a profoundly Deaf woman and mother of two Deaf children, I’m deeply invested in improving accessibility and normalising sign language. At Kara, we use technology to break down communication barriers, and I’m proud to be part of a mission that’s life-changing for the Deaf community.
Lloyd Doddridge
Chief of Future Directions, Australian Red Cross
In his professional life, Lloyd has worked in many complex organisationsexperiencing change in their environments and helping make them successful at what they do. Starting out at the ATO in Adelaide, he performed various senior taxpayer facing roles during a period of great change in our tax system. He then moved on to spend several years in Chartered Accounting practice joining SA Brewing Holdings corporate finance team gaining exposure to a variety of manufacturing industries before being appointed as Finance Director in Europe for Penfolds Wine Group.
Returning from Europe to Melbourne he transitioned ultimately to Nexteer Automotive where an initial role as CFO of Australia later became that of CEO of Asia Pacific.
Living and working largely out of Shanghai, China Lloyd oversaw the growth of the business from $20m million turnover to $1b across a region that included China, India and greater Asia. He then spent time in the Media and Communications sector with Dentsu Aegis.
A Chartered Accountant and member of the Institute of Company directors, he holds a B.A. in Accounting from Uni SA, an MBA in International Management from RMIT and a Graduate Diploma in Financial Strategy from Oxford University.
Sarah Downie
CEO, Shared Value Project Australia and New Zealand
Sarah Downie is the CEO of Shared Value Project Australia and New Zealand (SVP), championing a better future for business and society through shared value. With 20 years of experience in for-profit and non-profit sectors, she leads SVP in providing tools and inspiration for a new kind of capitalism. Sarah has held executive positions in impact-led organisations and completed the Shared Value and Sustainable Business Strategy Programs at Harvard Business School.
As a member of the Shared Value Global Steering Committee, Sarah directs the SVP team to deliver evidence, tools, education, and inspiration needed for this urgent shift in business practices. Sarah's diverse background, which includes co-building an award-winning creative agency and executive roles at organisations such as Make-A-Wish Australia, Big Brothers Big Sisters and One Girl Australia.
Sarah is driven by the belief that we find ourselves at an unprecedented moment in time, one that requires business to embrace creating shared value – to not only rethink how it generates profits, but how it meaningfully contributes to creating a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable society.
Bridgette Engeler
Senior Lecturer, Swinburne School of Business, Law and Entrepreneurship
Bridgette Engeler is a pracademic working across entrepreneurship, design-led innovation, strategic foresight and culture. Prior to joining Swinburne, she worked in brand, design and innovation strategy for over 20 years. Her PhD investigates the intersection of design and foresight, and ways to bring futures literacy into design praxis to curtail the dominant discourse of short-termism, normativity and material culture. She’s interested in the potential of post-growth innovation and futures-led design to tackle the many challenges ahead. Recent projects include collaborating with a global consortium of women futurists to design a feminist futures framework for IWDA, public participatory futures installations in Melbourne and Hong Kong, researching viability of VR and AR wearables for people with early-onset dementia, investigating the challenges of self-sovereign identity, and exploring ways to use technology and new materials in designing condoms and other devices to support sexual and reproductive health.
Natalie Falzon
Sustainability, External Affairs & Legal, Telstra Foundation
Natalie Falzon is the Strategy, Partnerships & Impact Lead at the Telstra Foundation. Her work focuses on the intersection of technology and social impact, particularly how digital spaces, innovation, young people, and wellbeing intersect. With experience in non-profit, government, and corporate sectors, Natalie brings a unique perspective to collaboration and partnerships.
Natalie co-hosts the Technology & Wellbeing Roundtable, promoting discussions about the impact of emerging technologies on young people. She advocates for young people's inclusion, connection, and empowerment, encouraging them to shape and create within the digital world.
Ian Gray
Author of The Scaling Value Playbook
Ian Gray is an author, speaker, and renowned expert on scaling innovations.
He is the founder of Gray Dot Catalyst, a strategy, innovation, and partnering consultancy that has advised, trained, and mentored close to 200 organisations across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors on every continent. Gray Dot Catalyst runs commissioned Scale Accelerator programs for UN agencies, foundations, and innovation investors, with over 60 innovation teams being supported across five cohorts in 2024.
Ian’s recent book, Scaling Value, co-authored with Professor John Bessant, is an invaluable resource for those trying to scale innovations. In the humanitarian and development sectors, Ian is the lead author of the DIAL Business Model Sustainability Toolkit and the Elrha Humanitarian Innovation Guide. He has also authored and co-authored numerous humanitarian innovation papers.
Ian is a patented inventor, an RSA Fellow, and holds an M.A. (Hons), MSc (Econ), and MBA. He is currently researching for his PhD on disruptive innovation in the humanitarian sector.
Joseph Glesta
Co-Founder and CEO, Climasens
Joe Glesta is helping build climate resilience in our world through technological innovation. He is a passionate sustainability and technology professional with a diverse array of skills focused on digital innovation, service design, stakeholder engagement and business strategy. Over the past decade, he has worked in a multitude of positions that have allowed him to work in the climate sector and technology, enabling him to understand what it takes for these two megatrends to combine and improve the planet.
Julia Goodall
Senior Manager – Humanitech, Australian Red Cross
Julia Goodall is the Strategy and Impact Manager of Humanitech, an innovation initiative of Australian Red Cross leading a humanitarian approach to emerging technology, where she strives to achieve strategic clarity, develop deep collaboration and create impact for people and communities facing humanitarian challenges.
An experienced humanitarian practitioner and innovator, Julia has managed Red Cross’ humanitarian response to COVID-19, led the South Australian Emergency Services team and launched youth resilience co-design projects into the Emergency Management sector.
Her strategic governance experiences include leading youth organisation Big Week Out and serving as Vice President and Board Director of YWCA Australia.
Julia is inspired by the power of applying intersectional and lived experience perspectives to social impact strategy and design.
Penny Harrison
Deputy CEO, Australian Red Cross
With 24 years’ experience in executive and leadership roles in Australia and internationally, Penny builds collaborations across businesses, governments and communities to effect system change and achieve social impact.
Penny is passionate about the value of innovation and futures thinking, the benefits new technologies can bring to help solve complex humanitarian problems and leadership. These interests stem from leading humanitarian programs including in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, from collaborating with local partners across regional program portfolios including South and Northeast Asia, leading major humanitarian responses and in Australia exploring ways to mobilise volunteers to act in their communities.
Penny has worked at Australian Red Cross across a number of portfolios: in International Programs, as State Director, Victoria, Director Volunteering and most recently Chief of Staff.
Penny holds a Master of Arts and Bachelor of Arts (Hons) both from Monash University and is an alumnus of Leadership Victoria’s Williamson Community Leadership Program.
Lauren Hicks
Head of Social Impact, QBE Insurance
Lauren Hicks is passionate about contributing to social and environmental outcomes that will see future generations enjoy a life of safety, equity, and inclusion. At QBE, Lauren leads the social impact stream in the Group Sustainability team and is responsible for working with people across their global operations to embed sustainability and create impact through the QBE Foundation. In her role she is focussed on reaching the QBE Foundation’s vision to create strong, resilient and inclusive communities through strategic and impactful partnerships.
Lauren is also a member of ActionAid Australia’s Arise Leadership Circle who help drive the objectives of the Arise Fund and meet the visionary target of empowering one million women to lead crisis response. She is also a member of the B4SI Steering Group.
Since 2006, her career has been focused on collaborating with organisations and stakeholders to develop and execute strategy and reporting relating to ESG, shared value, sustainability and community engagement in alignment with organisational vision, purpose and strategy.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Development Studies and Culture Change from Macquarie University, and a Diploma of Business Management.
Georgina Hillman
Greenhouse Manager, AirSeed
We are living in a pivotal time for humanity and our environment. There is an urgency for all of us to step up and take action. I believe in human ingenuity and innovation - when we work together, we can achieve amazing solutions to any problem.
Georgina Hillman is a Horticulturist at AirSeed Technologies, where they are working to implement environmental restoration at scale. AirSeed Technologies is at the cutting edge of the environmental restoration industry. They utilise drones, data analysis and AI technologies in mass revegetation, carbon farming, and mined lands rehabilitation. Georgina primarily works in research and design, running production and planting trials in the AirSeed greenhouse and in the field.
AirSeed has been working with the Australian Red Cross Humanitech Project, supported by Telstra Foundation and QBE Foundation, to help provide solutions to communities impacted by the effects of climate change. The partnership project aimed to assist landholders affected by a series of devastating landslides that occurred in late February and March 2022, throughout the Northern Rivers area in NSW. Over the duration of the project, AirSeed delivered more than 600,000 native seed pods to 146 landholders, providing fast growing native plants to help stabilise landslide sites. I helped support the implementation of the “Scale Up” phase of this project.
Layusa Isa-Odidi
Partner, Dalberg
Layusa Isa-Odidi is a Partner working across Asia-Pacific and leading Dalberg’s (a global social impact advisory firm) presence in Melbourne, Australia. Layusa has extensive experience in organisational design and has significant experience advising not-for-profits, global funds, and bilateral donors/investors on their funding and financing approaches, including in innovative finance. In the humanitarian field, this has ranged from supporting the Global Partnership for Education in clarifying its approaching to funding in humanitarian contexts, to working with USAID and the World Economic Forum’s Humanitarian and Resilience Invest platform to develop humanitarian disclosures and blended finance recommendations, to supporting the Grand Bargain’s strategic dialogue on scaling up innovative finance, and working with humanitarian organisations like ICRC on different approaching to fundraising and partnering.
Before joining Dalberg, Layusa worked with McKinsey & Company in Lagos and the Boston Consulting Group in Boston. She holds a Master in Public Administration in International Development (MPA-ID) from the Harvard Kennedy School, a Master in Business Administration from the Harvard Business School, and a Bachelor in Arts from Harvard University.
Awais Hameed Khan
Research Fellow at the University of Queensland node of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making & Society (ADM+S)
Awais Hameed Khan is a designer, researcher, and (recovering) marketer, who is interested in the democratisation of technology through participatory and user-centred approaches. His work explores the human, social, and environmental aspects of current and emerging technologies. Awais is particularly interested in developing creative participatory methods and speculative approaches, that can enable users have greater autonomy, agency, and control over the design of technology. Awais has a PhD in Human-Centred Computing and Design, Master of Interaction Design, and Bachelor of Business Administration (Hons.) He has over a decade of experience working across emerging technologies, telecommunications, development, consumer goods, and design consulting sectors.
Nichola Krey
Director Victoria & Centralised Emergency Response, Australian Red Cross
Nichola is an executive leader of strategy and operations in complex settings. With a passion for people and organisational integrity, Nichola has been a Country Director in Palestine, Vanuatu and Aceh Indonesia. She has led humanitarian operations across Asia, Middle East and the Pacific as the Humanitarian Director for Save the Children.
Most recently, Nichola led the regional program for the Norwegian Refugee Council in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Palestine and Iraq. After a three year stint with the government during the COVID-19 response, Nichola is now the Victorian State Director for Australian Red Cross and oversees the Central Emergency Response team who lead the Red Cross response across the country.
Mike Lake
President & CEO, Leading Cities
Michael E. Lake is the President and CEO of Leading Cities, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Leading Cities’ mission is to drive global resiliency and sustainability through cities. Michael establishes and develops relationships with municipal governments, businesses, non-profit organizations and universities around the world, creating a global network dedicated to implementing Smart and Resilient City solutions.
AcceliCITY, a signature program, has become among the largest smart and resilient city focused accelerators in the world—providing pilot projects, startup funding and curriculum to entrepreneurs globally. Leading Cities globally sources, expert-vets, and ultimately connects municipal leaders with the solutions, best practices, and expertise needed to develop Smart Communities.
Mike has also co-chaired the Cyber Resilience Task for the World Economic Forum and G20 Global Smart City Alliance and established LaunchPad 11, the world’s first virtual incubator for sustainability and resiliency. Michael’s career in public service spans from serving three United States Presidents as Special Assistant for White House Operations and Presidential Advance to serving the former Prime Minister of Ireland as a policy research analyst.
Eytan Lenko
CEO, Boundless
Eytan Lenko is a technology entrepreneur, philanthropist and investor focused on climate solutions. Prior to joining Boundless Earth, Eytan was Chair of the internationally-recognised think-tank Beyond Zero Emissions. Eytan started his career in tech, including as Co-founder and CEO of Outware Mobile, growing Outware to become the recognised Australian leader in mobile software development.
Eytan is a director of funds management firm, Infrastructure Asset Managers, and investor and advisor to a number of ambitious clean-tech companies. He is a director of the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Networks and the Lord Mayors Charitable Foundation and recently chaired the development of the Climate Change Funding Framework, an influential framework that helps large funders strategically direct their giving on climate. Eytan was also a member of the 2020 Northern Territory Economic Reconstruction Commission to advise the Chief Minister on growth pathways for the NT economy.
Natalia Manidis
Asia Operations Lead, Microsoft
Natalia Manidis is the Asia Operations Lead for Microsoft’s global technical skilling program. Her 13-year career in tech has spanned operations, learning, community, and customer success roles at tech companies, big and small, across the globe. She is passionate about the potential for technology to break down traditional barriers to access, empowering learners, and creating mutual value for businesses and the customers they serve.
Alex Mathieson
Director International Programs and Movement Relations, Australian Red Cross
Alex Mathieson joined Australian Red Cross in January 2022 as Director International Programs. Alex has worked in the humanitarian and development sectors for over 30 years after starting as a volunteer in an Oxfam op shop in London while at university. From that humbling experience, he went on to spend 10 years working on humanitarian crises around the world including Central Africa, Albania, Macedonia, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, India, Philippines and across the Asia Pacific region.
Alex moved to Australia in 2003 with his young family and worked in numerous roles with Oxfam Australia, including Regional Manager Asia, Programs Director and Country Director in Vanuatu. In 2018, he became Head of Change for Oxfam International, leading the transformation of Oxfam’s organisational model globally.
Alex is passionate about collaboration as a way to increase collective impact. He uses his facilitation skills to support people and organisations define their own strategies, change power dynamics, and lead their own agendas. In addition to work and family he likes tennis, dogs, Arsenal football club and Detroit techno.
Natalie Maxwell-Davis
Senior Manager - Modern Slavery Prevention and Response, Australian Red Cross
Natalie leads the organisation's program to promote a whole-of-community approach to addressing modern slavery, with a strong focus on incorporating the viewpoints of survivors and vulnerable populations into the response. Natalie brings a wealth of experience in entrepreneurship, management and law, including firsthand work with migrant workers in Singapore. She draws on her diverse background to deliver evidence-based innovate solutions that address humanitarian challenges and support sustainable change. Natalie's qualifications include a Master of Laws (with distinction) from Monash University and an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management.
Anthony McCosker
Professor of Media and Communication, Swinburne University
Anthony McCosker is Professor of Media and Communication at Swinburne University, Melbourne, Australia. He is Director of Swinburne's Social Innovation Research Institute, and Node Lead and Chief Investigator in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society.
Anthony's research addresses digital inclusion and participation in new technology adoption, particularly in relation to health and social inclusion. As a Chief Investigator in the ADM+S Centre, Anthony is working with industry partners, government and not-for-profits to improve digital and data capabilities for our increasingly automated societies. He has received two Vice Chancellor’s Awards for industry-engaged research impact. His latest co-authored books are Everyday Data Cultures (2022, Polity), Data for Social Good: Non-Profit Sector Data Projects (2023, Palgrave) and Automating Vision: The Social Impact of the New Camera Consciousness (2020, Routledge).
Melanie McGrath
Research Fellow, CSIRO
Dr Melanie McGrath is a researcher in CSIRO’s Collaborative Intelligence and Responsible Innovation Future Science Platforms. Melanie's work addresses the integration of human and AI capabilities at the individual, group, and organisational levels. She specialises in the role and implications of human trust in AI, and how this understanding can be harnessed to develop and deploy responsible AI solutions. Her research expertise is coupled with a strong commitment to translating scientific concepts into actionable insights, and she has experience delivering workshops and presentations to industry, government, and academic audiences. Melanie has postgraduate qualifications in psychology from Monash University and a doctorate in social psychology from the University of Melbourne.
Brendan Moon AM
Coordinator General, National Emergency Management Agency
Brendan Moon AM is a highly experienced leader in the Emergency Management sector and has extensive expertise across disaster response, recovery, preparedness and risk reduction.
Brendan was appointed as the first Coordinator-General of the National Emergency Management Agency in October 2022 to establish an all-hazards, end-to-end agency to lead and coordinate Australian Government support for emergency management across Australia.
Prior to this national role, he spent 10 years with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), starting as the General Manager, Operations in 2011 until his appointment as Chief Executive Officer in 2016. While with QRA, Brendan led recovery operations and state-wide reconstruction and recovery efforts for all significant natural disasters in Queensland since late 2015 until 2022.
Brendan is a regular contributor to national and international dialogues on disaster risk and resilience; addressing forums including the United Nations Office of Disaster Risk Reduction’s Asian Ministerial Conference, Pacific Regional Disaster Managers and the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction.
He is a passionate advocate for cooperation and collaboration across international, national, state and local agencies for disaster preparedness, response and recovery.
Brendan is a graduate of the University of Queensland and represented Australia in rugby internationally as a member of the Australian Wallabies. Brendan’s Order of Australia recognises his contribution to public administration and Australian Rugby Union.
Fyowna Norton
State Manager Programs Victoria, Australian Red Cross
Fyowna Norton is a practice professional with over 27 years’ experience in the humanitarian, public, and private sector. Holding bachelor’s degrees in social work and arts/science, Fyowna has had a diverse career spanning emergency management, workforce reform, economic development, child protection, mother baby mental health, and as Director of a successful private business in the fitness industry. Fyowna has authored for a social work book, co-authored journal papers presented at national and international conferences, and is a national marketing award winner. Currently Victorian State Manager Programs at the Australian Red Cross, Fyowna is responsible for leading and implementing effective state-wide delivery, capability development, advocacy to promote the importance of humanitarian impacts; and drive reform that delivers better outcomes for all people.
Margaret O’Brien
CEO & Co-founder, Young Change Agents
As an advocate for education, social impact, and technology-for-good, Margaret O’Brien has dedicated the last 12 years of her career to social entrepreneurship with a focus on youth agency.
Margaret designed her first social entrepreneurship program whilst volunteering in Colombia. She has been a Social Enterprise Advisor for Social Traders and Seventh Street Ventures and is the CoFounder and CEO of national social enterprise Young Change Agents. Since 2016, over 1560 schools and 165,000+ youth across Australia have accessed Young Change Agents programs, resources and technology.
Jaime Painter
Chief of Staff, LoamBio
Jaime is Chief of Staff at Loam Bio, an agricultural biotech scale-up in Australia. She studied humanitarian engineering at the University of Sydney, and was involved with Engineers without Borders, including trips teaching human-centred design in India and Samoa. Prior to Loam Bio, she worked with smallholder farmers in Ethiopia at Perennial Foods Group - focused on regenerative agriculture practices - and McKinsey and Company.
Jessica Ports Robbins
Senior Partnerships & Innovation Lead, Global Disaster Preparedness Center
Jessica Ports Robbins has worked in the field of disaster preparedness and response for 20+ years, currently serving as the Senior Partnerships and Innovation Lead for the Global Disaster Preparedness Center, a reference center established by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and hosted by the American Red Cross. Her areas of expertise include: digital technology and innovation, disaster preparedness, international development, project management, animal welfare, emergency sheltering, qualitative research, early warning systems, volunteer management, and agile methodology. She holds a BA in History from Elon University, an MS in History and Sociology of Technology and Science from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a PhD in international development from Tulane University. She is a certified Project Management Professional and serves on both the Advocacy Council for the Louisiana SPCA and as Secretary of the Board of Directors for TMTP Labs, Inc. She lives in New Orleans with her partner Seann, black lab mix Lucy, and a clowder of cats.
Edward Santow
Edward Santow is the Director - Policy & Governance at the Human Technology Institute, and Industry Professor - Responsible Technology at the University of Technology Sydney. Ed is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Law.
Ed co-founded the Human Technology Institute, which he leads with Prof Nicholas Davis and Prof Sally Cripps. Ed's focus areas include digital government, the future of AI regulation, AI assurance, facial recognition technology and digital identity.
Ed serves on the Australian Government's AI Expert Group, Government Service Delivery Advisory Board and National Quantum Advisory Committee. Ed also serves on a number of state government advisory bodies, including the NSW Government AI Review Committee. Ed serves on a number of boards and committees, including CareerSeekers. He is a patron of the Refugee Advice + Casework Service, and a Fellow of the UTS Centre for Social Justice & Inclusion.
From 2016-2021, Ed was Australia's Human Rights Commissioner, where he led the Commission's work on AI & new technology; refugees and migration; human rights issues affecting LGBTIQ+ people; national security; and implementing the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture.
In 2009, Ed was presented with an Australian Leadership Award, and in 2017 he was recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Ed previously served as chief executive of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and was a Senior Lecturer at UNSW Law School, a research director at the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law, and a solicitor in private practice.
Linda Snell
Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery Mentor
Linda Snell is a dedicated professional with extensive experience in disaster recovery and community development. She has played crucial roles in supporting communities following significant emergencies, including the Hazelwood Mine Fire 2014, Yinnar South Bushfire March 2019, and most recently the June 2021 catastrophic storm through Yarra Ranges. Linda’s personal experiences during the Mallacoota and Yinnar South bushfires really drove her passion to dedicate her time to working with communities in times of crisis. It feels like disaster follows Linda at times, but she is grateful for the opportunities to be able to help.
Linda’s blend of personal insight, professional acumen, and leadership skills equips her to effectively navigate the complex challenges that arise during emergency disaster recovery and in building community resilience. Her strengths include relationship and partnership development, innovative approaches to community centred recovery, project management, facilitation and systems development.
Currently Linda is enjoying a well-earned break after working in the local government sector for 11 years whilst continuing her volunteer role as an Australian Red Cross Disaster Recovery Mentor.
Katy Southall
Head of Humanitech, Australian Red Cross
As Head of Humanitech, Katy Southall leads the Australian Red Cross initiative exploring the role of technology in meeting humanitarian need. This follows a 30-year career in the humanitarian and for purpose sectors, both as a consultant and in senior roles with Oxfam, Save the Children and IFRC. Katy has also held a range of governance positions, including on the Board of girls' education INGO One Girl. As former Manager of the Trust Alliance for the Australian Red Cross, Katy led a network of private, public and for-purpose organisations to develop and use shared standards and design principles for ethical digital identity. Katy has consulted for private, public and NFP organisations, including DFAT, global startups, early-stage investors and advocacy organisations. She has lived and worked across Asia Pacific, Central and North Africa, Europe and the UK. Above all, Katy is known as a social innovation strategist and doer, with an ability to broker and build impactful networks and partnerships that unlock collective value.
Anthea Spinks
Director of Community Development, City of Melbourne
Anthea Spinks is the Director of Community Development for the City of Melbourne, bringing over 20 years of experience in international programs and community development. She currently leads teams that engage the vibrant and diverse communities who live, work, study and visit the city of Melbourne.
Previously the Director of Programs at Oxfam Australia, Anthea led international development and humanitarian initiatives, including advocacy on climate change and economic justice.
She also collaborated with First Peoples’ partners. Anthea spent over 15 years at World Vision, covering emergencies globally – including leading large complex emergencies as well as supporting in humanitarian policy and strategic leadership roles. Anthea has also worked for the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) in social policy and at RedR Australia as a trainer of humanitarian workers across Australia, Asia and the Pacific.
She is a creative, curious and collaborative leader who likes to connect the dots both within and outside organisations. Fostering partnerships across sectors to deliver impact alongside communities is what gives her energy and motivation!
Alex Taylor
Global Head of Emerging Technologies, QBE Ventures
Alex is the Global Head of Emerging Technologies of QBE Ventures, the venture investment and development arm of QBE Insurance. Alex and the team invest in, build alongside and partner with early-stage technology companies that have the potential to reshape the insurance industry.
Alex is an innovation and disruption specialist and futurist, helping established companies to see where the threats lie, and how they can play in the same field and with the same tools as the disrupters – and has spoken before a wide range of audiences on the Horizon 1 to Horizon 3 innovation and disruption journey, and how to navigate the bridge between.
As the technology lead on a number of AI/ML investments in VC and CVC environments, Alex has lived the challenge of applying machine learning and related technologies in highly regulated environments - from visual and voice analytics, customer sentiment platforms and IoT to the challenges of vehicular automation.
Before joining QBE, Alex was the Director of Emerging and Innovation Technology and also Entrepreneur in Residence at IAG.
Emile Theodorou
Senior Officer – Resilience Project, Australian Red Cross
Emile Theodorou joined the Australian Red Cross as the Senior Officer – Resilience Project in October 2024, bringing with him a deep passion for leveraging technical innovation to enhance community resilience. His role draws from his extensive experience living in Dargo, Victoria's most isolated township, where he has spent the last seven years. Through this firsthand experience, Emile understands the unique challenges faced by remote communities in planning, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters.
Emile is an active member of his local community. In a voluntary capacity, he serves on the Board of Management for the Dargo Bush Nursing Centre and is the President of the Dargo Business & Tourism Association, contributing to both the health and economic wellbeing of his community.
Andrew Walker
Andrew Walker is a senior leader, mechanical engineer and entrepreneur with over 20 years’ experience within the automotive/aerospace design sector for companies such as BMW and AirBus Industries.
Andrew holds a BEng (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering and has experience successfully building companies, scaling-up his own engineering and manufacturing business. Andrew leads all project initiatives whilst also being heavily involved in the engineering and development of all drone and manufacturing plant hardware.
A fast-growing environmental restoration company, AirSeed has developed specialised tree-planting drones equipped with machine learning capabilities and patented seed pod biotechnology to rapidly replant large areas of land to accelerate global-scale reforestation. AirSeed drones can each plant up to 40,000 seed pods a day, access remote, hazardous and inaccessible areas and GPS tag every seed pod planted. AirSeed's mission is to plant 100 million trees by 2024 and accelerate the restoration of lost biodiversity.
Johanna Weaver
Director, ANU Tech Policy Design Centre
Professor Johanna Weaver is the founding Director of the Tech Policy Design Centre at the Australian National University (ANU). A recovering diplomat, and reformed commercial litigator, Professor Weaver champions tech policy as a tool to shape technology for the benefit of humanity.
Prior to joining ANU, Professor Weaver completed her term as Australia’s independent expert and lead negotiator on cyber issues at the United Nations. Earlier she led the Cyber Affairs Branch at the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, working closely with Australia’s inaugural Ambassador for Cyber Affairs. Professor Weaver is a member of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Global Advisory Board on digital threats during conflict. She is also on a member of the Advisory Board to the Australian Minister for Government Services. Professor Weaver is proudly neurodivergent and a passionate advocate of diversity and inclusion.