Learning & Capability Development Speakers

David Bellas

Director, LinkedIn Talent Solutions
LinkedIn

David Bellas is a Director for LinkedIn’s Talent Solutions business for Australia and New Zealand. David and his team are responsible for helping organisation the way they plan, hire, and develop talent. This is possible through the disruptive technology and unique data and insights from LinkedIn’s 875+ million members and 57 million companies.

He is passionate about investing in people, everything sales, turning business visions into reality and working with customers to meet their business objectives.

Over the past 10 years at LinkedIn, David has had the opportunity to lead the growth and distribution efforts across all sectors at LinkedIn. When LinkedIn acquired Lynda.com in 2015, an online learning company, David was appointed as Head of Learning for Australia and New Zealand and helped oversee the successful transition to LinkedIn Learning.

Over the past several years David has been recognised with awards such as Diversity and Inclusion Manager of the Year and LinkedIn Manager of the Year and has a reputation for inspiring, coaching and developing talent.

Arathi Chhetri

Manager Aged Care Learning and Capability
The Salvation Army

Arathi Chhetri’s career over the past 2 decades has spanned genetics research; primetime radio production and hosting; marketing; leading design and delivery of ed-tech products; and workforce capability solutions for global clientele. With a Masters in Marketing & Management; and a Masters in Learning Sciences and Technology from the University of Sydney, Arathi has led global teams across multiple industries in instructional design, digital transformation, and strategic consulting people growth and development. Her passion lies in fostering learnability, leadership capability, curiosity and psychological safety – what she recognises as critical to agile learning cultures and innovation. At the Salvation Army Aged Care, Arathi is focused on implementing the learning & capability workforce strategy that enables people to navigate a complex environment with compassion at the core of every task.

Stacey Edmonds MAICD

Founder & CEO
Lively, A Learning Agency

Stacey Edmonds is the Founder and CEO of Lively, a Learning Agency, and the creator of Dodgy or Not?, a social enterprise redefining digital safety awareness. A teacher by trade, Stacey brings 20 years of award-winning experience to her work, combining expertise in social science, filmmaking, gamification, and learning design to craft transformative learning experiences. 

As a former senior leader at Transport NSW and Partner at Deloitte, where she led the Future of Learning practice, Stacey has a track record of delivering learning solutions that engage and drive measurable change. Through Lively, Stacey and her team create consumer-grade learning environments that empower both employees and customers. 

Stacey’s mission is simple: to make learning that people love. With innovative approaches to digital safety and culture transformation, she continues to lead the way in shaping the future of impactful, accessible learning. 

Brenda Hawke FCPHR

Senior Director Talent and Organisational Development
Queensland Health

Brenda is a wife, mother of three children and is driven by purpose.  Purpose to make a positive impact everyday.  With over twenty years in the human resources profession, Brenda has specialised in multiple human resource disciplines and has industry experience across the Health, Finance, Insurance, Transportation, Local Government, State Government and Government Owned Corporation sectors.

With the impacts felt by the global pandemic and the sudden passing of her father in 2022, Brenda’s purpose gravitated to the health industry.  She wanted give back to a workforce and industry that in every second of every day, gives so much to others. As Senior Director Talent and Organisational Development at Queensland Health, Brenda’s functional span includes organisational development, learning, inclusion, organisational change, leadership capability, talent development, workforce planning, work design and evaluation and attraction.

Brenda thrives in an environment of complexity and chaos and she is passionate about learning, leadership at every level and the untapped potential and purpose within every person, whether the individual realises it or not.

Mary Hetherington

Director Competency & Learning
Transport for NSW

Mary Hetherington is an experienced L&D leader that has worked across New Zealand and Australia over the past 20 years. Currently, she leads a learning function in a large rail infrastructure project in Transport for NSW. Her role allows here to explore a variety of different training methodologies and technologies; including simulators and artificial intelligence. 

Daniel Hutchinson

Head of Leadership & Learning
Allens

Daniel is dedicated to helping leaders and organisations create environments where everyone can thrive. With senior roles in people and development at top firms like Allens and Goldman Sachs, he combines deep technical expertise with a keen commercial sense to understand what truly matters and ensure leaders take meaningful action.  

Recently, Daniel earned a Masters in Change from INSEAD, fuelling his passion for fostering adaptive leadership in both corporate and not-for-profit sectors. He has also offered his skills pro-bono, coaching CEOs and high-potential executives to drive purposeful progress in communities across Asia and Australia.  

Tracey Johnson (Gibson)

Organisational Development Manager
Jumbo Interactive

HRD Australian HR Awards: Best Learning & Development Program – WINNER!

Tracey specialises in designing learning and development strategies that align with business goals and engage a tech-savvy workforce. Passionate about enhancing leadership capability and driving employee engagement, she recently led the creation of Jumbo University, a dynamic learning program that upskills employees while aligning with company strategy. The program has received multiple accolades for its innovative approach and measurable impact. With a background in psychology and business, Tracey combines strategic insight with a people-centred approach to empower individuals and teams to thrive.  

Antonio Meola

Learning and Development Manager
Novotech

Antonio is a seasoned leadership expert having spent over 20 years’ focused on learning and development across diverse industries including biotechnology, education, hospitality, fitness, and retail. A highly sought after corporate presenter, Antonio has taught courses in leadership and performance for teams, managers, individuals, and C-suite leaders.  Antonio is a training specialist in communications, DiSC®, sales, leadership, people and performance management and career coaching.  

His mantra is “empowering growth by inspiring action”, enabling him to elevate professionals to fulfill their aspirations and those of their organisation. 

Jaya Manjari

Learning and Development Specialist
Coles

Jaya Manjari is a dedicated Learning & Development specialist with 16 years of experience in corporate training, instructional design, and talent development. Passionate about AI-driven learning solutions, she leverages technology to create tailored, data-driven learning experiences that enhance employee engagement and performance. 

With expertise in LMS management, leadership development, and digital learning strategies, Jaya has successfully led enterprise-wide training programs that drive business growth and workforce transformation. She specialises in adaptive learning, skills development, and AI-powered analytics to optimise learning outcomes. 

As a L&D specialist Jaya is committed to fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation, ensuring organisations stay ahead in an evolving digital workplace. 

Gemma Mulready

General Manager, People & Culture
Sympli

Gemma brings nearly two decades of expertise in sales, service, operations, and Human Resources. Specialising in driving startups and scaling businesses, specifically in financial services and private equity, Gemma’s HR approach aligns innovation with organisational goals. Her pivotal role in a transformative 18-month people and culture shift led to wealth management firm Centric Wealth’s $130 million sale to FINDEX. At life insurer Integrity Life, as their inaugural employee, she rapidly expanded the workforce, getting them into the market in 9 months, and earning various employer and industry accolades, including the esteemed Good Design Award. As the General Manager for People and Culture at Sympli, Gemma has also secured the Great Place to Work certification for two consecutive years, underscoring her unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. Her team’s recognition as the HR Team of the Year in 2023 further exemplifies her dedication to driving excellence and innovation within the field. 

Ben Satchwell

Head of Capabilities
Acorn PLMS

Ben Satchwell is Head of Capabilities at Acorn PLMS. a leader in capability management and workforce transformation, with a passion for helping organisations build the skills they need for the future. As a member of AHRI and a facilitator of AHRI’s Developing a Capability Framework course, Ben brings deep expertise in designing and implementing effective capability strategies that drive real business outcomes.

With extensive experience in both public and private sectors, Ben has worked closely with government agencies and corporate enterprises to embed capability-led approaches that enhance workforce agility and performance. He is a regular contributor to Training Journal magazine, where he shares insights on the evolving role of capability frameworks in organisational development.

Ben’s focus is to make capability management practical, impactful, and accessible. Through thought leadership, industry engagement, and hands-on expertise, he is committed to helping organisations navigate the future of work with confidence.

Bill Sgubin

Digital Design Manager - Retail Training & Development
Specsavers

Bill is a accomplished Digital Design Manager with 20 years of experience driving innovation across diverse industries. For the past 8 years, he has applied his expertise in the Learning and Development space at Specsavers, using his design skills to enhance the capability of retail optics and audiology teams. Bill is also at the forefront of innovation in the XR space, leveraging emerging technologies to create immersive and engaging learning experiences. Passionate about user-centered design, he excels in blending creativity with strategic thinking to deliver impactful digital solutions. A trusted leader, Bill is dedicated to mentoring teams to achieve exceptional results.

Georgia Tsamis

Head of Learning and Leadership (Organisational Capability)
Allianz

Georgia Tsamis is the Head of Learning and Leadership at Allianz, bringing over 15 years of experience in building and driving strategic initiatives across diverse industries. She has successfully led transformative initiatives in both blue and white-collar sectors, driving growth and innovation. Georgia excels in aligning organizational strategies with business goals and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. Her expertise spans talent management, leadership development, change management, and capability uplift.