1-2 April 2025, International Convention Centre, Sydney
Kick off the summit with a fun icebreaker that makes networking easy and enjoyable. Play an interactive game of bingo to connect with fellow attendees, build valuable professional relationships, and have the chance to win a prize as the top networker!
(located in the Main Conference, Parkside 1)
Director of Operations
Beyond the Boardroom
Director of Operations
Beyond the Boardroom
Mitch Trevillion is the Director of Operations at Beyond the Boardroom. For 20 years, Beyond the Boardroom have created positive shared experiences for corporate groups throughout Australasia.
Olympic champion Jessica Fox will share the key lessons that have fuelled her success, including how to develop a performance mindset, stay resilient in the face of setbacks, and build high-performing teams. Drawing on her dual gold medals from the 2024 Paris Olympics, Jess will provide actionable insights on maintaining focus, fostering collaboration, and driving sustained excellence. Her journey offers powerful takeaways for leaders looking to inspire peak performance and resilience within their organisations.
(located in the Main Conference, Parkside 1)
3 x Olympic Gold Medallist and 10 x Canoe Slalom World Champion
3 x Olympic Gold Medallist and 10 x Canoe Slalom World Champion
There aren’t many athletes who can lay claim to being the greatest of all time in their sport by the age of 27. If she weren’t so humble, Jess Fox OAM could do just that.
Jess is one of our all-time great Olympians. She now has six individual Olympic medals including three gold, one silver and two bronze, more than any Australian in history.
The most successful paddler (male or female) in history, Jess has a long list of achievements including 51 World Cup gold medals, 10 World Championship titles, and 3 Olympic gold medals (a total of 6 Olympic medals across four Games).
Born in Marseille, France, Jess moved to Australia at age four. With an elite paddling pedigree, her parents, both accomplished paddlers, inspired her passion for the sport. Coached by her mother, Myriam Fox-Jerusalmi, a bronze medallist in K1 at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Jess quickly rose through the ranks, joining the national junior team in 2009. Her early career was marked by four junior World Championship titles, eight under-23 world titles, and a Youth Olympics gold medal.
Jess made her Olympic debut at 18, winning silver in K1 at the London 2012 Olympics. Four years later, she secured a bronze in K1 at the Rio 2016 Olympics. However, it was at the Tokyo 2020 Games where Fox underlined her greatness when she won gold to become the C1 Olympic Champion. Earning the headline ‘Australia’s Golden Girl’ Fox also won the heart of the nation. Her technically flawless performance, without a single-time penalty, led to what was hailed as one of Australia’s greatest Olympic moments.
In July 2024, Jess cemented her legacy at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games leading the Australian Olympic Team as Flagbearer and claiming double Olympic gold. First up was the K1 event. In an exhilarating final, racing in eighth position out of twelve finalists, Jess maintained the fastest time (96.08) as she waited to watch seven athletes proceeding her.
After chasing gold at the previous three Olympic Games, Jess had finally secured that elusive K1 gold in Paris and became the only Australian to win four consecutive medals in the same event. Just days later, she defended her 2020 title, to again become C1 Olympic Champion.
These achievements bring Jess’s tally to a historic six individual Olympic medals, propelling her into the upper echelon of Australia’s most successful athletes of all time. To finish off her most successful Olympic Games, Jess was one of four athletes globally to be elected to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission where she will serve an eight-year term leading into the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Jess has completed a Bachelor’s degree in Social Science Psychology and is currently studying her Master of Business Administration through Griffith University.
Jess is an advocate for women in sport and a firm believer in balance of sport and education, achieving an ATAR of 99.1 while training for the Olympic Games. She is an inspiration to young children and business people around the world.
(Room location TBC)
Founder & CEO
Lively, A Learning Agency
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.
Director of People and Operations
Acorn PLMS
Director of People and Operations
Acorn PLMS
Eloise is the Director of People & Operations at Acorn PLMS, overseeing the People Experience including capability uplift, performance, learning and development, recruitment, culture and engagement and workforce planning for Acorn PLMS. She previously worked for 12 years at KPMG in the UK and Australia with deep expertise in People & Change, Learning Transformation, and Learning Managed Services.
Learn how to design a learning program that effectively meets the needs of a fast-paced, innovative organisation. Explore how Jumbo Interactive, a leading provider of digital lottery solutions, developed its award-winning Jumbo University, a learning platform crafted to meet the diverse needs of a tech-focused workforce. Gain insights into delivering agile design, fostering stakeholder collaboration, and developing data-driven strategies to create a learning platform that drives continuous engagement, learning, and measurable business impact.
Organisational Development Manager
Jumbo Interactive
Organisational Development Manager
Jumbo Interactive
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.
Learn how adopting a capability-driven approach can streamline and elevate your HR strategy. This session explores how capabilities can serve as a powerful thread throughout HR functions—from recruitment and performance management to workforce planning and compensation. Gain practical insights on aligning learning with performance and capabilities to boost engagement, learning uptake, and overall business impact.
Director of People and Operations
Acorn PLMS
Director of People and Operations
Acorn PLMS
Eloise is the Director of People & Operations at Acorn PLMS, overseeing the People Experience including capability uplift, performance, learning and development, recruitment, culture and engagement and workforce planning for Acorn PLMS. She previously worked for 12 years at KPMG in the UK and Australia with deep expertise in People & Change, Learning Transformation, and Learning Managed Services.
AI is revolutionising learning & development by enabling personalised learning and scalable strategies for workforce growth. Discover how to harness AI to drive engagement, optimise content delivery, and create data-driven L&D strategies that align with business goals. Hear from industry leaders about how they’re leveraging AI to transform their programs and discover how to implement these innovations in your own organisation.
Director, LinkedIn Talent Solutions
LinkedIn
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.
General Manager, People & Culture
Sympli
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.
Director Competency & Learning
Transport for NSW
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.
Head of Learning
Ramsay Health Care
Head of Learning
Ramsay Health Care
Rebecca Rundle is the Head of Learning at Ramsay Health Care, Australia’s largest private hospital operator with over 35,000 employees.
She leads the Ramsay’s centralised learning function, overseeing all enterprise-wide capability initiatives including leadership development programs. With a career spanning healthcare, finance, and telecommunications, Rebecca brings a wealth of experience in building programs that support both people and organisational success.
Discover Specsavers’ journey of integrating virtual reality (VR) into their training programs to create immersive and engaging learning experiences. Learn from the challenges they’ve overcome and how VR is boosting employee engagement, improving knowledge retention, and driving productivity. Walk away with practical insights on how to implement VR in your own training programs to meet the evolving needs of your workforce in 2025.
Digital Design Manager – Retail Training & Development
Specsavers
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.
Discover how an award-winning company designed and implemented leadership and career development pathways to drive succession success. This case study will explore how strategic learning initiatives equip high-potential employees with the skills and experience needed for future leadership roles. Whether you’re refining your career development strategy or building one from the ground up, this session will offer practical takeaways to help future-proof your workforce.
Executive General Manager – People and Culture
Australian Financial Complaints Authority
Executive General Manager – People and Culture
Australian Financial Complaints Authority
Mathew Paine boasts a distinguished career spanning over two decades, marked by his leadership in human resources, organisational culture, diversity, inclusion, and belonging domains. His altruistic endeavours are evident in his passionate advocacy for best-practice and pioneering initiatives in people and culture, alongside his unwavering commitment to social justice and equality. Notable among his philanthropic contributions are his collaborations with The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, Australia’s oldest community-based HIV organisation, and his involvement with the Australian HR Institute (AHRI).
Driven by a deep-seated passion for enhancing Australian workplaces, Mathew has continually championed the optimisation of organisational dynamics and the establishment of world-class people and culture teams. His overarching vision is centred on fostering safe, inclusive, and productive work environments, progressively shaping one workplace at a time.
Currently serving as the Executive General Manager of People & Culture at the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, Mathew also assumes pivotal roles as the Chair and President of the Board of Directors at The Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, the Founder and Executive Director of HR Expert Australia, and a Member of the Diversity & Inclusion Advisory Panel. Additionally, he co-convenes the NSW Industrial/Employee Relations (IR/ER) Committee at AHRI.
Mathew’s leadership acumen has gained widespread recognition, culminating in numerous industry accolades. These include prestigious honours such as the Australian HR Team of the Year, Australian HR Employee of the Year, Best Talent Development Program, Best Recruitment Campaign, and Most Inclusive Workplace Awards, among others, reflecting his exceptional contributions to the field.
How can L&D act as a catalyst for developing targeted programs to achieve skills development? Explore how leading companies are aligning L&D initiatives with skills-based strategies, driving workforce transformation while overcoming common implementation challenges.
Head of Organisational Development & Learning and Development
WSP
Head of Organisational Development & Learning and Development
WSP
Jean Clendinning is the Head of Learning at WSP Australia, bringing over 45 years of diverse experience in enhancing organisational success through innovative learning strategies, talent management, career frameworks and digital technology. She promotes holistic wellbeing and introduced the Mindful Monday series to foster mindfulness in the workplace. Committed to continuous innovation, Jean serves as a trusted advisor and contributes to five key global projects aimed at benefiting WSP’s 75,000 employees worldwide. Her work focuses on empowering individuals to grow and exceeding business objectives through holistic initiatives.
Senior Director Talent and Organisational Development
Queensland Health
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.
Head of Learning and Leadership (Organisational Capability)
Allianz
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.
Each table will focus on one of the following topics, discussing the challenges and brainstorming practical solutions. After the discussion, each table will share their ideas with the group.
Founder & CEO
Lively, A Learning Agency
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.