Information on speakers will be updated periodically.
Plenary Sessions
Dale has an interesting story to share! From trades apprenticeship, to business owner and employer, to local government and community leadership, Dale provide a unique insight into young people and their journey through education, training and employment.
Dale is a practical, inspirational and entertaining commentator on the challenges and opportunities of 'Engaging, attracting and retaining young people in work’, ‘Zero Waste of Youth’, ‘Community Ownership and Leadership' and the ‘Skills and Labour Shortages solutions’.
Whatever your area of influence is, you’ll find Dale's presentation insightful, informative and even a little provocative!
Todd Babiak has worked in places around the world – some big and some not so big. He’s worked with these places to build brand stories, turning each individual story into economic, social, and cultural development strategies. Of all the places around the world he has worked, he was most moved by the Tasmanian brand story.
He and his team at Brand Tasmania are in the listening and building business in a Tasmanian way. In collaboration with partners and the community they work to inspire and encourage Tasmanians, and those who aspire to be Tasmanian, to quietly pursue the extraordinary.
Councillor Linda Scott is an experienced local government leader who believes that local government holds our nation’s communities together. Linda was elected unopposed as the President of the Australian Local Government Association in November 2020, having been Vice President since November 2018 and a board member since 2017.
Linda has been the President of Local Government NSW since 2017 and has served as a board member since 2015. As President, she successfully secured the doubling of library funding for NSW local government libraries, led a state-wide campaign to save recycling and successfully advocated for fairer and more transparent electoral funding laws.
Linda was first elected as a Councillor on the City of Sydney in 2012 She has served as Deputy Lord Mayor and on the Council’s committees, including the Central Sydney Planning Committee. Linda has successfully advocated for more affordable housing and green spaces, increased early education and care centres, new skate parks, and boosted city funding for climate change action.
Linda is anon-executive Board Director and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is the Deputy Chair of CareSuper and also serves on a range of NSW Government boards and advisory groups, including the NSW Environmental Trust, the Local Government Ministerial Advisory Group and NSW Smart Places Advisory Committee.
Professor Adams has had an extensive career as a senior executive in the public, private and community sectors in Australia. Prior to the University of Tasmania, he was Chair of the Tasmanian Food Security Council and the inaugural Social Inclusion Commissioner for Tasmania.
Professor Adams is the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Community, Partnerships and Regional Development) following his leadership as Head of the Tasmanian School of Business and Economics. A Professor of Management his expertise is in public and social policy with a focus on innovation systems and regional development. His current research areas and media commentary are around critical policy challenges facing Tasmania and emerging new governance arrangements such as City Deals and place-based innovation strategies.
Professor Adams was the Deputy Secretary in the Tasmanian Department of Health and Community Services and the Deputy Secretary in the Victorian Premiers Department. In Tasmania as Social Inclusion Commissioner, Professor Adams developed both the first State Cost of Living Strategy in Australia and the first State Food Security Policy.
Local Solutions Session
President – Great Regional City Challenge www.greatregionalcity.com.au
Principal Consultant – Community Led Impact Partnerships (CLIP) - www.clipguide.net
Festival Director – Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air - www.breath-of-fresh-air.com.au
As President of the Great Regional City Challenge, principal of Community Led Impact Partnerships (CLIP), co-designer of the community platform launcestontogether.com.au and Festival Director of the Tasmanian Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival, Owen’s goal is to mobilise the Launceston community at scale and “make this region great”.
Australians who live in rural areas are less active than people who live in urban areas, which can impact on their health and wellbeing. We worked with community members (Citizen Scientists) in three Tasmanian rural towns to identify what features of their town impacted on walking and to identify priority areas for action. Community members were involved in all aspects of the research process. Improved connectivity between existing town features and trails was the highest priority, enhancing walkability and social cohesion.
Dr Verity Cleland - Dr Verity Cleland is an Associate Professor at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania. She is a behavioural epidemiologist, has a background in health promotion, and has main research interests in understanding and promoting physical activity.
Her work has often focused on groups at high risk of inactivity including women, those experiencing socioeconomic disadvantage and rural communities. Verity holds funding from the Heart Foundation of Australia, National Health and Medical Research Council and Medical Research Future Fund. She is a member of local, national and international review panels and local advisory committees, including Deputy Chair of the Tasmanian Premier’s Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council.
Dr Kim Jose – Dr Kim Jose is a senior research fellow at the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania. Her public health research focuses on understanding and addressing the complex health and social issues facing Tasmanians and building an evidence base for effective policy development and practice across a range of issues, including physical activity.
Her work has focused on improving the health and wellbeing of young people and vulnerable members of the community and wherever possible she builds community participation into research processes.
Workshops
Dr. Kathy Alexander, former South Australian Telstra Businesswoman of the Year, is an experienced board member and chair in public, not for profit and private for profit organizations. Recent and current board roles include Chair of Administrators of the City of Greater Geelong, following the dismissal of the Council, Chair of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation and Chair of Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network. Kathy is a former CEO of the City of Melbourne, Women's and Children's Health in Victoria, which governed the Royal Children's and the Royal Women's Hospitals and several smaller community organisations.
Kathy has chaired governance and legislative review panels for several state governments and assisted organisations to develop strategy and improve productivity and client and community engagement. Kathy has an international reputation for stakeholder management, community engagement and effective public relations in complex and politically sensitive environments.
Dan Rawlins is a collective Impact specialist based in The Huon Valley, Tasmania. He brings experience in building high performing teams, working relationships and making sense of complex ideas. He has worked in the structural and social change space using multiple methodologies including agile, MG Taylor and Collective Impact. He specializes in graphical facilitation including experiential video and musical solutions and has broad experience in planning and running collaborative workshops.