Born in Kenya, as a fifth generation of East African birthright with Indian origins but raised in country Victoria, Tasneem grew up experiencing life as the proverbial brown pea in a white pod. Fascinated with the world and its people from her early years, this country school girl followed her calling and today is a seasoned cross cultural expert, via her Consultancy, The Culture Lens.

She assists clients progress an intersectional lens, helping them communicate, work and lead across different cultures for better innovation and profitability, understanding the merits of upholding inclusion.

Tasneem has developed workplace inclusion policies, managed projects, curated exhibitions, run leadership programs and executed engagement strategies for and on behalf of government and NGO’s for over two decades within Australia and overseas.

She currently holds chairing and advisory roles within the Suburban Rail Loop Authority and the Gidget Foundation, with previous governance roles in the Victorian Public Service Commission, Fire Rescue Victoria, The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and Ambulance Victoria. She has also Co-Chaired the NSW Legal Aid External Anti Racism and Inclusion Committee and advised the Collingwood Football Club Expert Panel on Anti Racism.  

She is passionate about culture and gender equity and was duly appointed the inaugural Ambassador for Women of Colour Australia. The Australian Human Rights Commission named her an Anti-Racism Champion in 2018 and she was been awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her services in cultural inclusion.

Tasneem has a background in Psychology and Sociology and a Masters in International Development from La Trobe University, where she was recognised as one of their Distinguished Alumni. 

As a keynote speaker, Tasneem has spoken at national and international events, including for International Women’s Day, launches, AGM’s, academic conferences, festivals, panels and at schools.

She is an engaging panel moderator and MC having led many significant events, globally as well. Her written work has been widely published in journals, anthologies, print and online. 

A TEDxMelbourne presenter and writer, Tasneem has featured on numerous platforms including the ABC, BBC, The Project, Q&A, Compass, & The Drum . She co-hosts the podcast Colour Outside the Lines with Leah Vandenberg, and has previously hosted Strengths Untold.

As a commentator, her expertise has been sought on topics related to leadership, cultural inclusion, gender  justice, intersectionality, migration, social cohesion and social justice.

Helena Vu has been living in three countries and was a recipient of two scholarships for her Master and PhD study from RMIT and the University of Melbourne respectively, including the prestigious Australia Leadership Award. Being a migrant who arrived in Australia as an international student, engaged in offshore transnational education, and worked in higher education and the VET sector, she has gained significant insights into different education systems and pathways for permanent residency, all of which are beneficial for her current role as an assessment officer at VETASSESS. Helena’s educational and professional backgrounds, as well as the challenges she experienced during her migration journey, have reinforced her views that skill-based immigration should be linked to long-term economic and social benefits and that more streamlined application processes for skill migrants need to be in place. 

Jenny Dodd has been a TAFE Executive for over ten years, including CEO of TasTAFE in Tasmania, Chief Academic Officer and General Manager Gold Coast for TAFE Queensland, and Deputy CEO (Education) and Director Marketing and National Positioning for the Canberra Institute of Technology. She is currently the CEO of TAFE Directors Australia where she is proud to demonstrate how the public provider is leading quality skills and education outcomes for students and industry. Jenny began her career in marketing, transitioning into vocational education and training teaching after ten years in industry. She has led national change programs for the vocational education and training sector and was the ACT representative on the Flexible Learning Advisory Group for many years.

Bruce Stewart is the CEO at Walkinshaw Andretti United.  

He has an extensive background as an experienced sports marketing and commercial management executive, with over 25 years of experience in professional Australian sport.  

Bruce was appointed by Ryan Walkinshaw, Michael Andretti and Zak Brown in 2020 to lead the newly formed Walkinshaw Andretti United in order to lead the build and championship aspirations of their team.  

In the CEO role, he tries to use his positive energy, drive and commercial experience as a critical element in Walkinshaw Andretti United’s revenue programs. In addition, Bruce is fully focused on growing a thriving culture at WAU, as a human advantage for a team operating in an extremely competitive team sport.  

Winning the Bathurst 1000 with Chaz Mostert and Leigh Holdsworth in 2021 was a defining moment in Bruce’s WAU leadership to date. Importantly this year his team expects to be hunting for a championship after coming 3rd in 2024. 

Craig Robertson is the CEO of the Victorian Skills Authority.  The authority is tasked by the Victorian Government to plan for post school education and training to support a growing economy and good jobs for Victorians. 

Prior to this role Craig was the CEO of TAFE Directors Australia, representing all Australian TAFEs.  He also has over 30 years of service in the Commonwealth Government and the Victorian government in 2015 and 2016 in covering schools funding, employment policy and tertiary education. 

In 2024 Craig led work on VET qualifications reform, which was accepted by skills ministers for implementation from 2025. 

Craig holds an Executive Masters in Public Administration and Bachelor of Education (Primary). 

Idea Curator. Learning Futurist. Global Strategist. Believer that the future belongs to those who constantly and rapidly unlearn and relearn in their daily work and life. As one of Australia's top innovators Louka Parry speaks on futures, leadership, and transformation; having worked with thousands of leaders and educators from diverse contexts across the world, including in high-level policy fora such as the OECD, UNESCO, the European Commission, and with all Australian States and Territories. An award-winning educator, speaker, facilitator and adventurer, Louka’s powerful ability to communicate ideas with clarity allows him to guide thinking about learning, leadership and life to new places, earning him a place in 2022 as a Top 100 Innovator for Australia. As CEO + Founder of The Learning Future, Louka is committed to transforming learning structures, systems and societies that further empower individuals to develop the key human capabilities that matter most now and into the future.  At a time in history when converging technologies are rapidly changing the realities of workplaces and schools, Louka is passionate about exploring the connection point between learning and the era of AI, through powerful provocations. Louka also co-leads the non-profit Karanga: The Global Alliance for Social-Emotional Learning and Life Skills, which connects the global education community at the forefront of the future of education and social-emotional learning to empower children, educators and communities all across the globe. A rapid learner, Louka speaks five languages, has visited over 80 countries, holds two Masters degrees, completed executive studies at Harvard and a residency at the d.school at Stanford University.  As an education leader, Louka was promoted to Principal at only 27 years old and was named South Australian Inspirational Public Secondary Teacher of the Year. 

Lucinda Hartley is an award-winning technology entrepreneur and a leading expert in the social trends shaping the future of work and cities. As an urban futurist, she inspires organisations to think like entrepreneurs and plan for the disruption ahead. Named one of Australia’s 100 Most Influential Women by the Australian Financial Review, Lucinda has spent the past decade building innovative, future-focused companies whose products are now used worldwide to improve data-driven decision-making. Lucinda helped create the UN Sustainable Development Goals for Cities, has advised Google on cityshaping projects, and has delivered more than 100 neighbourhood improvement projects across Australia as co-founder of social enterprise CoDesign Studio. She is best known as co-founder of urban analytics company Neighbourlytics, where she pioneered world-leading technology for measuring wellbeing and urban life using big data. As a keynote speaker, Lucinda draws on her deep experience in entrepreneurship, data, and innovation to inspire audiences to tackle complex problems facing leaders today—from technology disruption to generational shifts to the future of work. Her cut-through insights, data-rich presentations, and entertaining delivery style empower leaders to see around corners and navigate the future with confidence. Lucinda is a regular media commentator and one of Australia’s sought-after voices on cities and social change. She has been featured regularly in ABC, Sydney Morning Herald, Qantas Magazine, Vogue Magazine, and The Age. As an urban futurist, Lucinda advises government, business, and technology leaders on innovation strategies for smart cities, making her an invaluable resource for organisations looking to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. 

At just 27 years old, Sean Bell broke the world record for the fastest circumnavigation of Australia on foot, running 13,383 kilometres in 158 days, 14 hours, and 52 minutes—shattering the previous record by 11 days. Averaging over 84 kilometres—two marathons—a day, Sean’s achievement was the culmination of a six-year journey marked by grit, purpose, and relentless dedication. Sean’s story began in Vermont, Victoria, where Australian Rules Football taught him early lessons in resilience. But it was the devastating loss of a teammate at just 18 years old in 2016 that profoundly changed his perspective. Determined to live a life of purpose, Sean turned to running as an outlet for his grief and mental health. By 2017, he completed his first marathon and realised running could become more than a personal escape—it could be a platform to inspire and make a difference. In 2018, Sean set a bold goal with his coach Jase: to run around Australia and raise funds for charity. The journey required years of meticulous preparation, balancing university studies, full-time work, and intensive training. Along the way, Sean faced further personal tragedies, including the unexpected passing of Jase in 2022 during his rehearsal run from Cairns to Melbourne. Despite this immense loss, Sean completed the 4,000-kilometre run raising $100,000 for Make-A-Wish Australia and proving his readiness for the ultimate challenge. Finally in 2024, after six years of planning and perseverance, Sean achieved his dream, breaking the world record, while inspiring countless others with his story. He raised a further $177,000 for Make-A-Wish Australia, to help sick children achieve their dreams.  Sean’s journey is a powerful case study for the corporate world. Whether managing tight deadlines, navigating economic uncertainty, or driving ambitious KPIs, the principles that guided Sean—resilience, teamwork, and strategic planning—are the same qualities that drive success in business. His ability to adapt under pressure and maintain focus on long-term goals mirrors the challenges and opportunities teams face every day. In his keynote presentations, Sean bridges the gap between extraordinary physical feats and workplace realities. He demonstrates how clear goals, preparation, and adaptability can inspire individuals and teams to achieve more than they ever thought possible. His six-year journey is proof that with the right mindset and strategies, even the most ambitious goals are within reach.

Born and bred in wild Patagonia, Gus Balbontin never allowed his small town and humble beginnings get in the way of his big dreams. A healthy disrespect for authority and a severe case of FOMO (fear of missing out) landed him in Australia at the young age of 17. By the age of 22 he had dropped out of uni, hitchhiked South America, set up his first business and landed his dream job at Lonely Planet. Fast forward a few more years and he was leading the company globally, working with companies such as Google X, Nokia and Amazon on the latest technology, creative cultures and high performing teams. Seeking a change from corporate life, he hung up his boots as the executive director and CTO of Lonely Planet and decided to move back to his entrepreneurial roots, becoming an investor, founder and mentor across the start-up ecosystem in Melbourne. He loves sharing a story, but loves even more, knowing those stories make a difference to people, helping them in their own business and life. Over the last 3 years Gus Balbontin has presented to audiences of 10 across regional Australia and New Zealand, to audiences of 10,000 across North America, Europe, South America and Asia. To him there’s no difference. Small, large, private, public, board room to mail room, his lessons hit a chord, his simplicity disarms you, his energy infects you and his counterintuitive way of looking at the world will motivate you to do things different. Often thought as futurist, not because he predicts the future, but instead because he helps you focus on what you can control to deal with any future. Gus helps audiences cut through the hype to focus on what the real human impact really is. Still want to talk trends? Sure! Gus Balbontin loves as much as the next person trying to imagine a world run by AI, but he warns that getting too distracted with future guesses will only take time away from you and your company to actually do something about the future.

Justin Rodski was appointed CEO of Melbourne Storm in February 2021. Justin joined Storm after spending ten years with Victorian AFL club, Essendon FC, where he was most recently Chief Commercial and Customer Officer. With a background in media and sports journalism, Justin is an experienced sport executive with established credentials, is well respected in the industry and has a great understanding of what it takes to run a high performing club in a highly competitive market. Justin led many successful strategic initiatives at Melbourne Storm and in his time at Essendon and has played a significant leadership role delivering key commercial growth, strategic priorities and building a stronger member and fan base.