Jahin Tanvir

Jahin Tanvir is the CEO of the Australian School of Entrepreneurship, 3-time TEDx speaker, board director, and social commentator.

As an award-winning advocate for young people, and diversity and inclusion, Jahin was named the 2022 Young Australian of the Year finalist whilst also receiving the 2021 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year in Individual Community Service. Jahin is a Board Director at the Adolescent Health Association of Australia, a UNICEF Young Ambassador and Movember Ambassador.

Jahin is the Founder of Breathe., an EdTech social enterprise providing public speaking education and coaching to young people, and marginalised communities around Australia. Breathe. has impacted over 16,000 individuals from diverse communities since its inception in 2022 and has now been acquired by the ASE Group. The ASE has impacted 180,000 people, making education, entrepreneurship and employment accessible for all.

Jahin is a regular media commentator and has appeared on ABC News, ABC’s The Drum, Channel 10, and Channel 9. Jahin is an advisor for the Australian Department of Health in which he informs healthcare communications as well as being a regular consultant for leading anti-racism and health research organisations. Jahin received the Zest Awards Outstanding Youth Leader of the year for 2021 for his work in assisting multicultural communities in Western Sydney, and has represented Australia on the global stage in Rome and Milan at United Nations and WHO conferences in 2021, speaking at events with the likes of Barack Obama, Malcolm Turnbull, and the Governor-General.

In the academic field, Jahin has been invited as a Guest Lecturer at the University of Melbourne for young people on mental health and was recently published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, a peer-reviewed medical journal that covers adolescent health and medicine. He was a founding member of the COVID-19 Youth Reference Group at the Department of Health, and an active research commissioner at the Centre of Research Excellence in Adolescent Health and Murdoch Institute of Children’s Research. 

As a first-generation migrant, Jahin’s vision is to empower people from diverse backgrounds in decision-making and conversations in Australia, representing the multiculturalism of Australia.

Darcy McGauley-Bartlett

Proud Gunai Kurnai man Darcy McGauley-Bartlett is passionate about supporting his community and has overcome significant challenges in his youth to emerge as a role model and advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

In his previous role as an Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer for Victoria Police, Darcy was instrumental in changing policy to ensure fewer Indigenous people entered the justice system and didn’t stay there if they did.  He implemented Victoria's first Aboriginal Youth Cautioning Program to ensure all young Indigenous people are eligible for a caution when coming into contact with the justice system for the first time.  

Now working within Justice Health for Department of Justice and Community Safety, Darcy has helped establish the State’s first Aboriginal Custodial Health team and the first Aboriginal Primary Health Strategy to improve health outcomes for Indigenous prisoners. 

Darcy was pivotal in supporting health care for Aboriginal prisoners throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, including working to increase uptake of the vaccine, and ensuring their voice has been heard through quality improvement activity being undertaken to improve health care in Victoria's prison system.

Julie Spencer

Julie Spencer is the Acting Manager, Education Facilitation with the Reef Authority. She works with the Reef education team to develop and deliver education programs designed to raise people’s awareness and inspire them to care for, the Great Barrier Reef.

Craig McGrogan

Craig McGrogan is a Reef Education Officer with the Reef Authority. He completed his graduate and post-graduate university studies in Zoology and Marine Science in NZ and the UK, and has been delivering educational presentations, both above and below the water, since 2004. Although most of his time is presently focussed on virtual educational outreach, he always enjoys getting in the water, whether diving or snorkelling, in amongst the rich marine life of the Great Barrier Reef.

Katie Frisch

Katie Frisch is a behavioural strategist with extensive experience in communication, knowledge brokering, science, and behavioural change. She is passionate about transforming science into practice and encouraging practice-driven science. For 15 years she has led the design, implementation and evaluation of behaviour change programs that have helped communities around the world address complex problems such as climate change, overfishing, and unsustainable land use. Katie is working to broker climate knowledge to help bridge the gap between climate science and the practice changes that are urgently needed for effective preparation in the region.

Jacques Dennison

Jacques Dennison is a project officer with the Australia Pacific Climate Partnership, a regional support unit for climate development consultancy. Once looking to study political science and become a diplomat, at university he discovered a passion for food security, rights-based community development, and the intersection between global security and climate change. In 2022, he graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of International Studies, and is now learning the ropes of international climate development.

Leanne Robertson

Leanne Robertson is a Program Director with over 20 years’ experience in the management of digital learning resource development. Leanne has primary school teaching qualifications and is currently undertaking post-graduate studies in Digital Technologies education.

Libby Tuckerman

Libby Tuckerman has extensive experience in online education and learning design. She has worked on a diverse range of successful projects and services in the NFP, tertiary and corporate sectors. Libby has qualifications in education and before joining ESA, she was the Manager of e-learning at the NAB.

Dr Julie Choi

Dr Julie Choi is Senior Lecturer in Education (Additional Languages) and Course Coordinator of Master of TESOL and Master of Modern Language Education at Melbourne Graduate School of Education. She is co-editor of the books Language and Culture: Reflective Narratives and the Emergence of Identity, Plurilingualism in Teaching and Learning: Complexities across Contexts, co-author of Clarity and Coherence in Academic Writing, and author of Creating a Multivocal Self: Autoethnography as Method. Julie’s current teaching and research interests focus on community and arts-based learning for migrant and refugee background learners, and language and literacy pedagogies using multilingual, multimodal, and digital technologies in secondary school contexts.

Dr Jun (ERIC) Fun

Dr Jun Fu is a Research Fellow in the Youth Research Collective, Melbourne Graduate School of Education. He is an educational sociologist researching young people, digital media, and citizenship, with a particular focus on young people's everyday citizenship practices. His research interests include citizenship learning, identity, and social/political participation, and media and digital literacy education. He primarily works on the Life Patterns research project, a longitudinal study of young Australians tracking their transition from school to post-school study and work.  

Saajeda Samaa

My name is Saajeda Samaa. I am Originally from Afghanistan and sought asylum in Australia about 12 years ago. I have grown up in Pakistan as a refugee where I studied and taught English to refugees from Afghanistan. Upon our return to Afghanistan in the early 2000s, I worked with the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Human rights section for a few years before making my way to Australia. I have worked in different community projects in Australia including NDIS and now I work as the Community Organiser for Vic with the Asylum Seeker resource Centre. I have also done some acting in a drama series called stateless that highlights refugee journeys and the Australian Government's treatment of refugees in the detention centres. 

Dr Vhairi Mackintosh

Dr Vhairi Mackintosh is the Learning & Outreach Manager at Science Gallery Melbourne. She is an Earth Scientist by trade who started out researching Earth’s history but has spent the past decade co-designing and delivering STEAM learning experiences for school and university students in Scotland, Canada and Australia. Over the past five years, she has been part of the inaugural teams that have established two new innovative learning hubs that aim to inspire school students through learning experiences that prepare them for the future of work. She is particularly passionate about working with underrepresented groups to ensure more equitable pathways for all young people.

Matthew Dau

Pulling from a career trajectory that more closely resembles a scribble than a straight line, Matthew Dau is an experienced learning specialist with a history spanning mining and engineering, community and aged care, marketing, and education, with a focus on training and development. First graduating with a Master of Architecture, and later a Master of Education, he focused much of his early career on sustainable design education. More recently working with schools to develop Design and Technology curriculums and integrate digital technologies across those curriculums, Matthew holds a position establishing Learning Experience Programs for University of Melbourne. 

Karla Klau 

Karla Klau is Education and Gender Equality, Diversity, and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Advisor at Save The Children Indonesia.  Karla has more than 15 years’ experience working in Non-Government Organizations, in program development and management both development and humanitarian context, supporting community development through capacity building in formal & non formal basic education setting, early childhood care and development, as well as gender equality work through various responsibilities. She graduated from Victoria University Australia in 2010 taking her Master of Arts in International Community Development.

I Wayan Wiradnyana

 I Wayan Wiradnyana is Founder & Chairman of Bali Sea Turtle Society (BSTS). He received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his dedication for the sea turtles protection in Indonesia espesially Bali island. The award was given by Centre for Orangutan Protection (COP) in their gathering Jambore Orangufriends 2014.

Geraldine Magarey

Geraldine Magarey is an experienced Chartered Accountant with over 25 years experience in the finance and accounting profession. She is General Manager for Australian regions at Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Geraldine has extensive experience in audit, accounting and corporate finance with Big 4 accounting firms and a global multi-media company. Prior to her current role she was a policy specialist focussing on ESG, cybersecurity and emerging technology as it impacted the accounting profession. She also led CA ANZ’s thought leadership and research program. 

Hayley Angell

Recently appointed as CA ANZ Senior Manager – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Hayley Angell joined CA ANZ in 2020 as Queensland Regional Manager to drive engagement across the State following key membership and partnership roles at Queensland Law Society and CPA Australia. She has 15 years’ experience as a speaker, host and facilitator working with leading global brands like Mastercard, BHP Billiton, Deutsche Bank, Virgin Media, Royal Bank of Scotland, Royal Bank of Canada and Australia Post. Hayley has worked to re-imagine member recognition, milestones and celebrations at CA ANZ (including recognition within a lockdown context) and the interplay between designation, identity and belonging. Hayley established Pride @ CA ANZ, hosted the launch of the CA ANZ Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) and supported establishment of the CA ANZ Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Member Panel. Hayley has lived experience as a woman, a queer person, a person from a low-SES background and as a carer to a person with a disability. 

David Hawkins

David Hawkins is the Chair and Managing Director of BASF Australia and New Zealand, one of the world’s leading chemical companies. David leads a team of over 370 people who work in the agriculture, coatings, manufacturing and mining sectors. At University, David studied a bachelor in Chemical Engineering and Science (Applied Mathematics), and then a Master of Business Administration. David is also the Chair of Chemistry Australia, the national body representing the $40 billion Australian chemistry industry, and is a member of the Champions of Change Coalition, a global group of leaders who aim to increase the representation of women in leadership.

Hashwina Vimalarajan

Hashwina (Hush-wina) is an environmental researcher, proud Tamil Woman and migrant to Australia. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Sustainability and is the Victorian Ambassador for MYAN ( Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network) . In her various roles, Hashwina works with community led organisations across Victoria , as an advisor and helps facilitate and co-design youth programs.  Hashwina is the current recipient for the Victorian Multicultural Award for excellence and was awarded for her extensive work in the youth work field. As an advocate, she is driven by her passion for systemic change and uses her lived experiences and position at these roles to lead projects relating to climate justice, women’s safety and migrant’s rights and inclusion. 

Shailja Sharma

Shailja Sharma is a young Australian of Fiji-Indian descent who is passionate about community development and equal opportunity for all. Interested in building consensus and creating effective solutions to complex challenges, she has been involved in volunteering, student leadership, and advocacy. Currently, Shailja works full-time as a policy officer in International Health. She has competed in Model United Nations internationally, winning awards in New York and Sydney. She is passionate about queer issues, access to education, and empowering young leaders. 

Jack Growden

Jack Growden is the 24-year-old Founder & CEO of LiteHaus International passionate about conquering inequality and making access to digital technology equitable around the world. As an award-winning emerging philanthropist, Jack has been recognised as one of the top 20 social innovators under 35 in the Asia-Pacific region by the Australia ASEAN Business Council. Globally, he has been selected as a 2022 One Young World Lead 2030 Challenge Winner for SDG 4, and has presented at conferences in Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and online to audiences from close to 100 countries. Jack was a Finalist in the 2022 Queensland Young Australian of the Year award and was recognised as the Queensland Emerging Philanthropist of the Year and an AMP Tomorrow Maker in 2020. Jack believes a successful life is one spent being generous, empowering others and creating impact.

Dr Nicolene Du Preez 

Dr Nicolene is a research driven professional who understands the effective education requires initiative, self-motivation, and a wide range of skills from teachers and administrators.

She has vast experience in teacher training at the tertiary level and has implemented high level professional development across many industries.

Dr Nicolene is an international presenter.and has presented in South Africa, America, the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore.