Master of Ceremonies
Amy Hubbard
Co-Founder / Director / Practice Lead
Amy Hubbard is one of Australia’s most recognised and creative stakeholder and community engagement specialists. Amy delivers community engagement training, undertakes formal evaluations, and is a highly regarded and skilled facilitator.
She has worked extensively with state and local governments on significant infrastructure, urban renewal, and public policy projects in Australia and overseas.
Amy developed the renowned Capire Engagement Triangle which has been used by thousands around the world. She runs regular webinars and Learning Labs and authored many of Capire’s popular publications including tool kits and guidelines.
Keynote Speakers
Becky Hirst
Author, Podcaster, Founder of HeyEngage
Becky Hirst is a powerhouse in the world of community engagement. With several decades of experience across Australia and the UK, she has helped shape how governments, organisations, and practitioners connect with communities on issues that matter. As the author of the For the Love of Community Engagement and host of the globally streamed podcast of the same name, Becky is renowned for her thought leadership, deep integrity, and unapologetically human-centred approach.
From state-wide reform processes to kitchen table conversations, Becky’s approach is known for its strategic insight with down-to-earth delivery. In 2021, she was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts for her contributions to social inclusion and civic participation.
She is the founder of HeyEngage — a fresh, practitioner-led initiative delivering accessible, values-based training to organisations committed to authentic engagement.
Becky brings both fire and finesse to her work, inspiring others to lead with courage, connection and care.
Bernard Salt AM
Founder & Executive Director, The Demographics Group
Bernard Salt is one of Australia’s most thought-provoking social commentators. His commentary covers social, cultural and generational change. He writes weekly columns, fronts a TV show, has written books, is a regular on various radio programs and is one of the most in-demand speakers on the Australian corporate speaking circuit Bernard has been a columnist with The Australian for a decade and a half writing on special topics (eg Coronavirus demographics) as well as two weekly columns published Thursday and Saturday.
Isabella GiaVulva
Community Engagement Drag Queen Participation Consultant Extraordinaire
Isabella GiaVulva premiers Off Leash – a keynote cabaret where she takes on her biggest challenge yet... local government!
In this brand-new show, she tackles the most controversial project in Bayside City Council history: an off-leash dog park.
What
begins as a wholesome workshop quickly descends into chaos - pitting dog mums
against birdwatchers, poo-bag vigilantes against passive-aggressive neighbours,
and one furious ratepayer who just wants to talk about spending.
This is satire with teeth! As Isabella tears into the underbelly of
local government's current consultation culture. It’s messy. It’s ridiculous.
It’s democracy on a retractable lead.
Off Leash is a hilarious Keynote Cabaret that serves learning with laughter. Prepare to laugh, wince, and reflect as Isabella challenges the way we engage - and what happens when it all goes to the dogs!
Speakers
Abigail Jeffs
Director Project Communications & Engagement, Landcom
Abbie is a non-Aboriginal woman working on Dharug Country in Western Sydney leading community engagement for the NSW Government’s land and property development organisation. She chairs Landcom’s Reconciliation Action Plan Committee and oversaw development of Landcom’s connecting with country framework. Abbie passionately advocates and works with teams to build relationships with Aboriginal stakeholders to inform project design and place outcomes.
Jason Elsegood
Owner and Director, Cross Cultural Consultants and Chair, Engagement Institute First Nations Advisory Committee
Jason is an Aboriginal man born and raised on Larrakia Country in Darwin. With over 30 years of experience, Jason has dedicated his career to working with and for First Nations people in a community development context and facilitating community engagement. Jason is deeply passionate about creating real opportunities and driving successful outcomes for First Nations people, businesses, and their communities.
Kirsty O’Connell
Co-Founder and Director, I2S (Institute for Infrastructure in Society) and Director, The Engagement People
With more than 25 years’ experience on more than $20 billion in projects, Kirsty is one of the nation’s leading infrastructure engagement, communications and strategy professionals.
Kylie Cochrane
Principal, Engagement and Change Advisory, Aurecon
IAP2 Honorary Fellow and global engagement leader, Kylie has 30 years’ experience in communication and stakeholder engagement. She specialises in helping clients to maintain and regain their social licence through mitigating social risk and managing community outrage.
Kylie was the Global IAP2 Chair from 2017-2022 and was on the Australian IAP2 Board from 2011-2021.
She currently chairs the Australian National University’s Advisory Board for the Institute for Infrastructure in Society (which oversees the NextGen research into community engagement trends).
Over the last decade Kylie has built Aurecon’s Communications and Stakeholder Engagement business to one of the leading communications and engagement businesses in ANZ.
Marion Short
Chief Executive Officer, Engagement Institute
A transformational leader with almost 20 years’ experience as a CEO in the not-for-profit sector, coupled with extensive senior management experience in the private sector and over 20 years’ experience working within collaborative models.
Marion joined the Engagement Institute (then IAP2 Australasia) in August 2017. Under her leadership, the organisation focused on delivering a suite of valued initiatives to members which has resulted in tremendous growth, membership has more than tripled to almost 16,000 and revenues have likewise increased.
Marion has an MBA from Henley Management College, UK. She has been married to Kevin for over 30 years and is enormously proud of her two adult sons.
A resourceful optimist, she grew up in the Northern Territory, and much of her life has been shaped by her dad’s words “well it can’t be that hard”.
Makaore Wilson
Manager, Pou Tikanga/Māori Customs and Protocols Lead at Aurecon and Chair, Engagement Institute Māori Cultural Advisory Group
Makaore joined Aurecon in December 2023 as the Pou Tikanga, working within the Engagement and Change Advisory Team.
Makaore has worked for over 15 years in the New Zealand education sector. He has extensive experience with all aspects of teaching, and in recent years has facilitated professional development in pedagogy, Māori cultural development, Te Reo Māori development, and digital fluency development.
Within all contexts, Makaore brings a Māori perspective and worldview to the table. He believes all New Zealanders can benefit from this way of thinking.
Margie Harvie
Co-Founder and Director of PlanCom Consulting
Margaret, co-founder and Director of PlanCom Consulting, is trusted by her clients for effectively advising on approaches to engage the public in dialogue about planning and infrastructure. Her experience in projects gives her the ability to pre-empt the issues and responses from the public.
From a background in the government and community sector she commenced as a consultant specialising in public engagement in the late 1990s. For 10 years she was a consultant in international consultancy firms, managing community engagement teams in Queensland and NSW. She is an appointed member of the panel of Independent Chairpersons for the NSW Department of Planning Community Consultative Committees. Also the Department of Planning appointed complaints mediator for major transport projects.
Margaret brings a world view to her work having lived and worked in the USA and Japan and led professional assignments in Singapore, Peoples Republic of China, Malaysia, Fiji and New Guinea. Accredited to train in the world renowned International training program of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) she delivers the 5 day courses in planning and methods to government and the private sector. She also delivers the IAP2 Strategies for Dealing with Opposition and Outrage course.
While committed to helping clients deliver projects she is also committed to upholding the right of the public to have a say about any impacts on their lives. Recently she has worked with the NSW state government to involve the public and to better explain the State planning system as it relates to Environmental Impact Assessment.
Nicole Walton
Engagement and Change Advisory Leader - Australia, Aurecon
Nicole Walton is a seasoned professional with over 25 years’ experience across a range of industries and organisations both overseas and within Australia.
Nicole has held executive positions in corporate strategy and communications and engagement in the Western Australian public and private sector. Her skillset includes strategy development, stakeholder engagement, corporate communications, ministerial and government liaison, and issues management.
Nicole is an owner within Aurecon and currently leads Aurecon’s team of experienced communications, engagement and change professionals across Australia.
Prof Sara Bice
Co-Founder and Director, I2S (Institute for Infrastructure in Society) at the Crawford School of Public Policy, The Australian National University
Sara is Co-Founder and Director of ANU spin-off, Next Generation Engagement. She serves on the Certified Environmental Practitioner Scheme Advisory Board for the Social Practitioner Specialisation Certification Scheme. Past roles include time in Beijing as Professor (Special International Guest) at Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management and Deputy Director, Melbourne Energy Institute.
Tony Clark Bsc (Hons), MA (Comms), GAICD
Chair, Engagement Institute
In a range of executive positions, throughout his career Tony has led major health, mental health, education, housing and disability infrastructure projects for the Victorian Government during COVID. Tony has also led major change and transformation programs in the disability sector following the introduction of the NDIS. Tony brings over 30 years of governance experience to the table.
As Chair of Engagement Institute working internationally to re-shape engagement globally, Tony is passionate about good engagement equals good outcomes. Tony is on a number of boards including The State Trustees of Victoria, a Councillor for Hepburn Shire Council and an accredited trainer for the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Awarded the Kimberley Kitching Award for Human Rights by the Prime Minister in 2023, Tony harnesses his disability as a great strength and demonstrates that disability does not equate to inability, bringing the great value of lived experience to the workplace and board room.