Bryce Wakefield

National Executive Director, Australian Institute of International Affairs

Dr Bryce Wakefield is the National Executive Director of the Australian Institute of International Affairs. He has lived, worked and researched in the United States, Japan, Europe and New Zealand. He trained as a political scientist with particular expertise in International Relations and the international affairs of East Asia.

From 2008 to 2012, Bryce was the associate responsible for Northeast Asian programs at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC. In this role, he was responsible for conceiving, designing and organising around 60 events in Washington, including policy briefings in the U.S. Congress, on political issues in Australia, Taiwan, North and South Korea and Japan. He co-organised, with the Wilson Center’s partners, three major annual policy conferences in Tokyo. He has also given talks in Japanese, including for parliamentarians at the National Diet Building.

From 2012 to 2018, he was a tenured lecturer of area studies and international relations at Leiden University in the Netherlands. Bryce is regularly quoted in the media. His work and views on political issues in Asia and Australasia have appeared in such outlets as BusinessWeek, Der Spiegel, Financial Times, de Volkskrant and the Washington Times, as well as on ABC (Australia), SBS, BBC News and CSPAN and in such Japanese outlets as the Daily Yomiuri, NHK and the Sankei Shimbun. In February 2015, the Tokyo bureau chief of the New York Times named him as one of 10 “influential and reliable intellectuals” outside Washington that could help foster better ties between Japan and the then Obama Administration.

Carolyn Campbell

Chief Executive Officer, Netball NSW

Carolyn Campbell is an experienced sport administrator, and has been CEO of Netball NSW since 2006.

During her tenure Carolyn has overseen the planning, construction and relocation of Netball NSW’s HQ to the purpose-built netball facility in Sydney Olympic Park – Netball Central. This world-class venue was used in the Netball World Cup 2015, and hosted the 2018 Invictus Games and the 2018 Wheelchair Rugby World Cup.

Under Carolyn’s stewardship, the NSW Swifts and GIANTS Netball also founded their own respective academies, adding to the extensive high performance pathways that Netball NSW run.

In 2020 the NSW Swifts and GIANTS will play their home games at the newly redeveloped Ken Rosewall Arena in Sydney Olympic Park. Carolyn was a key member of the working group that brought about the redevelopment for the 10,000-seater venue.

Carolyn is Chair of Sport NSW, representing NSW sporting organisations as the Voice of Sport.

Darren Vaux

President, Boating Industry Association

Darren Vaux is President of the Boating Industry Association, board member of the International Council of Marine Industry Associations, Chairman of the ministerial Maritime Advisory Council in NSW and co-owner and Director of Empire Marina Bobbin Head in Sydney NSW. Empire Marina Bobbin Head is a two-time winner of the Australian Marina of the Year; the first marina inducted into the Australian Marine Hall of Fame and the first marina in Australia to be internationally rated as 5 Gold Anchor Platinum, being only 1 of 3 in the world at that time.

Darren has a career spanning 30 years across various industries including property development and investment, marina development and operations, sharing economy, fintech and management consulting. He has a reputation as an innovative and strategic thinker, and writer and has spoken about the future of the marine industry at conferences worldwide. Darren is passionate about identifying future challenges and opportunities and formulating strategies to navigate a future course to success.

Deon Schoombie

Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Healthcare Products Australia

With a 30 year background in health and the pharmaceutical industry, Deon Schoombie has been the CEO of Consumer Healthcare Products Australia, the peak body for the nonprescription medicines industry, since 2010. He is also a Board member of the world body of the industry, the Global Self Care Federation, based in Geneva.

During this time, he has advocated for the establishment of an Australian Self Care Alliance to pursue the adoption of self care in national health policy. He believes responsible self care is vital in improving individual and public health outcomes and contributing towards creating a sustainable healthcare system.

Deon qualified as a medical practitioner and his career journey moved through clinical practice, hospital management, private business management, healthcare advertising and the pharmaceutical industry.

Dr Jennifer Alphonse

Vice-President, Australasian Sonographers Associations

Dr Jennifer Alphonse is a generally trained sonographer with a focus in O&G and a passion for education and research. Jennifer currently holds a position as a senior sonographer at a private ultrasound practice and having held a position at the University of NSW as a research sonographer for five years, currently holds a conjoint appointment. Jennifer is a co-author on 15 peer-review journal articles and is also the reviewer of O&G manuscripts for national and international journals.

Jennifer joined the ASA Board in September 2015 and was elected as President in February 2017. In November 2019, she stepped down as President and is the current Vice-President. 

Helen Pomlett

Director, APT Solutions (Australasia)

Self-proclaimed membership geek and with 15 years in the membership software sector, Helen brings insights that span across the ANZ and UK markets. She currently works with the leaders of Professional Associations, Sports and Trade Unions and is fanatical about helping organisations leverage technology to meet the challenges facing this rapidly changing sector.

Helen joined APT in 2005 and in 2011 was appointed Director, responsible for all of APT’s activities as a membership software supplier in Australia and New Zealand. During that time Helen has been working as a leader in the transition of the use of member data to drive the provision of targeted services to members. Helen believes that there has never been a more exciting time to be part of the membership economy and is committed to providing a leading software package to the sector offering personalised content combined with strong data governance principles.

Jane Calleja

National President, Australian Institute of Training and Development

Developing others and driving change through learning has been a passion for Jane over the last 28 years. With experience in numerous industries and roles within the field, Jane has taken great pleasure in finding connection with like minded people in her tribe at AITD. As a member for over 20 years, time served as a local council representative for South Australia the opportunity to join the board in 2014 was welcomed.

Contribution on the board through Treasurer, Vice President and now since 2017 in the President role has been both rewarding and challenging.

Jane currently manages the development of the Weber Barbecue team in Australia and New Zealand and its associated partnerships. As with all her roles she is driven to help others achieve success, find value in what they bring to the table and is always looking for the next best way of approaching challenges faced by the business.

John Peacock

Chief Executive Officer, Associations Forum

John is the Chief Executive Officer of Associations Forum. He is one of Australia’s most experienced advisors to associations and charities and is a thought leader for the not-for-profit sector. With a BCom (University of NSW), he has held senior management and Directorship roles with various not-for-profit organisations. Since 2000, John has trained and consulted to hundreds of associations and charities, large and small, on strategic planning, governance, board effectiveness, operations, restructuring and financial issues.

As well as engagement on specific projects, John’s consulting business undertakes whole-of-organisation reviews of associations and charities. John’s operational specialisation is developing plans that can be translated into actions, budgets and job descriptions. His change specialisation is in the field of mergers of associations.

Justine Barwick

Chief Operating Officer, Family Based Care Tasmania

Justine Barwick is the Chief Operating Officer of the Family Based Care Tasmania group of companies. Justine holds qualifications in Business, Administration, Governance, Leadership and Management. She has worked in the Community Sector for over 20 years and is committed to ensuring that services are delivered with a Client Directed focus whilst ensuring this is not in conflict with business sustainability.

Supporting staff is Justine’s passion and it is her sincere belief that supported staff are best positioned to provide excellence in the way they undertake their roles. Not one to shy away from a challenge, Justine knows how important it is to plan for the worst to happen.

Margy Osmond

Chief Executive Officer, Tourism & Transport Forum Australia

Margy Osmond is the Chief Executive Officer of the Tourism & Transport Forum Australia (TTF), assuming the role in October 2014. Margy has extensive experience in policy development and advocacy, politics, membership organisations, management, media and public relations.

Before joining TTF, Margy was the inaugural CEO of the Australian National Retailers’ Association (ANRA), now the Retail Council, which was established in 2006 as a lobby and research organisation to be the voice of the large national retailers in Australia. Prior to this, Margy was the CEO of the State and Sydney Chambers of Commerce in NSW for five years.

Margy has a wide range of Board experience, having been Chair of the NSW TAFE Commission Board and Chair of the Australian Sports Foundation, Deputy Chair of Tourism NSW. She served on the boards of the Australian Sports Commission, Bell Shakespeare, the Retail Employees Superannuation Trust, NSW Major Events, the NSW Police Minister’s Advisory Board and NSW State Transit Authority. Margy also chaired the bid and official Organising Committee for the largest non-elite sporting event in the world, the International World Masters Games, held in Sydney in 2009.

Marie-Claire Ross

Chief Corporate Catalyst & Founder, Trustologie

Marie-Claire Ross, BA (Hons), is the Chief Corporate Catalyst at Trustologie. She is a workplace sociologist, author and consultant focused on helping leaders put the right processes in place to build trust and empower employees to speak up about issues, challenge each other and share information.

Marie-Claire also writes a monthly column in Facility Management magazine on corporate culture and has been interviewed for BRW and Sky Business News. She is also the author of Transform your Safety Communication, which provides safety professionals with easy techniques to engage their workforce on safety. Marie-Claire is on the SME committee for the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is also a fellow of The CEO Institute.

Mark Werman

Managing Director, Wentworth Advantage

After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant, Mark moved into human resources thirty years ago. In 1991, Mark was part of the establishment of the HR Consulting Division at BDO Chartered Accountants and Advisers. In 2002, he negotiated a management buyout of the division from BDO, becoming the Managing Director of Wentworth Advantage.

Mark runs a team of human resources, industrial relations and work, health and safety specialists who provide quality, innovative HR solutions to the associations and NFP sector. Wentworth Advantage has been servicing the HR needs of associations and their members for the last 20 years, primarily via the provision of their national HR Help Desk service. Today, the HR Help Desk services over 100,000 members of associations nationally.

Mike Felton

Chief Executive Officer, Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia

Mike Felton is CEO of the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA), having joined the association in 2016. The MFAA is the peak national body for the mortgage industry, representing over 13,500 members including brokers, aggregators, lenders, mortgage managers, mortgage insurers and other suppliers to the mortgage industry.

Mike has over 30 years’ experience in financial services, having held senior roles in financial services, treasury, auto and asset finance, and project management. He lives in Sydney with his wife and three children. Mike holds a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce.

Phil Honeywood

Chief Executive Officer, International Education Association of Australia

Honourable Phil Honeywood is CEO of the International Education Association of Australia (IEAA). He was a Member of the Victorian State Parliament, Australia, for 18 years (1988–2006). During this period, Phil served as the Victorian Minister for Tertiary Education, Training and Multicultural Affairs and was Deputy Leader of the Opposition 2002–2006.

Since 2006, Phil was Marketing Director and CEO at Stott’s Business College and Cambridge International College, Melbourne. He also served on the Governing Council of Swinburne University of Technology.

Phil is Convener of the National Council for International Education and a member of the Higher Education Standards Panel, New Colombo Plan Steering Committee and the Education Visa Consultative Committee.

Robert Barnes

Country Manager APAC, Higher Logic

Born in PNG, Robert grew up in Darwin and then moved to ‘down south’ to take up his first association role at the age of 19.

Robert built a career in association management on the back of tertiary degrees in communication and an MBA. He has held Executive roles in Australia and New Zealand associations over a 20-year period, including CEO of Australian Canoeing and COO for Fitness Australia. This led him to his first corporate role with Aptify in 2013. The infamous red shoes have been replaced by Orange Army fatigues as he went on to head up Higher Logic’s international expansion into the Asia Pacific region. Biking and boarding of all persuasions takes up his spare time, along with a commitment to mentoring young Australians through The Smith Family.

Sione Tu’itahi

Executive Director, Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand Runanga Whakapiki Ake I Te Hauora o Aotearoa

Sione Tu’itahi is the Executive Director of the Health Promotion Forum of New Zealand Runanga Whakapiki Ake I Te Hauora o Aotearoa. An educator, author and public health professional, his areas of interest in health promotion include determinants of health, human rights, community development, public policy, and workforce development. He was named the 2019 Public Health Champion by the Public Health Association of New Zealand.

Sione is the Vice President for Communications of the Global Executive Board of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), an umbrella organisation for health promotion professionals and institutions throughout the world. A former journalist, Sione is the author of a number of books, academic papers, and children’s stories. With more than 20 years of experience in governance and leadership, he is a member of several national advisory groups in the education, health and community sectors.

Terry Slevin

Chief Executive Officer, Public Health Associations of Australia

Terry Slevin has served as Chief Executive Officer at the Public Health Association of Australia since May 2018. Prior to that, he worked as the Education and Research Director at Cancer Council for 24 years. Terry holds a Masters in Public Health and an Honours degree in Psychology. He is an Adjunct Professor at the College of Health and Medicine at the Australian National University and the School of Psychology at Curtin University.

Terry edited a book on skin cancer “Sun Skin and Health” (CSIRO Publishing 2014) and has Chaired the National Skin Cancer Committee and the Occupational and Environmental Cancer Committee for Cancer Council Australia. He has co-authored over 80 publications in the peer reviewed literature and three book chapters on a variety of public health topics. He has served as a member and reported to a variety of Boards and similar structures for over 35 years.

Tom Symondson

Chief Executive Officer, Victorian Healthcare Association

Tom Symondson has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Healthcare Association, the peak body for Victoria’s public hospitals and community health services, since 2015.

Tom has almost 15 years’ experience in public policy development and advocacy. Previously, he held senior roles at the VHA, the Property Council of Australia and was principal advisor in Southwark Council, for one of the UK’s largest local authorities.  

Tom sits on the Victorian health sector taskforce for family violence and the community health task force, is a Board member of the Deeble Institute for Health Policy and Research, a Board Director of First State Super and is Chair of the International Federation of Community Health Centres.

He is also CEO of the Australian Centre for Healthcare Governance, an arm of the VHA, which supports the health and community sector to improve their clinical and corporate governance.

Trish White

Immediate-Past Chair, Engineers Australia & Director, Slingsby Taylor

Trish White is an experienced board director having served as Chair of several commercial and Not-for-Profit organisations in the insurance, education, infrastructure and transport sectors, including as Chair of Engineers Australia (a membership association with 100,000 members).  She has also served as a Minister in the South Australian government and been responsible for appointing many boards that have reported to her. 

Her experience of the Chair-CEO relationship comes from several perspectives, including from her consultancy work at Slingsby Taylor in conducting performance reviews for boards of directors.

Winson Liew

Senior Tax Manager, Nexia Sydney

Winson is a Senior Tax Manager at Nexia Sydney, with over 12 years’ experience.

Winson provides taxation services to both Australian and International clients across a broad range of industries, including small, medium and large enterprises as well as private clients. 

Winson has experience assisting clients undergoing mergers & acquisitions, sale transactions, including structuring of investments (both inbound and outbound) and advising on access to the small business CGT concessions. He also has expertise in navigating complex international tax rules and is often engaged to review international dealings and tax return disclosures relating to international transactions.

He aims to deliver an approachable, responsive and engaging service to his clients. His broad knowledge and understanding of taxation enables him to take a holistic approach to advising on taxation matters and provides him with the ability to identify unique opportunities for his clients.