SPEAKERS
Jenny Hall GAICD
From a strong grounding in social work, Jenny Hall has been a leader in service innovation, culture change and system advocacy across the aged care, mental health, community and health sectors for more than 20 years. She is known for her expertise in merging quality and culture, achieving growth in response to changing community needs, and her strong values-based leadership philosophy. Jenny has served as the Chief Executive Officer of UnitingSA since 2021.
Chris is the South Australian Minister for Health and Wellbeing and the Member for Kaurna in the southern suburbs of Adelaide.
He is passionate about improving health care outcomes for all South Australians.
Chris has previously served as Minister for Police, Correctional Services, Emergency Services and Road Safety.
Before election to Parliament he served as Senior Adviser and Chief of Staff to former state and federal Health Ministers and an Associate Director at Deloitte Access Economics. His areas of policy work included tobacco plain packaging and national public hospital funding reforms.
He was educated at public schools in Adelaide and graduated from Flinders University with a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice and a Bachelor of Arts.
Chris is the lucky husband to Connie and proud dad of two young kids. When has free time he enjoys walking his dog on the beach, volunteer surf lifesaving at Moana and barracking for the Crows.
A published author, musician, award winning artist and performer, Gill’s appreciation and gratitude for life is present throughout all her creative works.
Dr Gill Hicks is a powerful and thought-provoking communicator, challenging us to think deeply about the relationship with have with the world around us, with each other and importantly hold with ourselves
Her vital work, particularly in countering violent extremism, became her focus after she was left severely and permanently injured from the actions of a suicide bomber in the co-ordinated terrorist attack on London’s transport network in July, 2005.
Internationally regarded healthcare chaplain, organisational consultant and psychotherapist in Fife, Scotland.
Michael is the architect of the Scottish Government’s initiative promoting values based reflection and practice within the National Health & Social Care Service.
He runs professional training in individual and in group supervision across the English speaking world. His doctoral thesis examined the multiple identities of practitioners operating on the edges of professional praxis using performance ethnography and other creative forms of reflection on practice. Michael holds honorary lectureships at the University of Glasgow and Alphacrucis College, Sydney.
Mary Freer the Founder and CEO of Compassion Revolution, a Westpac Foundation Bicentennial Social Change Fellow, TEDx speaker and leadership coach.
A highly sought advisor on cultural change and compassionate leadership, Mary has contributed to Australia's healthcare system reform over the past 30 years and is activating a "Compassion Revolution" across health and aged care.
A/Prof Nicholas Van Dam
A/Prof Nicholas Van Dam is the Director of the Contemplative Studies Centre at the University of Melbourne.
Nicholas is an internationally regarded psychologist, academic and educator, especially known for his work with respect to the measurement and application of mindfulness and meditation.
Will McDonald - Emcee
Will McDonald is an experienced Presenter & Journalist with Nine News in Adelaide, having covered a wide range of events and issues in his 24 year career.
He is also a Prostate Cancer Survivor and Ambassador with the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Cancer Council SA & Hospital Research Foundation. Will uses his media profile and personal experience to help raise awareness and money in the fight against cancer.
Sandy Pitcher
Sandy is currently the Chief Executive of the Department of Human Services, South Australia, following her role as Deputy Under Treasurer in August 2022. She was the inaugural Secretary of the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in Victoria, an agency which includes child protection and women’s policy. Throughout 2020 Sandy led the Victorian COVID-19 response returning the state to COVID-19 zero.
Previously, Sandy was the Chief Executive of the SA Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (2015-2018), connecting people to parks and delivering on the state’s ambitious Climate Change agenda.
Sandy worked at the UK’s Commission for Racial Equality and her first role in SA was as Director of the South Australian Office for Women.
In 2012, Sandy won the Telstra Business Woman of the year ‘Community and Public sector’ category.
John Mannion
John Mannion is the inaugural Chief Executive Office of Breakthrough Mental Health Research Foundation – Australia’s only foundation dedicated solely to mental health research.
John’s career in mental health has spanned more than 35 years including as a practitioner, in both Mental Health Nursing and Social work as well as leading mental health services across the state and previously holding the Lead Mental Health Commissioner Role for South Australia.
John has a passion for normalising the mental health conversation, delivering mental health literacy programs to help drive meaningful change and continuing to expand his mental health knowledge and understanding. He is grateful for the many people he has met in the community, who have shared their own personal stories to help support wider change and positive outcomes for all.
Rebecca Graham
Rebecca Graham is the interim CEO of the Women’s and Children’s Health Network, and has worked in healthcare for close to 40 years.
That includes 16 years of executive experience across the South Australian public health sector, including as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network.
When reflecting on her leadership journey, Rebecca credits immersing herself in culture and leadership programs over a long period of time for shaping her into the leader she is today. She says that learning to understand yourself better is the key to truly understanding and effectively leading others with compassion.