For the last 12 months, Adam has taught literally thousands of people what Chat GPT is and how this tech revolution may change everything. He has hosted award-winning breakfast radio shows in Australia’s toughest markets and live current affairs TV. He has won improvised theatre competitions and once interviewed John Travolta in front of 75,000 people. Whether it’s a technically demanding event with dozens of moving parts, or flying by the seat of your pants, Adam prides himself on the high level of energy, engagement and entertainment that he provides whenever on stage, set or screen.

Libbie Ray is the Director of Connected Event Group, a full-service technical production company that utilises creative AV solutions to produce innovative and meaningful event experiences.

With 20 years of experience across marketing, events, technology, and broadcast production, Libbie brings a well-rounded approach to the new world of events.

Passionate about staying ahead of the curve, Libbie is particularly enthusiastic about the potential of AI to transform the industry and is dedicated to sharing her wealth of knowledge with her sector.

She also serves as a Global Learning Ambassador for the Entrepreneurs' Organisation, further amplifying her impact on the industry.

David’s experience in audiovisual services spans 23 years in Australia and abroad, including nearly 16 years with AVPartners.

With a background as a skilled lighting designer, David has spent the bulk of his career in 5-star venues, which has fostered a keen eye for detail and a client-driven approach.

A strategic and passionate communicator, Felicity Zadro founded Zadro in 2007, inspired to support the growth and development of companies through excellent communications.

With her extensive education and experience, Felicity brings a unique approach to communications and to date has worked with over 400 companies. Her training in sociology and anthropology, love of strategy, experience in leading market research projects, training in change management and leadership, combined with her business acumen, allows Felicity to broaden the standard scope of communications practice.

Felicity believes a strong strategic approach is key to all effective business communications. In 2009, Felicity designed and launched Zadro’s very own strategic communications planning tool COMM*BATTM which has inspired over 170 businesses and organisations to articulate their offering and communications and put them on the road to success.

Felicity often leads the creative campaigns of Zadro, and has ghost written millions of words for clients. She believes in the integrity of communications design; whereby internal communications and culture management is just as important as communicating with clients and industry. 

Experienced stage performer and ABC Local Radio broadcaster, known for her engaging and insightful moderation.

Dr Judith Mair is an Associate Professor at the UQ Business School, University of Queensland, Australia. 

Judith teaches strategic management of tourism and events and is a researcher in the field of event management. 

Judith’s work aims to understand and enhance the positive impacts of tourism and events on the communities and societies which host them. She is working on a number of projects in fields including Olympic legacies, the future of events, the links between events and social connectivity and the potential impacts of climate change on the events sector.

Cass leads the Marketing recruitment practice at u&u Recruitment Partners, recruiting for mid to senior level roles in generalist marketing and specialisms such as CX, events, sponsorship, digital, brand, insights etc.

Cass loves everything about Marketing and the people who do it. For the past 15 years across the UK, EU and APAC, Cass has delivered thousands of recruitment processes for roles in Marketing, communications and events for consumer, B2B, corporate, government and not for profit organisations.

With post-grad quals in Communications, Cass’ point of difference is her genuine passion for supporting high performance and best practice in marketing, providing career coaching and playing an active role in the industry, running regular specialist and leadership development events for marketing practitioners across all levels.

Dr. Anna Blackman is the Co-Founder and Director of Talent Insight Solutions, a company that blends evidence-based practices with expert coaching to enhance recruitment, retention and career development for individuals and teams.

With a PhD in business coaching, she has a strong background in Human Resource Management, Leadership, Organisational Behaviour and Communication. Formerly an Associate Professor of Business at James Cook University, Dr. Blackman also has over a decade of experience managing small businesses. 

Dr. Blackman focuses on practical organisational solutions. She holds multiple certifications, including AHRI Certified Practitioner Fellow, and serves as an AHRI Queensland Councillor and Executive Director of the Board for the European Mentoring and Coaching Council - Asia Pacific Region.

Antoinette first entered the world of events in Sydney in the 1980’s performing with the dance troupe “Texan Floosies” at music events including Angry Andersons wedding, record launches for the Dynamic Hypnotics and performing at the University of Sydney on campus community events. After living a nomadic life travelling around Australia and overseas, Antoinette settled in Brisbane and completed her Certificate IV in Training & Assessment and commenced her teaching career with Tafe.

With a passion for empowering individuals to succeed in the dynamic world of events, Antoinette is involved in developing educational programs that equip learners with the skills and knowledge needed to thrive in the event industry. Leveraging extensive experience in event management and a strong network within the industry, Antoinette collaborates closely with event industry leaders to design curricula that align with current market demands.

By integrating practical, hands-on training with theoretical insights, Antoinette is dedicated to bridging the gap between education and industry, fostering a new generation of professionals who are ready to enter the ever-evolving events landscape.

Warwick Merry is a Certified Speaking Professional, twice Certified Virtual Presenter, the 2021 Global Outstanding Intrapreneur, the 2022 recipient of the PSA Nevin Award and 2022 Breakthrough Speaker of the Year award for his work in the virtual arena.

With over 20 years working as an Event Host/MC he knows what it takes to engage and energise an audience regardless of whether it is face to face, online or hybrid.

He is one part Technologist, one part Cat Herder, one part Ringmaster, one part Voice of God, one part Control Freak, one part Comedian, and many parts Human. Warwick is the spark that ignites the event, the glue that holds all the pieces together and the conduit of your brand voice.

Warwick is an event professional that brings energy, humour and professionalism to the fore to make your event awesome.

Gretchen is the National Business Development and Events Manager at Palliative Care Australia.

Her career in event management, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement spans 30 years, across the for-purpose and government sectors.

Gretchen’s expertise is in design and delivery of successful events that are more than just people coming together. A skilled communicator who creates and delivers challenging messages in an informative and engaging way, Gretchen firmly believes in the power of business events to bring about change, create legacy and deliver strategic outcomes.

Driven by a passion for the events industry and a steadfast commitment to excellence, Gretchen dedicated to elevating standards and fostering growth. She is determined to leave a lasting impact, both through her work and by empowering emerging talents in the field with knowledge and opportunities for professional development.

She loves that her work allows her to take a tiny idea and turn it into something that can make a positive difference in the world.

Jodie is the Managing Director of Iceberg Events, and boutique PCO business based in Brisbane. 

She has been in the industry since the 90s, when people still faxed their rego forms in and you needed to go to the bank to deposit their cheques. 

She especially likes working with association clients, because people who are on association conference committees are super passionate about whatever it is that they are into, and she likes hanging out with enthusiastic people and learning weird stuff about really niche topics.

Karen is a founder and Managing Director of Cornerstone Events. She has a unique ability to really understand what a customer needs, and takes the time to get to know their business – Karen is extremely passionate about delivering what is promised, and ensures every little detail is covered.

Karen’s career has seen her achieve a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, work in both Education and Private Hospital Industry, as well as a strong background in Hospitality. In the hotel industry, she has managed to win two national industry awards leading her teams to success, both as a Director of Sales, then as a General Manager. Her business acumen leading large hotel based teams and national committees within the Accor Network gives Cornerstone a unique edge and value add to its customers.

Karen is an accredited meeting professional with the Professional Conference Organisers Association Australia and New Zealand and is also the NSW Councillor on the PCOA Board.

Karen Bolinger is an innovative, outcome-driven C-suite executive with over 30 years of experience across government, commercial, public-private partnerships, and not-for-profit sectors in the Visitor Economy. 

She has held senior roles in convention bureaus, hotels, and major events, including developing some of Australia's largest trade shows. 

Karen’s strategic leadership has transformed businesses in highly contested markets, delivering results beyond traditional measures. Her contributions to the business events industry earned global recognition, including the 2022 IMEX Academy Award and 2019 Paul Flackett outstanding contribution to the industry award as well as the Victorian AHA ward of outstanding contribution by an individual. 

Karen is recently appointed to the Federal Government's prestigious THRIVE 2030 Tourism Industry Advisory Group, shaping the future of the sector as well a a board member of Tourism Events Queensland and Vice President of the International Women’s Forum Australia (IWFA). 

Andrew Ash has 40 years’ research experience in tropical agricultural systems in northern Australia and internationally with particular emphasis on production-climate-environment interactions which has made both significant scientific contributions and led to changed practices in policy and on farm. 

Andrew has also contributed to the leadership of major initiatives and projects including being inaugural Director of the CSIRO National Research Flagship on Climate Adaptation. In conjunction with this role, Andrew was a member of CSIRO’s Executive Management Council. His leadership roles extend to considerable Board and governance experience, including Chairing the Board of a vibrant and successful not for profit research company. 

Andrew has been an invited speaker at major national and international conferences and has published over 200 scientific papers and reports. He has also been heavily involved in organising or co-chairing international conferences such as the inaugural International Climate Adaptation Conference held on the Gold Coast in 2010 and the upcoming XII International Rangeland Congress being held in Adelaide in June 2025.

Dr. Vaughan Clarkson is the founder and managing director of Whipbird Signals, a consultancy and equipment manufacturer for radar, electronic warfare and telecommunications.  He has over thirty years experience in defence science & technology and in academia.

He has served on the volunteer organising and technical program committees of more than a dozen technical conferences.  He has served as general chair for:

• 2006 Workshop on Defence Applications of Signals Processing (DASP ’06), Stradbroke Island (now K’gari), Qld
• 2015 IEEE International Conference on Acoustics, Speech & Signal Processing (ICASSP ’15), Brisbane, Qld
• 2017 IEEE Sections Congress, Sydney, NSW
• 2018 International Conference on Radar (Radar ’18), Brisbane, Qld
  
  He was also a member of the Conference Board for the IEEE Signal Processing Society from 2015 to 2017.
  

Michael Heyward is the Founder of, Heyward Group, focusing on organisational behaviour and performance. World class tools are used with individuals and teams to support business evolution and transformation. From revenue management, team retention and engagement, through developing skills and tools for working in complex business environments, we transform the way teams work.

Michael has over 30 years of experience in Hotel Operations and Revenue Management, across Europe, Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, at the leading edge of the development of Revenue Management as a discipline in Hotels. The drive to innovate and challenging the way we work continues.

Benjamin Ferry is the Director of Commercial for Australasia and Pacific at IHG Hotels & Resorts, bringing nearly two decades of hospitality experience to the table. With a strong background in revenue management and strategic partnerships, Ben has been instrumental in driving commercial success and supporting aspiring leaders in the industry. 

His dedication to excellence has earned him recognition, including the prestigious Commercial Leader of the Year award.

Ben’s insights into hotel operations and market dynamics make him a valuable asset to any discussion on event planning and hotel partnerships.

Ali Smith is the Head of Product & Innovation at Scenic Hotel Group with over 15 years of experience in organising large-scale corporate events and conferences. Known for her meticulous attention to detail and innovative approach, Ali has successfully managed events for top-tier clients across various industries. 

Her expertise in logistics, vendor management, and client relations has made her a sought-after consultant in the event planning community.

Ali is passionate about sharing her knowledge and mentoring the next generation of event professionals.

Natasha Du Plessis is the Director of National Sales, Pacific at Accor. With over 30 years in the hotel industry, Natasha’s experience has been gained both here in Australia and overseas in London, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Auckland. 

Natasha’s career has seen her start from the ground up, working across hotel operations before stepping into management roles in food and beverage – and then taking the “sales plunge” back in early 2000. 

After a three-year stint as hotel manager for two Accor properties in Brisbane, Natasha returned to sales management in 2023 and now leads a team of 16 and is responsible for implementing the strategic direction of AccorHotels B2B partners in the Pacific region and driving topline performance.

Melanie McGufficke is the General Manager Sales at EVT Hotels & Resorts. At EVT, we create experiences that escape the ordinary across our Hotels, Cinemas, and Thredbo. Our vision is to be the go-to choice for our customers and business partners, celebrated for our collaboration and flexibility in delivering exceptional experiences and events. 

Melanie takes a hands-on approach as Director of Sales, Hotelier, and General Manager with over 20 years at EVT Hotels. Her passion and expertise lie in crafting and executing commercial strategies with sharp business acumen and analytical skill. At EVT, she is entrusted to lead change and spark innovation, all while keeping clients at the heart of everything with a keen interest in Hotel Conferences and Events. 

Melanie takes pride in building and nurturing high-performing teams, mentoring talent, and driving positive change with a long-term, operational perspective to ensure EVT is anything but ordinary.

Rebecca brings over 20 years of Tourism and Hospitality experience, covering multiple and diverse high-volume segments such as leisure, Corporate, Government, MICE, Entertainment and Sporting. Her expansive background extends from business development, national sales and leadership roles at Accor, Meriton suites and Stamford leading successful sales, marketing and events teams. 

Rebecca commenced her Marriott journey in 2018 as the Director of Sales & Marketing with Marriott Surfers Paradise and later played a pivotal role in the successful rebrand and relaunch of the JW Marriott debut to Australia in December 2020 before moving into her current position within Marriott’s Global Sales team where she is responsible for managing the Global customers in Queensland and Western Australia with a focus on developing and maintaining strong relationships, generating revenue, and increasing market share.

During her leisure time, Rebecca loves to re-connect through Pilates, entertaining with family and friends, travelling the globe and exploring new experiences.

Warwick Merry is a Certified Speaking Professional, twice Certified Virtual Presenter, the 2021 Global Outstanding Intrapreneur, the 2022 recipient of the PSA Nevin Award and 2022 Breakthrough Speaker of the Year award for his work in the virtual arena.

With over 20 years working as an Event Host/MC he knows what it takes to engage and energise an audience regardless of whether it is face to face, online or hybrid.

He is one part Technologist, one part Cat Herder, one part Ringmaster, one part Voice of God, one part Control Freak, one part Comedian, and many parts Human. Warwick is the spark that ignites the event, the glue that holds all the pieces together and the conduit of your brand voice.

Warwick is an event professional that brings energy, humour and professionalism to the fore to make your event awesome.

Ashleigh is a distinguished leader in the events industry, recognised for her holistic experience and insightful approach. She has successfully established and accelerated sales, events, and customer service teams across multiple leading hospitality groups. Notably, Ashleigh founded an in-house events department for a corporate entity and directed key accounts within supplier networks. Recently dedicated to attracting and placing business events across regional New South Wales, collaborating with industry stakeholders to highlight the value of business events contributing to the NSW Visitor economy.

Currently, she is leading in-house events for Charter Hall as Group Event Manager. Ashleigh applies her extensive experience to curate legacy experiences, promote social procurement, and reimagine in-house events for the industry and sector. Her innovative approach ensures that guests have experiences that surpass the lived experience.

Ashleigh has devoted over half of her career to volunteering on industry committees, earning accolades for her contributions to driving change, shaping industry narratives, and investing in future talent. Her agility, adaptability, and resilience, coupled with a growth mindset, underscore her professional journey and her appetite for challenges. Ashleigh’s commitment to excellence and innovation continues to inspire those around her.

Teagan is an accomplished Senior Event Management Professional with a decade of expertise in fostering strategic partnerships, securing sponsorships, and orchestrating impactful events. She hasdemonstrated success in crafting engaging experiences, elevating brand visibility, and surpassing revenue targets. A proficient leader, Teagan boasts outstanding communication andstakeholder engagement skills.

Currently, she is the International Head of Events at Harcourts International in Brisbane, Australia, where she develops innovative event concepts and manages cross-functional global teams for seamless execution. Her prior roles include significant positions at REA Group, where she led major events and sponsorship initiatives, achieving remarkable success and highcustomer satisfaction.

Teagan's career highlights include the successful execution of HX Conference Events and Customer events across Hong Kong, Tokyo, and various locations across the US. She has also effectively implemented event tools to increase team efficiency and delivered numerous high-profile events across various industries.

Teagan's diverse experience and strategic insights make her a valuable panelist at PCOA.

Simone Seiler has built a distinguished career at Flight Centre Travel Group, with over 25 years of experience across both retail and corporate brands. She has held a variety of leadership roles, and currently serves as the Global General Manager for FCM Meetings & Events, following five successful years leading the Australian business, previously known as cievents. Prior to this, Simone was the General Manager and Customer Experience Leader at Corporate Traveller.

As a dynamic and passionate leader, Simone excels in vision setting, fostering a winning culture, and driving collaboration. She has a proven ability to empower teams, think creatively, solve complex problems, and lead change. Her strengths also include customer acquisition and retention, alongside delivering consistent, measurable results.

Simone's expertise extends to budgeting and P&L management, recruitment and training, supplier and partnership management, marketing, and operations. She is highly motivated by helping others, making a positive impact wherever possible.

Simone is deeply committed to social causes, particularly advocating for the International Day of the Girl, raising awareness and support annually. She was appointed as a Director on the Flight Centre Foundation board in May 2024, and is looking forward to working with the board on upcoming projects.

Outside of her professional life, she is a proud mother of two and enjoys travelling, with a special affinity for Japan - exploring the unique, intriguing and beautiful culture.