MASTER OF CEREMONIES
Richard Champion
Richard’s football career spanned fourteen years in total, including ten pivotal years with the Brisbane Bears/Lions before his retirement at the end of the 2000 season. Along with his current AFL and media commitments he has moved on to be a regular Master of Ceremonies with corporate organisations for conferences and events.
Always prepared, Richards experience as a media personality and professional athlete means he is able to think on his feet and develop great rapport with the audience. His ability to laugh at himself, as well delivering key messages to the audience, makes him an exceptional choice for any high profile event, seminar or conference.
As a Master of Ceremonies, Richard Champion is articulate, professional and charismatic. Champs is down to earth and approachable, with leadership skills that extend beyond the microphone.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Dr Ben Hammer
Ben is an accredited futurist, and he was recently awarded the number one thought leader for the Future of Work in the Asia-Pacific.
Ben has undertaken work and research around the world, including time spent leading critical projects on the future of work and skills at the World Economic Forum as well as being a Visiting Scholar at Yale University.
He is an Adjunct Professor at Edith Cowan University and a Board Member of the Australian HR Institute, where he was appointed as the youngest Non-Executive Director in the organisation’s history.
A sought-after media commentator, Ben is the Chief Futurist at CreativeCubes and the author of The Kickass Career: How to Succeed in the Future of Work, today.
Katherine Mansted
Katherine is the Executive Director of Cyber Intelligence CyberCX.
She’s also a Senior Fellow at the Australian National University’s National Security College where she lectures in cyber security, intelligence and foreign interference.
Katherine is a national security commentator and thought leader, often featured across national radio, TV and print media, and she has testified before several parliamentary committees.
A former fellow at Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and the German Marshall Fund of the United States, Katherine previously practiced as a commercial solicitor with King & Wood Mallesons, served as a judge’s associate in the High Court of Australia, and worked as a ministerial adviser in the Australian Government.
Tané Hunter
Tané is a cancer researcher, bio-informatician, and science communicator.
He is a co-founder at Future Crunch. He has a Masters in Bioinformatics from the University of Melbourne, and has worked for the Melbourne Royal Children’s Hospital diagnosing rare genetic diseases.
He is currently completing his PhD at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, using molecular biomarkers in DNA and analysing them with artificial intelligence to improve treatments for people suffering from cancer.
He's also a former United States mountain biking champion and an avid sailor..
Shasta Henry
Shasta is a scientist and science communicator; a passionate adventurer, entomologist and educator. She has named beetles from the Amazon (and has one species named after her), guided white water rafts in Canada and once crocheted a hot air balloon.
She's worked at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington DC, and is currently completing her PhD at the University of Tasmania, investigating the impact of fire on invertebrate communities in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.
WORKSHOP SPEAKERS
Julian Moore
Julian is a skilled and entertaining speaker who provides practical and useful ideas through real-world examples and case studies. Julian is an unabashed technology geek who is thoroughly enjoying the process of adapting to an AI world.
With extensive experience in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, Julian is committed to helping organisations achieve their goals.
Mel Kettle
Mel is a food loving, book reading, beach goer who lives on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland Australia. She is a trusted mentor to executives and leaders and a highly sought-after speaker and trainer on leadership communication and setting healthy boundaries.
Mel has twice (2022 and 2023) been recognised by leadersHum as one of the Top 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership, and she is the author of two books, the best-selling Fully Connected and The Social Association.
She loves her work, her husband and life in general.
Juliette Nairn
Juliette was admitted as a Solicitor in 1993 after obtaining an Honours Degree in Law from Bond University. She started her legal career in 1993 on the Gold Coast. Juliette’s interest and skill in Body Corporate Law was apparent and since 2000 Juliette has worked almost exclusively for bodies corporate in a range of litigation matters with a particular focus on making lives better in community title living.
The enforcement of consumer rights of bodies corporate in all areas of strata and community title is a passion of Juliette’s. She has been a member of SCA Qld forever……
Brendan Pitman
Brendan is a recognised strata litigation and dispute resolution practitioner across Australia, particularly Queensland. He represents bodies corporate and owners in mediations, appears in Federal and State courts and tribunals, and engages in dispute resolution through the Commissioner’s Office.
He delivers considered advice with practical solutions. He takes an educative approach to problems and has pursued higher education in his professional life.
Brendan is a member of Strata Community Association (Qld), Australian College of Strata Lawyers and various strata legislative forums. He loves mountain biking, playing with his kids and eating!
Frank Higginson
With more than 25 years' experience in management rights and body corporate law, Frank is a beacon of knowledge and a renowned strata-industry expert. Known for his straight-shooting style and commercially driven advice, Frank cuts through the most challenging legal problems to deliver real-world solutions.
Frank is an active member of the body corporate community and regularly offers insightful commentary and legal updates on the challenges and opportunities facing the strata industry.
SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKERS
.jpg)
Hon Meaghan Scanlon MP
Meaghan Scanlon is the Miles Government’s Minister for Housing, Local Government and Planning and Minister for Public Works.
Expanding her portfolio late last year to include local government, planning and public works has given her greater scope to work across the whole housing spectrum to tackle one of the government’s core priorities.
Her focus is on making good decisions faster to unlock affordable housing in well-located areas, rebuilding Q-Build and getting more tradies on the tools, supporting renters and first homebuyers and supporting an end to homelessness.
With both of her parents growing up in government housing, she understands the power of social reform, and how it can positively change people’s lives.
Hundreds of thousands of Australians have moved to Queensland in the past three years, ramping up market pressure for both owner-occupiers and renters.
As part of the Miles Government she is relentlessly focussed on putting a roof over the head of every Queenslander through the landmark Homes for Queenslanders Plan.
Prior to entering politics, she worked as a solicitor and was then elected to the seat of Gaven on the Gold Coast in 2017.
She has served as the Assistant Minister for Tourism Industry Development before being appointed as Minister for the Environment and Great Barrier Reef and Minister for Science and Youth Affairs in 2020 and Minister for Housing in 2023.
Amelia Hodge
Amelia is the CEO of the Australian Property Institute and has enjoyed an executive career spanning some 30 years, with her depth of experience driving successful outcomes across a range of sectors, projects and industries.
Amelia has previously held CEO, executive and project roles with the Qld Law Society, Origin Energy, Powerlink Queensland, the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority and Coffey Commercial Advisory, following a legal and commercial career in the property and infrastructure sectors.
She has held a range of Non Executive Directorships across private and public sector corporations, not for profits and arts sector organisations and has chaired board audit and risk committees. Amelia sat for four years on the Governor-General’s Australian Honours Council. On behalf of the Qld Office for Woman, Amelia also sat on the Great Artesian Basin Advisory Council.
Amelia holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Graduate Certificate in Property Economics from Queensland University of Technology and has undertaken the Harvard Kennedy School of Government Infrastructure in the Market Economy programme. She is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is mother to 24 year old Isobel and 23 year old Oscar.
CONCURRENT SESSION SPEAKERS
Chris Duggan
Chris is the current President of Strata Community Association Australasia and served as President of NSW chapter of SCA for five years having served on the Board of Directors since 2009. He is the youngest life member in the Association’s history.
During his tenure in NSW, Chris advanced the cause of strata by collaborating heavily with Government and broader stakeholder groups to further the professional standing of strata management culminating in the recent achievement of a Professional Standards Scheme for strata managers in NSW - a first for property services in Australia.
Chris is the Group Managing Director of the Bright & Duggan Property Group - owner operators of a number of Australia’s leading strata and facilities management brands.
Tyson Pratt
Tyson is experienced and well-connected in the strata community. His exceptional organisational, time management and diplomacy skills, and strong work ethic has earned him a solid reputation in the industry.
As Chief Operations Officer for Strata Influence, he is responsible for leading a team of dedicated Strata Managers and Support Staff to best serve a large and varied portfolio of bodies corporate. On top of his operation and management responsibilities and keeping his finger on the pulse, Tyson continues to manage a portfolio of bodies corporate.
Andrew Davidson
Andrew has a retail background with over 30 years’ experience commencing with Safeway in Victoria in 1972 and becoming CEO for Woolworths NZ Ltd in 1997 and Deputy Director heading up Westfield NZ Shopping Centres in 2002. He was part of the successful Life Pharmacy (Green Cross Health) public listing and represented Gresham Rabo Private Equity interests in Hansells NZ.
He was a Founder of Kids Help Line in NZ and a board member of Barnardos NZ.
In 2015 he and his wife Marianne acquired Noosa District Body Corporate Management which has recently rebranded as Team Body Corporate.
James Nickless
James is a Partner of Chambers Russell Lawyers and manages the firm’s Queensland practice. James is an expert in strata title law and litigation.
James is a former President of SCA(QLD) and served on the legislation committee from 2013 to 2019 and the Board of Directors from 2016 to 2022.
Paul Keating
Paul has over 40 years’ experience in insurance and financial services, with 17 of those years in the specialist area of Strata. After 7 years as Managing Director of CHU and BCB, in March 2014 he co-founded Strata Community Insurance and is the company’s Managing Director.
Paul holds an executive MBA from the University of NSW and is a Senior Associate of the Australian & New Zealand Institute of Insurance & Finance (ANZIIF). Paul is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Michelle Cummins
Michelle Cummins is the Chief People & Client Support Officer at MaxSoft, who have been serving the strata industry for over 30 years.
Working in the Strata Industry for more than 30 years, with over 25 years as a professional HR Leader, Michelle is a highly skilled and talented HR Specialist, holding a Master’s Degree in Human Resources.
Committed to the Strata Industry and its people, she is a current National and Victoria SCA Board member and International Subject Matter Expert for CAMICB.
Passionate about educating, motivating and communicating, Michelle strikes the best balance of competence and character traits to align human resources to support business goals. Michelle’s presence, energy and passion for people are what puts the ‘human’ into resources.
Warren Fenton
With a career spanning more than 40 years, Warren Fenton is one of Queensland’s most experienced and highly regarded strata insurance specialists and the General Manager Broker Services at Body Corporate Brokers (BCB).
Warren has been with BCB since the beginning and has been instrumental in the growth and development of the company which today is recognised as Australia’s leading strata insurance broking specialist.
An avid surfer Warren spends his spare time at “board” meetings and enjoys travelling with his wife Tanya.
George Salloum
George is the co-founder & Executive Director of The Community Co. which is based in Brisbane, Australia.
He has 25+ years of experience in Leadership, Strategy & Culture within various industries including the Not-For-Profit Sector, being one of the early advocates and leaders of Red Frogs Australia.
George has a Bachelor of Economics, majoring in Corporate Law and Accounting from the University of Sydney.
Angela Fleming
Angela brings a specialised skill set to her role of Senior Relationship Manager in Macquarie’s Business Banking team, working within the property services sector of Strata and Real Estate with the Banks highest net worth and most complex clients.
Macquarie are market leaders in providing quality banking services and genuine customer care to commercial enterprises across the country – elevating relationships, providing insights to new technologies and transformations and supporting our clients to stay agile in the rapidly developing property industry. Angela joined Macquarie Business Banking because of the way they lean into strata with a genuine interest in the industry, the innovative ways they develop and deliver growth and success to clients, workng alongside them to uncover new strategies and efficiencies and creating enjoy long-term relationships.
Angela loves her role, her clients and the communities in which she works everyday and is a passionate advocate for learning, happiness and reading books that make you laugh and cry outloud.
Alan Buckle
With a career spanning since 1983, Alan has established and administered over 1,000 strata schemes and 700 management rights, pioneering initiatives under various titling and legislative acts.
Alan's proficiency in titling extends to diverse developments, including Company Title, Master Planned Communities, integrated resorts, skyrise towers, mixed-use complexes, strata hotels, and more. His portfolio boasts iconic properties like Royal Pines Resort, Kingfisher Bay Resort & Village, and Brett’s Wharf, among others.
Over two decades, Alan has shared his expertise through leadership roles in industry associations such as the Urban Development Industry of Australia (UDIA Qld) and Strata Communities Australia (SCA QLD), where he championed owner-centric strategies.
Today, Alan continues to lead in strata development consulting, leveraging his knowledge to enhance property values, navigate regulatory challenges, and optimize management practices for strata committees and lot owners.
_JPG.jpg)
Kristi Kinast
Kristi is the General Manager at Cassels Strata Management. Combining her 16 years’ of experience in the strata management industry with her Bachelor of Business specialising in Management, she provides leadership and support to the team of strata managers at Cassels Strata.
With a passion for education, Kristi is an SCAQ educator, facilitating SCA accredited courses for lot owners and strata industry staff alike.
She has also served on the SCAQ Education Committee, CTIQ Publications Committee, and the UDIA Property Law & Community Management Committee.
Mario Esera
Mario is a seasoned litigation partner at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers with nearly two decades of legal experience. Specializing in Body Corporate law since 2011, he has become a go-to expert in the field. Mario's clientele includes Bodies Corporate, Body Corporate managers, Lot Owners, property developers, and management rights holders.
His proficiency extends to areas such as management rights disputes, building defects, by-law disputes, by-law enforcement, and levy recoveries. Mario is a key asset to HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, a prominent firm with 9 offices nationwide and a team of 985 lawyers. The firm excels in providing comprehensive assistance in all aspects of Body Corporate law, offering counsel to developers, builders, town planners, insurers, and Body Corporate managers.
Beyond the legal arena, Mario is an active participant in SCA Conferences. In his leisure time, he relishes moments spent with his wife, daughter, and two dogs. An avid sports enthusiast, Mario enjoys watching the All Blacks in action and indulges in a round of golf, often navigating the courses scattered around Brisbane, albeit occasionally losing a golf ball or two in the process.
John Trowbridge
John has a distinguished career as an actuary, consultant, executive, company director and regulator, working mainly in financial services with an emphasis on insurance-related businesses.
He established Trowbridge Consulting in the 1980s, later merging it with Deloitte in 2000.
With notable positions at QBE and Suncorp, John served as APRA Member for insurance from 2006 to 2010. He led significant reviews, including the Australian Government's examination of natural disaster insurance post-2011 floods and industry reforms in the life insurance sector in 2015.
Additionally, he co-authored a review for the RBNZ on the lessons learned from the CBL Insurance failure in New Zealand in 2019. In 2021, John conducted an independent strategic review for the Insurance Council on the accessibility and affordability of commercial insurance lines in Australia.
Jason Carlson
Jason has served as a Director of SCA (Qld) from 2016 – 2022, and currently serves as a Director of SCA Australasia. In 2022, his contributions to and leadership within Queensland’s strata sector were recognised when he received the SCA (Qld) President’s Award.
Jason is known for his engaging presentation style. He has an ability to look past the law that affects the strata sector and instead focus on the behaviours and motivations that drive some of the biggest issues the industry and strata professionals face.
Todd Garsden
Todd is an experienced property lawyer who heads up Mahoneys body corporate team.
Todd specialises in body corporate law and predominantly acts for bodies corporate, body corporate managers and lot owners on all matters affecting bodies corporate.
Todd is an active member of the Strata Community Association (Qld). In 2019 he was appointed to the Strata Community Association (Qld) legislation committee and assisted in making submissions on behalf of the Strata Community Association (Qld) on issues such as legislative reform in body corporate law.
As Todd is also a body corporate committee member, he understands the day to day requirements of administering a body corporate.
Todd has a focus on achieving practical and commercial results for his clients and understands the market in which bodies corporate operate within.
Dakota Panetta
Dakota is the National Sales Executive for the Solutions Group of Companies.
Dakota oversees client relations across Australia and New Zealand taking an incredibly active approach to client education, seminars and town hall affairs ensuring body corporate managers, committees and owners are aware of their compliance obligations.
With recent legislative changes in both Queensland and New Zealand, Dakota provided advice to members of parliament deliberating over changes to both the Body Corporate sector and the Unit Titles sector respectively.
Duncan Lee
Duncan Lee has over 20 years' experience in the strata management industry and holds a Bachelor of Business with a specialisation in Accounting.
His financial and managerial skills have been honed through positions in ASX listed companies.
In addition to over 20 years’ experience in the strata management industry, including his current role as the Owner and Managing Director of Pinnacle Strata Pty Ltd, Duncan has served six (6) years on the SCA Q Legislation Committee and is currently chair of the SCA Q Professional Standards Committee.