Speakers
James Holloway
Deputy Head, Economic Analysis Department, Reserve Bank of Australia
James has worked at the RBA for more than 20 years, having worked at the Australian Treasury before that. His career has spanned macroeconomic analysis and forecasting, banknotes, and international markets and relations. James is currently the Deputy Head of Economic Analysis at the Reserve Bank of Australia in charge of the Reserve Bank’s business liaison program and network of state offices. The information and perspectives from the RBA’s liaison program is an important input into the Bank’s monetary policy decision-making. James has an honours degree in economics from the University of Queensland.
Jennifer Moltisanti
Assistant Commissioner - Not For Profit Centre, Australian Tax Office
Jennifer Moltisanti is an Assistant Commissioner and leads the ATO’s NFP, Government and New Measures team. Jennifer joined the ATO in 2003 when she was promoted from the then Australian Customs Service. Jennifer has a broad experience in public sector administration and has held a diplomatic role with Australia’s permanent delegation to the OECD as Australia’s first Minister- Counsellor Taxation. Jennifer has a Master of Business Administration from the Melbourne Business School and a Bachelor of Arts from La Trobe University. Jennifer is fluent in several languages including Italian and French.
Marc Purcell
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Council for International Development
Marc has 25 years’ experience in the community, international development and human rights sectors in Australia. He worked as Oxfam Australia’s National Advocacy Manager and was Executive Officer for the Catholic Commission for Justice Development and Peace Executive. He has also worked as Country Program Manager for Africa at Australian Volunteers International; and worked with UNHCR in Nepal assisting Tibetan refugees.
Marc is a Director of the Community Council for Australia and the Campaign for Australian Aid Executive Committee. He has served on the boards of Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust, the National Roundtable of Non Profit Organisations, the Refugee Immigration Legal Centre, A Just Australia, and Catholic Social Services Victoria.
Megan Motto
Chief Executive Officer, Governance Institute of Australia
Megan joined Governance Institute of Australia as CEO in January 2019. She’s had over 20 years’ experience in the association sector having previously been the CEO of Consult Australia, as well as a director of the Australian Construction Industry Forum, the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council and the NSW Business Chamber. She is currently a director of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA); director of Standards Australia and a councillor of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), where she also chairs the Data, Digital and Cyber Security Forum.
Megan has a BA/BEd, a MA in Communications Management and is a Fellow of both Governance Institute of Australia and Australian Institute of Company Directors and is also a member of Chief Executive Women (CEW).
Matthew Cameron
Chief Executive Officer, Penrith District Rugby League Football Club
Matt Cameron was promoted to Chief Executive Officer of the Penrith District Rugby League Football Club Limited in 2021 . Following six seasons as an Assistant Coach at the Parramatta Eels, Matt joined the Panthers in 2012 as the club’s High Performance Manager, and has responsible for the alignment of the Junior Pathways and the NRL program. He has overseen the transition of countless junior players, who have progressed to the current NRL squad. Formally General Manager Rugby League for three years, Matt has been at the helm of the Panthers Rugby League program during the club’s three grand final appearances (2020, 2021 & 2022), two of which included the 2021 & 2022 NRL premiership triumphs.
Geoff Barbaro
Executive Manager - Stakeholder Engagement, Skills Insight Jobs and Skills Council
Geoff is Executive Manager, Stakeholder Engagement at Skills Insight Jobs and Skills Council, working with stakeholders who share a passion for improving skills and training across the agribusiness, fibre and furnishings industries. Skills Insight is one of 10 new Jobs and Skills Councils working with Jobs and Skills Australia, federal and state governments, industry, learners, and education and training organisations, to address jobs and skills issues, including labour and skills shortages, workforce planning (including migration planning), occupational skills standards and access to skills development. Geoff has worked across multiple industries, including education, health, hospitality, community organisations, peak professional bodies, government and law.
Louise Wightman
Chair, Maternal Child and Family Health Nurses Australia (MCaFHNA)
Louise Wightman is the Chair of Maternal Child and Family Health Nurses Australia (MCaFHNA) organisation, the peak professional body for nurses in the maternal, child and family health field. Louise began her volunteer committee member roles with CAFHNA NSW, commenced as a board member of MCaFHNA Inc in 2015, and was the President of MCaFHNA Inc from 2018-2020. She has guided MCaFHNA through the transition to a single-entity national company now known as MCaFHNA Ltd. She has been the current Chair of MCaFHNA since 2021 and has represented MCaFHNA at national forums and strategic working groups. Louise has over 35 years of experience as a Nurse, Midwife and Child and Family Health nurse in various regional, rural and remote nursing and community services in QLD, WA, NSW, England and Canada. Moving from clinician to Board member has been a steep learning curve.
Mark Lindsay
Chairman, Caravan Industry Association of Australia
Mark has been an owner and operator of caravan parks for the past 30 years. Over the past 20 years Mark has contributed to Industry Associations Boards. In2002 Mark was first elected to the Board of Family Parks Association, serving as Chairman from 2004 – 2007. In 2006 Mark was elected to the Caravan Industry Association of NSW Board serving from 2006 -2014, and whilst serving in this role Mark was the NSW representative to the Caravan Industry Association of Australia Board. Serving on that board from 2009 – 2021, and Chairing the association from 2010 – 2017. Mark was re-elected to the NSW board in 2020 and has served as Chairman from this date to present. Mark has learned a lot about not for profits and the dynamics of Industry Boards over this period and looks forward to discussing lessons learned over his time in serving on these boards whilst working within the Industry.
Phil Naylor
Chairman, Family Day Care Australia
Phil Naylor has a had a lifetime of experience in the not-for- profit association sector, having served as CEO of national retail and finance industry associations as well as Chair and director of boards in those industries. He has been a director of Family Day Care Australia since 2016, having served as Chair from 2018-2020. He was re-elected as Chair in 2022.
Phil was inducted into the Associations Hall of Fame in 2019.
Brooke Lord
Head of Advocacy & Policy, Recruitment, Consulting and Staffing Association
Brooke is the Head of Advocacy at RCSA, the peak industry body for the recruitment and staffing sector in Australia and New Zealand. RCSA represents over 1000 corporate and individual members who source, screen and place hundreds of thousands of workers with business every year, across every industry in the labour market. An experienced Public Affairs leader, Brooke has worked in Corporate and Public Affairs across a range of organisations in industries including agriculture, education, environment, aviation, health and now employment. Brooke is a strong advocate for the vital role that non-traditional and flexible labour plays within the labour market, addressing unexpected and short-term staffing needs, in meeting surge requirements and in providing specialist skills or services.
Troy Bramston
Senior Writer and Columnist, The Australian
Troy Bramston is a senior writer and columnist with The Australian newspaper. He has interviewed politicians, presidents and prime ministers from multiple countries along with writers, actors, directors, producers and several pop-culture icons He is the best-selling author or editor of 11 books, including Bob Hawke: Demons and Destiny (2022), Robert Menzies: The Art of Politics (2019) and Paul Keating: The Big-Picture Leader (2016). He is currently writing a biography of Gough Whitlam. Troy’s biography of Hawke was shortlisted for the Australian Political Book of the Year Award. He was the co-winner of the Australian Book Industry Award for The Dismissal (2015), co-authored with Paul Kelly. His biography of Keating was a finalist for the Walkley Award, shortlisted for the National Biography Award and longlisted for the Australian Book Industry Award. He was awarded the Centenary Medal in 2001.
Rowan Lalor
Sales Director, Higher Logic
Rowan Lalor joined Higher Logic in 2017 and is the sales director located in Sydney, Australia. With more than 15 years of experience, Rowan works closely with association executives to understand their strategic goals around member value, engagement, retention, and revenue growth, and how Higher Logic is positioned to support those goals. Before Higher Logic, Rowan worked as a sales manager for a workforce management technology company in the recruitment sector and has held several sales and business development positions throughout his career. Rowan earned an Honors Degree in Marketing from Dublin Business College. Outside of work, Rowan is actively involved with the Cancer Council and Smith Family and is a huge fan of the Irish Rugby team. He also enjoys spending as much free time as possible on the golf course after getting his first hole-in-one in September 2023.
Joanna Matthew
Incoming Chief Executive Officer, Associations Forum
Joanna Matthew, CEO-designate of Associations Forum, has worked in senior leadership positions for the last 15 years and is passionate about the associations, charities and not-for-profit sector. Her early career included manufacturing and healthcare. Joanna holds a BA Psychology from Middlebury College in the USA, and an Executive MBA with Distinction from Massey University in New Zealand.
Her previous roles include Executive Director of the New Zealand Library Association and most recently General Manager Education and Professionalism for the Financial Advice Association of Australia. A highly skilled general manager and strategist, Joanna’s experience covers the breadth of association management. She is equally comfortable advising Boards on governance as she is chatting to membership teams and advising on quality members services and events.
Kathy Nguyen
Senior Lawyer, Governology
Kathy has extensive experience working with associations both nationally and in the Asia-Pacific, on association structure, operations and governance. She has reviewed hundreds of constitutions, and regularly presents to organisations on membership, governance and events.
Kathy has worked for Associations Forum, the Governance Institute of Australia, Ernst & Young, the Trade Association Forum in London and for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. Kathy holds Bachelors of Laws & Business.
Andrew Gosbell
Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
Andrew is based in Melbourne and provides a range of advisory services for Associations Forum based on his broad experience in governance, change management, leadership development, government relations and policy development, risk management, strategic planning, negotiation and partnership development.
Andrew has over 15 years senior executive experience working in medical colleges and associations, including successful tenures as CEO of General Practice Registrars Australia and Deputy CEO at the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. He has a track record of working collaboratively with volunteers, association members and office bearers, and professional staff to successfully deliver a range of strategic initiatives at both national and state levels. He has well-developed networks in the health and associations sectors. Andrew also has governance experience as a non-executive director and currently holds a number of Board and Committee positions in the NFP and tertiary-education sectors.
Claire Hewat
Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
Claire has over 20 years’ experience in senior executive positions including two successful roles as a CEO at Dietitians Australia and Allied Health Professions Australia. Claire has also had substantial non-executive governance experience on four national and one international board. She has extensive experience in professional self-regulation and is currently chair of the Ethics Review Committee for an Australian allied health profession.
Claire has used her experience to provide support and mentoring to other NFP CEOs and boards in areas of governance, strategic planning, complaints and disciplinary processes, change management and more.
Finola Carey
Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
Finola Carey was the Chief Executive Officer of ODMA for 27 years, until taking semi-retirement at the end of April 2023. Finola has a particular interest and expertise in Governance issues including Strategic & Business Planning, Policy formulation and advocacy and Company Secretary responsibilities. Finola has a proven track record in Business development and Revenue diversification and Event Management of exhibitions and conferences. She was one of the architects of the joint venture agreement between ODMA and Optometry Victoria/South Australia out of which O=MEGA (the premier optical event in the Southern hemisphere) was born and can be credited with a major role in securing the World Congress of Optometry for Melbourne in 2023.
Finola graduated in Business & Finance from the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland. She studied law in Australia and is now an admitted solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.