Our Team

TEDxPerth is driven by professionals; volunteers united by the transformative power of ideas. By giving a platform for the Ideas Worth Spreading of Perth's brightest thinkers and doers, we are proud to present a beacon for all that is remarkable, challenging and thought-provoking in Perth.

Joel Miller

Licensee and Creative Director
Joel Miller
Licensee and Creative Director

Joel studied engineering and psychology at UWA. His design won WA Inventor of the Year (2008) and he was a finalist on ABC’s “The New Inventors” 2007. He is currently completing his PhD - developing next-gen orthopaedic implants.  Joel was Science Magazine’s “Dance Your PhD” 2011 winner. He is co-founder of the current TEDxPerth creative team.

Gavin Buckley

Chief Executive Officer
Gavin Buckley
Chief Executive Officer

Gavin is a consultant and coach with over twenty years experience in corporate partnerships, leadership and board positions with peak bodies in the UK and Australia. Gavin arrived in Perth in 2012 and has been involved with TEDxPerth from the start, first as Speaker Coach and Host, recently as Joint Executive Producer and now as our CEO.

Gavin's work with TEDxPerth was recently recognised when he was awarded Community Citizen of the Year 2019 by the City of Perth.

At TEDFest 2018 in New York, Gavin experienced at first hand the extraordinary creativity, energy and drive of the international community of TEDx organisers. He is thrilled to be leading our similarly talented and enthusiastic team as we grow both our Flagship Conference and a new series of Salons for our community in Perth and Western Australia.

Gavin lives in Fremantle running his own consultancy helping people communicate with authenticity and impact.

Curation

Rob Lines

Director of Curation
Rob Lines
Director of Curation

Rob has worked for many years in theatre and cinema management in the UK and in Australia. An enthusiastic, if not accurate, singer in the Gay & Lesbian Singers of WA, Rob loves the enormous diversity of people he has the privilege to meet as a Curator for TEDxPerth. Coming from a family of toymakers and living in Fremantle, ask him about laying limestone blocks, Meccano and how to make industrial quantities of popcorn.

Emma Gibbens

Lead Curator, TEDxYouth@Perth
Emma Gibbens
Lead Curator, TEDxYouth@Perth

Emma works as the Community Engagement and Activation Specialist at CGM Communications, a West Australian-owned strategic communications consulting firm. Emma has nine years experience in political campaigning across the United States and around the world.

Emma helps individuals and organisations connect, engage, and activate any audience. Working one-on-one or in large groups, she bring stories and people-centred messages to the forefront. In this role she served as Field Director for WA Labor for the 2016 Federal Election, and the 2017 State Election. Most recently she was the WA State Coordinator for Australians for Marriage Equality, Postal Survey Campaign 2017.

In her spare time, she enjoys playing cello in an Aussie pub rock band, exploring Perth’s surrounding parks, and enjoying the tasty culinary scene.

 

Suzanne Waldron

Curator
Suzanne Waldron
Curator
Suzanne is a behavioural change facilitator whose masters research focused on moving ideas into action through pro-social leadership. She's an active ambassador for RUOK?, TEDxPerth Curator and Co-founder/director of short doco series Stories Out Loud. A published author and media contributor. Suzanne has been nominated for Western Australian of the Year 2016 and twice 40 under 40. 

Rosie Cooper

Curator
Rosie Cooper
Curator

Rosie coordinates the Graduate Program for the WA Department of Health through the Institute for Health Leadership. Her personal mission is to build and empower the next generation of leaders and forge opportunities for collaboration across the public sector.

Rosie is an avid connector of people and a self-confessed ‘multipotentialite’ with interests in  innovation, technology, design thinking, science, theology, organisational behaviour, nutrition… and the list goes on.

In her spare time she enjoys being outdoors and/or pursuing one of her many other interests. You might also spot her in the local bouldering or martial arts gym.

Steve Browne

Film Curator
Steve Browne
Film Curator

Steve Browne is a Perth based illustrator, painter and film-maker who focuses on mural installation, story boards for film and commercials and commission work, as a full time career. In his previous work, Steve has often dealt with themes such as facing fear, fear of the unknown and time. He also works with young people and young people at risk, running art and film workshops to inspire change and highlight the ability to make positive choices through self expression.

Steve has worked in multiple countries across South East Asia, including Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as nationally in his home country Australia, painting walls and making film.

Youth Events and Engagement

Victoria Wisker

Director of Youth Engagement
Victoria Wisker
Director of Youth Engagement
As a passionate educator, specialising in Gifted and Talented education for boys in Perth, Victoria is keen to engage the youth of Perth in our upcoming TEDxYouth@Perth event.
 
"Spreading good ideas is the core of what we do as educators. As future leaders, it is important that young people are given an opportunity to connect with youth, locally and globally to continue to spread these good ideas."

Fuelled by a love of reading, Victoria gained a Bachelor of Arts, (Hons) degree in English Literature with Language and Communication, and combined this with her passion for education in which she undertook a Professional Graduate Certificate in Education.

Since arriving in Perth, Victoria has developed her expertise in teaching and learning by undertaking a Post Graduate degree at UNSW, specialising in Gifted and Talented Education. She has worked in the private sector for the past five years through which she continues to develop a culture of excellence and embed her love of technology and futuristic thinking.

Bek Duyckers

Youth Engagement Manager
Bek Duyckers
Youth Engagement Manager

Bek joined the team in 2019.

Marilyn Schmidt

Youth Engagement Manager
Marilyn Schmidt
Youth Engagement Manager

Marilyn joined the team in 2019.

Kai Lovel

Chair, Youth Panel
Kai Lovel
Chair, Youth Panel

Kai is a 15-year-old entrepreneur, broadcaster, freelancer, speaker and trailblazing change agent, motivated by a strong sense of social justice and a passion for content creation. He’s on a mission to follow his curiosities, and help others to do the same.

At age 12, he began producing and presenting on local radio, sparking his interest in creating content across various mediums. Months later he established The Tech Thread Co, his first e-commerce enterprise, immersing himself in the realities of business.

Going on to creating POV (Point of View), his own podcast, at 13, he further explored the potential of content for good.

Quickly realising that it’s not all plain sailing as a young entrepreneur, but still passionately curious, he started Millennial Studios, a media incubator for young people with the vision of creating a platform for impactful content.

With the co-creation of peer-to-peer tutoring agency Student Tutors United in late 2018, Kai had started and operated three enterprises in various industries.

He is now focussing on sharing his experiences, lessons and skills with other young people and enterprises, through speaking, consultancy and freelance work.

Kai was a speaker at TEDxPerth, The Age of Wonder, at Perth Concert Hall in 2018. He jojns the team to help us develop and deliver TEDxYouth@Perth in 2020.

Zena Ibrahim

Youth Panel
Zena Ibrahim
Youth Panel

Zena is a third year postgraduate dental student at the University of Western Australia. She is also a former speaker at TEDxPerth (2018).

She has been involved in multiple areas of the community including as a member of the Access Department at UWA, advocating and representing students with chronic illness, disability and mental illness. She is also volunteer with PennyAppeal Australia, a not-for-profit organisation working in over 30 crisis-hit countries worldwide, and a speaker with BeyondBlue sharing her own personal story about mental illness.

Zena has also been heavily involved in the Perth poetry scene making it to the finals of the WA Poetry Slam in 2017 as well as performing at the MYAWA Eid Dinner in 2018.

Zena has recently returned to her birth religion (Islam) as a revert and is a vocal activist and advocate for women in Islam and mental health within the Muslim community.

Partnerships and Development

Thuy Acacio

Principal Partnerships Manager
Thuy Acacio
Principal Partnerships Manager

Thuy is a corporate communications professional with almost two decades of experience in Australia and the United Kingdom. She is passionate about CSR, social change and innovation, and is currently doing her postgrad studies in Social Impact. Away from work, Thuy is a sports fanatic, growing up on the softball field as both a player and coach, and now shares her love of sports and the great outdoors with her three young girls.

Martin Wisker

Partnerships Manager
Martin Wisker
Partnerships Manager

Martin is a senior executive within a large construction organisation based in Perth and has over 30 years’ experience gained both in the UK and Australia on a multitude of projects.

He is naturally very engaging, personable, high energy and credible, which means his stakeholder management and client engagement skills are exemplary. He prides himself on clearly understanding the needs of his clients and ensuring that they are not only met, but exceeded.

Martin is a passionate leader and has created a culture where his team are empowered and confident.

He has a very similar approach outside of work where he loves the Perth way of life and enjoys this to the maximum with his family. He also finds time to be continue his love of soccer coaching, which he has done for over 20 years.

Cynthia Wright

Partnerships Manager
Cynthia Wright
Partnerships Manager

Cynthia is a Social Care Corporate Manager, working for a Western Australian Owned Aged Care provider Aegis. She is currently the 2019 Australia Day Ambassador and founder of the social enterprise Regions International. Cynthia is currently a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a publisher of various articles on Resilience, Migration, International Education, and Aged Care.

Cynthia is passionate about creating a positive impact in the world by creating leaders. Her success in her Career and Business comes down to her ability to build and maintain partnerships and collaborations; Her success in life is attributed by the connections she creates with others and the extent to which she can give and receive. She has created success in her roles as Clinical Consultant in Corporate Australia, with thirteen years’ experience in the Aged care industry and five years in Management.

Cynthia’s leadership is strengthened by her communication and negotiation skills as well as her ability to remain calm under pressure. She manages multiple teams and leads with a focus to motivate and empower by creating more leaders, social change makers and platforms were people can learn and grow.

Annika Htun

Partnerships Coordinator
Annika Htun
Partnerships Coordinator

Annika is a Curtin University alumna who holds an MBA (Global) and a Bachelor Degree with double majors in Finance and Management. She has also earned her Master of Professional Accounting Degree from Murdoch University, and currently, in pursuit of her CPA.

During her pursuit of MBA, she became the President of Curtin Volunteers! where she led student volunteer teams and engaged herself with various volunteering programs and projects to help local and rural communities in the areas of health, youth, culture, environment, remote and indigenous.

Her passion also inspired her to become a member of Curtin’s John Curtin Leadership Academy (JCLA) where she worked earnestly to prevent teenage suicides. Her commitments led her to become the Vice President of JCLA Alumni Committee.
She is passionate about making positive impacts in our society and helping others. Today, Annika is a Graduate Finance & Business Analyst at the WA Department of Health, living her passion every day.

Annika aspires to become a social entrepreneur and advocate, and currently working on various projects, programs and institutions across a few countries, including Australia, Myanmar, and Africa, to address social issues with regards to health, hunger, homelessness and personal development.

Production

Katie Spalding

Production Director
Katie Spalding
Production Director

Katie is an experiential marketer with 14 years experience. Currently employed as Events and Sponsorship Manager at Synergy, Katie manages a program of strategic partnerships, customer experiences and brand activations. Previously, Katie delivered the City of Mandurah’s major events program and worked as a Corporate Events Manager in the UK for five years.

She has won several awards including a Tourism Council Gold Award for best Major Event & Festival, a Gold Skull from the Perth Advertising & Design Council for best Digital Installation and Best Experiential Campaign at the PR Institute of Australia. Katie has a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring Marketing, Management), an MBA (majoring in Innovation and Entrepreneurship) and is qualified in CX, Prince2 and Agile Product Ownership.

Katie has volunteered as the Production Director for TEDxPerth since May 2018.

Lisa Wynne

Assistant Production Director
Lisa Wynne
Assistant Production Director
Lisa is an experienced Environmental Scientist with a background in contaminated sites and environmental approvals. Her work includes providing specialist environmental planning and approval advice to clients across a broad range of industries including mining, major infrastructure, oil and gas and civil construction. 
 
Lisa is passionate about the sharing of ideas and promoting STEM. She is very proud to work with TEDxPerth showcasing all of the fantastic and interesting things happening in our great city. 

Kabir Ramasary

Food Curator
Kabir Ramasary
Food Curator

Financial planner by day, food enthusiast by night. Kabir works in his own financial planning busines, is highly active in volunteer roles and is known to organise food events. Kabir is ecstatic to be apart of the TEDxPerth team.

Susanna Wolz

Salon Program Manager
Susanna Wolz
Salon Program Manager

Susanna Wolz is a communications and change management specialist with more than a decade of experience working primarily in health and higher education.

Currently she is contracted as the Communications and Change Management Leader with the WA Department of Health working on a complex project engaging WA Health system employees on the adoption of a new IT system.

Prior to this, Susanna was the Associate Director at the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA) where she curated thought leadership events for the business community which focussed on key issues affecting the WA economy.

Susanna joined the TEDxPerth team in 2019.

Leah O'Brien

Production Manager, Flagship
Leah O'Brien
Production Manager, Flagship

With over 8 years within the Event Industry, Leah is an event professional holding extensive end-to-end event management experience covering a multitude of events ranging in size from 120 to 120,000 people.

Leah’s unique skillset, attention to detail, customer centric attitude and passion for her projects has seen her deliver award winning events and execute record-breaking national and international stadium events as apart of the inaugural Optus Stadium Team.

Leah works as a Producer for George P. Johnson, thinking big, shifting perception and bringing brand to life delivering experiences for our high profile clients.

As an active member of the event industry, Leah believes in giving back to the community and industry through volunteering, sponsorship and creating standards of excellence and raising the bar of professionalism.

Leah has been a volunteer at TEDxPerth since 2018.

Vanessa Bradley

Event and Installation Manager
Vanessa Bradley
Event and Installation Manager

Financial analyst by day, Vanessa is a Chartered Accountant who is inspired by all that is entrepreneurship, innovation, and small business in the community. Vanessa is passionate about the future of her home town Perth and is so thrilled to be a part of the TEDxPerth team, which she thinks is a part of the movement in unlocking Perth’s full potential. 

Outside of work Vanessa loves being a mum to her plant babies and fur baby Phillip, is a music enthusiast, a keen runner and DIY-er, and a devoted supporter of the Claremont Tigers.

Samantha Hayes

Registration Manager
Samantha Hayes
Registration Manager

As a professional geospatial analyst, Samantha is passionate about why things are where they are and where they should be. Sam has studied and worked across Australia and has recently moved to Perth for a new role. Whilst pursuing her love of all things geospatial, Sam is a representative for her workplace community group and enjoys donating her time and energy to community based events. Sam believes sparking conversation is the start of change, and cannot wait to contribute to ideas worth spreading at TEDxPerth.
 
Samantha is excited to be a part of the TEDxPerth team for the first time in 2019.

Nikki Bombak

Registration Coordinator
Nikki Bombak
Registration Coordinator

Nikki joined the team in 2019.

Benjamin Fry

AV Manager
Benjamin Fry
AV Manager

Benjamin studied lighting design at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, during which he worked with the Australian Ballet on the Royal Birmingham production of the Nutcracker.

After graduation Benjamin worked as a freelance engineer working with a variety of different arts organisations around Australia, including ballet, opera, rock and roll, and dance.

In 2009 he moved to Mauritius to be Lighting Designer and Consultant for theatre, dance, corporate and Presidential events. His work involved large scale dance concerts, corporate entities, such as HSBC, Air Mauritius, The Shaolin Monks and events for the President and Prime Minister.

Returning to Australia in 2010, Benjamin became Head of Lighting at West Australian Ballet, working with the company for two years and including a lot of regional touring. Subsequently he moved to London to work with White Light, the leading production supplier of lighting and AV services to the entertainment and corporate event industries.

Returning to Perth, Benjamin established his own company What Noiz, specialising in design, installation and production management for corporate events and theatre. He has been Lighting Designer for the West Australian Ballet and offered technical solutions for a large range of companies, including Toyota and the Perth Arena, in space activation and live streaming events such as the UFC Romero and Rockhold Fight at The Perth Arena.

Kayla MacGillivray

Installation and Event Coordinator
Kayla MacGillivray
Installation and Event Coordinator

Kayla is an emerging arts and events manager. She has a background in theatre, and works in arts administration and front of house at the State Theatre Centre of Western Australia, as well as freelance producing and publicity for a variety of independent theatre shows across Perth. For the last three years, she has been one of the event coordinators of Spoken Word Perth, Perth’s largest poetry event, and she recently completed her studies in Arts and Cultural Management at Deakin University. This is the second year  Kayla has been involved with TEDxPerth, and is excited to be a part of the team.

Olivia Boulud

Volunteer Manager
Olivia Boulud
Volunteer Manager

After graduating from her master’s in marketing, communication and the media, Olivia's passion for the Seventh Art quickly led her to work on the production of many short films, features and TV commercials in Paris.

With over 10 years' experience as a casting director both in France and Australia, Olivia has recently been dedicating her time and energy to support community-based and not-for-profit projects, campaigns and events, big or small, for local and international organisations, while raising her two children.

Olivia is passionate about bringing people, talents and aspirations together and feels privileged to have met unique emerging artists and inspirational leaders through her eclectic experience in Perth.



She is thrilled to be joining the TEDxPerth Production Team this year.

Drianca Naidoo

Volunteer Coordinator
Drianca Naidoo
Volunteer Coordinator

Drianca is a Project Officer for the WA Department of Health and has qualifications in Psychology and Human Resource Management. She has a passion for organisational psychology and often finds herself deep in research about businesses, people and culture. Drianca strongly believes in the TED philosophy of ‘ideas worth spreading’ and is excited to be a part of making this happen.

Outside of work, Drianca enjoys brunching with her miniature Dachshund Finley, training at her local F45 gym and indulging in a glass of red wine with friends, especially at quiz nights.

Russell Tsingano

Salon and Volunteer Coordinator
Russell Tsingano
Salon and Volunteer Coordinator

Russell was born and raised in Zimbabwe and moved to Perth six years ago. He loves Perth and recently graduated from Curtin University with a double degree in Mechanical Engineering and Management.

Throughout his time at Curtin, Russell volunteered in a variety of roles and had the privilege of leading teams and working on-campus. He has taken part in programs and initiatives such as the John Curtin Leadership Academy (JCLA), orientation week and student experience videos, as well as John Curtin Weekend (JCW) and Remote and Indigenous (R&I) volunteering trips. More recently, he has been involved in leading some Red Frog events. All of these people-focused roles have allowed him to meet people from very diverse backgrounds, cultures and religions, which Russell absolutely loves.

He loves people and has learnt to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders. He believes that everyone has a story and that that story is worthy of being heard. His first (and lesser known) name is Zvikomborero, which means 'blessings' in his native language of Shona, and he strives to be a blessing to those around him. He wants to see the world become a better place for everyone and believes in loving those around us, including those amongst us that happen to be on the margins.

Russell is passionate about leadership and helping others, and loves initiatives that help to solve some of the world's problems. As he kicks off his career, he is keen to develop and grow in all facets. As a fan of TED and TEDx events from across the world, as well as having attended previous TEDxPerth events, he is very excited to be a part of the TEDxPerth team and community.

Jane Ong

Volunteer Coordinator
Jane Ong
Volunteer Coordinator
Jane has a strong attitude to learning and an immense desire to give back to the community positively and sustainably.  She believes in educating and sharing of information so people can make informed choices, which is why, she is very excited to be a part of TEDxPerth.  She finds it fulfilling when she achieves her goals, more so when she helps others achieve theirs. 
Outside of her work as a Project Officer at the WA Cancer Palliative Care Network, she enjoys spending time volunteering, running, golfing and reading. She looks forward to meeting all the volunteers who will be the face of TEDxPerth 2019 and how she can support them to make the most of their experience.

Capucine Flipo

Event Coordinator, Launch
Capucine Flipo
Event Coordinator, Launch

Capucine has over 20 years marketing manager, communication and event experience across various sectors and internationally.

Capucine arrived in Perth in 2013. Wanting to contribute more, she is also working for other not-profit-institutions, such as Australian Red Cross as Vice President of the Bindaring Unit.

Shivani Gurung

Production Administrator
Shivani Gurung
Production Administrator

Shivani graduated in law from London in 2013 and has three years experience as an Operations and Creative Manager with a Nepalese movie production and distribution company.

Shivani moved to Perth in 2018 and joined the TEDxPerth team in 2019.

Marketing

Annette Suann

Marketing and Sales Director
Annette Suann
Marketing and Sales Director

Annette is an event and marketing professional with more than 20 years’ experience working locally and internationally in Mining, Interior Design, Education and the Arts. She currently runs an Events company, Cohesion Creative and a Fashion consignment enterprise, Fashion Feature. She has unbridled curiosity and loves to learn, lead and participate with positivity and enthusiasm. She is passionate about community engagement, sharing of ideas and having a laugh.

Position Available

Marketing Manager, Events
Position Available
Marketing Manager, Events

This position is currently available. For further information, please contact Gavin Buckley, CEO: gavin@tedxperth.org.

Linh Nguyen

Marketing Manager, Social Media
Linh Nguyen
Marketing Manager, Social Media

Linh is a post-graduate student at the University of Western Australia. She has a passion for brand strategy and digital marketing and loves exploring the gap that allows organisations to market and communicate their ideas with impact. Linh has a background working with not-for-profit organisations and is passionate about leadership development in young people through understanding cultures and developing solution-oriented leaders. She is a great believer in creating a social impact through UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and has worked with United Nation’s Association WA to engage with businesses, governments and NFPs to create awareness and take action on Sustainable Development Goals.

Linh is a fervent believer in the power of ideas and their potential to transform the world. She is excited to be part of the TEDxPerth team to share ideas that matter.

Nikhil Gujadhur

Marketing Manager, Talks
Nikhil Gujadhur
Marketing Manager, Talks

Nikhil is a passionate marketing and sales professional with working experience in Switzerland and Australia. Currently he is pursuing a Master of IT at Curtin University, where he also completed a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing and Management). During which, he was part of the John Curtin Leadership Academy, Student Guild, Enactus, and Curtin Marketing Association.

He aspires to combine his passion for marketing and newfound interest in IT to promote diversity and inclusivity. He is currently working on a digital inclusion platform in hopes to facilitate two-way communication between Australians and people of migrant and refugee backgrounds.

As a strong believer in the power of storytelling, Nikhil joined TEDxPerth to support Perth’s thought leaders and change makers that inspire others.

 

Position Available

Website Development Manager
Position Available
Website Development Manager

This position is currently vacant. We are looking to develop a new website. If you are interested in helping us, please contact our Marketing Director, Annette Suann at annette@tedxperth.org.

Anna Burchfield

Blog Editor
Anna Burchfield
Blog Editor

Blog Editor

Andrew Kilburn

Lead Photographer
Andrew Kilburn
Lead Photographer

Andrew has photographed TEDxPerth events for several years. In 2019 he's stepping up to be our Lead Photographer.

Richard Watson

Videographer and Photographer
Richard Watson
Videographer and Photographer

Richard loves to develop, capture and share ideas through visual media. With a background in science and engineering combined with a more recent foray into the arts through his photography and film work, Richard has an unusual combination of technical and artistic experience.

Filming the TEDxPerth salon events and editing many of the flagship talks over the years has been a wonderful opportunity to work with a wonderful team capturing and sharing some truly incredible stories. Richard also loves growing veggies, woodworking and playing jazz and blues piano.

Design

Daniel Jackson

Design Director
Daniel Jackson
Design Director

Record hoarder, typography aficionado, good manners enthusiast and freelance designer. Working at the intersection of simplicity and modernism to craft compelling brand narratives that challenge convention. Fuelled by considerable amounts of coffee and Gyoza. Kept up at night by bad kerning and double spaces.

www.danieljackson.design

Gabriela Villa Carrillo

Program Editor
Gabriela Villa Carrillo
Program Editor

Gaby is a sports nutritionist with a passion to promote healthy eating and physical activity among the population. She migrated to Perth in 2016 to pursuit a Master of Health Science at UWA. Upon completion of her master degree, she joined the Department of Health workforce and is currently working as a Program Officer within the Health Networks team.

Her work as a nutritionist allows her to understand individual needs and influence positive behaviour change in a one on one approach. Working in the public health system has given her the opportunity to work on strategies that can have a positive and sustainable impact at the population level.

In her spare time, Gaby enjoys triathlon. She uses it as an opportunity to catch up with her friends while spending quality time outdoors. Bike rides that finish at the coffee shop are her favourite training sessions.

J.Tracey Kim

Designer and Motion Graphics
J.Tracey Kim
Designer and Motion Graphics

J.Tracey Kim is an animator and illustrator with a background in graphic design. She currently works at (Kingstreet) The Brand Agency. She specialises in creating bespoke storytelling and visual metaphor. She loves visual trickery and her three chihuahuas.

Operations

Chris Lloyd

Director of People
Chris Lloyd
Director of People

Chris is an experienced Talent Acquisition leader with local and international experience across oil & gas, banking, finance, digital and technology markets.

He has provided advice at executive board level in multinational organisations, as well as worked with ASX top 10 listed companies. His experience is supplemented by acting in a consultant/advisory roles on two international office start-ups and a passion for continuous improvement and process automation.

In his spare time, Chris can be found coaching Auskicks, playing amateur soccer and being a father to his two sons and his daughter.

He is enthusiastic and passionate about bringing all he can to bring value to the TEDxPerth community.

Dirk Kelly

IT Manager
Dirk Kelly
IT Manager

Dirk recently returned from New York where he works in technology for a non-profit cultural exchange program. Being a part of TEDxPerth is a great way for him to give back to the community and be immersed in new ideas.

Jiaranai Keatnuxsuo

IT & Web Coordinator
Jiaranai Keatnuxsuo
IT & Web Coordinator

Jiaranai is an IT student at the University of Western Australia who shines brightest when using her skills to bridge the gap between technical and non-technical problems. IT has become part of everything in the world she knows, Jia understands that knowledge from various domains is interconnected and even greater when combined. However, Jia's background was all about people, not machines, she was involved in a personal development project, helping the young generation in her community realise their potential. With this project, she was nominated for the Western Australia Young Leadership Award in 2018.

Her love for Perth has grown tremendously since moving here in 2016. Jia has joined TEDxPerth to support Perth’s brightest minds to spread their ideas that can potentially transform the world.

Loren Cresswell

Board Coordinator
Loren Cresswell
Board Coordinator

Loren has been a management consultant at EY for over six years, focusing on helping clients to improve their processes and risk management. Loren has a particular interest in helping businesses implement new ways of doing things and supporting not-for-profit organisations to improve their governance. Originally from New Zealand, Loren loves to explore the WA wine regions and bush.

Position Available

Bookkeeper
Position Available
Bookkeeper

Reporting to the CEO, this position is currently available.

For more information, please contact gavin@tedxperth.org.

Speaker Coaches

Andrea Gibbs

Speaker Coach
Andrea Gibbs
Speaker Coach
Andrea is the host of ‘Weekends With Andrea Gibbs’ on ABC digital radio across Australia and the co-creator of Barefaced Stories, Australia’s longest running storytelling show of its kind. She has been a speaker at both ‘Women of Letters’ with Marieke Hardy and TEDxPerth. In 2003 she won Triple J’s Raw Comedy State Final and is a core member of Perth’s premier improv-comedy ensemble The Big HOO-HAA!

 

Andy Farrant

Speaker Coach
Andy Farrant
Speaker Coach

Andy Farrant consults in communications and leadership.  He has worked extensively in management in the arts sector, defence technology and was originally a science specialist teacher. TEDxPerth 2018 will be Andy’s third year as a speaker coach.

Cindy Kennedy

Speaker Coach
Cindy Kennedy
Speaker Coach

Cindy is a multi-faceted human behavioural coach and consultant who helps her clients become seen and heard as leaders within their communities and organisations. With a background in film, television and theatre Cindy has produced documentary and cultural awareness festivals, master classes for the Banff International Television Festival and worked in primetime television drama. Her passion for story morphed into teaching the art of storytelling to speakers and leaders. A professional speaker herself, she currently sits on the leadership team for Professional Speakers Australia WA Chapter and is thrilled to join the 2018 TEDxPerth team as Speaker Coach.

Gavin Buckley

Speaker Coach
Gavin Buckley
Speaker Coach

Gavin is a consultant and coach with over twenty years experience in corporate partnerships, leadership and board positions with peak bodies in the UK and Australia. Gavin arrived in Perth in 2012 and has been involved with TEDxPerth from the start, first as Speaker Coach and Host, recently as Joint Executive Producer and now as our CEO.

Gavin's work with TEDxPerth was recently recognised when he was awarded Community Citizen of the Year 2019 by the City of Perth.

At TEDFest 2018 in New York, Gavin experienced at first hand the extraordinary creativity, energy and drive of the international community of TEDx organisers. He is thrilled to be leading our similarly talented and enthusiastic team as we grow both our Flagship Conference and a new series of Salons for our community in Perth and Western Australia.

Gavin lives in Fremantle running his own consultancy helping people communicate with authenticity and impact.

Karen Livey

Speaker Coach
Karen Livey
Speaker Coach

Karen is a professional speaker who loves sharing ideas and knowledge, particularly around neuroscience of leadership. She is enthusiastic about creating ‘brain-smarter’ leaders. She is the co-developer of the Diploma of Neuropresenting, a presentation diploma which incorporates the neuroscience of learning.

Kellie Hasluck

Speaker Coach
Kellie Hasluck
Speaker Coach

Kellie has provided Western Australian businesses with communications advice for over 25 years, 20 as a founder and Director of Clarity Communications, one or Perth’s leading corporate communications consultancies.

With over 20 years' experience in corporate communications, and a background in PR, Kellie possesses strong insights into the importance of communications, brand and image in the workplace. As a strategic communications advisor to many blue-chip clients in the mining, industrial, property, health, telecommunications and agricultural sectors, he has positioned businesses for success by leveraging traditional and emerging communications technologies and platforms to cultivate strong brand presence and market awareness.

Kellie also provides individual coaching to senior executives to support them in their purpose, personal brand and leadership communication style.

Lisa Evans

Speaker Coach
Lisa Evans
Speaker Coach

Lisa Evans is the Director of Speaking Savvy and Founder of Stories From The Heart. She is an international speaker, author, member of Professional Speakers Australia, World Class Certified Speaking and Storytelling Coach, speechwriter and business storytelling expert. Lisa has been a TEDxPerth Speaker Coach since 2014.

Shil Shanghavi

Speaker Coach
Shil Shanghavi
Speaker Coach

Shil Shanghavi is the Founder of Chatterbox Public Speaking. Despite living with a stutter, Shil has trained himself to become a professional speaker and developed an intimate understanding of how to harness the fear of speaking. He helps his clients become confident speakers, guiding them to overcome their anxieties and discover innate hidden strengths to find their own public speaking style.

Sophie Zadeh

Speaker Coach
Sophie Zadeh
Speaker Coach

Sophie is a Body Language Specialist and Founder of My Alcomy. Driven by a passion for helping people achieve goals, Sophie works with clients to improve the way they interact and communicate. With over twenty years of experience in training and presenting, to people of all ages and abilities, her diverse background combined with an inherent creative flair enables her to create engaging, insightful presentations. Sophie shares this insight, along with science-based body language secrets, to inspire and empower people to use the power of non-verbal communication to deliver their message with impact.

Hosts

Anthony Hasluck

River Stage Host
Anthony Hasluck
River Stage Host

Anthony is a leading communications consultant with more than 25 years experience in a wide range of industries, both in Australia and internationally. He is Managing Director of Clarity, the leading brand and communications agency, which he co-founded in 1999.

Gavin Buckley

Main Stage Host
Gavin Buckley
Main Stage Host

Gavin is a consultant and coach with over twenty years experience in corporate partnerships, leadership and board positions with peak bodies in the UK and Australia. Gavin arrived in Perth in 2012 and has been involved with TEDxPerth from the start, first as Speaker Coach and Host, recently as Joint Executive Producer and now as our CEO.

Gavin's work with TEDxPerth was recently recognised when he was awarded Community Citizen of the Year 2019 by the City of Perth.

At TEDFest 2018 in New York, Gavin experienced at first hand the extraordinary creativity, energy and drive of the international community of TEDx organisers. He is thrilled to be leading our similarly talented and enthusiastic team as we grow both our Flagship Conference and a new series of Salons for our community in Perth and Western Australia.

Gavin lives in Fremantle running his own consultancy helping people communicate with authenticity and impact.

Mike Bell

Alumni Relations Manager
Mike Bell
Alumni Relations Manager

Mike is passionate about life long learning and making a positive impact on the community. With more than seven years of experience across multiple industries, Mike’s career has included time consulting on information technology solutions and good governance practices. More recently Mike has been working in the not-for-profit sector specialising in stakeholder engagement and collaboration across industry, education, government and community.

Eloise de Jong

TEDx Organiser Host
Eloise de Jong
TEDx Organiser Host

Eloise is a Perth local who grew up around the vibrant culture and arts hub of Fremantle, WA. 

Eloise served in the Army Reserves as a Supply Coordinator for a one year stint which was one of her greatest experiences that taught her dedication, community, mateship and high attention to detail. 

With a degree in International Business and Marketing, Eloise’s interest in innovation, international affairs and languages led her to work in the melting pot of culture, ideas and business in Shanghai, China.

Currently studying a Masters of Business Administration with a focus on leadership while working for a start-up tech company in Subiaco. Eloise has dedicated her time and energy to organising diverse community projects and festivals in Perth; RSPCA WA, Fringe World Festival, Greenbatch Foundation, multicultural events and women’s health festivals.

Eloise is passionate about fostering growth and connection the Perth community through networking events and information and knowledge exchange. She supports local business entrepreneurship, the arts and culture, co-working spaces, sustainability, and hospitality and tourism in WA. 

Eloise is thrilled to be joining the TEDxPerth Core Team this year.

Board Members

Adil Bux

Chair, TEDxPerth
Adil Bux
Chair, TEDxPerth

Former head of marketing for Festival of Perth and ScreenWest. Co-founder of Greenwich Productions, a venue management company and leader in programming philosophy and event webcasting. Co-founder/Managing Director of Synergy Group Ltd, event management agency working with events such as Cartier Polo and London Fashion Week.

In 2003, Adil co-founded the global suncare brand INVISIBLE ZINC, wallpaper* magazine’s World’s Best Beauty Product (2006).

Co-finalist in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year (2012). Adil continues to develop innovative natural cosmetics, food supplements and healthcare consumer brands. In 2014, Adil launched, with Andrea Bux and Elle Macpherson, WelleCo a global wellness and supplements company.

After leaving WelleCo, Adil launched his NUUT Bar cafe chain and in late 2018 is set to launch the NUUT Meal Replacement business in the UK.

Joel Miller

Licensee and Creative Director
Joel Miller
Licensee and Creative Director

Joel studied engineering and psychology at UWA. His design won WA Inventor of the Year (2008) and he was a finalist on ABC’s “The New Inventors” 2007. He is currently completing his PhD - developing next-gen orthopaedic implants.  Joel was Science Magazine’s “Dance Your PhD” 2011 winner. He is co-founder of the current TEDxPerth creative team.

Tracy Deveugle-Frink

Company Secretary
Tracy Deveugle-Frink
Company Secretary

Tracy is a management consultant at Ernst & Young where she helps clients innovate and optimise their value chains, specialising in process improvement and project management. Prior to this she owned a staffing and consulting business that specialised in advising clients in the entertainment industry whose clients included the US Secret Service and The Learning Channel.

Keith Burke

Treasurer
Keith Burke
Treasurer

Keith joined the board and was appointed Treasurer in April 2019.

Simon Dawkins

Board Member
Simon Dawkins
Board Member

During his career in arts management, Simon has been the CEO of two capital city performing arts centres, Canberra Theatre Centre and the Perth Theatre Trust. He was appointed a Life Member of APACA (a national performing arts organisation) for helping create that organisation and advocating successfully for the Commonwealth Government to start Playing Australia, which has improved access to the performing arts through support for national and regional touring. He was appointed the inaugural Chair. Simon has since engaged in economic, social and climate change policy in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and created a think tank, EcoCarbon. Simon is now a director of the Oil Mallee Association, an advocacy group for carbon farming and bioenergy in the WA Wheatbelt. He is also engaged in a PhD on sustainability and bioenergy.

Simon chaired the board of TEDxPerth from its inception in 2012 for seven years. He proudly continues his association with this expert, principled and professional organisation, confident that TEDxPerth will continue as an organisation of national significance, bringing attention to great ideas from WA.

Annabel Keogh

Board Member
Annabel Keogh
Board Member

Annabel is a multi-skilled corporate affairs professional, with experience in government relations, strategic planning, policy, strategic communications, and issues management. Annabel is currently the Strategic Engagement Manager at Western Power, helping the business to coordinate and consolidate how Western Power’s business activities can respond to strategic challenges.

Prior to this she was a lawyer with Jackson McDonald, and a corporate affairs consultant with international advisory firm FTI Consulting. Annabel is also an experienced Board Member with over ten years work in the community and not-for-profit sector, and is currently the Director of Strategy and Innovation at Impact Seed. 

Annabel holds a Bachelor of Law (Honours) and Arts (Honours), Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance, and is completing her Masters of Business Administration, with specialisation in Social Impact.

Advisory Panel

Charlie Gunningham

Advisor
Charlie Gunningham
Advisor

Charlie Gunningham sits on various advisory boards and is active among Perth’s tech startup sector. His full-time role is with the federal government’s Accelerating Commercialisation programme providing access to commercial advice and matching grants of up to $1 million for eligible projects. Having landed in Perth in 1997, Charlie topped the MBA at the UWA Business School, cofounded and then later sold aussiehome.com, ran reiwa.com and was CEO of Business News.

Alison Gaines

Advisor
Alison Gaines
Advisor

Alison Gaines is a member of the leadership team of Gerard Daniels, since 2006, and leads the business in the region. Her practice area focuses on board and executive appointments and providing wider governance, performance, remuneration and organisational consulting to clients across all sectors and industries.

Alison has extensive non-executive director and director experience accrued over thirty years, in the not for profits, mutuals and public sectors, higher education and professional and management education.

Alison was previously Chief Executive Officer of The Australian Law Society following a distinguished career in the public service (responsible for whole of government strategic human resource policy, the Senior Executive Service, executive remuneration, CEO employment and government boards and committees).

Alison is a Governor of The College of Law Ltd Australasia, Chairman of the Murdoch University Foundation, Vice President of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (WA) andPresident of the Australian Institute of Management WA and Deputy Chair of the IDPN, a Global Club of INSEAD.

Alison holds an honorary doctorate; a Master of Arts (Public Policy) from Murdoch University; Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (hons) from the University of Western Australia and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University. She holds a Certificate in Corporate Governance INSEAD; and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Director and the Australian Institute of Management.

Michael Tucak

Advisor
Michael Tucak
Advisor

Michael Tucak is Principal Lawyer at creative legal, a specialist legal firm for WA's creative industries. He is a board member of pvi collective and the Chamber of Arts and Culture (WA), and a previous board member/chair at RTRFM 92.1, board member/secretary of Emerging Writer's Festival and board member at Artrage (Fringeworld).

Michael is passionate about developing the creative capacity of Western Australia and championing the benefits that flow from our own creative abilities. He has lectured in Arts Law at WAAPA and in Fashion Law and occasionally presents RTRM 92.1's 'Siamese Dream' show. He was recently elected as a local Councillor.