Narelle Pearse

Vice-President, Students & Corporate Services, CQUniversity

Narelle is the Vice President (Students & Corporate Services) at CQUniversity. CQUniversity has 27 locations across Australia, strongly based in the regions, and Narelle’s portfolio includes Strategic Planning & Risk, Business Intelligence & Analytics, Finance, Commercialisation, and Student services.
Narelle holds a Bachelor of Commerce, Masters of Commerce, Executive MBA, Graduate Diploma in Economic Development, and a Graduate Diploma in Psychology. She has over 20 years of experience in the private sector and prior to joining CQU in 2014, she was the CEO of the Mackay-Isaac-Whitsunday Regional Economic Development Corporation (REDC). Narelle is currently undertaking a PhD exploring the role of regional universities in the development of future workforces.

Daniel Kimberley

Founding Director, Monsoon Aquatics

Heidi Lee

Chief Executive Officer, Beyond Zero Emissions

Heidi Lee is Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Zero Emissions, a leading Australian think tank demonstrating how the country can prosper in a zero-emissions economy. She led the organisation's recent Million Jobs Plan, which showed how in just five years, renewables and zero-emissions projects can deliver 1.8 million new jobs in the regions and communities that these are needed most.
BZE's current work is focused on Renewable Energy Industrial Precincts: demonstrating how Australia's manufacturing sector can be powered by renewable energy, deliver regional jobs, secure domestic supply chains, and export zero-emissions products to global markets.

Claire Martin

National President, AILA

Claire Martin is a Fellow and President of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, and Associate Director of OCULUS where she has led the delivery of a range of education, health, cultural, and infrastructural projects. She is passionate about design advocacy and education, and is the Asia-Pacific Region Chair of the International Federation of Landscape Architects’ Climate Change Working Group, a contributing editor of Landscape Architecture Australia, and a member of the Office of the Victorian Government Architect’s Victorian Design Review Panel and RMIT University’s Landscape Architecture Industry Advisory Committee, where she has taught, and is an invited critic.

Kylie Porter

Chief Executive Officer Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3) Kylie Porter is the Chief Executive Officer of Greater Whitsunday Alliance (GW3). GW3 is the peak independent, economic development organisation for the Mackay, Isaac, Whitsunday region. The organisation is a strategic and coordinated point of contact for local, national and international networks and advocates for, and promotes prosperity across the Greater Whitsunday region. GW3’s focus is not centred on one specific industry and has a remit to deliver across all key driving industries in the region including mining and METS, agriculture, tourism, bio-futures and others. Kylie more than 25 years professional marketing and corporate communications experience, and is well versed on all the big issues the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday region today. She also is a Director of C-Res, a company which delivers the Local Buying Program across Australia in partnership with BHP.

Darren Godwell

Chief Executive Officer, I2I Global

“Godwell is one of Australia’s most well credentialed Indigenous executives with several Board appointments and executive responsibility for his own company i2i Global. i2i Global is an Indigenous advisory firm providing support to Clients on matters of economics, enterprise and business development, business strategy and investment, trade and Indigenous interests in exports.

In 2022, Minister Ken Wyatt appointed Darren Co-Chair of his National Indigenous Reference Group. He is also a co-founder of Indigenous led, industry association the Australian Indigenous Network for Investment, Trade and Export (IGNITE).

Darren has completed executive education at INSEAD Business School (France) and MIT’s Sloan Management School and is a proud descendent of the Kokoberren peoples of Queensland.”

The Hon Nicole Manison

Deputy Chief Minister, Northern Territory Government

• Deputy Chief Minister
• Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services
• Minister for Mining and Industry
• Minister for Northern Australia and Trade
• Minister for Defence Industries
• Minister for Agribusiness and Aquaculture
• Minister for International Education

Nicole is a born and bred Territorian, passionate about making a positive difference in her community.

She has been the Member for Wanguri since 2013 and is also Deputy Chief Minister, Minister for Police, Fire and Emergency Services, Minister for Mining and Industry, Minister for Northern Australia and Trade, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Agribusiness and Aquaculture and Minister for International Education.

Nicole’s driving passion is to create more jobs across the Northern Territory and grow the economy. She believes that will create better opportunities for all Territorians and strengthen our schools, health system, housing and community safety.

Nicole is a proud local and grew up in the Wanguri electorate. She went to local schools including Holy Spirit School, Dripstone Middle School and Casuarina Senior College before attending Curtin University and studying Journalism and Public Relations. She has worked in the NT public sector and in the WA private sector in communications and human resources. She has also worked as a media adviser and a senior government adviser.

Nicole has always loved sport and fitness. She played and coached for the Waratah Netball Club for many years and has won two premierships with the Waratah Football Club. Nicole still enjoys running to keep herself fit and active. She has completed a marathon and hopes to run another one day.
Nicole lives in the Wanguri electorate with her husband Scott and their children Aiden, Grace and Chloe.

The Hon Darren West MLC

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Hydrogen Industry, and Member for Agricultural Region

Darren was elected to the Western Australian Legislative Council in 2013 and represents the Agricultural Region which spans from Northampton to Esperance covering around 260 000 square km.

The Agricultural Region contains the electorates of Geraldton, Moore, Central Wheatbelt and Roe along with 61 Local Governments and over 150 schools.

Darren is Parliamentary Secretary to Minister Alannah MacTiernan who holds the portfolios of Agriculture and Food, Regional Development and Hydrogen Industry. Darren is the only working farmer in the WA Parliament.

Before entering Parliament, Darren ran the family farm at Jennacubbine near Northam in Western Australia and spent six years as Chair of WA’s Wheatbelt Development Commission.

The Hon David Littleproud MP

Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia Parliament of Australia

Senator Susan McDonald

Special Envoy for Northern Australia, Parliament of Australia The Hon Murray Watt, Senator for Queensland, Shadow Minister for Northern Australia The Hon Annastacia Palaszczuk, Premier of Queensland

The Hon Glenn Butcher

Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing and Minister for Water, Queensland Government

Professor John Daley

Dr Cassandra Goldie

CEO, Australian Council of Social Service