Kathryn Blake is the Team Leader, Sustainable Tenancies at Link Wentworth. With over a decade of experience in tenancy, youth homelessness and adult homelessness, Kathryn is a passionate advocate of trauma-informed service delivery to keep her clients living and thriving in their homes. Kathryn has worked alongside her team to develop a case coordination approach to sustaining tenancies that ensures social housing tenants can receive support to address vulnerabilities and prevent risk of homelessness, with a specific focus on tenants impacted by hoarding and squalor in their homes. In 2023, Kathryn achieved a Highly Commended for The Excellence in Customer Service and Business Support Award at the Powerhousing Awards.

Chris was formerly Executive Housing & Property at Mission Australia (MA), one of Australia’s largest community services and housing providers. In this role Chris led the Mission Australia Housing group of community housing providers operating across five Australian jurisdictions - Tasmania, Victoria, NSW, Queensland and the Northern Territory. Reporting to the MA CEO and the MAH Boards, Chris had responsibility for all strategic and operational aspects of the housing businesses. Chris led growth in housing scale and geographic expansion of the housing businesses, taking social and affordable housing numbers from 1,900 to 5,500 and championed the development of tenant support models and community development programmes to improve individual resident and community outcomes. Chris oversaw bank debt and institutional capital raisings and establishment and operation of complex, non-recourse project financed special purpose vehicles (SPVs) to construct and operate social and affordable housing at scale Chris also has 17-years experience as a NED and Executive Director in not-for-profit and for-profit organisations including housing peak bodies (PowerHousing Australia and CHIA NSW), social and affordable housing (Mission Australia Housing group), disability support (The Junction Works), and insurance (Professional Insurance Australia).

Sarah is Managing Principal of Hayball, an award-winning national architecture, urban design, and interiors practice. She is a practice leader in social and affordable housing with over 20 years experience in the design and delivery of significant mixed tenure housing projects for the public, community housing, and private sector. Strategic and advisory roles have been central to Sarah’s practice, helping to shape design-led housing and urban design policy. Sarah is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and the current Chair of the Victorian Chapter Housing Committee, advocating for sustainable, equitable and well-connected communities.

Josh Burns is Labor's Federal Member for Macnamara in the inner south-eastern and bayside suburbs of Melbourne and was recently appointed as the Special Envoy for Social Housing and Homelessness. First elected in 2019, he has also served as Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights and as co-chair of the Parliamentary Friends of Housing. These positions reflect his commitment to tackling the homelessness crisis, promoting human rights and the principle that everyone deserves dignity, respect, and a safe place to call home. In 2021, during the pandemic, he authored a policy paper titled “The Crumbling Australian Dream: An Examination of Australia’s Housing Sector” advocating for federal leadership to prioritise social and affordable housing. Josh’s values are grounded in the experience of his family. He is the grandson of migrants who left Europe fleeing persecution to settle in Melbourne. He wants every member of the community to have the same opportunities that were given to his family - a safe home, free healthcare, and secure work. Before representing his community in the Australian Parliament, he previously worked as a teacher’s aide and a factory hand and served as an advisor in state and federal governments, including to the Premier of Victoria.

Kate Chaney MP is the Federal Independent MP for Curtin. Before politics, her career spanned law, business, professional services, and the community sector. Kate ran for Parliament because she was deeply frustrated by the lack of long-term, evidence-based decision making in Australian politics. 'Too often, short-term political gains get in the way of real solutions for our future'. Kate feels optimistic that with a balanced, long-term approach, Australian democracy can evolve to tackle these challenges and secure a stronger future for all. Her focus remains on climate action, economic reform, housing and a stronger community for her constituents. She collaborates with her community to focus on evidence-based solutions, not political point-scoring.

Salman Choudhry brings over 15 years of commercial and financial leadership experience across the property, infrastructure, and housing sectors. His career has been defined by a consistent focus on delivering financially sustainable outcomes that achieve both commercial viability and lasting community benefit.  As Director of Commercial Transactions at Housing Choices, Salman oversees major redevelopment and acquisition deals across multiple jurisdictions. He plays a pivotal role in shaping strategic housing projects, working closely with stakeholders across government, private and community housing sector.

Annabelle Daniel OAM, inaugural CEO of Women’s Community Shelters, has worked with local communities around NSW to establish, open and support the 11 crisis shelters in the Women’s Community Shelters network, establish new transitional housing including six large-scale meanwhile-use homes for women aged 55+ experiencing homelessness and overseen the organisation’s expansion into Victoria. In 2025, Annabelle also launched WCS’s first social and affordable property in as a registered Community Housing Provider, marking WCS’s evolution from establishing and operating crisis shelters and transitional housing dwellings, to now offering long-term pathways for women and their children who have experienced homelessness and or domestic and family violence. Her advocacy has created significant change in New South Wales across domestic violence and homelessness policy and practice, including NSW’s Core and Cluster build, the Federal Safe Places Program, Coercive Control legislation and broader law reform. She continues her efforts to create more housing solutions and preventative programs addressing domestic violence and women's homelessness in New South Wales and across Australia. Annabelle's volunteer roles include Chair of Domestic Violence NSW (the peak body for domestic and family violence services in NSW), and the Independent Member on the New South Wales Coercive Control Implementation Taskforce, leading the Domestic and Family Violence Sector and Lived Expertise Reference Groups, Chair of the National Women's Safety Alliance Policy and Advocacy Committee, and as a member of the NSW Primary Prevention Advisory Group. She has been a leader in women’s homelessness and DFV for over 20 years – also working on the front line as a Shelter Manager, and with the Federal Government as a Senior Departmental Leader within Services Australia, overseeing the Child Support Program, and as a Senior Investigator with the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Her work has been instrumental in advancing community-based, domestic violence-informed approaches that prioritise the safety, dignity, and long-term empowerment of women and children.

Mark Degotardi is the inaugural CEO of Australian Community Housing. With decades of senior leadership experience in public advocacy and peak body representation, Mark has a deep understanding of how to build productive partnerships across government, industry and community. Prior to his current role, he served as CEO of CHIA NSW, where he was a strong advocate for the expansion of social and affordable housing and the role of community housing providers in delivering lasting social impact.

Simone Dyer is the Head of Mixed Use Origination at Stockland, one of Australia’s largest diversified property groups. She leads the origination of urban regeneration projects focused on public market investment opportunities nationally, delivering on Stockland’s strategic vision. Most recently, Simone led the bid for the Waterloo Renewal Project with consortium partners Link Wentworth, City West Housing, and Birribee Housing – a Homes NSW renewal initiative. With qualifications in Architecture and Finance, Simone brings over 20 years of experience across private and listed property firms. She is a strategic thinker with a deep understanding of the intersection between design, investment, and policy, and is known for delivering complex, multi-staged projects in collaboration with State and Local government agencies, community housing providers, and other strategic partners. Simone is a passionate advocate for inclusive and equitable cities. She believes that a fair and equitable housing system, paired with consistent access to quality education, is foundational to breaking the cycle of disadvantage. Her passion lies in addressing systemic challenges by conceptualising renewal projects that unlock opportunity, foster social inclusion, and deliver long-term value for communities and investors alike.

Robyn Evans is the Chief Operating Officer for Community & Housing at BaptistCare, a newly formed national organisation launched in March 2025 following the merger of three entities. With over two decades of leadership in community services and housing, Robyn brings deep expertise in service delivery and sector collaboration. In her current role, Robyn oversees a broad portfolio that includes community housing, children, youth and family services, domestic and family violence programs, mental health and disability services, community places, out-of-home care, and adventure-based programs. She also serves as CEO of Baptcare Affordable Housing and is a Board Director at CHIA NSW. Robyn’s leadership is grounded in a commitment to person-centred, integrated care that delivers meaningful outcomes for vulnerable communities. She is known for her warm, values-driven approach and her ability to lead complex service systems with clarity and purpose.

Sam brings a diverse range of experience to lead the EveryOne Homes team. Combining his skills developed as a lawyer and corporate finance specialist together with broad experience in housing delivery, Sam works in partnership with Government, Community Housing Providers, and Social Infrastructure Investors to develop comprehensive, efficient and timely solutions for social, affordable and accessible housing at scale. Sam has spent much of his career, both within Australia and across Asia, specialising in joint ventures, crafting partnerships that delivery fairness, reliability and value to all parties. Sam is passionate about leveraging the efficiency of the corporate sector to help organisations that support disadvantaged people – for profit, with purpose.

Dr Helen Haines has served as the Independent Federal Member for Indi since 2019. She lives on a small beef farm in Wangaratta and grew up on a dairy farm in regional Victoria. Before entering politics Dr Haines worked as a nurse, midwife and rural health researcher for more than 30 years. Dr Haines has been a champion for regional housing, introducing legislation to guarantee 30% of housing infrastructure went to the regions. As a regional Independent Member of Parliament, Dr Haines is focused on ensuring regional Australia thrives, working for action on climate change that benefits regional communities, better telecommunications, access to health care and mental health care in the regions, and policies to address the regional housing crisis.

Dr Ben Hamer is a renowned sociologist and accredited futurist, who was recently awarded the number one thought leader for the Future of Work in the Asia-Pacific by Onalytica. Ben has undertaken work and research around the world, including time spent leading critical projects at the World Economic Forum as well as being a Visiting Scholar at Yale University. He is an Adjunct Professor at Edith Cowan University’s School of Business and Law and a Non-Executive Director for the Australian HR Institute, where he was appointed as the youngest Non-Executive Director in the organisation’s history, as well as being on the Board of Netball NSW, which includes oversight of both the NSW Swifts and Giants professional netball teams. A sought-after media commentator and keynote speaker on future trends, Ben is the host of the ThinkerTank podcast, which is all about the trends shaping the way we will live, work and play in the future.

Steph is a National Director and the lead Valuer of CBRE’s Living Sectors Valuation and Advisory team. She is an industry specialist in Affordable Housing and the accelerating Build-to-Rent and Co-Living sectors. Steph is at the forefront of these emerging asset classes in the Australian property market, offering clients quality valuation and advisory services to better inform business decisions as this sector builds momentum. She partners with clients at a local and institutional level, including developers, private investors, operators, government entities, financiers, and not-for-profit organisations. Steph is a qualified valuer in all States, and is based in Melbourne.

Leonie is the Chief Executive Officer of City West Housing, a Tier 1 community housing provider specialising in affordable housing in NSW. Prior to this, Leonie has over two decades of senior executive experience in the Government and Non-Government sectors. Leonie specialises in social & affordable housing; and disability services and is passionate about changes to policy, housing strategy, program and regulatory design, statutory planning and community & affordable housing industry development. Leonie is also on the Board for the Committee for Sydney and Vasey Housing.

Scott has had a 20 year career in housing development, management and investment spanning the private sector and community housing industry. He believes that affordable housing is the foundation for a healthy housing system with pathways to home ownership also crucial for social and economic well being. Prior to joining Housing Australia, Scott led significant innovation to mobilise institutional investment into affordable housing in Australia in his role as Group CEO of SGCH, a leading community housing provider serving 12,000 customers living in 7,000 homes. Bringing together capital and capability, SGCH had residential assets under management of approximately $3.9 billion, and mobilised over $1.01 billion of private sector investment. Scott held prior roles including General Manager of Housing and Urban Development for Junction Australia and Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Australia, after working in the private sector in construction and development. A Chartered Surveyor (MRICS) with a housing management and development specialisation, Scott also holds an MBA and postgraduate qualification in property development, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Laurie joined Bridge Housing as CEO in August 2024. She is an established CEO and NED with a varied experience across aged care, disability, health and mental health, property development and education. She has previously successfully managed the operations and leadership of complex national and international organisations with a turnover of up to $300M, assets under management of $1.6B and a workforce of 4000. Laurie is passionate about developing high performing teams through a collaborative and engaging leadership style. On joining Bridge, Laurie said that she has always admired the great work and innovative approach that Bridge brings to the social and affordable housing sector. She is delighted to lead the dedicated team at Bridge delivering great social and affordable housing outcomes which make a real difference in people’s lives.

Nicola is currently the National Social and Affordable Housing Lead Partner for KPMG, in this role she is responsible for the firm wide national social and affordable housing strategy development and implementation. Nicola works with a wide variety of clients, across all levels of government, community and disability housing providers and private developers. Nicola’s prior experience is as CEO of Hume Community Housing, Chair of PowerHousing Australia and Vice Chair of the International Housing Partnership. Nicola is an influential leader, well recognised within housing, property, disability, and social impact sectors. Purpose driven and visionary, Nicola thrives on utilising career honed commercial and financial acumen, to make a positive difference to the lives of individuals and communities. Nicola’s expertise extends to more than 25 years’ developing, and managing, social, affordable, disability and student housing assets. Nicola has extensive experience in designing and executing strategies, that meet customer and community needs, with limited resources, With an innate understanding of housing and homelessness policy and service systems, Nicola has delivered business transformation and growth strategies, creating value and increasing social impact, across the UK, and Australia.

Susan Lloyd-Hurwitz is Chair of the National Housing Supply and Affordability Council, a non-executive director of Rio Tinto Limited, a non-executive director of Macquarie Group, a member of the Sydney Opera House Trust, a Fellow of the University of Sydney Senate and Chair of the Senate Building and Estates Committee, a member of the INSEAD Global Board and Chair of the Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion @ Work Advisory Board. Susan was Chief Executive Officer of Mirvac and a Director of the Mirvac Board from 2012 to 2023 and President of Chief Executive Women from November 2022 to June 2025. Prior to this, Susan was Managing Director at LaSalle Investment Management in London. Susan has also held senior executive positions at MGPA, Macquarie Group and Lend Lease Corporation, working in Australia, the US and Europe. Susan holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Sydney and an MBA (Distinction) from INSEAD (France).

Mike Mantle is a Managing Director, Head of Morgan Stanley’s Community Development Finance group, and Morgan Stanley’s CRA Officer. He has managed the Firm’s Community Development Business Team since 2009. Mike is also President of Morgan Stanley Community Investments and CEO of Morgan Stanley Impact SBIC, a SBA-licensed small business investment company. Under Mike’s leadership, the Community Development Finance portfolio has grown from $90MM to $5Bn and both U.S. Banks have consistently received CRA ratings of “Outstanding.” Previously, Mike was the Chief Operating Officer of the One Economy Corporation, a Washington DC based multi-national nonprofit organization serving low- and moderate-income communities across the nation. From 1999 to 2007, Mike served as the Division Director for Retail and Small Business Banking for California Bank and Trust, a subsidiary of Zions Bancorporation where he was also the Chairman of Zions Community Investment Corporation, which oversees a $100 million NMTC program he designed in 2004. Under his leadership, the Bank became one of the top ten nationally ranked SBA lenders. Mike was the founding President and CEO of Bank of America Community Development Bank from 1989 to 1998. Under his leadership, the Bank grew from a startup in 1989 to a $4 billion institution with offices in 23 states and 37 cities by 1998. The Bank was the single largest originator of SBA loans in the country in 1998, and provided in excess of $1.5 billion in loans and investments annually for affordable housing projects. Mike serves as a board member to National Equity Fund, (leading syndicators of Low Income House Tax Credits), and AP Giannini Foundation (founder Bank of America). Mike completed the Stanford University Graduate School of Business Executive Program and completed coursework in the MBA program at San Diego State University and the College of Business at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

Debi has more than 20 years’ experience working at a senior level in the health, housing and social care sectors. Before taking the opportunity to move to Australia to fulfil the role of CEO at St George Community Housing, Debi was Chief Executive of Magenta Living in the north west of the North West UK and former Group Executive Director of Affordable and Supported Housing at Places for People Group. Debi has successfully built, led and transformed purpose-driven, large scale businesses throughout her career. Debi won the Inspiring Workplaces 2021 Inspiring Professional of the Year Award. She also won the Inspiring Workplaces 2023 Inspiring Leaders Award. Debi is also a keen amateur artist in her spare time.

Ian brings over 30 years of experience in the housing sector, with a career spanning frontline services, regeneration, and executive leadership. Ian began his career at Southwark Council and later worked at Waltham Forest on major regeneration projects. He went on to serve as Development Director and then CEO at Stoneridge Housing Action Trust, followed by leadership roles at Shaftsbury Housing Association and Sanctuary Housing Group, where he was Chief Operating Officer. He subsequently became Chief Executive of Aldwyck Housing Group and Catalyst before joining Peabody in October 2021. A chartered surveyor and Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Housing, Ian is also an alumnus of Harvard Business School. He sits on the CIH Governance, Ethics, Remuneration and Nominations Committee, the CIH Asia International Limited Board, and the board of the National Federation of Housing Associations. He co-chaired the Quality and Trust Steering Group, helping to shape the sector’s response to the Better Social Housing Review. Originally from Runcorn in the north west of England, Ian is a keen musician, a multiple marathon runner, and a passionate Everton football club supporter.

Lee Monik is an accomplished governance professional with experience in corporate law, property development, project finance, financial services, and community housing. As Chief Governance Officer (General Counsel) at Community Housing Limited, Lee provides executive leadership across legal, compliance, and risk functions. Lee’s career spans leadership roles in investment fund services, fintech, and community housing. Holding a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of International Relations, Lee is an Associate Member of the Governance Institute of Australia, possesses a current Legal Practising Certificate, and is admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Jamie Muchall is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer at BHC. With over 17 years’ experience in the affordable housing and property development sectors, he is interested in collaborative housing policy solutions, creation of new programs and research for non-profit and residential property applications. Jamie is passionate about building communities and creating solutions and innovative ideas to solve the problems that beset our communities. Prior to BHC, Jamie held executive and senior management roles at some of Australia’s largest community housing providers in strategic, operational and development roles. Jamie is a past President and current Queensland Director of the Australian Housing Institute, a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a director of the Community Housing Industry Association Queensland.

Andrew is a senior commercial and strategic advisor with over 25 years of experience in infrastructure finance and delivery. He has led infrastructure and real assets transactions with a combined value exceeding $20 billion. Andrew focuses on project development and privately financed projects where he has led and advised bidding consortia on strategy, commercial structuring, solution development, crisis management and restructuring. Andrew brings a mindset of "thinking like an owner" and regularly engages and influences at Board and Executive level with senior decision makers in Australia and overseas. His career, including 18 years in Macquarie Capital's Infrastructure & Energy Advisory and Investment business, EY's Project Finance Advisory team and Clearview Advisory, has focused on developing and implementing growth, development, complex re-structuring, and financing solutions for asset owners and developers. These diverse clients and partners include major Australian and global corporates to government owned enterprises, community housing providers and a range of developers. Andrew is currently Chair of MAHQT, the special purpose vehicle established by Mission Australia to provide 185 units for social and affordable housing in Toowoomba.

Charles boasts 35+ years of global leadership across multiple sectors. As the visionary behind BlueCHP, he spearheaded groundbreaking projects, including the largest residential timber building in Australasia. BlueCHP is on track to double the number of people housed to 4,000. With profound capital market experience, Charles orchestrated significant bond raisings. He also secured substantial investments for disability housing initiatives. Currently chairing CHIA NSW and serving on key industry boards, Charles is a distinguished leader. Recognised as the 2018 Macarthur Regional Business Award Outstanding Business Leader, he holds extensive qualifications, including a Bachelor of Commerce and an MBA from Warwick University.

Jonathan O’Brien is the Lead Organiser of YIMBY Melbourne, Australia’s foremost abundance policy organisation. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of long-form policy magazine Inflection Points, and a Queensland Literary Award–winning writer and publisher. He is a 10% pledger with Giving What We Can.

Sam O’Connor grew up around his family’s electrical retail business RT Edwards and completed degrees in Science and Arts at the University of Queensland. Before entering public life, Sam worked in the hospitality industry and as a media and communications advisor. In 2017, Sam was elected as the first MP for the new Gold Coast electorate of Bonney. He proudly serves the residents of Labrador, Arundel, Parkwood, The Surrounds, and parts of Biggera Waters, Coombabah and Southport. Representing an electorate with one of the highest rates of renting and a significant proportion of social housing, Sam has seen firsthand the challenges of housing security and cost-of-living and its impact on his community. Re-elected in 2024 for a third term in Parliament, Sam was honoured to be appointed Queensland’s Minister for Housing and Public Works and Minister for Youth. In these roles, he is committed to giving more Queenslanders a place to call home by boosting frontline homelessness support, building more social and affordable housing and unlocking the potential of the community housing sector. Sam is also focused on driving innovation in the building and construction sector, improving productivity and efficiency to meet Queensland’s growing housing and infrastructure needs. To deliver generational change for our great state, Sam is working to position Queensland as the building capital of the nation, ensuring the state leads the way in tackling housing challenges and creates opportunities for the next generation to thrive.

Originally from Ireland and now living in Australia for the past four years. David holds a degree in Social Work and currently works as Team Leader for the Support Pathways Program at Evolve Housing. Leading a team that supports some of our most vulnerable tenants, helping them navigate complex challenges and sustain their tenancies. David is passionate about creating safe, inclusive communities and working collaboratively to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives.

Clare was raised in Melbourne’s south-east, studied Law at Monash University and later became mayor of Greater Dandenong at the age of 23. She later studied Public Policy at Harvard and worked at the New York Stock Exchange. After serving as an adviser to the Commonwealth Treasurer and consulting with Australian CEOs, she entered Federal Parliament in 2013 representing the electorate of Hotham. Her political career progressed through various Shadow Ministry positions before becoming Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security with the incoming Albanese Labor Government in 2022, and Minister for Housing and Homelessness in 2024. She lives with her husband and their three children.

Originally from Zimbabwe, David Pocock captained the Wallabies and served as Vice-Captain of the Brumbies during a distinguished rugby career recognised for leadership on and off the field. Holding a Master’s in Sustainable Agriculture, he has long been a strong advocate for climate action, integrity in politics and social equality. In 2022, following a community-led campaign supported by over 2,200 Canberran volunteers, David became the ACT’s first Independent Senator, elected on a platform of doing politics differently and putting people before politics. He is committed to representing Australians who care about climate, integrity and fairness, and continues to champion territory rights, a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice to Parliament, and equality for all who call Australia home. David’s vision is for a thriving, sustainable future where good jobs, innovation and climate leadership go hand in hand with a strong and inclusive economy.

Dr. Ryan Payne is a UN delegate on AI Governance and recently spoke at the UN Internet Governance Forum in Oslo on AI governance and code restriction requirements. He has contributed to the EU AI Act and Japan’s AI principles. Ryan’s research explores how emerging technologies shape human behaviour, focusing on consumer behaviour, technology acceptance, and privacy. An experimentalist, he conducts research with human subjects and examines broader societal impacts, including surveillance capitalism. He is the Founding Director of the University of Canberra, CanBe Lab a behavioural research lab using technology to promote prosocial behaviours.

Holly Rankin is an artist and strategist working at the intersection of culture, politics and public affairs. Best known as ARIA and APRA nominated recording artist Jack River, Holly is a creative leader who mobilises culture, community and connection to effect systemic change. Holly is the co-founder of Sentiment, a public affairs and communications company that helps institutions, organisations and individuals engage with the moment and shape what comes next. As a strategist and advisor, Holly has worked to engage a new generation in Australia’s democracy. She has played a leading role in nation-building campaigns for consent, political integrity, the Australian music industry, human rights and climate change. In response to the 2025 NSW Mid North Coast floods Rankin co-led a national-first partnership between her local community and the SES to mobilise and deploy community volunteers. Throughout all of her work, Holly is driven to build a fair, future-fit society - for women, for regional Australians, for First Nations people and for her daughter Magnolia’s generation.

Lyndall is the Group CEO at Home in Place. She brings over 22 years of experience in the housing sector, including 17 years in community housing. Before that, she worked in the construction industry. Lyndall is a dynamic and proactive executive, has a passion for the housing sector and is committed to the growth of affordable housing. Throughout her time with Home in Place, Lyndall has been highly involved in the growth of the organisation through a combination of stock transfers, acquisitions, and the construction of more than 1000 new dwellings, all of which were completed on time and within budget. Lyndall holds a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Business, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Blake Reeves is the Discipline Leader of Urban Design and Urban Planning at City Collective, with a track record of leading transformative urban projects across the U.S. and internationally. A champion for community development, Blake has delivered comprehensive and small area plans that translate collective vision into effective regulatory frameworks. He is known for inventive engagement tools that honour all voices in the planning process and for his hands-on approach to shaping inclusive, mixed-use districts that drive equitable outcomes. An urbanist anthropologist at heart, Blake is attuned to how culture and society shape—and are shaped by—the built environment. He sees urban design as a storytelling tool that allows communities to embed their history, identity, and pride into the public realm. His design guidelines have helped define the unique character of diverse places. Originally from the Southeast, Blake has contributed to impactful global projects and co-authored public space recommendations for Habitat III through the UN’s Future of Places program. Now back in his home region, he brings global insight to local challenges, committed to building better, more just communities. He holds dual master’s degrees in Urban Design and City and Regional Planning from Georgia Tech and remains actively engaged with the next generation of urbanists.

Adela is a partner in Gilbert + Tobin’s Banking and Projects group. She advises borrowers, sponsors and lenders on infrastructure & energy, acquisition and project finance transactions, as well as on privatisations and PPPs. Adela regularly advises on the delivery of social and affordable housing projects across Australia, acting for both lenders and community housing providers on some of the sector’s most significant and innovative financings. She has deep experience with Housing Australia’s financing programs, including the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) as well as on state backed programs like the HIF in Queensland and the Ground Lease Model in Victoria. Adela regularly advises on transactions involving Commonwealth and state-backed initiatives and grants, and has worked with investors and commercial lenders in the sector on a number of transactions.

Allegra Spender is an accomplished business leader, clean energy advocate, and the independent Federal Member of Parliament for Wentworth. With deep roots in the community, Allegra grew up in Wentworth and is now raising her own children in the area, driven by a passion to secure the same quality of life and opportunities for future generations. Allegra’s academic background includes an Economics degree from Cambridge University, an MSc from the University of London, and advanced business courses at Harvard and Dartmouth College. Her professional journey began at McKinsey as a business analyst, where she gained expertise across diverse industries and business strategies. She further honed her skills as a policy analyst at the UK Treasury before taking on the role of Managing Director at Carla Zampatti Pty Ltd, her family’s iconic fashion label. As Chair of the Sydney Renewable Power Company, Allegra spearheaded the installation of the largest CBD solar array in Australia at the time. Her commitment to social impact extended to her role as CEO of the Australian Business and Community Network, where she partnered with leading Australian businesses to address educational disadvantages. Allegra’s career reflects a dedication to integrity, innovation, and hard work. She brings this same focus to her role in Canberra, tirelessly advocating for families, young people, and local businesses.

Christian-Paul Stenta is Head of Impact at Launch Housing, where he leads a multidisciplinary team spanning data insights, research and evidence, lived experience engagement and service design. He works at the intersection of insight, strategy and systems change — helping translate data and evidence into innovation and advocacy that enable better outcomes for people and communities.

Claire is a senior strategic advisor with a unique blend of high-level government, corporate, and media experience. Her work focuses on solving issues at the intersection of decision making and public impact, using skills and expertise including industry and market reform, project delivery strategy, stakeholder and policy advice, and commercial advisory. Amongst other things, Claire has been a chief of staff, a war correspondent, a litigator, and most recently a senior Ministerial staffer in Canberra.

Bonnie is Head of Impact at Haven Home Safe, Victoria’s largest regional community housing provider. She leads the development and implementation of the Environmental, Social, Governance and Client Impact (ESG+) Strategy, as well as developing annual ESG+ Impact reports and overseeing the corporate communications and marketing functions. Bonnie drives the use of impact data for strategy refinement, decision-making and to support learning and accountability so that organisations can embed purpose within business performance. With a background in strategic communications, community engagement and social and environmental impact measurement, Bonnie is passionate about bringing data to life with client insights to develop clear, consistent and compelling narratives that engage stakeholders, increase people’s understanding about the benefits of community housing and attract investment. Bonnie has a Master of Communications, completing her thesis on how organisations communicate their impact. She also has a Grad. Dip in Community Development and has undertaken the Net Zero Executive Leadership Program with Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Social Return on Investment training.

After more than two decades working in the legal profession, Judy Tomas is currently General Manager, Commercial Contracts & Compliance for Housing at national charity, Mission Australia. She has led the contracting for Mission Australia Housing’s most significant community housing projects, including the acquisition, construction and financing of social and affordable housing in New South Wales and Queensland, management transfers in NSW, Tasmania and Northern Territory. Judy also leads the contracting and compliance function for Housing, working with regulators across numerous jurisdictions and works with the Board on corporate governance to deliver wellbeing and housing outcomes for vulnerable Australians. Judy is also a director and company secretary for a small not for profit focussing on older men’s wellbeing and mental health. Her career has included legal roles with top tier firms, including partnership and more than 13 years working in legal and non-legal roles in the community housing sector. She is a member of the senior management team at Mission Australia Housing. Apart from her legal qualifications, Judy is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has an MBA from Macquarie University.

Dee Walsh serves as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Mercy Housing, Inc., the largest nonprofit developer, owner and manager of affordable housing in the US. Dee is responsible for providing strategic direction and oversight for Mercy’s five geographic business centers (based in San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Denver and Atlanta) and Mercy Community Capital, a federally certified loan fund. Dee also oversees National Portfolio Management. Dee is responsible for directing Mercy’s real estate strategy and recently co-created the Mercy Gap Note Program, a $60 million fund to support the development of Mercy sponsored affordable housing developments. She co-chairs the Mercy Investment Committee. Walsh joined Mercy Housing following her work as the Chief Operating Officer at Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH), where she directed operations, lending, communications, and strategic plan implementation. Before NOAH, Walsh served as the Executive Vice President for Network and Corporate Affairs for Housing Partnership Network—leading domestic and international peer learning among HPN’s members to advance housing development practices. Dee also spent 22 years as REACH Community Development’s Executive Director, where she directed the organization’s housing development, property management, resident services and philanthropy teams, facilitated a merger, and created nationally recognized resident services and neighborhood revitalization programs. Walsh holds a Certificate in Achieving Excellence in Community Development from Harvard University, and a Master of Urban Planning from University of Washington. Dee was an adjunct professor at the Center for Real Estate Development at Portland State University and is the co-author of the book, Navigating Community Development, as well as several articles on the community development sector.

Jane is an experienced housing professional, having held senior executive roles in the social and affordable housing sector in the UK and in Australia over the past 30 years. As CEO of Bric Housing since 2022, she has led the organisation’s growth to become a Tier 1 CHP. Bric’s growth is being delivered via a range of strategic partnerships with government, developers and financiers.

Iain is a Director of Investments at Conscious Investment Management (CIM). CIM is a dedicated impact investment fund manager with a vision to invest to create a fairer, more sustainable world, where people and the planet thrive. Iain's specific role at CIM is the origination, execution and ongoing asset management of our investments with a specific focus across social & affordable housing, disability housing and sustainability related investments including natural capital investments. Iain’s primary focus over the past few years has been in relation to originating opportunities and partnerships with Community Housing Provider’s to support the build out of social and affordable housing through the Federal Governments Housing Australia Future Fund. Prior to joining CIM, Iain worked for the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) in the CEFC’s Infrastructure and Alternatives investment team where his primary focus was on encouraging energy efficiency and renewable energy solutions in the built environment with a specific focus on social and affordable housing under the NSW Social and Affordable Housing Fund.

Bec brings close to two decades of experience across the government and not-for-profit sectors, with expertise in housing, homelessness, and child and youth services. She has worked in both frontline and leadership roles, including the delivery of nationally recognised programs that open pathways for young people facing barriers to training and employment. As Manager of Community Programs at Loreto Community Housing, Bec provides strategic direction across initiatives that strengthen community connection, enhance wellbeing, and support long-term housing stability. Bec has a background in social impact and outcome measurement, shaping approaches that improve practice and deliver meaningful change. Her leadership is defined by collaboration, drawing on the strengths of her multi-disciplinary team and industry partners to create lasting opportunities and stronger, more connected communities.