Adam Czerniak is an associate professor at the SGH Warsaw School of Economics and head of the Institutional and Political Economy Unit. In November 2024 he was designated to become the Deputy President of the National Real Estate Stock. Between 2013 and 2024, he helped to develop the Polityka Insight center for policy analysis, where he served as chief economist and then also as director for research. Until 2012, he worked as a banking economist, previously he cooperated with the World Bank. He is a Ronald Coase Institute scholarship fellow. He authored dozens of publications in the field of housing studies, comparative capitalism, and political economy. He is the Polish representative to the European Master in Official Statistics Board (term 2021-2023 and 2024-2026) as well as member of the European Network for Housing Research, European Housing Policy Network, and International Board of the Czech Housing Investment Advisory Hub.

Alicia Follent is our Interim Chief Executive Officer, based in Brisbane on Jagera and Turrbal Country. Alicia is responsible for CHL’s mission of creating safe, affordable homes while shaping national housing policy and practice. In her previous capacity as Chief Systems Officer, her role included driving organisational change that connects strategy, operations, people and technology to enable growth and long-term sustainability. Alicia has led cross-functional teams and initiatives to modernise business infrastructure and position CHL to deliver an accelerated pipeline of homes into the future. She first joined CHL as Queensland State Manager where she led the team to establish a significant growth pipeline that will reshape CHL’s Queensland footprint. Alicia brings more than 19 years of experience in the community and social housing sector and her career spans operational management, property development, government policy and advocacy, strategy and business transformation. She has held senior and director roles with CHL, Q Shelter and Churches of Christ and is currently a Director of CHIA Queensland, where she plays an active role in sector advocacy and policy reform. Alicia holds qualifications in business, justice and housing. For Alicia, home and belonging is more than four walls. It is safety, stability and freedom to grow while being seen, respected and part of something bigger than ourselves. She believes everyone deserves these foundations and her values are grounded in equity, inclusion and justice: ensuring that every person has not only a place to live, but also a place to belong.

Alison Scotland is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC), a national forum of peak bodies in the Australian built environment, focused on achieving sustainable, productive, and resilient buildings, infrastructure, communities, and cities. She drives a powerful collaboration agenda with industry, government and not-for-profit leaders to develop national policy and technical solutions that enhance the built environment.

Carolyn is Assemble’s Chief Executive Officer and a respected senior leader with over 25 years of experience in Australia’s property and real estate industries. Joining Assemble in 2024, she is responsible for overseeing the management of the business and driving its strategic direction. In her role, Carolyn is committed to fostering a connected, collaborative culture that delivers stable returns for Investor Clients—while ensuring more Australians can access sustainable, appropriate, and well-designed homes. Prior to its merger with Assemble in 2024, Carolyn was CEO at Super Housing Partnerships, a specialist investment manager focused on providing institutional investors with large scale investment opportunities in affordable housing. Prior to this, Carolyn held various leadership and executive positions including Chief Development Officer at ASX listed Vicinity Centres and Head of Development and then CEO at builder-developer Grocon.   Carolyn’s work in championing better housing opportunities for more Australians extends beyond the office; she is a member of Commonwealth's Government's National Housing Supply and Affordability Council and also serves as an Advisory Board Member of the Women’s Property Initiatives.

Charles Daoud is a director of Traders In Purple, a privately owned national development and construction organisation with a national pipeline of over $6bn. Traders has an established record of Social and Affordable housing delivery in partnership with the Commonwealth, State Governments and Community Housing Providers. Currently, Traders are delivering 350+ homes with the Community Housing Sector and a further 1000+ homes in partnership with Homes NSW. These include mid and high-rise projects and estate renewals. Charles is a passionate advocate for housing solutions and a regular contributor to State and Federal Government policy discussion.

Chris Smith is Chief Executive Officer of Foundation Housing and brings more than 20 years’ experience across commercial business, investment management and housing. Since becoming CEO in 2019, Chris has led a period of significant growth, including new affordable housing models for key and essential workers and securing major investment through the Housing Australia Future Fund Facility. He is committed to developing innovative housing solutions and sustainable pathways for people on low to moderate incomes. Chris is also a Director of Australian Community Housing, the national peak body for community housing providers, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Christian (Andi) Nygaard a Professor of Housing Economics in at UNSW's City Futures Research Centre, and a previous Swinburne-AHURI Research Centre Director. Andi's primary research interests are in housing economics, urban transitions, institutional innovation, and policy / impact identification and evaluation. This includes modelling of housing markets and affordability, and making better economic cases for investing in social and affordable housing. He has undertaken several policy evaluations of homelessness support programs; and worked closely with CHIA on the documentation and identification of social value in housing and environmental design. Some of this work was incorporated in the development of the CHIA's SIGMAH tool, designed to estimate the monetary value of social, economic and envirmental benefits associated with the provision of social and affordable housing. He currently leads an AHURI Inquiry into Australia's Affordable Housing Future: A Housing System Approach.

Christian-Paul Stenta works at the intersection of impact, policy and influence. Across community, government, research and social innovation sectors, he has spent more than 20 years exploring how systems shape outcomes for people and how evidence, lived experience and collaboration can improve those outcomes. As Head of Impact, Policy & Government Relations at Launch Housing, he leads the organisation’s strategic influence agenda in support of its mission to end homelessness.

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.

Jamie Hutchinson is the National Manager Community Development Strategy at Mission Australia Housing, leading national initiatives that strengthen communities and improve tenant outcomes. With over 20 years' experience in social and affordable housing across Australia and the UK, Jamie has held a range of roles spanning housing operations, community development, stakeholder engagement, and strategic leadership. He is passionate about creating places where people and communities can thrive.

Jamie has 25 years’ experience in sustainability roles but for a diverse set of organisations including a guided weapons company, the Honda Racing Formula 1 team, design and engineering in the built environment, Jaguar Land Rover, and rail infrastructure prior to the world of flooring. He is very proud to have progressed to the role of Group Sustainability Director with Karndean DesignFlooring. Jamie has enjoyed the challenge of driving sustainability up the agenda at each organisation, delivering significant benefits and value beyond expectations. His professional passion is to integrate sustainability into the purpose, mission and vision of organisations. In addition to his Group Director role with Karndean Jamie is also a tutor for the Cambridge Institute of Sustainable Leadership.

Jan Berriman is CEO of HousingFirst and one of Australia’s most experienced housing and community sector leaders. Over a 25-year career, she has led the development of organisations, people and property, driving growth, transformation and innovation across some of the nation’s leading housing organisations. From major housing developments and strategic partnerships to organisational change and leadership development, Jan has a track record of turning vision into impact. She is passionate about creating high-performing organisations that deliver better housing outcomes for those people most vulnerable in our communities.

Kate vanderVoort is the Founder and CEO of the AI Success Lab, a Brisbane-based AI education, consulting and advisory business. She has trained more than 10,000 people in AI fluency over the past four years, is a Queensland Government Digital Champion, and was one of only five global Lead Trainers for Meta’s Community Manager Certification. Kate brings more than 30 years in marketing and 17 years in digital strategy to her work, and since 2009 has provided coaching and consulting to more than 300 businesses and not-for-profits. Today she helps organisations move from individual experiments with AI to practical, responsible use across the whole business. Her approach is simple: focus on the task, not the tool. In the community housing sector, Kate co-hosts and facilitates the CHIA NSW AI Network and the AI Stewardship Program, a Homes NSW-funded training program helping NSW providers use AI practically and responsibly. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work and has 20 years’ experience working in not-for-profits. Kate also hosts The AI Grapple Podcast, which explores what AI means for us personally, professionally and for humanity.

Kerry Pearse is Convenor of the Rural Housing Alliance and CEO of the Housing Matters Action Group in the Bellingen Shire, NSW. She is leading the establishment of one of Australia’s first community land trusts, pioneering a perpetually affordable home ownership model and its policy and implementation scaffolding. Kerry brings over 40 years’ experience across the for-purpose and public sectors. Her focus is community-led, place-based housing solutions that work in rural contexts – practical responses that keep locals housed in their communities and advance social equity and inclusion. She lives and works on Gumbaynggirr Country.

Kristie is a voice for change and impact, driven by her mission for a place for everyone, where people feel they belong. As Executive Director of Housing and Property at Uniting Vic.Tas, she leads Uniting’s ambitious housing growth strategy, driving investment, development and strategic partnerships to deliver more social and affordable homes. She oversees Uniting’s two subsidiary housing companies, with a portfolio of 1,000 homes, and advocates for unlocking the potential of underutilised church land. With a degree in Social Science and a Masters in Planning, Kristie has over two decades of leadership expertise across government and not-for-profit sectors, including co-founding Property Initiatives Real Estate. Kristie combines commercial acumen, strategic leadership and an entrepreneurial spirit and advocates for lasting community impact.Often sought for expert commentary on polling data and its impact on all levels of politics, Kos’s keen understanding of the nature of political parties and government decision-making (drawn from more than 25 years of political experience with Victorian Labor) allows him to deliver effective solutions for a broad range of clients.

Lyndall is a highly experienced executive with more than 29 years of experience in housing, including 22 years in the community housing sector with Home in Place. Having begun her career in the construction industry, she brings a strong commercial, strategic and operational perspective to her leadership, underpinned by a longstanding commitment to expanding access to social and affordable housing. During her tenure at Home in Place, Lyndall has led successful tenders, major development and acquisition initiatives, strategic partnerships and large-scale housing programs, successfully navigating complex environments and securing funding to support the organisation’s long-term sustainability and growth. Her leadership has strengthened organisational capability, increased housing supply and enhanced services for tenants and communities. She is recognised for her clear, purposeful and collaborative leadership style, as well as her ability to build enduring relationships across government, the private sector and community organisations. Lyndall holds a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Business and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She also holds tertiary qualifications in project management and contract management. She remains committed to increasing access to safe, secure and affordable housing and to leading Home in Place through its next phase of sustainable growth and positive community impact.

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.

Mike Allen is a respected industry leader and former CEO of Housing NSW. He has more than 40 years’ experience in social housing management, homelessness, and community and Aboriginal housing. In 2011 he was awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) in recognition of his outstanding and meritorious services to the community and for his strong commitment to the values and principles of social housing. Mike is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia, and a Life Member Australasian Housing Institute. In 2026 Mike was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community through a range of organisations. He is currently Chair of Link Wentworth Housing.

Associate Professor Michelle Lim is CEO and Scientific Chair of Ending Loneliness Together, Australia’s peak body focused on addressing loneliness and social isolation. She is an Associate Professor at the University of Sydney and a practising clinical psychologist with over 23 years experience. Associate Professor Lim was the chief investigator of the Australian Loneliness Report (2018), the Young Australian Loneliness Survey (2019), State of the Nation: Social Connection (2023), Why We Feel Lonely report (2024) and A Call for Connection: Understanding and Addressing Youth Loneliness (2025), and State of the Nation: Understanding and Rebuilding Social Connection 2026. Associate Professor Lim is also the author of the book ‘The Lonely Generation: Why Our Kids Are in Crisis – and How We Can Fix It.

Russell Logan has worked for over 40 years in Indigenous employment, cultural diversity, Community Housing organisations, governance, land management and conservation. His expertise lies in the development, implementation and facilitation of cultural awareness and competency training and mentoring programs, across Australia both regionally and remotely for Aboriginal organisations, the corporate sector, not for profits, Federal and State government, non-government agencies, recruitment, employment, and registered training organisations. In addition to his extensive experience, Russell has worked within the justice system in New South Wales, including roles in Correctional Centres where he assisted clients preparing for release. While working at Centrelink, as well as in previous positions with the Department of Industrial Relations and Employment, he supported individuals involved in the justice system, providing guidance and practical assistance. Russell has also visited Goulburn and Junee as part of his responsibilities in these roles, further developing his understanding of the intersection between employment services, justice, and community support. Russell is the Co-Owner/ CEO of Armstrong Indigenous Property Group (AIPG) trading as Coodjingburra H.O.M.E Coodjingburra HOME (Helping Our Mob Everywhere) and also Co – Owner CEO Coodjingburra H.O.M.E Ltd an Non for Profit Charity Registered Aboriginal Community Housing Company, a NRSCH accredited provider and an NSW AHO Community Housing Provider that has a footprint from the Tweed to Grafton. Russell has provided Indigenous Employment and Professional Mentoring through Community Housing Industry Association NSW, Diversity Dimensions nationally to Woolworths with over 5,000 First Nations Team Members over the last 6 years across Australia and providing mentoring to all Indigenous Team Members. Russell also sits on the Board of Tweed Escapes River Cruise Company conducting Indigenous Cultural Experiences and managing Deckhand Training courses for youth at risk. These programs, Giving Youth A Story an Indigenous Youth Suicide Prevention Program, were facilitated in partnership with Tribal Warrior. Russell is a descendant to the Traditional Owners of the Coodjingburra Clan south of the mighty Tweed River of the Bundjalung Nation, being a proud father of six children aged from 20 to 36 and currently resides in Tenterfield. Russell is passionate about workforce training and development and takes a keen interest nationally and locally actively contributing as he is the Former Chair and Board Member of the Tweed Aboriginal Co-operative and Minjungbal Aboriginal Museum Trading Company, a Committee Member on the Morley Inquiry into the NSW Aboriginal Lands Act and was the former Chair and member of the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council from 2001 – 2008. Russell has been recognised with the NSW Premiers Award for Indigenous Excellence for the creation of an Aboriginal Employment Strategy for NSW Housing.

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.

Simon Hunter is Head of Australia & New Zealand at Invesis, leading the firm's infrastructure investment and development activities across the region. Based in Sydney, he is responsible for originating, structuring, and managing major infrastructure and PPP investments, with experience spanning social/affordable housing, transport, health, justice, education, and social infrastructure. Simon works closely with government and private-sector partners to deliver long-term infrastructure solutions that create sustainable value for communities and investors.

Tony is a Client Director in NAB’s Government, Education & Community business, where he works with Community Housing Providers and other purpose-led organisations across Victoria.With almost 30-years’ experience across debt capital markets, structured finance, corporate advisory and corporate and institutional banking, Tony has spent his career helping organisations access capital, execute complex transactions and fund long-term growth. His experience spans property, infrastructure, healthcare, financial institutions and energy, including senior leadership roles responsible for originating, structuring and executing large-scaleToday, Tony brings that capital markets and financing experience to the social and affordable housing sector. Working closely with Community Housing Providers, he focuses on helping organisations access capital and funding solutions that support housing delivery and long-term sustainability.Tony I s passionate about the role external capital can play alongside government funding and policy initiatives, and brings a practical perspective on what investors and financiers are looking for, the conditions that support investment, and the opportunities to attract more capital into social and affordable housing.

Vicky Meyer is the Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Coast2Bay. With extensive executive leadership experience across housing, homelessness, and human services, she has worked across government, community services, and private sector consulting to deliver better outcomes for vulnerable communities. Before joining Coast2Bay in 2026, Vicky served as Assistant Director-General for Housing and Homelessness Programs within Queensland's Department of Housing and Public Works. She holds a degree in Social Policy and a Master of Arts in Housing Practice from the University of Westminster and has built an accomplished career across Australia and the United Kingdom. Vicky is recognised for her expertise in strategic reform, operational leadership, and driving positive social impact through effective housing and human services systems.

Wesley is CEO of Cornerstone Housing and a Director of CHIA SA. He has extensive leadership experience across both for purpose and and commercial sectors, leading organisations through growth, transformation and strategic change. Since joining Cornerstone Housing, Wesley has focused on strengthening organisational capability and building partnerships that deliver housing solutions with lasting social impact across metropolitan and regional South Australia. He is passionate about practical solutions that increase housing supply, strengthen communities and improve outcomes for people experiencing housing insecurity. Wesley is a GAICD and holds an MBA. Beyond housing Wesley's other passion is seeing children freed from exploitation and is an Advocate for anti-child trafficking organisation Destiny Rescue Australia.