Visionaries

A visionary is a pioneer.
A visionary sees things that others don’t.
A visionary inspires.
A visionary lights the way for others.

Our visionaries are all people who’ve made a difference in their industries by seeing opportunities others haven’t.
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Advocates

Our advocates have been championing their industries, Business Events Tasmania and the beyond tourism benefit of business events for years.

 

Karen Rees

Tasmanian Antarctic Advocate 

Passionate Antarctic advocate specialising in connecting people and businesses with opportunities for the benefit of Antarctica and Tasmania and public sector policy development. Karen is Tasmania’s Antarctic Advocate. 


Full bio – 

 

Professor Gretta Pecl

Professor of Climate Change Ecology

Professor of Climate Change Ecology and IPCC Lead Author, Professor Gretta Pecl has been ranked in the top 200 most influential climate scientists in the world. With a rich background in research Gretta’s focus has been on the impact of climate change on natural systems and helping with the development of adaptation options for conservation, fisheries and aquaculture. 

Full Bio – 

Greg Oates

Associate Professor Mathematics Education, Programme Director BEd (Primary) and Deputy Associate Head Teaching and Learning, School of Education, University of Tasmania.

Professor Greg Oates has committed his career to passionately advocate and advance mathematics learning and teach. Associate Professor in Mathematics Education and Associate Head of Learning, Teaching and Performance at the University of Tasmania, Greg is a leader in mathematics education. 

Full bio – 

Irene Penesis

Research Director at Blue Economy CRC; Professor at Australian Maritime College

Research Director of the Blue Economy CRC, an industry-driven research and development initiative to enhance the development of Australia’s blue economy, Irene is an expert in the maritime industry. 

Full bio – 

Theo Kapodistrias

Founder, Theo Kapodistrias – Speaker & Coach

Multi-award-winning lawyer having worked in the higher education, cyber security, tourism, and energy industries. Theo was named one of Australia’s Most Influential Lawyers by the Australasian Lawyer magazine. He is also the director and Tasmanian President of the Association of Corporate Counsel Australia.   

Full bio – 

 

Tracey Dickson

Director – Menzies Institute for Medical Research

Professor Dickson has a PhD in Neuroscience and is the Director of the Menzies Institute for Medical Research. She has an excellent track record, national and international reputation, and over 20 years’ experience in the fields of neurodegenerative disease research, particularly Motor Neuron disease and Parkinson’s disease. She is a passionate advocate for the Menzies mission to perform international significant medical research leading to healthier, longer, and better lives for all Tasmanians.

Full bio – 

 

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Leaders

Our Leaders showcase Tasmanian industry through business events on their field.

Professor Seana Gall

Associate Professor – Menzies Institute of Medical Research | Epidemiologist

A/Prof Seana Gall is an epidemiologist studying the risk factors and outcomes for heart disease and strokes. She is currently leading Australia’s first research program dedicated to stroke prevention – Synergies to Prevent Stroke (STOPstroke) – and chairs the Tobacco Control Coalition, a Tasmanian government initiative responsible for developing the state’s tobacco control plan.

Full Bio – 

 

Adam Mostogl

Educator | Advisor | Facilitator 

As the CEO & Chief Entrepreneur of The Van Diemen Project, Adam helps people start businesses with confidence, supporting existing businesses to grow and be resilient in these changing times, kickstarting social enterprises, running engaging workshops and events as well as private advisory work to help larger organisations change for the better. 

Adam is the Founder / Inspirer of illuminate Education Australia, which focuses on inspiring students to be the confident, creative and capable people they have the potential to be. Not only are these programs changing the lives of young Australians, but it is also shifting the way schools across the nation teach and inspire students with the skills that they need to thrive. 

Full Bio – 

Anne Gigney

Founder and Co-Director at The Distillers Institute | Director IBD Board Asia-Pacific | Distilling education advocate 

Founder of the Tasmanian Whiskey Academy and co-founder of the Distillers Institute, Anne showcases the greatness of Tasmania’s distilling industry to people coming from interstate and overseas through her distilling education courses. 

Full bio – 

 

 

Sean Van Steel  

Operations Director at Core Marine 

Tassie raised; Sean is an AMC alumnus who alongside business partner Ben founded Core Marine over three years ago in Norway. 

Now running the Australian branch from here in Tasmania the focus is on providing engineering solutions that unlock the ocean space as a sustainable resource. 

Full bio – 

 

Dr. G. Reza Emad

Senior Lecturer | AMC Masters of Applied Science Course Coordinator | Cognitive Human Element and Maritime Education Professional 

Born and raised in Iran, Reza has worked and trained around the world in classrooms and ships in the pursuit of rectifying the disconnect that can be present between what is taught in the classrooms of universities and what is vital knowledge for those working within the maritime industry.

This pursuit saw Reza working and training at some of the world’s leading maritime colleges in Sweden and Canada before making the move to what remains his home, the #1 maritime college in the world – The Australian Maritime College (AMC) – in 2015.

Full bio – 

 

Andi Lucas

Founder – X-Hemp & NSP Development | | President – Tasmanian Hemp Association

Founder and managing director at X-Hemp – Tasmania’s first fibre processing factory in Tasmania – Andi is committed to fighting climate change through the discovery of alternative natural building materials that are both long lasting and fire resilient.

Full bio –

Catriona Hurd

Professor Seaweed Physiology and Ecology

Professor at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), Catriona Hurd is an expert in her field having studied around the world including Canada and New Zealand. 

Full bio – 

Sam Reid

Managing Director, Du Cane Brewing and Director at Willie Smith’s Cider

Co-founder of Willie Smith’s Cider Makers – one of Australia’s leading craft cider companies  Sam Reid is a leading voice for the cider industry in Australia. As an expert in his field, Sam offers in-depth and profound knowledge on the alcoholic beverage industry. 

Full bio – 

Fiona Turner

CEO of Bitwise Agronomy

CEO of Bitwise Agronomy  a company providing innovative technology delivering operational and yield insight for farmers – Fiona Turner is a trailblazer for the agricultural industry. A farmer herself she understands the challenges farmers face and has worked to create new solutions for age old problems. 

Full bio – 

Andy Flies

Postdoctoral research fellow – Immunology – University of Tasmania

See Andy’s profile

Pat Wongpan

University of Tasmania · Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) Doctor of Philosophy

A quantitative sea ice biogeochemist/ecologist at the Australian Antarctic Program Partnership Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania. Pat obtained his PhD from University of Otago in New Zealand, was a David Crighton fellow at University of Cambridge, and was a JSPS Postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University, Japan. 

Full bio – 

Dorothy Roberts

Generation Minister, Door of Hope Christian Church

Dorothy Roberts is dedicated to delivering programs and events that provide parents with a safe, positive environment for their whole family. 

Full bio – 

Eur Ing Professor Andrew Chan

Professor of Engineering at University of Tasmania

Teacher and leader in his field, Andrew Chan has contributed to research in discrete element method & finite element method. He has co-authored 141 publications, receiving 3343 citations. Andrew Chan has been a professor at the University of Tasmania since 2015. Previously Andrew has worked as a lecturer at the University of Glasgow and Associate Dean Research at the Federation University Australia. 

Full bio – 

Dr Cynthia Honan

Senior Lecturer & Clinical Neuropsychologist at University of Tasmania

Dr Cynthia Honan is a clinical neuropsychologist and lecturer within the School of Medicine at the University of Tasmania (Utas).

Cynthia’s research focuses on the neuropsychology of various clinical disorders including multiple sclerosis and acquired brain injury. She has a specific interest in social cognition, cognitive fatigue and cognitive biomarkers, meta-social-cognitive functioning, and functional outcomes (e.g., employment and meaningful occupation).

Full bio – 

Jane Woollard

Associate Head Learning and Teaching, Senior Lecturer in Theatre and Performance, School of Creative Arts and Media at University of Tasmania.

Theatre Director, playwright, and dramaturg with a demonstrated history of working in the performing arts industry and in Community Cultural Development. Jane Woollard is skilled in teaching acting, Shakespeare, Musical Theatre, and Movement. Strong arts and design professional with a Doctorate in early nineteenth-century Australian Theatre from La Trobe University. 

Full bio – 

Peter Rae

Hon. Chairman of Ren Alliance ,Woolmers Foundation , Forestry Building P/L,Hope Mowbray P/L

An expert in his field Peter Rae is a leader in the renewables and environment industry. Peter is the Hon Chairman at REN Alliance, Chairman of the Woolmers Foundation and President of the World Wind Energy Association. 

Full bio – 

Stephanie Trethewey 

Founder & CEO – Motherland, Co-Founder – Tasmanian Agricultural Company, 2022 Rural Woman of the Year 

A seasoned television journalist, Steph has reported and produced for some of the country’s biggest news and current affairs programs. In 2019, soon after having her first child, Steph swapped the city for the country and moved to Tasmania, launching headfirst into farm life with her husband Sam, a third generation Tassie farmer. 

The transition to life on the land was a baptism of fire, and the isolation she felt was crippling. Her personal struggles navigating motherhood in rural Australia inspired her to launch Motherland, a registered charity that advocates for the emotional wellbeing of rural mothers and delivers services that help build resilience and improve mental health outcomes. 

Full bio – 

Robyn Moore AM 

Professional Speaker, Voice Actor 

An Aussie legend, Robyn created the voice for the iconic Australian characters in Yoram Gross’ “Blinky Bill”. After bringing so much joy to the world through her ability to bring beloved characters to life, Robyn has continued to bring joy by being heavily involved with a number of charity organisations, most notably the Make-A-Wish foundation. 

Full bio – 

 

Rachel Power 

Owner, Mt Field Retreat, Waterfalls Cafe & Gallery 

During her time as a writer for one of Australia’s first ever family travel blogs – The Great Aussie Road Trip – that was designed to inspire families to experience Australia; Rachel and her family fell in love with Tasmania and quickly decided to move here for the foreseeable future.

With Mt Field National Park becoming the family’s favourite location in Tasmania, Rachel became a Tasmanian business owner after purchasing the Waterfalls Café & Gallery.

Full bio – 

 

 

 

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