Guy and Jules Sebastian live their life in the public eye; one is a multiple ARIA award-winning singer, songwriter and TV personality, and the other a fashion and lifestyle guru and sought-after speaker and brand ambassador. But behind the scenes are two loving parents and philanthropists who simply want their children, and all Australian children, to thrive in this increasingly challenging world.

In 2013 they set up The Sebastian Foundation to help give young Australians the resilience and confidence they need to grow and be their best. The foundation funds schools to implement a unique in-school wellbeing program called Open Parachute, teaching kids the mental skills they need to cope with the many challenges they’ll face, through adolescence and beyond. To date, The Sebastian Foundation has supported over 210,000 Australian students from 235 primary and high schools. Feedback from teachers and families shows the program is working, and the demand is growing.

Larissa Baldwin-Roberts is a distinguished global leader in climate activism and First Nations justice. A proud Widjabul Wia-bal woman from the Bundjalung Nation. Larissa has deep-rooted connections to her country and heritage. Raised in a family of political activists, she has been involved in the fight for land rights, Indigenous Rights, climate justice, and cultural heritage from an early age. This upbringing has enabled Larissa to build enduring relationships within First Nations communities and across civil society in Australia and Globally. Larissa was the CEO of GetUp, making her the first Aboriginal woman to lead a major political organisation in Australia. GetUp is an Independent movement of over one million people dedicated to reinvigorating public engagement in politics and winning progressive change across the issues of Climate, First Nations Justice, Economic reform and Human Rights. She is also the Director of Research for Passing the Message Stick, a groundbreaking multi-year First Nations-led research project designed to shift public narrative in support of First Nations justice and self-determination. Larissa co-founded and led Indigenous organisations Common Threads, an organisation that is transforming the capability of First Nations social movements to usher in a decade to winning positive change. And Seed, Australia’s first Indigenous youth climate network, a platform that has catapulted hundreds of young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on the frontlines of climate impacts to protect country and put First Nations communities at the forefront of the fight for Climate Justice. Larissa is also a current board member of Climate Action Network International. She’s most passionate about travelling around the country and crafting winning campaigns and power building strategies with Indigenous communities that gain tangible policy outcomes on the issues our communities face.

Marlee Silva is one of the brightest stars on the Australian media landscape since being afforded an opportunity to host across the Nine Network's NRLW coverage and also contribute to Today Show and Nine Digital.
Silva was also recently announced as part of The Nine Network's Australian Open coverage.
She began her career in the non-profit sector, where her path was shifted toward a more public profile when she was employed as the Co-CEO of Aboriginal education charity AIME Mentoring. A role which saw her shadow the work of AIME’s CEO for twelve months and in turn, act as the representative of the organisation's story and direction, in the media and through keynote speaking.
Since then, Marlee has continued to emerge as a skilled public speaker and presenter. After publishing her first book 'My Tidda, My Sister: Stories of strength and resilience from Australia's first women' in 2020, Marlee continued to expand her media reach with successful appearances.
Marlee is determined to utilise her storytelling skills to inspire people and create change and uses her platform to advocate for the causes she is most passionate about, which has previously seen her named as a finalist in the Australian Human Rights Commission 'Young People's Human Rights Medal' in 2019. O
She also has a passion for sports, rapidly becoming one of the countries leading voices on women’s sport, particularly Rugby League. Marlee recently travelled over to the UK for the Rugby League World Cup, where she interviewed participants, giving an insight into the reach and impact of the sport.
Marlee also volunteers for various charities and sits on the board of both ID. Know Yourself, an Aboriginal founded charity which provides support to Indigenous children living in out of home care, and youth suicide prevention non-profit, Cultural Choice Association, through which she has also developed and delivered mental health and wellbeing program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school students.

Associate Professor, Dr Catherine Ball is an academic, company director, bestselling author, futurist and visioneer working across global projects where emerging technologies meet humanitarian, education and environmental needs.

Having been called a ‘social architect’, Catherine also likes to create businesses and champion movements, search for unicorns, collaborate with peers, and advise current and future game-changers.

A champion of diversity and inclusion, Catherine believes we need points of difference to truly innovate and curate the changes we want to see in the world. Working to protect the natural environment and empowering all members of society through mutual education and respect are core aspects of her chosen projects. As well as supporting Australian start-ups and leaders from all generations; Catherine is particularly passionate about social mobility and equity.

Catherine is proud to be an advisor to a broad range of enterprises and philanthropic organisations; i.e. an international advisory board member for the Schmidt Ocean Institute, and an XPRIZE visioneer and member of their Global Brains Trust.

Catherine’s latest business ventures span angel investments and advisory across the broad emerging technology sector, from insect protein to personalised brain health through AI and neuroscience. Her internationally recognised work on drones and robotics community engagement via the World of Drones and Robotics Global Congress continues and is evolving. Catherine is also proud to be a member of Australia’s Robotics Advisory Council.

Catherine holds a BSc Honours (Environmental Protection), a PhD (Spatial Ecology, Descriptive and Predictive Statistics) both from the University of Newcastle- upon-Tyne in the UK, and recently was awarded a DSc (Doctor of Science Honoris Causa) from Worcester Polytechnic in Massachusetts, USA.

Catherine lives in Sydney, Australia, with operations out of Los Angeles and London.

Sam Elsom was named 2025 TAS Australian of The Year for his work as a passionate environmentalist and eco-entrepreneur with over 20 years’ driving innovation in sustainability. Elsom is pioneering the development of a new and environmentally positive seaweed industry in Australia as founder and CEO of Sea Forest (Ltd), an innovative environmental technology company founded in 2018. The company is focussed on the scaled cultivation of the red seaweed, Asparagopsis and the development of methane mitigating livestock feed supplements which when included in very low quantities, reduces the production of methane in ruminants such as cattle and sheep by over 90% and is the most prospective tool for Australia’s agriculture industry to reach its carbon neutral target by 2030. Sea Forest is set to make a significant impact on methane emissions reduction from livestock and dairy production with capacity to reduce over 10 million tonnes of CO2-e from its operations in Tasmania.

Sea Forest was a 2023 finalist in Sir David Attenborough and Prince William’s Earthshot prize and listed as one of the world’s most innovative companies of 2024 by Fast Company.

Michelle is a Management Consultant by trade and CEO of her family foundation, Vermilion Foundation, which supports the areas of Diversity and Inclusion, Mental Health and Climate Action. She is very passionate about New Gen philanthropy and shifting capital towards purpose, and is a member of Philanthropy Australia’s New Gen Network Committee. A champion for diversity from a gender, minority and disability lens, she has many passions including multicultural youth empowerment, increasing representation of women of colour in leadership roles and youth mental health.

Amanda McKenzie is a leading Australian climate advocate and co-founder of the Climate Council, which she has led as CEO since 2013. Under her leadership, the Council has become a powerful and trusted voice on climate action driving campaigns to change public opinion and national and state policy. She previously co-founded the Australian Youth Climate Coalition and has advised numerous governments and corporations on climate and energy. Amanda’s governance experience includes founding Chair of the Centre for Australian Progress and director roles at Plan International. Named one of Westpac’s 100 Women of Influence, she holds an Honours degree in Law from Monash University and an Arts degree from the University of Melbourne.

Anna Brown’s fingerprints are on nearly every major reform for LGBTIQ+ people in recent years. She played a critical role in the campaign for marriage equality co-chairing the Equality Campaign. Anna is the founding CEO of Equality Australia, a national organisation dedicated to equality for LGBTIQ+ people. Equality Australia combines legal, policy and communications expertise with hundreds of thousands of supporters to ensure LGBTIQ+ people are treated with dignity and respect.

Anthea Roberts is CEO and Director of Dragonfly Thinking. She is an interdisciplinary researcher who has worked at the ANU, the LSE, Columbia and Harvard. Anthea focuses on new ways of thinking about complex and evolving fields, and is the author of the frameworks on which Dragonfly Thinking’s AI tools are based. The League of Scholars has ranked Anthea as the world’s leading international law scholar (2019) and Australia’s leading international law scholar (2022, 2023). Her first book ‘Is International Law International?’ won the American Society of International Law’s top book prize, and her second book ‘Six Faces of Globalization’ (with Nicolas Lamp) was selected as one of the Best Books of 2021 by The Financial Times and Fortune Magazine.

A climate investor, entrepreneur and community builder, David Dietz is the Director of Impact for NEXUS, a global thought community that brings together leading next-gen investors, philanthropists and social innovators from the world’s most influential families to catalyze new leadership and accelerate solutions to our world’s most critical problems. Prior to NEXUS, David was the founder of Modavanti, the world’s largest online sustainable fashion retailer. Additionally David serves as a board member of Georgetown University’s Entrepreneurship Alliance working to expand Georgetown’s entrepreneurial community. Previously David served as a conflict journalist in the Middle East where he reported on the Arab Spring. He has spoken at the White House, The UN, The Web Summit in Dublin and SXSW.

Ronni Kahn AO is a social entrepreneur and founder of Australia’s leading food rescue charity, OzHarvest. Ronni is a passionate advocate and activist renowned for disrupting the food waste landscape in Australia. She leads with purpose and conviction in the spaces of food security and sustainability while also appearing regularly in national media. Her mission to fight food waste and feed hungry people is supported by some of the world's finest chefs. Ronni is an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and was named Australian Local Hero of the Year. Her journey is the subject of feature film, Food Fighter directed by Dan Goldberg. In 2020 she co-authored her biography; A Repurposed Life, which was nominated for an ABIA award for Biography Book of the Year.

Damon Gameau is an Australian actor, director, and producer, known for his documentaries That Sugar Film and 2040. Damon’s most recent film is Future Council, where he invites eight children on an epic adventure across Europe in a school bus powered by biofuel. Their mission is to better understand the planet’s predicament, explore solutions and, most importantly, take the conversation from the streets, into the boardrooms of some of the world’s largest polluters and influential companies.

Determined and resourceful, Daniel Flynn is the co-founder and managing director of one of Australia’s most successful startups, Thankyou.

He co-founded Thankyou at the age of 19, and today 12 years later, Thankyou’s products are stocked by major retailers in Australia, with every product contributing to helping end global poverty. To date, Thankyou has raised over $17 million to impact the lives of people across 22 countries.

Daniel is also the author of best-selling book Chapter One, a story that generated $1.4 million in sales in its first month using an unorthodox ‘pay-what-you-want’ model. He is known for his disruptive marketing and has received widespread media coverage for some truly unconventional and highly successful campaigns that led to Thankyou products being stocked by some of Australia’s biggest retailers.

Daniel’s achievements as an entrepreneur have also been widely celebrated. In 2014, he was named an honoree in JCI’s Ten Outstanding Young People of the World, and in 2015 Daniel won EY Entrepreneur of the Year (for the Southern Region). In 2016 Daniel was named in the Forbes Asia 30 Under 30 for Social Entrepreneurship.

A multifaceted artist, Derek Richard Thomas is on a mission to foster abundance in soil and art. His journey began in college where he studied horticulture and soil science, igniting a passion for healing dirt into vibrant soil. However, his path took a musical turn when he decided to pursue his dream of music. Joining a band, he embarked on an epic adventure, sharing stages with icons like The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and the Kooks. Derek's commitment to regenerative agriculture is evident in his advocacy work and artistic endeavors, including the production of "Common Ground", a song associated with the regenerative agriculture documentary of the same name.

Jeffry is a passionate young social entrepreneur dedicated to creating meaningful change. From an early age, he immersed himself in social impact, channeling his energy into charity work and helping others. He thrives on connecting with like-minded individuals and fostering a community of change-makers.

He is a driven individual committed to enhancing Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices within his family’s company. His tireless efforts are geared towards making a positive impact on sustainability and responsible business practices, shaping a brighter future. Jeffry is a dedicated advocate for climate change awareness and environmental preservation. Within NEXUS Indonesia, he plays a pivotal role in fostering a green ethos, emphasizing the importance of Earth’s care and supporting ecosystems. Jeffry passionately believes that collective efforts are essential for a sustainable future.

Hicks is a powerful, life-affirming, and memorable speaker whose life symbolizes transformative possibilities, impacting and inspiring audiences worldwide. Despite enduring permanent injury and losing both legs in the 2005 London terrorist bombings, she vowed to Do More than Survive and devote her efforts to communicating the wonder and awe of the Human spirit.

Through her groundbreaking work, The Fragile Project, Hicks explores a position that transcends traditional concepts of resilience, encouraging a fundamental shift in how we approach change. Rather than merely surviving adversity, she advocates for becoming Agile within a Fragile existence – accepting change as an omnipresent part of life's journey.

Drawing from 20 years of lived experience, Hicks has developed a transformative methodology. This powerful framework goes beyond conventional resilience, offering a practical approach to finding opportunity within adversity and flexibility within change. The Fragile Project represents a deeper exploration of our collective ability to embrace change in all forms, fostering an agile mindset that helps us navigate life's complexities with greater stability and positivity. 

Gill’s injuries far from define her.

Gill is an inspiring story of human connection, the value of community and the power inside all of us. She’s just incredible.

Michael Baulch,
Vice President & Managing Director, ANZ at Boston Scientific.

Awarded and recognised with doctorates from London Metropolitan, Kingston and the University of South Australia, an MBE and AM, Gill brings her experience from a respected and expansive UK career within Design and the Arts to champion critical thinking, particularly within the areas of violent extremism. 

The author of four books, Josh Tickell has worked on environmental issues for over twenty years. His career spans a unique mixture of science, journalism and filmmaking. His directorial debut film, FUEL, is the 2008 Sundance Audience Award winning documentary that investigates the possible replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy. His 2017 Simon and Schuster book, Kiss the Ground, How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body and Ultimately Save Our World, was an Amazon Bestseller in multiple categories. Tickell holds an MFA in film from Florida State University’s Film School. He is a regular guest on talk shows and gives keynote presentations internationally on sustainability, regeneration and filmmaking.

Lucy is the Executive Officer of NEXUS Australia and a member of the NEXUS Global Mental Health Council, having been involved with NEXUS since 2015. Lucy has been a delegate and speaker at several NEXUS Global Summits, including as an official delegate to the United Nations Population Fund brains trust on Youth Creating a Resilient World. Passionate about philanthropy and social entrepreneurship, Lucy has used her time and skills to passionately drive social change. After working in professional services for 13 years both within Australia and the UK, in 2019 Lucy moved into not-for-profit and sits on the executive leadership team at youth mental health organisation, batyr. Lucy has been an active member of Philanthropy Australia’s Next Generation of Giving Program since 2014, and is also involved in her families philanthropic giving.

Matt is a leader in conservation and climate finance, with over 20 years of experience designing unique strategies to protect and restore the world’s most biodiverse tropical forests and ecosystems. He has championed innovative, market-driven solutions that not only drive conservation but also unlock economic value and empower communities at scale. As the founder and CEO of Terratai, Matt is at the forefront of transforming nature finance by blending catalytic philanthropy with private capital to de-risk and accelerate investment into high-impact early-stage ventures tackling nature and biodiversity loss. His approach bridges the gap between conservation and finance, ensuring that capital flows to solutions that address the systemic drivers of environmental degradation. With deep expertise gained from years of on-the-ground conservation work in remote tropical regions, Matt brings a strategic, field-informed perspective to global policy and investment decisions. A frequent speaker at international forums, he is recognized for his ability to translate complex environmental challenges into scalable, action-oriented solutions. Matt has also co-authored influential books and articles for policymakers, shaping the discourse on biodiversity, climate innovation, landscape approaches, and sustainable supply chains.

Shatha Hamade is Legal Counsel and Lead Investigator for Animals Australia and Animals International. She is a trained covert investigator and has conducted investigations internationally for over a decade. Her evidence has formed the basis of Australian and international prosecutions and litigations. Shatha regularly mounts legal challenges on behalf of animals in federal and state jurisdictions. She is internationally renowned for her expertise in using the law and investigations to advocate for animals. Her accolades include being awarded the Australian Young Lawyer of the Year by the Law Council of Australia.

James (he/him) is the Chief Operating Officer of The Man Cave Global, Australia's leading preventative mental health charity for teenage boys.
He is a social services and mental health/wellbeing specialist, having previously held the position as CEO of Pride Cup Australia and as an LGBTI+/ Gender Diversity policy advisor.
James was honoured to be named Australian Community Leader of the Year by the Australian Institute of Managers and Leaders.

Melissa Smith has built fundraising and philanthropy programs from concept to delivery at major cultural institutions and in the university sector in Australia, raising millions from philanthropists globally. She achieved multiple awards including Australian Fundraiser Of The Year (FIA) and Global Fundraiser Of The Year (IFC). This 20-year journey in fundraising expertise has crystallised Melissa’s thinking that unless leadership, Board and executive teams share a common understanding and are engaged in strategic fundraising, the potential of an organisation’s philanthropic capabilities cannot be fully realised.

Melissa established Noble Ambition in 2016 and has focused exclusively on working at Board and executive level to build the capability and confidence of Australia’s for-purpose sector leadership, to drive multi-million-dollar fundraising campaigns and achieve lasting social impact.

Noble Ambition has worked with hundreds of board directors, CEOs and fundraising directors nationally across many sectors including health, education, advocacy, culture, Indigenous, climate, disability, and social services.

In 2024, Melissa and the Noble Ambition team launched She Gives. She Gives is a campaign to inspire action and grow giving to any cause, at any level, that accelerates positive social change.

Melissa has a BA Hons (First Class, USyd), Masters of Management (UTS) and is a Churchill Fellow.

Arielle founded Groundswell with a clear vision: to build a nationwide community committed to funding effective climate solutions, ensuring a safer and more sustainable future. Under her leadership, Groundswell has become a key player in mobilising resources and fostering collaboration across the Australian climate movement.

Arielle is passionate about collaboration and creating space for new voices in the climate conversation. She has championed programs like Groundswell’s acclaimed climate fellowship, which has inspired bold climate action across philanthropy, business, and the arts.

Arielle is a Fellow of Australian Progress, a TEDxSydney 2023 speaker, and a member of the Arise Leadership Circle, an initiative by ActionAid supporting women-led emergency preparedness and response across the Pacific. Her work reflects a commitment to meaningful, transformative change for communities and the planet.

​​Tasha is the CEO of Accountable Futures Collective, a systems change initiative seeking to redefine and embed youth-driven accountability in the systems, organisations, institutions and change processes that young people rely on. Tasha knows that the systems and services young people must engage with are inequitable, are causing harm and are not accountable to those they serve, and is committed to moving beyond just listening to young people’s voices. 

Tasha trained as a lawyer before moving to work with community and support young people to shape social change. Tasha holds a number of Board Director positions and is excited by the magic that can happen when different knowledges, lived and learned experiences come together.

Tasha’s past experiences have taught her that accountability to young people is a powerful idea with potential as a pathway for healing, and profound, transformational impact on existing systems and structures.

Pete is the Founder of Remarkable, the global startup venture arm, made possible by Cerebral Palsy Alliance. He is dedicated to utilizing technological innovation to create a more accessible, inclusive, and equitable world. As a catalyst for global change in disability inclusion, Pete is also a co-founder of the +N Inclusive Innovation Network. With over 18 years of experience in the disability sector, he started his career as a landscape architect and believes in the transformative power of design, innovation and people to create a better world.

Eloise is the Co-founder and Managing Director of TABOO Period Products, a social enterprise selling organic and ethically sourced period products with all company profits committed to ending period poverty. She is personally committed to making long-lasting, structural changes to bridge the inequality that exists in our communities. Eloise has received several awards for her work including EY Impact Entrepreneur of the Year 2023, Westpac Social Change Fellowship 2023, The Advertiser’s 2021 Woman of Year Rising Star Award and InDaily’s 40 under 40. Eloise has served on several advisory boards and was most recently the Chair of the South Australian Social Enterprise Council.

Peter is an academic clinical psychologist who leads the policy research team at the Black Dog Institute. Peter and his team study diverse topics like workforce retention, data management, and the social determinants of health to help Australian policymakers improve our mental health system. Peter also works in private practice, focusing on anxiety and trauma.

Anita Toy is an experienced community investment professional with extensive experience working in domestic and international philanthropy. She spent over a decade in corporate before transitioning to the not-for-profit sector. She joined Give2Asia (USA) in 2017 as a Country Advisor connecting international donors and philanthropists to charitable causes in Australia and New Zealand.

Anita is the inaugural Executive Director of Myriad Australia (formerly known as Give2Asia Australia), the current Steering Committee Chair of Myriad, the Alliance for borderless giving - dedicated to unlocking the full potential of international philanthropy and Steering Committee Chair of the Asia Pacific Giving Network.

Amy Coetzee is a Senior Partnerships Advisor at the Minderoo Foundation, Australia’s largest philanthropic organisation. She supports Minderoo’s partnerships around gender equality and impact missions, and champions a gender lens into Minderoo’s vision of being an effective philanthropy. Her philosophy is that effective philanthropy is feminist philanthropy.

Amy advocates for Australian philanthropy learning from international best practice and believes in the power of "ubuntu" from her homeland of South Africa, which emphasises interconnected well-being, and the responsibility we have as global citizens to each other and the planet.

Prior to Minderoo, she was based at the OECD in Paris where she served as Deputy Secretary-General Knudsen’s Advisor, who among his extensive portfolio was also the OECD's Gender & Diversity Champion. Amy was the first female CEO of Global Voices, an Australian youth-led non-profit that aims to upskill and develop the next generation of leaders to contribute to domestic and global decision-making. In this role, she led multiple delegations to the World Bank & IMF, OECD, World Trade Organization, and UN.

Amy has worked across civil society, government, and academia in Australia, including at the Australian Government Department of Social Services, CEOs for Gender Equity, and the University of Western Australia. She has previously volunteered extensively with UN Youth Australia, the Oaktree Foundation, Vision Generation, and the Global Poverty Project (now Global Citizen).

She holds a Master's Degree in Public Policy & Management from the University of Melbourne, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in International Relations and French from the University of Western Australia. She has pursued her studies and international career across New Caledonia, the Netherlands, Peru, France, and the United States.

An experienced former school leader within the public education system in Australia, Nicole Dyson is the founder of Future Anything, an award-winning education provider that works with 25000+ young people (and their educators) each year, YouthX, Australia's only startup accelerator program for school-aged entrepreneurs, and Catapult Cards, a design thinking toolkit for classrooms and corporates that donates 50% of its profits back to providing micro-grants for youth-led startups.

Nicole is a 2024 Obama Foundation Leader (Asia Pacific), a 2023 Snow Entrepreneur, has been recognised twice (in 2023 and 2024) in The Educator's "Most Influential" list and was listed in the inaugural 40 Under 40 for Queensland in 2023 winning the 'Gamechanger Award'; recognizing a person who has "re-written the rules of business to challenge, inspire and spark significant change."

Nicole passionately believes that youth-led ideas have the power to bend the future and supports educators, schools, and systems to design and deliver future-focused learning that unlocks young people's passion and potential.

Shaun Christie-David is the founder of the Plate it Forward Hospitality Group - a restaurant group providing opportunities to people who are underrepresented in the workforce. To date he has employed over 200 people from marginalised communities across his  hospitality group & kitchens including Colombo Social, Kabul Social and Kyiv Social, as well as donating over 560,000 meals to people battling food insecurity as part of his global food diplomacy movement. 

Shaun was a driving force in the launch of the Aboriginal Health Television Network in partnership with the Australian Federal Government in 2019 – a channel dedicated to improving the health literacy of First Nations people. Shaun has been awarded accolades including the inaugural Good Food Innovator of the Year, Not for Profit Emerging Leader, Time Out's Hospitality Future Shaper, an AMP Tomorrow Maker – and in 2021, Plate it Forward was the recipient of the Community Human Rights Champion by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Adam Bozzetto’s 20-year career in the music industry spans multiple roles, including producer, multi-instrumentalist, DJ, and educator. His journey has taken him around the world, performing with various musical acts on stages ranging from major festivals like Splendour in the Grass and Field Day to intimate clubs on the Lower East Side of New York, London, Asia, and even Burning Man in the Nevada desert. Along the way, Adam has shared the stage with globally renowned acts such as Mark Ronson, Steve Aoki, The Presets, and Rufus.

As a Producer:

Adam’s original works have received airplay on Triple J and other stations locally and internationally. He has produced records for major labels and remixed tracks for iconic electronic music labels including Universal Music, Island Records, DIM MAK, and Fool’s Gold.

Beyond Electronic Music:

Adam’s versatility extends into composition and engineering, where he has created music for ABC TV, LinkedIn, TEDx, Optus, and more. His passion for technology has led to large-scale activations that merge music and tech, including events in Australia, Singapore, and the USA, with audiences of over 5,000 attendees.

Heaps Decent:

As a co-founder and Creative Lead of the nonprofit organization Heaps Decent, Adam has spent over 12 years empowering young people through music. He delivers workshops in high-risk environments, such as juvenile justice centers, and mentors emerging artists in remote and regional communities across New South Wales. Through Heaps Decent, Adam has worked with marginalized youth at more than 100 venues, fostering creativity and original music.

Educator:

Adam also shares his expertise as a music teacher at TAFE, specializing in composition and production. His dedication to education, music, and innovation has cemented his reputation as a dynamic force in the Australian music landscape.

When Corey Tutt OAM learned that there was a remote school with only 15 books in the whole library (5 of which were dictionaries) he set out to make change. To date, DeadlyScience has provided over 25,000 culturally appropriate books focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as well as telescopes, microscopes and other equipment to spark student interest.

Schools involved with DeadlyScience have reported a 25% increase in engagement in STEM and increased attendance. Now DeadlyScience has connected with over 800 schools and sent over 7500 boxes of STEM resources.

DeadlyScience has connected STEM professionals with schools and has now created STEM pathways programs for students. DeadlyScience was the first Indigenous org to feature on the side of the Mclaren Formula one car and has drawn the attention of Formula one superstar Lewis Hamilton.

As a board member of Seed mob Corey has been leading the fight for climate justice for Indigenous peoples across the Nation. Corey was instrumental in developing Science Technology Australia’s first RAP to further encourage participation and inclusion of First Nations peoples in STEM.

Corey’s passion for Indigenous education has also been recognised through various awards including the CSIRO Indigenous STEM Champion 2019; AMP Tomorrow Maker 2019 and ABC Trailblazer 2019, 2021 Eureka Prize winner for STEM inclusion.

Outside of his work in STEM Corey has become a highly successful author publishing bestselling and multi award winning book ‘The First Scientists’ and also his latest book, ‘This Book Thinks Ya Deadly’ which celebrates over 70 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Corey recently was appointed an Associate Professor of Indigenous Sciences at the University of Western Sydney.

Malcolm Thornton is the Head of Impact Capital at the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. Malcolm leads the organisation’s investment strategy for equity investments across venture capital, growth equity and private equity. Malcolm has more than 25 years’ experience in early stage and high growth company investing, including most recently as Head of Corporate Development ANZ with Cisco. Malcolm holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physics/Computer Science) and Master of Applied Science (Medical Physics) from Queensland University of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne.

Rachel English has worked on many sides of the social sector, in fundraising, service delivery and granting. She is currently a philanthropic advisor at Mutual Trust, working with clients to identify their philanthropic passions. With a decade of philanthropic experience in Australia and UK, Rachel has built extensive networks across the charitable sector and is recognised as an expert in family philanthropy and engaging the next generation.

Making philanthropy more accessible and meaningful drives most of Rachel's work. To this end, she is co-chair of NEXUS Australia's Advisory Council, a Director of the Inner North Community Foundation, a Director of the English Family Foundation and a former Committee Member of the Australian International Development Network (AIDN).

Tishiko King is a proud Kulkalaig woman from the Island of Masig and is a Ocean & Climate Advocate. In addition to her advocacy in Climate, Tish works with the Philanthropic sector to redistribute wealth back into First Nations communities for economic justice and self-determination.


Based in Naarm/Melbourne, Tish is spirited about sharing culture and amplifying social inequality and the rights of First Nations people. With studies in Ocean Science, lived experiences in the mineral and exploration industry, Tish continues to be a part of grassroots organisations, supporting the Our Islands Our Home campaign led by Torres Strait Island people and plays a role in advocating for Torres Strait Island Climate Justice.


Collaboratively working with like minded folks to shift the dial, Tish is a member of the Australian Museum Climate Solutions Centre Advisory Group, current Board Director for Divers for Climate, current Global Director for AIME and She Changes Climate Australian Ambassador.

Saffron is a lawyer, campaigner and political strategist with more than a decade of experience leading law reform campaigns. Prior to the Australian Democracy Network, Saffron was Government Relations Manager at the Australian Conservation Foundation. She spent several years living and working in the US, where she held a range of campaign and government relations roles.

In 2017, Saffron co-founded and led the Hands Off Our Charities Alliance which secured critical changes to 2017 Electoral Act amendments to protect the rights of civil society organisations to engage in advocacy.

Sean is a proud Pitjantjatjara man, born in Rosebud and raised in the bushland of Gariwerd (the Grampians). His passion lies in sharing his deep knowledge of bush tucker, bush medicine, traditional tool-making, and the art of cultural fire practices. Sean's knowledge and skills have been carefully nurtured through teachings from respected Elders, including Bunurong Traditional Owners, fostering a lifelong commitment to landcare and conservation. With over a decade of experience, Sean has collaborated closely with cultural leaders, conservationists, cultural heritage teams, and landcare groups. His extensive experience includes delivering cultural education programs across private and public schools, camps, and community groups throughout the Mornington Peninsula and surrounding areas. His familiarity with the land and heritage, coupled with his dedication to learning from cultural leaders, continually deepens his knowledge and teaching approach. Sean's passion for cultural education shines through in his commitment to empowering others. He reminds us, "We have incredible native plants in our backyards or along the beach self-sustaining resources we can learn to use."

Sean has been facilitating cultural education and mentoring sessions at Nairm Marr Djambana which is based in Bunurong Country, Frankston, Victoria.

Samantha Lee is a Supervising Solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre in Redfern, New South Wales. She has initiated numerous Supreme Court court action against the NSW Government regarding invalid COVID-19 fines, which resulted in the withdrawal of 55,000 fines. Additionally, she is working on a class action against NSW police for unlawful strip searches.
Previously, Samantha worked for many years as a criminal and in-house lawyer at NSW Legal Aid. She is also a board member of the NGO Unharm and has served as the Director of Gun Control Australia in New South Wales.

Rathana Chea is a globally recognised leader in climate, human rights and social impact, with a career spanning 20 years driving systemic change across 6 continents. He has led local, regional, and international strategies for Amnesty International, Greenpeace and various United Nations agencies. He has also served in key advisory roles to leading philanthropic groups, Fortune 500 companies and numerous startups.

Concerned by the climate movement’s limitations, Rathana co-founded the Multicultural Leadership Initiative (MLI) an international not-for-profit that identifies, trains and amplifies racially and culturally diverse climate leaders to innovate pathways for a climate safe future that reflects the needs of the true diversity of humanity. He is also the Founder of Rathana.org, a global consultancy operating from 15 countries covering Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Oceania, Australia and the Americas supporting not-for-profits, philanthropic foundations, impact investors, intergovernmental agencies as well as socially and environmentally responsible corporations surface their best selves.

Named one of the Most Influential Asian-Australians and Asia Pacific CEO of the Year (Environmental Sustainability) in 2024, Rathana is passionate about collaborating beyond personal egos and conventional siloes to discover what is right, not who is right.

Nathaniel Diong transformed his challenging upbringing into a mission to empower youth. Today, he is the founder of Future Minds Network, an award-winning education provider supporting 13,000 young Australians with skills and confidence for the future.

Future Minds delivers future-focussed learning, mentorship, and entrepreneurship programs, where youth build resilience, industry experience and learn about careers of the future in the climate & digital economy. It provides young people with not just skills, but hope, showing them that a brighter future is within reach.

Internationally, Nathaniel has been recognised by SBS World News, Forbes, TEDx, as well as the Royal Palace. Nathaniel is a 2025 Diana Award recipient, 2024 Global Citizen Youth Leader, 2023 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year, 2022 Forbes 30 under 30 Listee, and was nominated for Young Australian of the Year in 2021.

ygap is a nonprofit backing local innovators to create lasting social change in communities across Pasifika, Africa, and Australia. ygap has worked with over 800 innovators to impact over 1 million lives since 2012, deploying over A$1.2M in impact capital.

Meenal previously worked in go-to-market strategy at Unilever ANZ before moving to India to co-design a grassroots female entrepreneurship model and lead the scale-up of a gender equity nonprofit that improved the menstrual health of over 55,000 adolescent schoolgirls across rural communities. She is an observer with the board of CARE Australia, alumni of Wade Institute's VC Catalyst, and co-author of the anthology 'Growing Up Indian In Australia'.

Martin is a long standing member of NEXUS Australia. Martin is the Director of the Pantera Press Foundation, a Director of Australia’s leading poetry organisation Red Room Poetry, plays in a band and volunteers in music production for at-risk youth at arts charity Heaps Decent.

Angus is co-founder and Director of Tanck, a strategic advisory and communications firm that supports for-purpose and social sector clients to drive better advocacy and engagement of government and philanthropy. His political experience, advising to ministers in the executive functions of government, has given Angus an edge that he brings to his social sector clients and also to Nexus. He works with a broad cohort of clients who are seeking to affect positive social change, supporting social sector leaders to navigate the pathways and machinery of government to ensure the voice of the sector is better represented in government decision making. Angus joined the Nexus Australia committee in 2019.

Kesaya Baba is the Senior Manager for COP31 Strategy for WWF-Australia, leading WWF’s efforts to ensure that COP31 secures a defining moment for climate, nature and communities and helps to stabilise global warming to 1.5°C. Kesaya is Fijian and Australian (of English and Scottish heritage) and a passionate climate and human rights advocate. She has worked in climate diplomacy and international development in the Pacific and Southeast Asia as COP26 Climate Change Attaché at the British Embassy (Thailand), Senior Policy Adviser at the National Emergency Management Agency (Australia) and Programme Manager for Volunteer Service Abroad (Solomon Islands).

Sarah Everitt is the co-founder and Managing Director of MediStays, a purpose-driven organization dedicated to improving lives through access to accommodation solutions for people on a health and disability journey. With a deep commitment to supporting individuals facing medical conditions, disabilities, and vulnerabilities, Sarah ensures that patients and their families find suitable accommodation quickly and effortlessly.

Her professional journey began in radiation oncology and medical research. At the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Sarah worked clinically and in leading pioneering clinical trials in molecular imaging. Inspired by firsthand experiences of patients struggling to access appropriate accommodation during treatment, she co-founded MediStays to bridge this gap. Under her leadership, MediStays partners with hospitals, government agencies, charitable and community organisations to provide trusted accommodation solutions nationwide.

Izzy Jensen is the Managing Partner of the Transition Accelerator, leading a mission to decarbonise the planet by bridging investment and philanthropic capital with environmental solutions. A recognised leader in her field, Izzy has received numerous accolades for her contributions to finance and climate initiatives. She was the winner of the Women’s Agenda Emerging Leader in the Private Sector Award (2024), Women in Finance Thought Leader of the Year (2024), and Women in Finance Entrepreneur of the Year (2023). She was also listed in Fin-Erth’s Women in Climate Awards 2024, recognised among 101 leading women driving climate solutions globally.

As Managing Director of WeThink, Grace consults on impact investment, growth strategy and market engagement, with recent clients ranging from significant impact investment funds to global firms including Google and DLA Piper. Grace sits on the Board of the Healthcare Impact Foundation and co-leads the Global Family Office BioForum, into which she personally introduced over 150 international family offices. She sits on the advisory board of Healthcare Ventures, Australia’s first digital health venture capital fund.

From a young age, Pete’s perspective on life was shaped by his upbringing in south-east Asia and after finishing a Bachelor of Commerce and Arts specialising in management and international development, Pete officially joined the Thankyou team in 2012. As Chief Impact Officer at Thankyou and a Director of the Thankyou Charitable Trust, Pete works to ensure Thankyou’s funding amplifies impactful change-makers, who are working towards systemic and sustainable outcomes for communities living in extreme poverty. Pete’s is also involved in establishing Thankyou’s Responsible Business Goals and supports our team in minimising the social and environmental impacts of operating a social enterprise model in the fast-moving-consumable-goods industry.

Xavier Vella is a Mechatronics Engineer driven by a passion for creating an accessible and inclusive future for all. As someone with an upper limb difference, Xavier brings a unique perspective to their work, blending technical expertise with empathy. This lived experience has shaped their problem-solving approach, making them a strong believer for using human-centered design in projects.

Currently, Xavier works at Free 3D Hands, a charity dedicated to providing assistive technology to anyone, anywhere in the world, free of charge. Through their role, they focus on developing innovative solutions that enhance the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities. Their personal experiences as someone with an upper limb difference provide them with insights and ideas that set them apart from other engineers, allowing them to design products that truly meet the needs of users.

With a strong foundation in mechatronics engineering and a focus on accessibility, Xavier is committed to creating a future where technology serves as an empowering tool for people of all abilities, ensuring that everyone can benefit from the opportunities it offers.

Liza Heavener is the COO of NEXUS Global. She has wide-ranging experience working nearly ten years in federal politics, grassroots and campaign strategy and with the United States Congress. Liza was a healthcare lobbyist for a large membership organization, running their national advocacy program to engage hundreds of thousands of advocates across the country. She was also a founding member of an organization dedicated to stopping deforestation in Borneo, Indonesia and assisted in building an orangutan rehabilitation center in the rainforests of Borneo.

She serves on the Board of Coalition for Impact, EMU and Mercy for Animals. Liza had a feature role in the internationally-acclaimed documentary and tv series, “Rise of the Eco-Warrior,” and has spoken on stages across the globe.

Nick is co-director of Watershed, a consultancy at the intersection of climate, politics and philanthropy. Previously, Nick founded Australian Progress, and served as CEO of Foundation for Young Australians, as well as strategy agency Make Believe. Nick is a board member of Global Citizen Australia, and on advisory boards for Tripple and Nexus/Philanthropy Australia.

William Barton is Australia’s leading didgeridoo player as well as a highly esteemed composer, instrumentalist and vocalist.William first learnt the instrument from his uncle, Arthur Peterson, an Elder of the Wannyi, Lardil and Kalkadunga peopleand was working from an early age with traditional dance groups, fusion/rock/jazz bands, orchestras, string quartets andmixed ensembles.Throughout his diverse career he has forged a path in the classical musical world from the London, Berlin and BremerPhilharmonic Orchestras to historic events at Westminster Abbey for Commonwealth Day 2019, at Anzac Cove in Gallipoliand the Beijing Olympics.William holds honorary doctorates from both Griffith University and the University of Sydney. He has released 5 albums onthe ABC Classics label including Heartland 2022 with Veronique Serret and the words of William’s mother, Aunty DelmaeBarton. William has been developing a new musical language, which is epitomised in this record.William was named Queensland Australian of the Year for 2023 and was an Australian of the Year Nominee. In 2023 healso received the Richard Gill Award for Distinguished Services to Australian Music.In 2022 he was recognised for his work with the Australian Chamber Orchestra for the Sountrack of the film “River”. River won BestSoundtrack Album and Best Original Song Composed for the Screen at the APRA AMCOS Screen Awards, Best Original Score in aDocumentary at the AACTA Awards and Best Original Soundtrack at the ARIA Awards.His other awards include the presigious Don Banks Music Award from the Australian Council in 2021, winner of Best Original Scorefor a Mainstage Production at the 2018 Sydney Theatre Awards and Winner of Best Classical Album at the ARIA Awards forBirdsong At Dusk in 2012