Speakers

Hon Chris Picton MP

The Hon Rob Kerin

Former South Australian Premier the Hon. Rob Kerin continues to be a passionate advocate for primary producers and regional communities.

Rob has served as a director and adviser for many organisations and is currently chairman of Regional Development South Australia. He also chairs the S.A. Rock Lobster Advisory Council and S.A. Oyster Growers Association and until 2021 chaired Primary Producers S.A. Rob also chairs the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) and is Chair of the Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority.

During his 15-year political career, Rob held multiple portfolios including Primary Industries and Resources, Regional Development, Minerals and Energy, Forestry, State Development and Tourism and Multi-cultural Affairs.

Yaara Plaves

Yaara has a deep understanding of sustainability and regenerative design and has been GreenStar Accredited since 2015 and LFA since 2022. She is head of the National Sustainability Forum (NSF) at Hames Sharley, sharing her knowledge and passion with the team and clients alike. Her passion for sustainability and regenerative design has seen Yaara involved in several committees and professional organisations in the sustainability field, as well as casual teaching positions in universities.

Jon Whelan

Jon Whelan is the Chief Executive for the South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport with over 37 years of extensive experience with the Department. He is passionate and committed to deliver valuable social and economic infrastructure, as well as service delivery, with responsibility for ensuring well-connected and customer focused services are delivered safely, efficiently, and sustainably.

Accountable to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport,  Jon is responsible for the delivery of a multi-billion dollar program of social and transport infrastructure, all aimed at improving the lives of South Australians, including those in regional South Australia. This includes the delivery of South Australia’s largest and most complex road infrastructure project to be undertaken in South Australia’s history, the $15.4 billion, North-South Corridor, River Torrens to Darlington Project.

Jon is also the Rail Commissioner and Commissioner of Highways, with overarching responsibilities for all modes of transport in South Australia.

Highly respected across government and industry, Jon prides himself on his engagement with staff and fostering collaborative relationships with industry and key stakeholders.

Cr David Elliott

As a lifelong cyclist, David is a passionate advocate for cycling as a safe and accessible transport mode for all ages and abilities. His studies in urban geography drove him towards sustainable transport advocacy, later becoming Chair of Bike Adelaide and a City of Adelaide councillor. Through both of these roles, David has become a well-known voice in Adelaide for equitable transport planning outcomes, placing specific emphasis on safe walking and cycling facilities to address Adelaide’s congestion, car-dependency and road violence problems.

David’s background as an intelligence analyst in both the Royal Australian Air Force and Fair Work Ombudsman, and studies in geography and sociology inform his critical analysis to discourse, power and politics around active transport in South Australia. David has also sat on the Australian Walking and Cycling Conference organising committee and is an organising member of the annual Kidical Mass family bicycle protest.

Chris Menz

Chris provides strategic leadership to Renewal SA on behalf of the state government. He has more than 20 years of experience in the property industry across the private and public sectors, having worked with property development groups in Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territory.

He has worked within high performing leadership teams across a number of major developments, including Mawson Lakes, Westwood, Bowden, the Australian Bragg Centre for Proton Therapy and Research (SAHMRI 2) and the national award-winning residential development, WEST.

Judith Formston

Judith Formston is a Deputy Chief Executive at the Department of Health & Wellbeing, heading up the Corporate Services Portfolio. Prior to taking on this role, Judith was the Deputy Chief Executive and Head of Corporate Services at the Department for Infrastructure and Transport. In her current role, she has Executive responsibility for Finance, Procurement and Contracting, Infrastructure Projects, new Womens and Childrens Hospital Project, Accommodation and Workforce matters. Judith holds a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accounting and Economics. She has worked in Government for over 20 years, holding Executive and Senior Management positions in the Department for Treasury and Finance, Department for Premier & Cabinet and Department for Correctional Services. Judith has held Board positions on AustRoads and the former State Procurement Board.

Jeremy Conway

As Chief Executive of Infrastructure SA, Jeremy has led development of the State’s first 20-year infrastructure strategy and is responsible for providing independent advice to the South Australian Government on infrastructure projects and prioritisation.

His team has a strong focus on evidence-based decision-making and seeks to improve the maturity of infrastructure planning and investment across government. Infrastructure SA also aims to identify projects that deliver benefits for all South Australians by adopting a state-wide cross-sectoral lens.

This is aided by Jeremy’s deep experience in both the public and private sectors. He has held senior roles at the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure and Department for the Premier and Cabinet; meanwhile his vast commercial and business experience comes from having worked in property development at Places Victoria for three years and in private equity CVC Capital Partners in London for nine years.

Rodney Welch

Stephanie Johnston

Stephanie Johnston & Associates is a boutique consultancy specialising in urban and rural planning and placemaking, heritage assessment and management, industry research and support services for architects, property owners, private sector developers, local and state government agencies and the not-for-profit sector.

Stephanie is particularly interested in how planning can harness and enhance the core drivers of a city or region – culture, commerce and community. A member of South Australia's State Planning Commission and the Adelaide Park Lands Authority, Stephanie is also an expert member of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes, and sits on the national executive committee of Australia ICOMOS. 
 
Stephanie's strengths and experience lie in strategic thinking across specialist disciplines and in bringing cultural, historical and community perspectives to large and small scale projects. Her key interests include place-making and peri-urban policy-making, planning in the context of the economic capitalisation of cultural and heritage assets, and integrated planning at the local, landscape and regional levels. =

David Christensen

David Christensen is an experienced mining executive, with successful experience managing exploration, mining and marketing operations.  Prior to founding Renascor Resources, David served as Chief Executive Officer of Australian-based uranium mining company, Heathgate Resources.  His experience also includes serving as President of Nuclear Fuels Corporation, a uranium trading and marketing company.  David commenced his career as an attorney in California and London offices of international law firm Latham & Watkins.  David was educated at Cornell University (BA, Economics and Classical Civilizations), the University of California, Los Angeles (JD) and the Universitá di Bologna (Fulbright Fellow).

Lloyd Damp

Lloyd is at the forefront of the space industry in Australia. He founded Southern Launch in 2017 and the company conducted the first commercial space launch from Australian soil in 2020.

Today, Southern Launch operates two space launch facilities in Koonibba and Whalers Way on the Eyre Peninsula of South Australia. These multi-user space launch facilities will enable rapid access to space for customers from around the world.

Lloyd’s vision is to develop world-class space launch facilities in South Australia. Southern Launch is currently working through major development approval for the Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex. This work is a first for South Australia and Lloyd and his team are spearheading reform as government and regulatory bodies embrace commercial space launch.

Lloyd and his team are proud to be leading ground-breaking work that will benefit South Australia and the state’s economy. It is projected that the gross ongoing economic impact of Southern Launch’s space launch facilities will contribute upwards of $450 million to the South Australian economy. The launch facilities will also deliver almost 500 FTE new, high-tech, employment opportunities in Adelaide and regional South Australia.

Lloyd is committed to ensuring Southern Launch develops globally relevant space launch capabilities that operate alongside our natural environment. Space launch creates a centre of gravity around which other space industries form. By investing in, and developing world-class space launch facilities, South Australia will cement its place in the global space industry.

Kym Meys

As the lead executive driving Master Planning, capacity planning and project delivery of both aviation and commercial developments, Kym is passionate about bringing together people, places and experiences while transforming the way airports approach planning, place making, stakeholder and community engagement, and project delivery.

Kym holds a Masters of Aviation (Management) and a Bachelor of Technology (Air Transportation Management) from Swinburne University of Technology, and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Civil Aviation) from the University of South Australia, where Kym also trained as a commercial pilot.

Kym has over 15 years’ airport experience across Australian airports having held a wide range of senior airport planning, strategy and project delivery roles ranging from a remote mining airport to major Australian gateways.

Rainer Korte

Mel Slater

Mel Slater joined Defence SA as Director, Maritime in December 2023. The focus of his role is to develop and deliver a program of activities that grows Defence presence and contributes to a sustainable defence industry within the state.

Mel has over 35 years’ experience in shipbuilding construction (including submarines, patrol boats, frigates, minehunters, and diving systems) across engineering, major subcontracts, and senior management positions, with over 30 of those years working here in South Australia.

Prior to joining Defence SA, Mel worked on major projects including the Attack class submarine program and AIR6500, responsible for aspects of sourcing within the supply chain through market solicitations, evaluations, subcontract negotiations and executions, with overall cost and schedule responsibilities.

Mel has also worked on several other key Defence projects in the state, including the design and construction of the Collins class submarines, construction of the Hobart class Air Warfare Destroyers, and projects within the land and air domains.

Mel has formal qualifications in Mechanical Engineering, Project Management (CPPD (AIPM) and PMP (PMI)) and Business Management (MBA).

Melissa Nozza

Melissa Nozza is the Director, Capital Projects, Infrastructure.

She holds tertiary qualifications in Architecture and Project Management and commenced her career as a practising Architect for 11 years, before moving to a private consulting organisation for five years as a Project Manager. 

Melissa then joined the South Australian Government initially working for the Department for Infrastructure and Transport as a Project Manager before joining SA Health as a Senior Project Manager within the Capital Projects Team. 

In 2023, Melissa was successful in being appointed to the role of Director, Capital Projects reflecting her leadership with stakeholders, colleagues and her ability to deliver significant outcomes through her projects.

Over her career spanning 20+ years, Melissa has successfully delivered projects across multiple sectors including health, education, industrial, commercial, retail, and residential.

Melissa is a highly motivated, energetic person who strives to achieve successful project and team outcomes that will positively impact on the health and wellbeing of South Australians now and into the future.

Anita Saunders

Anita Saunders is a Program Manager for Electric Vehicle Charging at RAA Group in Adelaide.  

She is a commercially minded professional with over 20 years’ experience in fast paced and  dynamic, corporate environments include Automotive, IT, Telecommunication, Engineering and  Mining industries.  

She started her carrier in Hungary, Budapest at the Norwegian telecommunication giant, Telenor’s  affiliates where she had opportunities to work with broad range of stakeholders internationally and  manage multi-national projects. This is where her passion for working collaboratively in diverse  teams started. 

Moved to Australia, Adelaide over a decade ago and worked in different fields but spent the last 7 years at RAA. She has gained broad skills and expertise in managing small to large scale projects and  programs but could leverage her extensive experience in Product Management and Business  Management paired with robust analytical skills.  

She was part of the core team designing and submitting grant proposal for SA’s EV Charge Network  and since then her experience in Electric Vehicle Charging ecosystem is ever growing. 

Anita is passionate about sustainability in all facades of life, positive psychology, and mental  wellbeing.

Bettina Venner

Bettina Venner leads the SA Industry Capability Network (ICN) office in the Department for Industry, Innovation and Science. ICN is part of a national network that connects local companies with opportunities by building supply chains and growing local capability. Key sectors of focus include energy, defence, mining, manufacture, infrastructure and construction – including the emerging hydrogen sector. Bettina has worked as a chemical engineer in the oil and gas industry in South Africa, Germany and Australia before joining government. Her government roles include policy, regulation and economic development.

Ken Long

Ken is the Regional Sustainability Manager South Australia and Victoria for Lendlease and a recognised advocate for sustainable built environments. With qualifications in Architecture, Sustainable Design and Ecologically Regenerative
Design, Ken facilitates a holistic system thinking approach to design problems. Ken’s professional experience traverses organisational sustainability and net zero advisory and technical sustainable design consultancy for developments of all scales. This includes carbon accounting, business ESG strategy, project design optimisation, building performance simulation, biophilic design integration, green building ratings and life cycle analysis. Alongside his professional career advancement, Ken is very active in advocating for sustainable built environments within the South Australian development and design industry.  As the Chairperson of the Adelaide Sustainable Building Network, Ken helps facilitate opportunities for professionals and general public to engage with concepts of sustainable design and be inspired to implement them.

Rebecca De Cicco

Rebecca De Cicco is a global digital expert, thought leader and innovator who acts as a role model across the globe in digital advisory, strategy and standards across the built environment. She now acts as the Principal of Digital Enablement for advisory firm Aurecon, acting to drive and support growth in digital enablement opportunities across the group, helping clients to strategize, create and manage assets in a more intelligent and digitally focused way. In March 2021, Rebecca’s own consultancy Digital Node was acquired by Aurecon, where she provided leading digital transformation and BIM capability to its people, clients and projects. Her work across the group focuses on advisory as well as upskilling and educating industry in the adoption of digitally focused processes, requirements and technologies, all of which are a great passion to her. 

Rebecca’s success is also supported by her keen interest in developing a strong profile for herself across the world, volunteering and supporting a variety of groups and initiatives. She is the sole founder of Women in BIM (WIB) which she co-created in the UK in 2012 to support the lack of diversity across our sector and in particular digital. Her vision was to create an opportunity to gather and grow women in the digital space by providing an outlet to network, share and work together. The group began as a UK focused initiative and it has now become a global support network with WIB regional leaders appointed in over 45 countries across the globe driving and supporting their main themes and incentives. 

As an industry thought leader, Rebecca has been awarded numerous awards and recognitions for her work across the Construction industry and continues to strive to make a difference to ultimately help drive change and innovation in her sector. 

Ben Byrnes

Ben Byrnes is a highly experienced professional with over 25 years of expertise in design drafting and modelling for the Built Environment. Throughout his career, he has worked for industry-leading consultancies such as ARUP, SMEC, and Aurecon, where he played a crucial role in enhancing coordinated design processes. Recognising the potential for efficiency gains in construction and design, Ben is focused on coordination and automation in the industry. He excels in producing and streamlining workflows that leverage the full power of digital delivery methods, utilising his deep understanding of both traditional CAD tools and the latest BIM software.

At Arkance, Ben remains at the forefront of BIM and all relevant software packages. He provides advanced support to our customers, successfully implementing and deploying technology tools. Additionally, as an Autodesk Certified Instructor, he delivers training programs, utilising tools that track, measure, and report on professional development progress, leading to measurable improvements in attendees' knowledge.

Magnolia Garcia

Magnolia is a Solution Engineer at Autodesk, overseeing the infrastructure sector for ANZ. With 14+ years of experience in engineering across Australia, Singapore, and the Philippines, she boasts a diverse skill set in Civil Engineering, Asset Management, and GIS. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Professional Engineering, majoring in Civil Engineering with University of Southern Queensland.