Keynote Speakers

Rachael Robertson

Antarctic expedition leader, bestselling author, leadership expert

Rachael Robertson is a dynamic leader and superbly strategic thinker under the most challenging circumstances. She successfully led the 58th Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition to Davis Station – only the second female to lead a team at the Station and one of the youngest-ever leaders.

Rachael is also a best-selling author, Australia’s pre-eminent authority on extreme leadership and Australia’s most booked female speaker. Her talents are in great demand from leading organisations around the globe.

As a keynote speaker and facilitator at over 700 national and international conferences and events, Rachael Robertson shares what it was like to be a leader in such an intense and unique situation – and the many valuable leadership lessons she learnt during her time of exploration and discovery.

Joanne Plummer

Chair, Barwon Water

With a portfolio of roles, Jo is an experienced Board Chair. Pertinent to the water industry, she first served as non-executive Director for Central Highlands Water over a four-year term before her appointment to the Barwon Water Chair role in October, 2015.

Notably, she was appointed by her peers to Board Chair for the Victorian Water Industry Association in October, 2017.

Additionally, Jo's portfolio includes:

Fellow and faculty member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors;
Committee Chair - South Melbourne Market;
Board Chair - Barwon Asset Solutions;
Board Chair – Deakin MBA Advisory; and
Board Chair – VicWater.

She is a highly experienced business strategist and has worked across large commercial corporate, SME, government and NFP environments.

She also enjoys professional mentoring, is an engaging master of ceremonies and expertly facilitating strategies that enable alignment between commercial, social and environmental outcomes.

Jo holds a Master of Business Administration, a Graduate Diploma in Retail Management and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

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Associate Professor Chris Walsh

Principal Research Fellow, School of Ecosystem and Forest Sciences, The University of Melbourne

Chris Walsh has been working and writing on the effects of land use (particularly urbanization) on the ecology of streams for over 25 years.

He is a senior and founding member of the Waterway Ecosystem Research Group, and the Melbourne Waterway Research Practice Partnership with Melbourne Water. Both groups aim to optimize urban (and other) land and water management for the protection and restoration of running waters.

The Little Stringybark/Dobsons Creek project has been a major project for much of his career: a world-first experiment, that aimed to restore the ecological health of streams through catchment-scale retrofit of urban stormwater drainage.

This project and his research more broadly have led to many high-impact publications that have recast the problem of urban stormwater runoff, influencing reforms to urban water management internationally.

Mayor Stephanie Asher

Mayor of Geelong, Victoria

Stephanie Asher is a management consultant, best-selling author and Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong since 2019. As mayor of one of the largest regional councils in Australia, Stephanie has led the City’s health and economic response to COVID-19.

Stephanie has worked to deliver essential services, safer roads and fund vital local facilities such as the north Bellarine pool in Drysdale.

With her strong focus on the community, Stephanie has been actively involved in a number of volunteer and community organisations. She is a former director of Barwon Regional Waste Management Group, Committee for Geelong, Bethany Community Support, Geelong Library Corporation, Kids Plus Foundation and a former vice president of Ocean Grove Surf Life Saving Club.

Stephanie earned her degree at Monash University and started her career in public relations and corporate communications. At age 27, she established her own management consultancy business, which is still going strong more than two decades later.

As managing partner of Geelong Consulting Group, Stephanie leads a team of professionals who deliver project outcomes across greater Geelong and Melbourne.This includes programs and projects for a broad range of Australian companies in the retail, mining, financial and education sectors.

Stephanie is also the author of the authorised biography The Trailblazing Story of Susan Alberti - The Footy Lady. This is now into its third reprint.With a record of delivering for regional communities, Stephanie wants to represent Corangamite as a strong, positive voice and get results across the region.

Corrina Eccles

Wadawurrung Traditional Owner

Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Corrina Eccles has 22 years of employment experience in Aboriginal organisations and community engagement, advocacy for cultural values, support and connection

She has contributed to various advisory and committee groups including representation on many Boards in the region.

Corrina has undertaken board governance training and brings Aboriginal culture elements, perspective and values relating to water.

Conference Convenor