Brenda Mainland

Co-Founder and Director, Survey Matters

Brenda is a Co-Founder and Director at Survey Matters – the leading research agency for the association and not for profit sector. Survey Matters works with associations to help them understand members’ perspectives on belonging to craft strategies that improve engagement, retention and revenue.

With experience and a real depth of understanding of the sector, Brenda works with organisations to understand the value proposition - what is important to stakeholders and how to craft strategies to provide real value. Our work also includes generating and building industry data and knowledge to support advocacy, promotion, industry development and marketing activities.

Brenda has been working with the sector for over ten years. She has a wealth of data at her disposal about member preferences and attitudes to help associations develop strategies to meet members’ needs.

Brenda holds a Master of Management from Monash University, and is Survey Matters is a Company Partner of the Research Society.

David Friend

Managing Director, Shared Services Solutions

David is Managing Director of Shared Services Solutions managing membership & merchandise programs.

David has worked in the industry for 15 years and has a first-class reputation for high level membership strategy & achievement of record results. David has been instrumental in large membership growth for many sporting, corporate and NFP organisations.

Prior to establishing SSS, David was GM Membership & Merchandise at Hawthorn FC. David was also GM Membership & Merchandise at St Kilda FC & achieved record membership & merchandise results during his tenure.

David is appointed to the board of Frankston FC developing portfolios for both membership & merchandise.

Dr Louise Schaper

Chief Executive Officer, Australasian Institute of Digital Health

Hilary Shelton

Chief Executive Officer, The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation VIC

Hilary is in her 8^th year as CEO for The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (Victorian Branch). Her leadership has seen the organisation prioritise stakeholder relationships, sustainable and relevant business models and a reinvigorated focus on membership. Hilary has held executive leadership positions within operations, marketing and publishing across the NFP and commercial sector in education, recreation and sport performance for more than 17 years and is a recent graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course. 

John Peacock

Chief Executive Officer, Associations Forum

John is the Chief Executive Officer of Associations Forum. He is one of Australia’s most experienced advisors to associations and charities and is a thought leader for the not-for-profit sector. With a BCom (University of NSW), he has held senior management and Directorship roles with various not-for-profit organisations. Since 2000, John has trained and consulted to hundreds of associations and charities, large and small, on strategic planning, governance, board effectiveness, operations, restructuring and financial issues.

As well as engagement on specific projects, John’s consulting business undertakes whole-of-organisation reviews of associations and charities. John’s operational specialisation is developing plans that can be translated into actions, budgets and job descriptions. His change specialisation is in the field of mergers of associations.

Kate Miranda

Head of Communications and Public Affairs, Australian Dental Association NSW

Kate Miranda is Head of Communications and Public Affairs at the Australian Dental Association NSW. Kate also runs Filling the Gap, a health services charity formed by ADA NSW which provides dental aid clinics and advocates for equity of access to dental services. Kate is a progressive leader specialising in advocacy, media and government relations, crisis communications, organisational strategy and membership. Having worked as a senior adviser to a former Australian Health Minister, Kate has expertise in public policy and the parliamentary system. Kate devised ADA NSW’s COVID-19 communications strategy and was instrumental in developing the membership renewal strategy that resulted in the Association’s most successful renewal campaign, achieving a 96% retention rate and 188 new members.

Paul Seitz

Marketing and Communications Manager, Direct Selling Australia

Although in his third year as Marketing and Communications Manager at Direct Selling Australia, Paul has been involved in the direct selling industry since 1992 working in over 60 countries. In his career, Paul has obtained a wealth of event production experience, with roles exposing him to graphic design and content creation, video and audio editing, talent acquisition, and all the details that make an event special. Despite possessing a strong understanding of technology, Paul emphasises that building relationships with people is the single most successful trait in his long and diverse career.

Peter Vymys

Chief Executive Officer, Migration Institute of Australia

Peter is a qualified lawyer with 25 years experience and having spent the majority of his professional career practising as an in-house commercial lawyer.  He is the former in-house counsel of an ASX 100 and former general counsel of a FTSE 100.  He is an admitted legal practitioner of the Supreme Court of NSW and High Court of Australia.

In September 2017 he commenced employment as General Counsel and Executive Manager Corporate Services with The Migration Institute of Australia Limited (‘MIA’), the peak national association that represents the interests of registered migration agents and lawyers practising in migration law.  He was subsequently promoted to the role of Chief Executive Officer in July 2018 and reports to a board of 7 directors.

The MIA is a public public company limited by guarantee and has approximately 2500 professional members.  Core services include Professional Support, Education (OMARA CPD accredited provider), Membership services/events and Advocacy.  The MIA has a national office located in Sydney with a staff of 13 that provide membership services both nationally and internationally to its members.

Robert Barnes

Country Manager - APAC, Higher Logic

Sally Loane

Chief Executive Officer, Financial Services Council

Sally Loane joined the Financial Services Council as Chief Executive Officer in December 2014.

Prior to this Sally had a decade in the corporate sector, working at Coca-Cola Amatil as a senior executive. Her first career was in the media, where she spent 25 years as a broadcaster and journalist across radio, television and print. Sally is also a published author.

Sally is a Director of Venues NSW, Destination NSW, the Avner Pancreatic Cancer Research Foundation.  Sally is also a Governor of the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation, Ambassador for Business Events Sydney and a member of Chief Executive Women. 

Sally was the first female director of Waratahs Rugby and served on the board for seven years. She was a Director of SCEGGS Darlinghurst for 12 years and chaired the Salvation Army’s Sydney East Doorknock Appeal from 2008-2011 and was a Co-Deputy Chair for the Committee for Sydney.

Tony Gleeson

Chief Executive Officer, Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heating

Tony has a wealth of experience in creating corporate growth, having held leadership roles for some of the world's foremost professional services organisations, including PricewaterhouseCoopers, Deloitte, CPA Australia and the Australian Institute of Management. Tony's expertise in technology enablement, process improvement and management strategy, combined with his passion for education and development has helped leading organisations to navigate through the complex and challenging climates.