Leadership Health and Culture Forum

Stronger together

The Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum brought together leaders from business, government, health, culture, education, community and the not-for-profit sector for a powerful regional conversation about what it takes to build stronger, healthier and more connected communities.

The forum explored the connection between leadership, health, wellbeing and culture, and how these themes shape workforce participation, business performance, community resilience, belonging, trust and long-term regional confidence.

The theme of the day, Stronger Together, reflected the spirit of the forum: that the future of the Northern Rivers will not be shaped by one sector, one organisation or one leader alone, but by how well we connect our efforts, share knowledge and work together for the next generation.

Opening the Day

The forum opened with Mindy Woods, who grounded the room in Country, culture and place through a meaningful Acknowledgement of Country. Mindy created an immediate connection with the room with her vibrant and inclusive involvement of the audience.

Jane Laverty, Regional Director of Business NSW Northern Rivers, then welcomed guests and set the context for the day, drawing on the work being undertaken through ProspER Northern Rivers and the strong messages emerging from leaders across the region.

Through a wellbeing economy lens, ProspER Northern Rivers has highlighted leadership, health and culture as critical foundations for the region’s future as connected drivers of participation, resilience, productivity, trust and regional advantage.

Tracey Spicer: Leadership, Ai & the Human Touch

Award-winning journalist, author, broadcaster and keynote speaker Tracey Spicer AM headlined the forum as MC and keynote speaker.

Tracey opened the program with a thought-provoking reflection on leadership in a changing world, exploring artificial intelligence, bias, the importance of the human touch and what it means to champion causes that matter.

Her keynote challenged the room to think about how technology is shaping the future, how bias from the past can be built into the systems of tomorrow, and why courage, care, voice and connection remain essential qualities of leadership.

Tracey also guided the forum as MC, helping connect the themes and speakers across the morning with warmth, intelligence and generosity.


LUKE ELIAS: HEALTH IS OUR SUPERANNUATION

The first keynote session featured Luke Elias, Director, Primary Health Programs and Partnerships at Healthy North Coast.

Luke presented Health is our Superannuation, inviting the room to think about health as a long-term regional investment rather than only a service response.

His session explored the role of data, health service planning, outcome-based healthcare, prevention and wellness, and the importance of seeing health as a shared regional asset.

Luke’s presentation made clear that health and wellbeing are not only matters for the health sector. They directly influence all our facets of our lives and we all have a role to play in how our health investment decisions shape liveability in regions. 

Luke also had the audience engaged in his interactive Inputs and Outputs activity, which invited people across the room to contribute their own insights on what supports better health and wellbeing outcomes in the Northern Rivers. The activity created valuable table conversations and gave Luke a rich set of reflections from business, health, community, government and not-for-profit leaders. These insights will now help inform his ongoing advocacy and planning work through Healthy North Coast.

CULTURAL LIVING & CULTURAL EMPLOYMENT

The forum then moved into a powerful section exploring culture as a foundation for wellbeing, participation, leadership and stronger regional outcomes.

Mindy Woods, proud Bundjalung woman, chef, author, speaker and cultural educator, returned to the stage to share her perspective on Cultural Living.

Mindy spoke about the role of culture, food, Country, identity and community in shaping wellbeing, connection and belonging. Her contribution reminded the room that culture is lived every day and is deeply connected to how people, families and communities thrive.

Jodi Sampson, proud Gomeroi man and cultural leader with Corporate Culcha, then spoke on Cultural Employment.

Jodi brought a practical and deeply experienced lens to the conversation, exploring cultural safety, employment, participation and what it takes for organisations to create workplaces where First Nations people feel respected, valued and able to contribute.

PANEL: CULTURE, BELONGING, OPPORTUNITY & THE NEXT GENERATION

Panel: culture, belonging, opportunity and the next generation

Mindy and Jodi were joined on the panel by Raya Pickerin  from the National Wellbeing Alliance, bringing important lived experience and next-generation perspectives to the discussion.

Raya, a proud Warumungu woman from Tennant Creek and First Nations professional with the National Wellbeing Alliance, shared reflections on her journey, wellbeing, cultural safety and her hopes for her daughter’s future.

Together, the panel explored cultural living and cultural employment as practical foundations for wellbeing, participation, leadership and opportunity.

TIM JACK ADAMS: LOOKING AFTER OURSELVES & OTHERS

Following morning tea, Tim Jack Adams brought energy and practical tools to the room through his interactive session.

Tim is an international keynote speaker, facilitator, author of Energised and founder of GreenX7. His work focuses on Connected Leadership, Sustainable Wellbeing and helping leaders and teams understand the role of energy, purpose and connection in performance.

Through his presentation and card activity, Tim encouraged participants to reflect on their own wellbeing, leadership energy and the importance of sustaining ourselves while continuing to lead, care, build and contribute.

His session reinforced that our wellbeing is not separate from performance. It is what sustains it.

SUPERPANEL: LEADERSHIP, HEALTH & CULTURE

The final session of the day brought together Cate McQuillen, Jade Taylor and Dr Jean Renouf for the Leadership, Health and Culture Superpanel.

Each panellist opened with a short reflection sharing the lens they bring to the connection between leadership, health and culture.

Cate McQuillen, creator, storyteller, producer and social innovator, brought a powerful perspective on storytelling, regeneration, children, culture and the next generation. Through her work including dirtgirlworld and Get Grubby TV, Cate has spent more than two decades exploring how stories, creativity and practical action can help people, communities and places thrive.

Jade Taylor, Founder and CEO of Sistability and Clean Impact Co, brought a practical business and social impact lens. Jade’s work sits close to people’s everyday lives – homes, care, dignity, employment and wellbeing and highlighted the role business can play in responding to real community need while building sustainable enterprises.

Dr Jean Renouf, founder and CEO of Safer Future, founder of Plan C and a firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW, brought a powerful perspective on resilience, preparedness and leadership under pressure. Drawing on 25 years in international war and disaster zones, Jean spoke to the importance of moving beyond response and recovery toward long-term community capability.

The Superpanel brought together the threads of the day: leadership in a changing world, health as a long-term investment, culture as a foundation for trust and participation, sustainable wellbeing, purpose-led business, storytelling, resilience and regional advantage.

REFLECTIONS FROM THE ROOM

The forum closed with reflections from participants, who were invited to consider what had changed, shifted or been reinforced in their thinking about leadership, health and culture.

A strong message from the day was that the future of the Northern Rivers will be shaped not only by projects, infrastructure and investment, but by the conditions that allow people, organisations and communities to thrive.

That means capable leadership, healthier people, strong culture, trusted relationships, practical action and a willingness to work across sectors.

THANK YOU

Business NSW Northern Rivers extends sincere thanks to all speakers, panellists, partners and attendees who helped make the Forum such a meaningful and successful event.

Thank you to Tracey Spicer AM, Mindy Woods, Luke Elias, Jodi Sampson, Raya Pickerin, Tim Jack Adams, Cate McQuillen, Jade Taylor and Dr Jean Renouf for their generosity, insight and leadership.

Thank you to our Strategic Partners - Southern Cross University, Clarence Property, Northern Rivers Housing and TURSA for their ongoing support of the Regional Leaders program and our broader work across the region.

Thank you also to our event partners - Healthy North Coast, Corporate Culcha, CASPA, Biala, Mememe Productions and the Northern Rivers NSW brand for helping bring the forum to life.

STRONGER TOGETHER

The Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum was designed to create a conversation that was strategic, practical and deeply human.

It reminded us that strong regions are built through connection between people, sectors, ideas and action.

And it reinforced the importance of continuing to work together to build a stronger, healthier and more connected Northern Rivers for the next generation.

If you would like to discuss the Forum and or the relevance and connection to the ProspER Northern Rivers work please contact Jane Laverty, Regional Director Business NSW via jane.laverty@businessnsw.com or call 0419 260 226

Presenters


 Luke Elias

Healthy North Coast

Luke Elias is a health leader and patient advocate with more than 25 years’ experience across clinical practice, health management and administration in the public and private sectors.

Beginning his career as a physiotherapist, Luke has worked extensively across metropolitan and regional acute and primary healthcare services in NSW, holding senior management and executive operational roles.

He is currently Director, Primary Health Programs and Partnerships with Healthy North Coast, delivering the Primary Health Network program across the NSW North Coast. In this role, Luke is focused on improving access to care, strengthening chronic and complex disease management, supporting better use of data and technology, and building partnerships that improve health outcomes for communities across the region.

Luke also holds consumer advocate and patient representative roles with national and international organisations, with a particular focus on cardiovascular health and rare diseases.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum, Luke will explore the idea that “health is our superannuation” - a long-term investment in people, communities and regional resilience - and what it means to plan for wellness, prevention and better outcomes across the Northern Rivers.

 

 


Jodi Sampson

Corporate Culcha

Jodi Sampson is a proud Gomeroi man from Moree in North-West NSW, now living in the Tweed region. He has a deep connection to the Bundjalung Nation as an alumnus of St John’s College Woodlawn in Lismore, and through his long-standing career and relationships across the region.

With more than 35 years’ experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, Jodi has built his career around people and cultural leadership, coaching, mentoring, employment, education, training, community development and economic development. He is deeply committed to role modelling cultural integrity and the cultural values of his family and ancestors, with a profound respect for the oldest living and recorded cultures in the world.

Jodi brings a shared vision to his work and has a unique ability to help clients, organisations and communities “connect the dots”. Prior to joining Corporate Culcha, he held numerous specialised Aboriginal roles across local, state and federal government in NSW and Queensland.

As part of the Corporate Culcha team, Jodi delivers multi-dimensional support across cultural awareness, cultural safety, Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid, social and emotional wellbeing, leadership development, workforce mentoring, Indigenous engagement and employment retention.

His work also includes supporting young First Nations businesses to prepare for supply chain opportunities through Steps to Business Success, and coaching clients to operate consciously and effectively in their efforts to build Indigenous engagement, employment and participation.

Jodi’s vision is to bring business, community and government together to address the needs of Australia’s First Nations peoples and help bridge divides across many sectors of society.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum, Jodi will share his perspective on cultural employment, cultural safety and the role of leadership in creating more inclusive, connected and respectful workplaces and communities.


Tracey SpicerTracey Spicer AM

MC & Key Note Speaker

Tracey Spicer AM is a multiple Walkley Award winning journalist, author and broadcaster who spent more than 30 years anchoring national programs for ABC TV and radio, Network Ten and Sky News.

The inaugural national convenor of Women in Media, Tracey is one of the most sought after keynote speakers and emcees in the Asia Pacific on the topics of artificial intelligence, social justice and equity.  Her book abou AI, Man-Made:How the bias of the past is being built into the future, was longlisted for a prestigious Walkley Award.  It won the Social Responsibility category, and was a finalist in the Technology category, in the Australian Business Book Awards.

In 2019, Tracey was named the NSW Premier's Woman of the Year, accepted the global Sydney Peace Prize with Tarana Burke for the Me Too movement, and won the national award for Excellence in Women's Leadership through Women & Leadership Australia.  ABC TV highlighted Tracey's #metoo work in the docoseries, Silent No More.

In 2018, Tracey was chosen as one of the Australian Financial Reivew's 100 Women of Influence, winnin gthe Social Enterprise and Not-For-Profit category.  For her 30 years of media and charity work, she has been awarded the Order of Australia.

Highlights of her outstanding career include writing, producing and presenting documentaries in Bangladesh, Kenya, Uganda, Papua New Guinea and India.  Tracey is an ambassador for ActionAid, Your Side, the Ethnic Business Awards, Emerge Australia, the Australian POTS Foundation and Purple Our World, and Patron of the Pancreatic Cancer Alliance.

Her first book, The Good Girl Stripped Bare, is a bestseller, while her TEDx Talk, The Lady Stripped Bare, has attracted almost seven million views worldwide.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health & Culture Forum, Tracey will bring her powerful perspective to leadership in a changing world, including the impact of artificial intelligence, the importance of human touch, and what it takes to champion causes that matter.  As MC and keynote speaker, she will help guide a meaningful regional conversation about courage, connection and the future we are shaping together.

 


Mindy Woods

Karkalla

Mindy Woods is a proud Bundjalung woman of the Widjabul Wiabul and Nyangbal clans, a chef, author, speaker and cultural educator whose work celebrates First Nations food, culture and connection to Country.

Best known as the founder of Karkalla and Karkalla on Country, Mindy has created powerful cultural and culinary experiences that share the stories, wisdom and native ingredients of Bundjalung land. Through food, storytelling and cultural knowledge, she invites people to connect more deeply with Country, community and the oldest living culture in the world.

Mindy first came to national attention through MasterChef Australia, where she became known for championing native ingredients and First Nations food culture with warmth, generosity and pride. She is also the author of Karkalla at Home, a cookbook celebrating native foods and everyday recipes for connecting to Country.

In 2025, Mindy was recognised internationally as a Champions of Change recipient by The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, honouring her work in preserving and sharing Indigenous culture through food and creating community-focused culinary experiences.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum, Mindy will open the day with an Acknowledgement of Country and later share her perspective on cultural living, connection to place, wellbeing and the role culture plays in building stronger, healthier and more connected communities.

 


Cate McQuillen

Mememe Productions

Cate McQuillen is a creator, storyteller, producer and social innovator based on Bundjalung Country. For more than two decades, she has explored how stories, creativity and practical action can help people, communities and places thrive.

As the co-creator of dirtgirlworld and Get Grubby TV, Cate has engaged hundreds of thousands of children, families, educators and communities through her award-winning media, regenerative education and community-led action. Her work spans television, live experiences, local government partnerships, disaster recovery, sustainability, wellbeing and cultural change; always guided by a simple but powerful question: how do we create the conditions for life to flourish?

Cate is an Emmy Award winner, with one of only 16 Emmys residing in Australia on her trophy shelf.  She is the current AAEE Australian Environmental Educator of the Year and a past Northern Rivers Awards recipient for Business Leadership.

Known for her distinctive blend of imagination, practical action and deliberate optimism, Cate helps organisations and communities reimagine what is possible when regeneration becomes more than an environmental idea, and instead becomes a way of living, leading and doing business.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health & Culture Forum, Cate will bring her perspective as a storyteller, changemaker and creative leader to explore how stories. culture, wellbeing and regenerative thinking can help shape healthier communities and a stronger future for the next generation.


Tim Jack Adams

Green X7

Tim Jack Adams is an international keynote speaker, facilitator and author of Energised, recognised as a thought leader in Connected Leadership, Sustainable Wellbeing and human performance.

As the founder of GreenX7, Tim helps leaders, teams and organisations thrive sustainably by reconnecting to their energy, purpose, people and what matters most. His work is grounded in the belief that real success is not just measured by outcomes, but by the energy, connection and culture that drive them.

Tim is the creator of the Battery Check framework, a simple yet powerful tool used by leaders and teams to measure, understand and improve their energy, wellbeing and performance in real time. Through practical, science-backed tools and deeply human conversations, he helps organisations make wellbeing measurable, relatable and actionable.

His work has supported global brands and high-performance environments including Fujifilm, Accor, Six Senses, Red Bull, the Australian Defence Force, Olympians and leading organisations across Australia and internationally.

Through Energised, Tim shares sustainable daily practices that help people build focus, motivation and resilience, deepen their connection to themselves, others and nature, and create positive ripple effects in their teams, families and communities.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum, Tim will lead an interactive session on looking after ourselves and others, helping participants reflect on their own energy, leadership and wellbeing, and the role personal connection plays in building healthier teams, organisations and communities.


 Jean Renouf

Safer Futures

Dr Jean Renouf is the founder and CEO of Safer Future, a for-purpose consultancy that helps leaders, teams and organisations build the capability to perform well under pressure and navigate complex challenges.

He is also the founder of Plan C, a registered community resilience charity based in the Northern Rivers, and serves as a firefighter with Fire and Rescue NSW. His work brings together practical frontline experience, community-led resilience and deep global expertise in crisis response and disaster preparedness.

Jean’s perspective is shaped by more than 25 years working in international war and disaster zones, alongside a PhD from the London School of Economics. He has been recognised with the Australian National Emergency Medal and two NSW Premier’s Citations for his contribution to emergency response and community resilience.

His forthcoming book, Unspeakable: Facing Up to the Climate Catastrophe and its Consequences in Australia, will be released in July 2026.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum, Jean will bring a powerful perspective on leadership, resilience and preparedness - exploring how communities, organisations and regions can strengthen their capacity to respond, recover and adapt in the face of growing complexity and change.

 


Jade Taylor

Sistability

Jade Taylor is the Founder and CEO of Sistability and Clean Impact Co, two purpose-driven Northern Rivers businesses delivering essential services while creating practical social impact.

Jade founded Sistability in 2018 to provide specialist domestic care and support services for older Australians, people living with disability and families who need care that goes beyond standard cleaning. Her work recognises that a safe, supported home environment is deeply connected to dignity, wellbeing, independence and quality of life.

Through Clean Impact Co, Jade is extending that purpose-led approach into ethical commercial cleaning, partnerships and impact-driven service delivery. Her work brings together operational experience, social enterprise thinking and a strong commitment to creating meaningful employment pathways, better support systems and healthier places for people to live and work.

Jade is passionate about building businesses that respond to real community need, bridge gaps in service delivery and create outcomes that matter for people, families and communities.

At the Northern Rivers Leadership, Health and Culture Forum, Jade will bring her perspective on purpose-led leadership, practical community impact and the role of business in creating healthier, more inclusive and more connected communities.

 

 


Raya Pickerin

National Wellbeing Alliance

Raya Pickerin is a proud Warumungu woman from Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory and a young First Nations professional with the National Wellbeing Alliance (NWA). With more than a decade of experience across education, community services and health, she brings a grounded, lived perspective to her work, shaped by moving away from Country and family to create new opportunities for herself and her daughter. 

Raya is a strong advocate for culturally safe, community-led approaches to wellbeing, with a focus on supporting First Nations girls to thrive. She brings an honest voice to conversations about what it takes to build inclusive business cultures where First Nations people feel connected, respected and able to reach their full potential.

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

EVENT PARTNERS

Explore More From BNSW Northern Rivers