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 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.

Cate McQuillen is a creator, storyteller, producer, and social innovator who has spent more than two decades exploring how stories 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 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 question: How do we create the conditions for life to flourish? 

Cate has one of the 16 EMMYs that resides in Australia on her trophy shelf, is the current AAEE Australian Environmental Educator of the year and a past Northern Rivers Business Awards recipient for Business leadership.

Known for her distinctive blend of practical action, imagination 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.

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.

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.