Katie McIntyre is a Research Fellow at Deakin University's Centre for Humanitarian Leadership, focusing on humanitarian leadership and crisis management. She engages in research that bridges theory and practice to enhance leadership effectiveness in international humanitarian contexts. Katie's PhD research explored the impact of leadership on employee outcomes. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, including "A Conceptualization of a Joyful Leadership Style" in Emotion in Organizations (2024) and "A Scoping and Theoretical Review of Joy in Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector" in the Journal of Public and Nonprofit Affairs (2024). Her work has been cited in various academic publications internationally.

Todd Miller is a doctoral candidate at AUT University in Auckland New Zealand, researching inter-organisational coordination in complex systems.

With extensive expertise in emergency management and disaster response, Todd’s focus is on maintaining and uplifting national preparedness and response arrangements, including the alternative National Crisis Management Centre (NCMC) in Auckland. Todd is also a PhD candidate, researching interorganisational collaboration within emergency management systems, with a specific interest in emergency management as a complex adaptive system.

John has worked in various volunteer and full-time public safety roles for over 35 years. John is a lecturer at Central Queensland University, a committee member of the Australian Resuscitation Council, and the current President of the QLD/NT Australian Institute of Emergency Services (AIES). John is completing his Professional Doctorate thesis through Charles Sturt University and is keenly interested in disaster management, education and training, leadership, and emergency services volunteerism. John was a State Emergency Service (SES) volunteer for over 25 years. He holds numerous qualifications including a Bachelor of Social Science in Emergency Management and a Master of Business.

Associate Professor Amanda Muller is a member of the Torrens Resilience Initiative at Flinders University. She conducts research into community resilience to disasters, with specific expertise in culturally & linguistically diverse communities, people at risk, disability, and assistance animals.

Alexandra Murray is an experienced emergency management and risk governance professional dedicated to embedding risk intelligence into DAFF’s developing Continuous Learning Culture. With over 20 years in emergency NGOs, state and federal agencies, she has worked to ensure that lessons from biosecurity threats, climate-driven disasters, and complex crises are not only captured but translated into meaningful improvements. She has led After Action Reviews, Lessons Management Frameworks, and residual risk assessments, helping organizations strengthen preparedness and response. Alexandra approaches challenges with a systems-thinking mindset, working collaboratively to bridge policy and practice and support more adaptive, risk-aware decision-making in emergency management.

Ben Norris is the former Manager of the Mental Health Drought and Disaster Team in Queensland Health where he managed the mental health response to such disasters as STC Debbie, 2018 and 2019 Bushfires, 2019 NQ Monsoon trough as well as the 2020/21 Bushfires before retiring to commence a PhD on 'Mental Health Services to address climate change impacts on Australian communities' in 2023. This presentation and workshop will showcase the latest global research on mental health services and interventions in response to various climate risk events.

Natasha Odgers
Through Natasha’s work in community development across Glasshouse Country (Sunshine Coast) over the last 14 years, her breadth of knowledge, skills and relationships has co-created positive changes in organisational and individual growth. Natasha’s work has ranged from forming structures and community connectivity across 6 townships, to localised collective action, to the establishment of the Glasshouse Country Disaster Management Network.
Natasha works strategically to strengthen community connection and collaboration locally (horizontally) and to work towards structural change with authorities and stakeholders (vertically).
Natasha is also the Disaster Resilience Lead with Neighbourhood Centres Queensland and takes a developmental approach.

Kate Retzki is a communications and engagement specialist, with international experience in research-based citizen science and behaviour change programs. Kate has worked across infrastructure, public health, biosecurity, and Queensland’s disaster management sector. Until recently, Kate had been leading the strategic delivery of the state’s primary community preparedness initiative, applying a locally led, state coordinated approach to household resilience building. As Director, Communications and Research at the Office of the Inspector-General of Emergency Management, Kate is now helping to strengthen and connect the disaster management sector, with an emphasis on evidence-based decision making and collaboration.

Caroline has returned to research after a career in communication and stakeholder engagement, most of which has been spent in the health and local government sectors. During that time, she has supported several emergency responses to natural disasters, including the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes. She is researching the impact of communication and engagement of an Alpine Fault earthquake science and preparedness program. Caroline is researching how effective the communication and engagement has been with emergency management agencies as they seek to prepare themselves and support their communities to build resilience ahead of an Alpine Fault earthquake.

Mark Ryan is the General Manager of Disaster and Emergency Management & Local Disaster Coordinator for the City of Gold Coast. Mark has operational experience across three states and territories holding senior roles in various fire and emergency services, local & state governments. Mark led the 2014 State Emergency Service response to the Brisbane hailstorms and G20 World Leaders meeting, has been a State Duty Commander with the South Australian Country Fire Service and led the 2023 Christmas Day Gold Coast storm response. Mark has been awarded the National Medal, and various other medals and citations for his work.