Who you'll hear from

Keynote

Jem Fuller

From his punk days squatting in London and barefoot backpacking years on the Indian sub-continent, right through to senior leadership within a multi-national company, Jem has lived the extremes. His stories and life lessons draw from experiences as an actor and singer-songwriter, global tattooist, fire dancer, kindergarten teacher and volunteer in Asia, motorcycle courier and travel consultant, Reflexologist and Chinese Masseuse, and in the last decade, leader of retreats in the Himalaya and advisor to executive leaders. Jem unpacks the human experience in such understandable ways, attendees can’t help but have their own light-bulb moments; leaving the event inspired and equipped to change.

"Through my colourful and wonderfully varied life, I have been curious as to how much influence we have over the quality of our experiences and the results we get. This interest has led me to study various ancient healing arts, mind practices and in the last 2 decades leadership, coaching, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Human Behavioural Profiling and Mindfulness Meditation. The answer to my enquiry has been a resounding “YES”… The way we think, focus, act and move… our perspective and mental agility, our ability to communicate and access equanimity, have profound impacts on our lives and the lives of others. My mission is to share this with you."

Gemma Baxter

MAVlab Innovation Program Manager, Municipal Association of Victoria

Pioneering innovation in local government as MAVlab's Innovation Program Manager, Gemma crafts initiatives that help councils navigate current challenges including technological disruption, social evolution, economic shifts and environmental changes.
She is the driving force behind the MAVlab Innovation Associates Network — a vibrant community of council professionals across Victoria collaborating to accelerate learning, share insights, and deliver superior outcomes for our communities and planet.
She uses a diverse toolkit to tackle urban challenges including Facilitation, Co-Design, Service Design, Change Management, Agile methodologies and Human-Centered Design. She thrives at the intersection of technology and design thinking — transforming how local governments serve their communities in an increasingly complex world.

Tennille Bradley

Executive Director (placemaking), City of Greater Geelong (CoGG)

With over 15 years’ experience across local government, Tennille has worked across a range of portfolios including Economic Development and Social Planning. As Executive Director of Placemaking at the City of Greater Geelong, Tennille leads projects that drive investment including significant city-shaping initiatives that connect people, place and culture. In this role Tennille is also responsible for the City’s strategic and statutory planning functions. Tennille has also held a number of roles outside of Local Government including 6 years as Community Engagement & Stakeholder Manager with property developer MAB Corporation. Tennille holds an Masters in Business Administration, and is a member of the IAP2 International Association for Public Participation.

 

 

Marion Byass

Urban Planner

Marion Byass is an urban planner who has specialised in climate change adaptation. She holds a Master of Urban Planning from the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor of Applied Science from RMIT.  Marion has contributed to progressing climate change adaptation through working on the Built Environment Climate Change Adaptation Action Plan 2022-2026.    She is recognised for her knowledge on flood planning considerations in the context of climate change and has undertaken a secondment in a climate science team.   Her work spans strategic planning and policy development, with a particular focus on translating climate science into practical planning solutions. Her innovative approach includes developing a pilot built environment climate change risk assessment tool, demonstrating her commitment to evidence-based planning responses to climate challenges. 

Nick Clements MPIA

Senior Principal Town Planner, Tract

Nick is a statutory and strategic planner with 20 years’ experience in both metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Having spent his initial 10 years in Tract’s Melbourne office, Nick has spent his past 10 years jointly leading the expanding team in Tract’s Geelong office. After relocating his family to Geelong, Nick has immersed himself in the intricacies of the local development industry and prides himself on having an excellent understanding of the region’s rapidly changing conditions. He is proud to be part of the changing demographics of Geelong and looks forward to being a resident of the region for many years to come. Nick is the Chair of the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Geelong Chapter and continues to represent its members by advocating for positive change within the region. 

Matt Collins MPIA

Chief Executive Officer, Planning Institute of Australia

Matt Collins MPIA is the Chief Executive Officer of the Planning Institute of Australia, a role he has held since April 2023. Matt is a qualified planner with significant experience in leadership, policy and advocacy. Prior to becoming CEO, Matt was the State Manager for PIA’s Queensland and Northern Territory Divisions from 2020 – 2023. He was also the General Manager of the Queensland Government’s Cities Transformation Taskforce, where he played a central role in negotiating the $1.8 billion SEQ City Deal. With a wealth of experience in planning and infrastructure, Matt has also served as a Chief of Staff and senior advisor to several senior Ministers. He has worked as a planner for Urbis and Land Partners in Queensland. He holds a Master of Urban and Regional Planning, as well as a degree in journalism and public policy. 

Shaun Cumming

Managing Director, Barwon Water

Over a 20-year career in the water industry, Shaun is committed to making a positive impact to the community and environment in a collaborative, commercial and creative way. Shaun has worked in leadership roles across the public and private sectors and is currently Co-Chair of Deakin Engineering Advisory Board and a member of the Barwon Regional Partnership. Shaun holds a Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Patrick Fensham MPIA (Fellow)

President, Planning Institute of Australia (VIC), Principal & Partner / National Lead Urban Policy & Governance SGS Economics and Planning

Patrick works to address social disadvantage and find solutions and innovations to policy challenges and issues. He specialises in metropolitan and strategic planning, infrastructure planning and funding analysis, cultural development, regional and community economic development, development feasibility analysis and facilities audits and planning. His contributions to metropolitan and strategic planning over many years in all the states and territories of Australia include economic and employment land studies; housing and residential market analysis; and analysis of potential growth scenarios for various levels of government. He is focused on addressing social disadvantage in urban and regional contexts and aims to challenge clients with new policy solutions and innovations for progressive change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gareth Hately MPIA

Strategic Planning Manager, New Communities – Housing, Building and Land Delivery Division, Department of Transport and Planning. 

Gareth Hately is a senior planning professional with over 15 years’ experience shaping urban and regional development across Victoria. As Strategic Planning Manager, he leads multi-disciplinary teams delivering major precinct plans and infrastructure coordination, unlocking thousands of homes and jobs. He has held senior roles including Acting Director for Regional Victoria and Metropolitan Melbourne at the Victorian Planning Authority, Executive Officer for Key Worker Housing at the Great South Coast Group of Councils—leading the Barwon South West Region’s housing action plans—and Manager of Planning, Building and Infrastructure at the Municipal Association of Victoria, where he led advocacy on the creation on then Metropolitan Planning Authority, regional growth plans, planning fees, zone reforms, and wind farms. Gareth Hately is a former President of the Planning Institute of Australia (Victoria). He holds a Master of Business (Property) and a Bachelor of Applied Science (Planning) with First Class Honours from RMIT University. Gareth has also completed the Leadership Development Program at Melbourne Business School. He thrives on delivery, pragmatism, and partnership.

 

 

Hayley Henderson MPIA

Senior Lecturer, Crawford School of Public Policy

Dr. Hayley Henderson is a Senior Lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy, where she teaches urban policy in the Master of Public Policy and Master of Public Administration programs. Her urban policy elective, Public Policy in Cities, equips students with the principles and methods needed to analyse and plan to redress urban challenges, emphasising equitable and sustainable development. She is the Director of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility at the Crawford School. Hayley is passionate about conducting engaged research with practitioners to help foster equitable and resilient cities. As a Senior Researcher within the Institute for Infrastructure in Society (I2S), she focuses on the social dimensions of urban policymaking and major projects in cities. Her research explores the social benefits and risks of urban policies and projects, as well as the factors and frameworks that enable effective collaboration. While her primary research focuses on Australian cities, she also conducts studies in Argentinean cities and engages in comparative research involving urban contexts across South America, Europe, and North America.

 

 

Michelle Howard MPIA (Fellow)

Founder and Managing Director Collaborations Pty Ltd

Michelle is an internationally accredited facilitator and strategic planner with over 30 years’ experience working with agencies in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. In that time, she has developed a reputation for facilitating complex processes of change in contexts as diverse as disability reform, health, Indigenous governance, community planning and major infrastructure/design projects. Her experience across all levels of government includes working on major urban renewal projects, legislative reform, stakeholder management and numerous ministerial advisory positions. Working with clients nationally and internationally, Michelle is sought after to design and facilitate training and professional development programs for planning and built environment professionals. Michelle is a founding member of PIA’s Planning with Country Knowledge Circle

 

James Henry

Acting Executive Group Director Homes, Housing Choices Australia

James Henry is the Acting Executive Director of Homes at Housing Choices. After over a decade at the organisation and twenty years working across the housing, design, and development sectors, James currently leads the strategic development and management of Housing Choices’ national community housing portfolio. A registered architect with extensive experience in housing design and development in both urban and remote contexts, James’ work demonstrates his passionate about delivering sustainable, high-quality housing that supports strong, inclusive communities.

 

 

Dr Anna Hurlimann MPIA

Associate Professor (Urban Planning), University of Melbourne

Dr Anna Hurlimann is an Associate Professor in Urban Planning at the Faculty of Architecture Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne. Anna’s teaching and research interests focus on planning for climate change and sustainability. Major research projects include an Australian Research Council Discovery grant Integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation across built environments, and an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant Equitable Outcomes in Adaptation to Sea Level Rise. Anna has received grants to enhance climate change education of urban planners and built environment professionals. She is a member of the Planning Institute of Australia and Planners for Climate Action.

 

  

 

 

 

Brett Ince

Regional Director, Regional Development Victoria - Barwon Southwest

Brett is the Regional Director of Regional Development Victoria Barwon Southwest and is the Executive Officer for Regional Development Australia Barwon Southwest, the Barwon Regional Partnership, and the Great South Coast Regional Partnership. Regional Development Victoria (RDV) is the Victorian Government’s lead agency responsible for rural and regional economic development. RDV operates in partnership with regional businesses and communities, and all tiers of government to deliver the Government’s regional development agenda and instigate positive change for regional and rural Victorians. Our work includes enabling businesses to invest to consolidate and grow jobs, strengthen regional economies and enrich the social fabric of Victoria’s regional cities and towns.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Louise Johnson

Honorary Professor Alfred Deakin Institute, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria Principal LCJ Research, Chair Shiel St Press Board

Dr Louise Johnson is a human geographer and Honorary Professor at Deakin University. Now a freelance academic, for over 40 years she taught Geography, Australian Studies, Planning and Women’s Studies in Australia and New Zealand. She has researched Geelong’s textile and creative industries and socio-spatial disadvantage and published extensively on Australian cities, planning and suburbs producing six books and over 130 articles and chapters. In 2011 she received the Institute of Australian Geographers Australia and International Medal in recognition of her contribution to urban, social and cultural geography.

Michael Johnston

Chief Executive Officer, Committee for Geelong

Michael is an experienced senior executive in policy creation, strategy development, and stakeholder management across the government, for purpose, and sport sectors. He leverages his leadership experience to work with members in creating a vision for the city and advocating for it. Michael brings an understanding of complex operating environments and fosters strong collaboration for strong outcomes. Michael has played a central role in significant governance reforms within Australian sport, contributed to the development and implementation of match-fixing policy, and successfully built an integrity function at Hockey Australia. Since joining the Committee for Geelong in 2023, Michael has delivered the Committee’s visionary Future Geelong project and been a key player in aligning advocacy voices in Geelong through Plan for Victoria consultation and the 2025 Federal Election.

Eric Keys MPIA

Director at Eric Keys & Associates and Researcher at RMIT

Eric has over thirty years of experience in transport planning, operations, and project delivery. He is motivated to work with those seeking to create effective and efficient transportation systems in the pursuit of sustainable cities. He has held senior roles with the government, operators, and consultancies. In his professional career, he was focused on leading and implementing change, including developing major projects and reforming processes and policies. He is best known for his work in strategic planning, having supported many major planning studies, including integrated development plans and significant transport studies. As a consultant, he has worked extensively throughout Australia and internationally. Eric recently completed a PhD examining planning practice. The thesis provides an ethnographic account of the decisions that shape planning outcomes and the roles played by human and non-human actors in this process. The research builds upon the emerging field of relational planning. Since retiring from full-time employment, his focus has switched to advocacy. He works on selected campaigns that offer the potential for strategic change in areas traditionally too politically fraught to be addressed through the usual mechanisms of public policy-making.

Kubra Koch MPIA

Consultant, Strategic Planning, URPS

Kubra is a strategic planner experienced in regional and metropolitan land-use strategy. Her previous projects include rezoning of potentially contaminated conservation reserves, heritage amendments, and the implementation of activity centre structure plans. Current projects involve the application of flood risk controls, advocacy at Planning Panels, and the development of industrial and residential Precinct Structure Plans.

 

 

Cr Stretch Kontelj OAM

Mayor, City of Greater Geelong

 

Ben Krastins

Senior Associate: Transport at Ratio Consultants

Ben is a Transport Planner and Engineer with more than 14 years’ experience working across Victoria, partnering with over 35 councils to deliver successful transport and place-based projects. He brings a creative and people-focused approach to every challenge, combining technical rigour with a genuine passion for making streets safer, more vibrant, and easier to move through. Specialising in Movement and Place, Ben is known for finding fresh and practical ways to solve complex problems, whether it’s rethinking a main street, shaping a transport strategy, or facilitating collaboration between diverse stakeholders. He believes transport planning should be evidence-based, empathetic, and fun, because great ideas often emerge when teams enjoy the process as much as the outcome.

Simon Loader MPIA

Senior Principal Town Planner, Tract

Simon is a seasoned planner who loves bringing people and ideas together to make great projects happen. With experience in both local government and private consultancy spanning over 15 years, he has worked across strategic and statutory planning to lead projects that shape communities for the better.
For Simon, planning is all about collaboration, believing that the best results come when everyone does what they do best. Regional Victoria holds a special place for him having spent years working in the area, helping grow Tract’s Geelong office while deepening his understanding of the region, its people, and its potential.

 

 

Bill Mithen

Co- Chief Executive Officer, Neighbourhood Economics

Bill has dedicated the past 15 years to shaping and improving communities, with a particular focus on place-based initiatives. Residing and working in Geelong, Bill has held several influential civic leadership and advocacy roles, contributing significantly to the Geelong region’s growth and development. For five years, Bill served as Chair of G21 Geelong Region Alliance, one of Australia’s most prominent local government advocacy organizations. The Alliance’s regional plan unites strategic thinking, planning, and resources to address the social, economic, and environmental challenges facing the region. Bill was also appointed to the Barwon Region Partnership which is responsible for providing regional priorities to the state government. Additionally, he currently serves as Chair of gforce Employment+Recruitment, a not-for-profit employment services agency, and Tourism Greater Geelong and Bellarine, the region’s tourism board. In his most recent role as CEO of the Give Where You Live Foundation, Bill has focused on advocating for justice and equity in the Geelong Region. His efforts have centered around building a more inclusive economy, including spearheading Victoria’s leading social procurement program, GROW, and the social enterprise urban farm, The Paddock. Bill started Neighbourhood Economics with  Annie Smits in February 2025, an initiative aimed at re-imagining and revitalising neighbourhood economies in disadvantaged suburbs in order to share value, build wealth broadly and enable greater community participation.

 

 

Margie McKay 

Manager Urban Design and Place, City of Greater Geelong

Margie is an experienced public sector leader who finds creative, innovative solutions and delivers complex design, planning and development programs. With over 20 years’ industry experience, Margie is passionate about improving social outcomes in cities. Margie has a broad range of expertise in architecture, urban design, placemaking, strategic policy, housing policy and planning. She is an industry leader in Urban Design, including joint inaugural president of Urban Design Forum in 2021, a non-profit organisation that supports public interest outcomes in cities. Margie has experience in the private sector and local and state governments in Victoria working in greenfield, infill, regional and central city contexts. She currently leads the Urban Design and Place Department at City of Greater Geelong leading 34 people within six teams: Urban Design, Public Realm, Built Heritage, Public Art and Culture, Open Space Planning and Place Activation.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hugh McIntyre MPIA

Founder/Director, Zesty Planning

Hugh is the 2025 Convenor of the VEP Committee, excited to engage emerging planners with the industry and bring them to the table in discussions on state and national policy. Beyond PIA, Hugh founded Zesty Planning in 2024 which provides town planning services to private and government clients.

 

 

Laura Murphy

Coordinator Strategic Planning, Golden Plains Shire Council

Laura Murphy is the Coordinator of Strategic Planning at Golden Plains Shire. Laura has been with the Shire for 20 years, over which time she has contributed to much of the planning related to the growth of the Shire, as well as building a dynamic team who take pride in working towards maintaining and creating thriving communities. Laura loves the variation that comes with working in a peri urban setting, particularly given Golden Plains Shires location between the two regional cities of Ballarat and Geelong. Laura has always resided in the Geelong region and loves watching the city and its surrounds change and grow. 

 

 

Philip Paton MPIA

Principal Town Planner, Beveridge Williams

Philip is a seasoned Town Planner with over 26 years' experience, holding a degree in Environmental Planning and a postgraduate qualification in Town and Country Planning. His career spans private and government sectors, where he has integrated his planning expertise with project management, business improvement, and change management to deliver successful projects and foster organisational development. As the Principal Planner for Beveridge Williams’ Western Region, Philip leads the Town Planning team, delivering service excellence and client satisfaction. His certifications in Prince2 Project Management, Lean Six Sigma Green Belt, and PROSCI Change Management further enable him to spearhead business improvement initiatives, enhancing customer service on a national scale. Philip supports wider Town Planning through a position on the PIA VIC Division Committee, PIA National Congress 2025 Program Advisory Committee and as a PIA mentor for young planners.

 

 

Colleen Peterson MPIA

Acting Deputy Secretary Planning & Land Services, Department of Transport and Planning

Before taking on her role as Head of State Planning, Colleen was a part of the private planning sector for over thirty years. For the past twenty years, Colleen has been part of Ratio where she has enjoyed a long tenure on the leadership team, occupying the roles of Director, Managing Director and CEO, where she played a significant role in establishing the company’s standing as a prominent professional consultancy. As the Head of State Planning, Colleen leads both the statutory planning functions and the planning reforms at the department. 

 

 

 

Meg Price

Head of Social Impact, Give Where You Live Foundation

Meg has a passion for inclusion, diversity and improving communities through addressing social issues and creating sustainable systems change. Meg has over 15 years’ policy, strategy, design and operational experience in the social sector with notfor-profit organisations, Federal and State Government

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sabine Provily

Coordinator Urban Design, City of Greater Geelong

Sabine is an experienced leader in Urban Design and Strategic Planning. She has a demonstrated history of working in local government and in the private sector with expertise in Urban Design, Sustainable Development, Urban Planning, Community Consultation, Place Activation, and Project Management. Sabine is a professional with international experience including a Master's degree in Urbanism from Hogeschool Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Jaqueline Randles

Manager of Planning and Growth, City of Greater Geelong

Jacqueline Randles is the Manager of Planning and Growth at the City of Greater Geelong, with nearly two decades of experience in urban planning and sustainable development across Australia and Norway. Her work blends Scandinavian best-practice with local expertise, focusing on people- and place-led planning, urban renewal, and integrated governance. Jacqueline brings a strong track record in leading complex projects and delivering long-term value through strategic land use and infrastructure planning.

 

 

Ashley Robb MPIA

Senior Strategic Planner, City of Greater Geelong

Ashley is passionate about building sustainable, healthy, safe, future-ready communities. He is an experienced strategic planner and planning policy specialist with a strong track record in strategic planning, policy development, project management, stakeholder relations and team leadership. His expertise spans all areas of growth area planning, planning policy analysis and development, planning guidance for local governments, managing complex projects, and achieving innovative yet feasible and balanced planning outcomes. He currently leads precinct structure planning at the City of Greater Geelong; he has held leadership roles at the WA Local Government Association and the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council. These experiences equipping him with the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams, manage complex planning and infrastructure projects, and navigate diverse stakeholder interests to deliver positive planning outcomes. 

 

 

 

 

Susan Ryan

Senior Strategic Planner, Golden Plains Shire

Susan Ryan is a Senior Strategic Planner, at Golden Plains Shire and contributes not only to the growth of the Shire but growth with consideration to planning together for Country. Susan’s desire to discover new knowledge around planning with Country was generated through her research at Deakin University and experiences within local government.

Andrew Spencer

Principal, SGS Economics and Planning

Andrew is deeply interested in how design, regulation and markets interact to shape cities. With extensive experience in planning, urban design and urban economics, he provides clients with a balanced perspective on the challenges they face and potential solutions. Andrew has managed many high impact projects for public and private clients - from analysing apartment design standards for the state government to conducting employment land studies for local councils and working with industry associations to identify issues affecting infill supply. As well as leading multi-disciplinary teams, Andrew expertise’s extends to building complex models, mapping and spatial analysis, and producing high-quality graphics and data visualisations. Before Andrew joining SGS, he held roles in the NSW Department of Urban Affairs and Planning, NSW Urban Cities Taskforce and the Urban Design Advisory Service. A keen author and presenter, Andrew is a sessional lecturer at The University of Melbourne, teaching planning theory and urban design studies. He has also contributed to significant research projects including our award-winning rental affordability index and The University of Melbourne’s: Transforming Housing: Affordable Housing for All. A Tasmanian by birth, Andrew enjoys the outdoors, bike-packing adventures, and good food.

 

 

Dr John Stone

Honorary Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, University of Melbourne

Dr Stone's research focuses on sustainable transport in Australian cities. His research explores the politics, institutions and professional practice that lie behind success or failure in sustainable urban transport. Drawing on practice in many cities around the world, especially Canada and German-speaking Europe, his research has identified many opportunities for more effective and efficient public transport in Australian cities through better service coordination and network design. His current research raises questions about the new technologies and markets for shared and autonomous vehicles. Will these disruptions help us to make the urgent transition to low-carbon urban transport? Since completing his PhD in 2008, his work here and at the Swinburne Institute for Social Research has been funded through many grants and consultancies including an ARC Discovery Project and a Commonwealth Endeavour Research Fellowship. This work follows over 20 years' experience in transport in Melbourne, including work in local government and the community advocacy.

 

 

 

 

 

Oliver Stoltz

Lead Strategic Transport Planning, City of Greater Geelong

Oliver is a strategic transport planner with a broad range of experience across growth, inner city and regional local government areas, He is on the front line of trying to lead behaviour change through strategy to support infrastructure changes for the population of tomorrow, in order to support active and public transport as the preferred mode of transport by the masses. Additionally, he has experience in the major event space, working in transport planning for multi-sport events both here in Australia and abroad. 

 

 

Katherine Sundermann

Principal, MGS Architects & Senior Lecturer at Monash University

As an architect and urbanist with extensive experience working in Australia, the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark, Katherine is passionate about supporting the public interest in terms of how our cities are designed and governed and in creating the right governance and spatial frameworks for inclusive, resilient neighbourhoods. At MGS Architects, Katherine has delivered planning frameworks, policy, research, urban strategies and masterplans, including the award-winning City of Ballarat Creative Precinct Masterplan. At Monash University, she leads research into best practice urban regeneration models and alternative housing models. As immediate past President of Urban Design Forum has advocated for the public interest in planning reform and continues to chair the Australian Urban Design Awards steering committee.

 

 

Adam Terrill MPIA

Co-Founder and Director, Cogency

Adam is a leading Australian planner in the renewables, property and circular economy sectors. As a VPELA fellow, and with more than 25 years of consulting and industry experience, he leads a diverse range of major planning and development projects, possessing skills in strategic and statutory planning, environmental impact assessment, development approvals, and engagement. He is a sessional panel member of Planning Panels Victoria and a former Vice President of VPELA. In 2001, Adam co-founded Cogency, a climate focused planning consultancy specialising in renewable energy, waste/recycling, and property projects. Cogency has grown to 13 staff and works on numerous wind, solar and battery farms across Vic, NSW and Tas, along with strategic planning and property projects.