Peter Tregilgas

Peter Tregilgas is currently the Executive Officer Regional Development Australia Mid North Coast.
Peter has a wide-ranging experience in creative innovation including, arts management, festival coordination, capital projects and social enterprise. He is a former director of the Adelaide Festival Fringe (the formative years 1980-84), festival consultant to the Victorian Tourism Commission (including working directly with South Australia’s icon Don Dunstan), appointed as the inaugural Director of Tandanya the National Aboriginal Cultural Institute and Executive Director Arts Access SA (Arts & Disability).
Peter has extensive skills in business planning and the development of social enterprise for the “Not for Loss” sector. He authored a definitive booklet Social Enterprise in Australia and remains a champion for cause related programs.

Jo Barraket

Jo Barraket is Associate Professor of Social Enterprise at Queensland University of Technology, a position that is jointly supported by QUT and the Westpac Foundation. Jo has a PhD in sociology from the University of New South Wales and has been researching aspects of social enterprise and civil society for 15 years. Jo has been active as an initiator, manager and board member of several successful social enterprises.

Cindy Lesley

I am a Yuin woman from the lands surrounding
Wallaga Lake. I have family connections from the South Coast to the North Coast NSW, this is where I live and work within the Nations of Bundjalung, Yaegl and Gumbaingirr countries.

I lived on the streets from the age of 14, I was lost, I had lost my identity, lost who I was and what direction I was to go. I was an alcoholic by the age of 18, I have lived a very diverse and challenging life, I was illiterate until aged 29.
In 1998 I woke from the nightmare and began learning about me, regaining my identity, became stronger with the guidance of Elders, family and friends I became who I am today, determined to achieve in all aspects of life.

Since commencing my journey of learning I have been successfully completed several Certificate qualifications in the area of Social Welfare ranging from Certificate III to Diploma level courses and completing a Bachelors in Social Sciences – Welfare. I intend on continuing the journey of learning for life as it is through learning we become stronger and more determined to move forward and bring with us those who wish to share the journey.

I have over 20 years experience in Human Services Sector in a number of roles such as Frontline staff, Support worker, Management, Behaviour Management Programmer, Policy and Research. I was a counsellor for over 4 years where I worked closely with my communities in addressing various life impacting issues on both an individual and community level, supporting many to build and achieve their dreams. Organisations I have worked with include; Department of Community Service, Juvenile Justice, BALA Youth Work, Grafton Aged Care, Ageing Disability and Home Care, Personal Support Programme, Thungutti – Miindala Consultancy, Coffs Harbour Support Services and North Coast TAFE.

Ingrid Vet

Ingrid Vet’s professional career includes experience in teaching, nursing and social work. She has been involved in extensive formal studies in all these areas. Her work experience is both at the local level in Coffs Harbour, and internationally in Papua New Guinea, Marshall Islands, Hawaii and Taiwan. The main focus of her work is mental illness and the effect of trauma on child development. She currently supports children of parents in relationship separation or conflict. On a philosophical level she believes every child needs to be raised as part of a community. Social enterprise activities involving the community in supporting children provide positive social and learning opportunities that enhances the likelihood of positive identities and emotional resilience in children.

Cameron Marshall MC

Cameron Marshall has been with ABC Radio as a broadcaster and manager for the last twenty years in Broken Hill, Adelaide and the Mid North Coast. Cameron presents a daily Mid North Coast breakfast program and manages ABC Mid North Coast and Coffs Coast. Cameron is a graduate in business studies and tourism from Charles Sturt University and has studied acting, elephant handling and classical guitar-but not in that order. When not on air Cameron enjoys performing in the odd play or musical. Sometimes the plays are not that odd at all.

Steve Lawrence

Steve Lawrence AO is Chief Executive of the Australian Social Innovation Exchange, created to support the search for fresh solutions to Australia’s key social challenges through cross-sector collaboration. He is Chair of Bonnyrigg Management P/L, a Public Private Partnership body bringing together the capabilities of four organisations to redevelop the public housing estate in South West Sydney for the NSW Government over the next 30 years. Steve also consults in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

After starting his career with NSW Government, Steve spent 29 years until late 2008 as Founder, CEO and Social Entrepreneur with WorkVentures, an entrepreneurial community economic development agency, based in Sydney. Steve led WorkVentures from a $3000 startup in 1979 to annual revenues of $20million. WorkVentures was Microsoft Australia’s first community partner, won the PMs Community Business Partnership Award in 2005 and is now Microsoft’s longest standing community partner worldwide.

Steve was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia in January 2010 for ‘service to the community through leadership roles in the development and implementation of non-profit ventures to create social change, particularly for youth and the long-term unemployed’. Steve was selected as Social Entrepreneur of the Year for NSW/ACT in 2004 in Ernst & Young’s global program.

Over the last 30 years Steve has played a leadership role in creating over 13 new non-profit organisations, most of which are still operating. They include Job Futures, United Way Sydney, Jobs Australia, Social Ventures Australia, School for Social Entrepreneurs Australia

Nic Bolto

Nic Bolto has been working in the field of mental health and employment since the late 1980’s and was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2009 that explored the use of social enterprise in reducing levels of reoffending amongst vulnerable citizens. Nic founded Ostara Australia Limited in 2001. The company has turnover of approximately $20m and delivers employment support services to people with mental health issues in 114 sites around Australia.