Tickets

Speakers

Sarah Williams

Civic Data Design Lab / MIT

Sarah Williams is an Associate Professor of Technology and Urban Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she is also Director of the Civic Data Design Lab and the Leventhal Center for Advanced Urbanism.

Williams' combines her training in computation and design to create communication strategies that expose urban policy issues to broad audiences and create civic change. She calls the process Data Action, the name of her recent book published by MIT Press.

Williams is co-founder and developer of Envelope.city, a web-based software product that visualises and allows users to modify zoning in New York City.  Before coming to MIT, Williams was Co-Director of the Spatial Information Design Lab at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation (GSAPP).

Her design work has been widely exhibited, including work in the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Venice Biennale, and the Cooper Hewitt Museum. 

Williams has won numerous awards, including being named one of the top 25 technology planners and Game Changer by Metropolis Magazine. Her latest exhibition at the World Food Program (WFP), Distance Unknown, explores the risks and opportunities of migration to the Americas and helped to influence recent US migration policies. She has also just released a tool with Transportation Alternatives called Spatial Equity NYC.

Sarah will be joining remotely via video for a conversation on stage with Dan Hill, Head of theDesign School, University of Melbourne.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Katherine Maher

Technology and Human Rights Leader

Katherine Maher is an internationally experienced chief executive and expert on the intersection of technology with human rights, democratic participation, and international development.

She has spent her career defining and leading technology and innovation agendas for global institutions seeking transformational change at scale. She most recently served as the CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia). Before leading Wikimedia, she was director of advocacy for the digital rights organization Access Now. Prior to Access Now, Katherine worked at the World Bank, the National Democratic Institute, and UNICEF. 

Katherine is a member of the U.S. Department of State’s Foreign Affairs Policy Board, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council, a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, a security fellow at the Truman National Security Project, and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.

She is on the Board of Directors for System.com, a Trustee of the American University of Beirut, and a director of Consumer Reports and the Digital Public Library of America. She has served in advisory and board roles for the Sunlight Foundation, the US Agency for Global Media’s Open Technology Fund, and the ITU's GIGA connectivity partnership, among others.

Katherine will be joining remotely via video for a catalytic conversation on stage with Seb Chan, CEO of ACMI.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Alex Barth

VP Automotive & Mobility /Mapbox

Alex Barth leads the automotive business unit at Mapbox. He has spearheaded partnerships to launch major automotive manufacturers powered by the Mapbox platform, shape the Mapbox automotive product strategy and assembled a team of business developers, engineers, and designers to build the future of navigation in automobiles everywhere. 

Prior to Mapbox, Alex led business development and engineering engagements in the boutique consulting firm Development Seed, implementing location-driven data strategies for multilateral partners like the World Bank and the United Nations. Alex holds a masters degree in Media Technology and Design from the University of Applied Sciences, Upper Austria.

Alex will be joining remotely via video for a catalytic conversation on stage with geospatial mapping and digital mobility leader Louisa Bloomer from Stantec.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Rob Adams

City Architect / City of Melbourne

Professor Rob Adams AM, an architect and urban designer, is currently City Architect and previously Director of City Design at the City of Melbourne. Since joining the City of Melbourne in 1983, Rob has helped lead the rejuvenation of central Melbourne.

He received an Order of Australia in 2007, was awarded the Prime Minister’s Environmentalist of the Year in 2008 and the Australian Institute of Architects’ National President’s Prize in 2018. The City Design Division he led between 1986 and 2020 received over 160 international, national, state and local awards for design excellence. Rob is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Cities of Tomorrow. 

In 2020 Rob set up the design practice Adams Urban, which has since been commissioned on projects in Victoria, the ACT, Queensland, NSW, Tasmania and Mauritius.

Rob will be joining Bonnie Shaw, co-founder of Place Intelligence, on stage foracatalytic conversation about the historical context and future of data informed urban design and policy.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Angelos Chronis

City Intelligence Lab / Austrian Institute of Technology

Angelos is the head of the City Intelligence Lab at the Austrian Institute of Technology in Vienna and he teaches at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia.

He studied Architecture at the University of Patras and Computational Design at the Bartlett, UCL and has been a Marie-Curie Fellow at the Innochain Innovative Training Network.

He has previously worked as an Associate at Foster+Partners and has taught at the Bartlett, UCL, the Bauhaus University, the IUAV in Venice and the TU Graz.

His research focuses on performance driven design and simulation but he has worked in various fields, including AI and machine learning, AR/VR, 3D scanning, digital fabrication and interactive installations.

He has lead the development of various design systems and simulation interfaces, including InFraReD, an AI based design framework for urban planning.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Elisa Koch

Head of Data and Analytics / The AFL



Elisa has twenty years of experience as a Data & Analytics leader in both the US and Australia. She has worked in industries spanning finance, FMCG, technology, and sport at companies including Citigroup, Avon Products, Quantium, LinkedIn, and now at the AFL.

She has undergraduate degrees in Finance and Accounting from New York University and an MBA from both Columbia University and London Business School. In 2022, Elisa was named as a Top 10 Analytic leader by the IAPA (Institute of Analytics Professionals Australia) and was a finalist in the prestigious Women in Ai Awards.

Elisa is passionate about leading businesses to be more data driven and sees herself as an objective advisor to the business. In every business including the AFL, Elisa believes data is one of its most important, and often undervalued, assets. In her role as a Data & Insights leader, Elisa strives to maximise the value and role of data in decision-making at all levels of the business.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Dan Hill

Director of School of Design / Melbourne University

Dan Hill is Director of Melbourne School of Design, the graduate school in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning at the University of Melbourne.

A designer and urbanist, Dan's previous leadership roles include the Swedish government’s innovation agency Vinnova, Arup in London and Sydney, the UK's Future Cities Catapult, Fabrica in Italy, the Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA, and the BBC. 

Dan is also a Visiting Professor at UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Practice and a founder member of the Council on Urban Initiatives, a joint venture between UN HABITAT, LSE and UCL.

Dan will join Sarah Williams, Associate Professor of Technology and Urban Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), for a catalytic conversation about data informed design and decision making and skills development

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Su Lim

Global MD / Freestate

Su Lim leads FreeState, a design agency focused on how experiences benefit people and their communities.

With a background in design, strategy and change management, she works across sectors and geographies, helping organisations reimagine and implement new futures for work, learning and life.

Su believes that it takes diverse perspectives to inspire fresh thinking and actively collaborates towards the ‘aha’ moments that result in generative change. She is particularly interested in the motivations of people and how the environment can ignite positive behaviour and action.

Su has previously held leadership roles as the Founder of Six Ideas, Head of Workplace Strategy for JLL and the Regional Managing Director for DEGW across APAC.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Seb Chan

CEO / ACMI

Seb Chan is Director & CEO at ACMI in Melbourne. Appointed to the role in August 2022, he was previously a key part of the team behind the organisation’s $40 million renewal project, underpinned by co-design methodology, which transformed ACMI into a multi-award winning, multi-platform museum.

Seb joined ACMI as Chief Experience Officer in 2015, as the senior executive responsible for the Experience & Engagement division of the museum, guiding teams responsible for visitor experience, marketing, brand & communication design, digital products, technology, and the museum’s collections, digitisation & digital preservation programs.

He designed and leads ACMI's CEO Digital Mentoring Program (2021–ongoing), working with CEOs and directors across the Australian arts and cultural sector. He is currently the National President of the Australian Museums and Galleries Association.

Prior to ACMI, Seb led the digital renewal and transformation of the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum in New York (2011–15) and the Powerhouse Museum’s pioneering work in open access, mass collaboration and digital experience during the 2000s.

His work has won awards internationally in the museum, media and design spheres. Seb is Adjunct Professor, School of Media and Communications, in the College of Design and Social Context at RMIT, an international advisory board member of Art Science Museum (Singapore) and board member of the National Communications Museum (Melbourne).

He is an alumnus of the Getty Leadership Institute, Salzburg Global Seminar and UNSW. Seb also leads a parallel life in digital art, writing and music.

Seb will join technology and human rights leader Katherine Maher for a catalytic conversation about data and technology lead knowledge, creativity, abd participation.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Bonnie Shaw

Co-founder / Place Intelligence

Bonnie is co-founder of Place Intelligence, focused on democratising access to big data to support evidence based design, policy and decision making.

Her career as a landscape architect and urban designer was derailed early on when she designed a globally popular game and became immersed in the dark underbelly of London street gaming, interactive theatre and emerging technology. This led to fellowships at the Institute for Contemporary Arts (London) and the Senseable Cities Lab at MIT (Boston).

Since then, Bonnie has worked at the forefront of advanced technology development and innovation, strategic change management and community engagement with organisations as varied as the (Obama) Whitehouse, Capital One Bank, Foundation for Young Australians, NASA, the World Bank, and Hilton Hotels. In her role as the Smart City Practice Lead at the City of Melbourne, Bonnie helped to establish and lead Australia’s first (and multi-award winning) Smart Cities team. 

She has held adjunct professor roles at both Georgetown University (Washington DC), Melbourne Business School (Melbourne VIC), and is a regular contributor to ANZSOG programs to support data maturity in government.

Bonnie is a finalist in the prestigious Australian and New Zealand Women in AI Awards, and is a trained Human Potential Coach, bringing data driven approaches to bio-hacking for stress management and performance enhancement.

Bonnie will be joining Rob Adams, Melbourne City Architect, on stage for a catalytic conversation about the historical context and future of data informed urban design and policy.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Ari Simon

Head of Social Impact / Pinterest and Tambourine

Ari is the Executive Director of Tambourine, a private foundation based in San Francisco focused on emotional wellbeing, neurodegenerative diseases, and global public health.

He was, previously, the head of Social Impact and Philanthropy at Pinterest, and the Vice President and Chief Program Officer of The Kresge Foundation, where he led the foundation’s domestic and global grant making.

Prior gigs included co-writing and editing the Shuttle Columbia Accident Report at NASA, volunteering on ambulances in the Middle East, and leading projects focused on philanthropic strategy and innovation at McKinsey & Co.

Ari earned a bachelor’s degree at Harvard College, a master’s degree at Oxford University, and a law degree at Stanford University.

Ari will Nithya Solomon for a catalytic conversation on stage about data informed social impact, community health and participatory innovation.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Dr Bree Trevena

Senior Manager Public Realm / Melbourne Arts Precinct

As Senior Manager, Public Realm and Precinct with the Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation (MAP Co), Dr Bree Trevena brings a social research lens to all things data, urban design and city resilience.

She has worked at the forefront of some of Australia's largest cultural and civic projects with a diverse portfolio of public, academic and private clients, partners and not-for-profit organisations.

Breehas recently returned to the civic and cultural sector. She formerly headed up Arup’s Australasian research portfolio and innovation pillar focusing on regenerative design, emerging technologies and well-being in design, planning and engineering.

Her continued academic research interests include bridging qualitative and quantitative datasets for equitable design and urban regeneration.

Bree will join Usman Haque for a catalytic conversation about urban technologies, data informed design, sensing, and urban rewilding.

She will also be co-leading the Melbourne Arts Precinct walking tour on Friday 24 March where the team will take participants behind the scenes for a sneak peek into the data driven practices informing this transformational program.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Slaven Marusic

Data Science Lead/ Aurecon

Slaven is the Data Science Lead at Aurecon, partnering with business units to design, deliver and manage innovative data analytics and decision-making solutions that meet the current and future needs of customers.

This has encompassed client engagement across the energy and resources, manufacturing and processing, telecommunications, infrastructure, building environment and transport sectors, advising technological and data driven solutions. 

His background in Electronics Engineering has encompassed signal and image processing, machine learning, pattern recognition, sensor networks and internet-of- things (IoT) research, spanning applications in environmental monitoring, biomedical engineering, wireless sensor networks, smart grids and smart cities, whilst building international collaborations across academia, industry and government.

This experience across the academic and research environment spanning 20 years, is serving to bridge the forefront of innovation, industry capability and client need.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Richard Mullane

Managing Principal / Hassell

Richard is an architect and urban designer working at the intersection of public and private projects of scale. He is the Managing Principal of Hassell's Melbourne Studio.

His experience ranges from complex corporate campus plans for Google and Nike, innovative education campuses from Melbourne to Brighton, connected public transport in Shenzhen and Sydney, and resilient public waterfront transformations in Shanghai and Los Angeles.

He previously led Hassell's Shanghai studio and during a decade in China worked on key city shaping projects including a central government led plan for 155sqkm aimed at halting Beijing's sprawl.

Richard established Hassell's American operations, where he led the Rockefeller Foundation sponsored "Resilient By Design" Bay Area Challenge project, which received multiple international planning and landscape awards.

He continues to advise Google on the delivery of their USD$1B housing commitment in the Bay Area.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Sarah McArthur

Director Citylab / City of Melbourne

As Director of CityLab, City of Melbourne’s design-led innovation consultancy, Sarah brings an antidisciplinary approach to solving challenges.

As a design leader her background has intersected strategic, experience, service, brand, product and spatial design across studios, new venture startups and innovation labs. 

Sarah’s radical curiosity is focused on how emergent technology, speculative design and experiential futures can enable vivid experiences that forge human connection and help us make better decisions for tomorrow, today.

A co-founder of the Melbourne chapter of Speculative Futures, Sarah is also a course leader for the RMIT University, Master of Design Futures program, exploring future practice and collective imagination.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Troy Casey

Director / Blaklash Creative

Troy is passionate about harnessing economic opportunities to create positive social changefor First Nations Australians.

He combines his extensive community engagement experience spanning the government, not-for-profit, and higher education sectors, with his curatorial practice, working collaboratively with communities to ensure First Nations voices are embedded across projects within public art, placemaking, and urban design.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Norion Ubechel

CEO / Place Intelligence

Operating on the fringe between emerging technologies, big data and urban strategy, Norion leads Place Intelligence’s global business practice.

His work focuses on unlocking the power of scaled human data driven insights for the needs of built environment.

He leverages almost two decades of academic research and professional experience working as a technologist, strategic planner and urban designer. Norion brings a deep appreciation and understanding of urban analytics and space planning together with city design, built form outcomes and place practices to create new methods for using data to improve the liveability of urban places around the world.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Usman Haque

Founder / Umbrellium

With a specialty in networked urban environments, interactive architecture & community activation, Usman Haque has designed & built all sorts of things: spaces, structures, systems, platforms, companies.

Trained as an architect, Usman is founder and creative director of Umbrellium, a London-based design & build studio dedicated to transforming urban environments. His work embraces many disciplines, including design, architecture, the internet of things, urban community infrastructure, and large-scale public art/performance.

He was creative director of an urban wilding scheme in East London initiated by EdenLAB (in association with Eden Project) and also heads up strategy and investment for Starling Technologies, a spin-out from Umbrellium dedicated to pedestrian safety.

He was appointed a Design Council Ambassador in 2021 and to the Mayor of London's Data for London Advisory Board in 2022. Earlier he founded Thingful.net, a search engine for the Internet of Things; and Pachube, one of the world's first open IoT data platforms, acquired by LogMeIn in 2011.

He taught at the Bartlett School of Architecture with Prof Stephen Gage in the Interactive Architecture Workshop (until 2005); and in 2015/2016 led RC12 Urban Design cluster, “Participatory systems for networked urban environments” with Adam Greenfield.

Usman received the 2008 Design of the Year Award (interactive) from the Design Museum, UK; a 2009 World Technology Award (art); the Japan Media Arts Festival Excellence prize (2004) and the Asia Digital Art Award Grand Prize (2005).

He is a Member IoT World Forum Steering Committee, and part of the authoring committee for the BSI PAS 212, 'Automatic resource discovery for the Internet of Things'.

Usman will be joining remotely via video for a conversation on stage with Dr Bree Trevena.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Garry Williams

Head of Engagement / Tractor Ventures

Garry is currently the Head of Engagement for Tractor Ventures, a tech company funding vehicle run by the tech ecosystems best operators, investors and founders. 

Garry runs FuckUp Nights in Melbourne & Sydney - a storytelling event emphasising the failure scenario's people experience in business, projects and their personal lives, and the impact it has on their life as a result. 

Garry has extensive experience navigating Australia’s technology ecosystem, having worked on innovation projects for scaleups & startups, global agencies, government, universities, cultural institutions and creative project houses.

F*ckup Night Event - Fri 24 March

Pino Demaio

Founder / Local Peoples

Pino believe that human-centred design can be a powerful tool to catalyse positive social outcomes and solve complex challenges.

He is a business leader and Creative Director with extensive experience solving problems and identifying opportunities across the health, education, sports, property and social impact industries. He is lucky to work with many wonderfully talented people and together they have created some game-changing and award-winning work.

He has led the delivery of national rebrands, help both start-ups and global brands disrupt industries through technology, redesigned how services are delivered and designed and delivered the experience for major events and packed out stadiums of 17,000 people.

Pino is the founder & creative director of Local Peoples, a brand strategy, communications and design agency focused on good design and social impact. He is also the editor in chief and creative director of Matters Journal -a biannual print and weekly digital publication connecting people who want to engage with individuals, brands or businesses who are doing good things.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Martin Brown

Design Director / Culture Amp

Martin is a design leader with over 15 years experience creating innovative products and services for some of the world's most influential companies.

Drawing from a background in communication design, digital design and journalism, he leads teams through research, strategy and detailed design – turning the complex into the concrete, and creating innovative products and services that people love.

Having worked for over a decade in design consultancies including IDEO, Fjord and Craig Walker, he is now Design Director at Culture Amp.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Adam Fennessy PSM

Dean & CEO / ANZSOG

Adam Fennessy PSM is the Dean and CEO of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG). 

Adam has over 25 years of public sector experience at state and federal levels, most recently as the Victorian Public Sector Commissioner. He has served as the Secretary of the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning, and the Victorian Department of Environment and Primary Industries.

Adam has worked in the private sector as a partner with global advisory firm Ernst & Young. Adam has served on several boards including the Institute of Public Administration Australia (IPAA) (Victoria), Infrastructure Victoria, Monash Sustainable Development Institute and Women & Leadership Australia. 

Adam is an IPAA National Fellow and a member of the Champions of Change Coalition. In 2018, he received a Public Service Medal (PSM) for leadership in the Victorian public sector.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Kat Rodwell

First Nations Cultural Advisor / Balert Mura Consultancy

Proud Ngunnawal woman and respected First Nations Cultural Advisor with 20 plus years’ experience. For Kat, every project has a story to tell about the Custodians of a Country, their culture, their history, and their language.

Working with Traditional Owners and project stakeholders using a successful collaborative and respectful approach called the Balert Mura Plan (Balert Mura meaning “Strong Pathway“) Kat works with community and Traditional Owner groups Australia wide, helping the establish respectful relationships and facilitate co-decide, co-design collaboration meetings with TO groups, Architects & Urban Design teams to imbed cultural stories & “Green Star“ ratings within the architecture and landscape.

A story teller, MC and Yarning Host, Kat takes stakeholders and clients on a unique engaging cultural journey to develop their cultural capabilities. None of that “death by PowerPoint “!

“STOP BREATHE CONNECT… It is only when you can do these 3 things can you truly understand our connection to the Land, Waterways, Skies and all that surrounds you above and below Country. Then the creative respectful designs flow” Kat Rodwell.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Nithya Solomon

Director Health Transformation Lab, Director Innovation Catalyst / RMIT University

Nithya Solomon is an innovation executive, strategist and performing artist, renowned for her creativity in shaping unique ventures in philanthropy, social impact, and public health.

She is the Director of RMIT’s Health Transformation Lab and Innovation Catalyst, operating at the cutting edge of the technology-human interface in health and social innovation. Nithya has a strong track record across private and public sectors in Australia, USA, and Latin America, and is sought after for her ability to convert insights and abstract ideas into action and results.

She was Nike Foundation’s Director of Operations, Finance & Strategy through their defining years of shaping a game-changing investment portfolio for adolescent girls’ economic empowerment. She was also instrumental in delivering Nike’s unprecedented ‘Designed to Move’ collaboration; a shared commitment between 70+ multi-sector organisations to increase worldwide physical activity.

As VicHealth’s Executive Lead of Innovation, Nithya curated wide-reaching programs that made global thought leadership, citizens’ juries, and digital innovation accessible for corporations and community organisations alike.

A professional classical dancer since age 18, Nithya produces and performs classical and contemporary works. She holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and Performing Arts from Monash University.

Nithya will join Ari Simon on stage for a catalytic conversation on stage about data informed social impact, community health and participatory innovation.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Tim Wark

Digital Director / AECOM

Tim Wark is the Regional Digital Director for AECOM Australia New Zealand and a member of the Australia New Zealand Executive Team. In this role he is responsible for leading the digital strategy for this region covering both internal digital transformation initiatives as well as growing market-facing digital offerings and commercialisation of new products.

He has over 25 years experience in technology research and development and commercialisation in both the public and private sectors focussing on a range of domains such as environment, transportation and health.

Tim holds a PhD in Computer-Science from the Queensland University of Technology and was formerly a Visiting Scholar at the University of California Berkeley.

When he's not taxi-driving teenagers to sports-events he loves to get out on the mountain bike, which has so far only required him to visit an emergency department once!

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Allison kealy

Executive Director Surveying and Spatial / Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Dr Allison Kealy is the Executive Director Surveying and Spatial in the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Prior to this she was a Professor of Geodesy and Satellite Positioning in the School of Science at RMIT University.

With more than 25 years in academia, Allison has also held roles as the Acting chief research office and research program director in the SmartSAT Cooperative Research Centre and Deputy Director of the Sir Lawrence Wackett Centre RMIT’s Defence research Centre.

She is a Fellow of the International Association of Geodesy, and of the Royal Institute of Navigation. She is a technical representative to the Satellite Division of the US, Institute of Navigation.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Jeff Sharp

Associate Partner/ EY

Jeff is an Associate Partner with EY based in Melbourne. Jeff has built a strong reputation for innovation leveraging data to provide insights across multiple sectors including telecommunications and transport.

Jeff is passionate about driving efficiencies through digitising infrastructure, leveraging the Internet of Things and Machine Learning to create Digital Twins that help to optimise or predict future behaviour of complex systems.

Jeff is a Fellow at Engineers Australia and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Leanne Hodyl

Managing Director / Hodyl & Co

Leanne is the founder and Managing Director of Hodyl & Co, a research and urban design consultancy focused on creating cities people love.

Leanne has 20 years’ experience delivering a wide range of projects including urban renewal, housing, arts and infrastructure strategies and public realm projects.

Her company has launched a not-for-profit initiative, Cities People Love, which creates and curates urban research that can engage and empower communities and influence policy.

Leanne is the current President of the Urban Design Forum Australia.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Mark AllAn

Director of the Greenline / City of Melbourne

Mark Allan is an architect and urban planner and the Director Greenline at the City of Melbourne. The Greenline project is a city shaping initiative set to transform the north bank of the Yarra River Birrarung.

With a career in major projects spanning 35 years Mark has played key roles in Federation Square, Melbourne Docklands and the Queen Victoria Market Precinct Renewal. He has previously held senior roles in architectural practice and at Mirvac, VicUrban and the former Melbourne Docklands Authority.

Mark has received numerous awards including the prestigious Australia Award for Urban Design. He has chaired industry advisory committees for the Property Council of Australia (Victoria), the University of Melbourne, and the Australian Sustainable Built Environment Council (ASBEC). He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and the Planning Institute of Australia.

Mark is a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne with research interests including urban regeneration, data analytics, SDGs, placemaking and sustainable precincts.

Walking Tour: The Greenline - Fri 24 March

Trent Clews-de Castella

Co-founder & CEO / Phoria

Trent Clews-de Castella is the Co-founder and CEO of Australian-based XR Studio PHORIA.

Trent has a background in Psychology and leads a team of 35 XR creators in Melbourne, they have developed extensively across VR, AR and MR for the last 8 years.

In 2019, the team produced the award-winning AR nature series REWILD with Netflix. In 2021 they were nominated for an Emmy award for their cross-platform work with Meta and the Paralympics. In December 2022, Trent and his team launched a world-first WebXR Mixed Reality experience - "Spatial Fusion" on the Meta Quest Pro.

Trent believes that AR and MR have such a special and unique value to give purely in their ability to connect the user with their physical surroundings. He hopes AR can serve to deepen connections between people, places and cultures.

Trent will be delivering a short showcase session to highlight the groundbreaking work of PHORIA.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Entsar Hamid

Public Policy Leader / Geo-spatial Expert

Entsar Hamid brings more than 17 years of global public and private sector expertise in business transformation, organisational development, governance, corporate social responsibility/ESG, public relations and public sector and legislative reform.

Entsar has previously held executive and advisory roles in State Govt agencies including Department of Premier and Cabinet, EPA and Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. In 2019 she led the commercialisation of the Victorian Land Registry services.

Her Non-Exectuive Director roles include former Deputy President of IPAA (VIC), Chair of Gender Equity Victoria and Director of the Workplace Injury Commission.

Entsar is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia and an alumnus of Harvard Business School.

In 2018, Entsar was the youngest recipient of the Top 50 Women in the Public Sector (Victoria) Award.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Lisa Sarago

CEO / Goanna Group

Lisa Sarago is a proud Yidinji/Yalanji woman and the CEO leading the Goanna Group and Winner of the Indigenous Leader of the Year 2022 for Women in Digital.

The Goanna Group includes Goanna Solutions, Goanna Solutions Education, and Yapang (charitable organisation). Goanna is a unique brand and boasts the ability to provide education to employment for diverse cohorts, with Goanna Education being the only Indigenous ICT RTO operating in Australia.

Lisa is a strategic and visionary leader with extensive experience in leadership roles in a diverse range of industries, government, and non-government agencies. A strong thought leader with the ability to lead teams, large and small, to achieve excellence through strategic thinking and working at the grassroot level simultaneously.

Lisa has worked across many industries, starting her career in Queensland Government, and led teams in a variety of programs. She was integral as a trailblazer in advocating for and supporting the establishment and development of various community-based organisations and initiatives across the Cape York, Torres Strait and broader Queensland communities.

A focus across all of her roles has always centred around strong leadership and advocating for disadvantaged groups to access services and opportunities. Bringing this passion to the digital sector, Lisa is focusing her efforts on ensuring disadvantaged and marginalised groups have access to training and employment opportunities.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Melanie Davern

Director / Australian Urban Observatory

Associate Professor Melanie Davern is Director of the Australian Urban Observatory at the Centre for Urban Research, RMIT University and a Vice Chancellor’s Senior Research Fellow.

Melanie combines her background in public health with urban planning and public policy through a program of liveability research investigating the connections between social, economic and environmental factors and health.

Her interdisciplinary research practice includes qualitative, quantitative and spatial research methods with a passion for applied research using methodologies that enhance the translation of research knowledge into policy and planning practice.

The Australian Urban Observatory is a digital liveability planning platform that transforms complex urban data into easily understood liveability maps across Australia’s 21 largest cities. It draws on over 10 years of policy-relevant research and is located within the Centre for Urban Research at RMIT University.

The Observatory maps key liveability indicators found to be associated with health and wellbeing, and provides a clear understanding of the liveability of cities. The Observatory provides information and understanding to support resource allocation, future policy action and support to create equitable, healthy and liveable places.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Louisa Bloomer

Asia-Pacific Digital Practice Lead/ Stantec

A leader with a background in data and geo-analytics, and member of several public and private sector data, engineering, and infrastructure boards and committees, Louisa develops strategies that consider how a data-enabled future might look, how we can respond to the opportunities and risks it provides, and how to bring non-data people along with us.

Louisa believes passionately that organisations must take intentional, strategic, and committed action to embrace digital and data capability. Having worked on urban design and transport projects across New Zealand, Australia and the UK, Louisa leads a distributed team of digital and innovation staff to deliver major projects, while providing digital strategy for Stantec’s global team of over 25,000 engineers, designers, scientists, and planners.

As founder and chair of Stantec’s ANZ Digital Governance Board, Louisa is expanding spatial and data practices, ensuring both grass root and senior leadership are aligned in a single vision across the region.

Awarded the ACE NZ Emerging Leader of the Year Award (2022), Survey and Spatial NZ Leader Of The Year Award (2021) and IPWEA Young Leader of the Year Award (2021), Louisa is a passionate leader who empowers her teams through influence, relationships, and trust. She supports people to explore, innovate and thrive, while ensuring clients and communities are benefiting from her work.

Louisa will join Alex Barth from Mapbox, for a catalytic conversation on stage about the future of mapping, geospatial data and the future of mobility.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Tom Cooper

Managing Director / Beam ANZ

Tom is the General Manager of Beam ANZ. Beam is the largest operator of e-scooters and e-bikes across APAC operating in over 8 Countries and 50 cities.

He has extensive experience in the field, having successfully launched e-mobility services in over 25 cities across Australia and New Zealand in the past four years.

Tom's passion for micro-mobility began when he spent time in London and used the city's "Boris Bikes" bike-sharing program. These experiences led him to pursue a career in bringing more sustainable transportation options to cities in the region.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Adelide Mutinda

Innovation Program Manager / Humanitech

Adelide Mutinda is the Innovation Program Manager at Humanitech, an initiative of Australian Red Cross, where she leads the work of the Humanitech Lab, an innovation program that explores the role of technological innovation in meeting social and humanitarian need.

The Humanitech Lab partners with innovators and startups that are leveraging the power of data and technology to solve the most pressing social and humanitarian challenges facing humanity and explores new approaches to designing and developing technology that is ethical, inclusive, responsible and safe.

She has over a decade of professional experience as a social change practitioner initiating, leading, and delivering innovative, evidence-driven, participatory solutions and impact-led initiatives across Asia, Africa, North America and Australia with extensive program design and management in cross-disciplinary teams and cross-cultural contexts.

Adelide is also co-founder of Africa Young Entrepreneurs Support Centre, a social enterprise building Africa's next generation of social entrepreneurs and is an Atlas Corps Fellow; a global network of the world's best social change leaders. She holds a Masters Degree in Public Policy and Economic Development from the Korea Development Institute Graduate School of Public Policy in Seoul.

Adelide will be delivering a short showcase session to highlight the incredible work of Humanitech.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Prof. Marcus Foth

Professor of Urban Informatics / School of Design, QUT

Marcus Foth is a Professor of Urban Informatics in the School of Design and a Chief Investigator in the QUT Digital Media Research Centre (DMRC), Faculty of Creative Industries, Education, and Social Justice, QUT. He is a founding member of the More-than-Human Futures research group. Marcus’ research brings together people, place, and technology.

For two decades, Marcus has led ubiquitous computing and interaction design research into interactive digital media, screen, mobile and smart city applications. Since founding the Urban Informatics Research Lab at QUT in 2006, urban informatics has been adopted worldwide by industry (McKinsey, Intel, CISCO) and universities (NYU, University College London, Warwick, Northeastern). His leadership in establishing the field was recognised in 2017 by the Australian Computer Society inducting Marcus as a Fellow for ‘a sustained and distinguished contribution to the field of computer science’ and by the Australian and New Zealand Governments, which included urban informatics as a new field of research in their 2020 Standard Research Classification.

Marcus has published more than 250 peer-reviewed publications. He is a Fellow of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Distinguished Member of the international Association for Computing Machinery (ACM), and currently serves on Australia’s national College of Experts.

Marcus will be delivering a workshop at Victoria University on Friday 24 March focused on: DataCare – a model for cities to practically implement a participatory data analytics approach as a way to renew and maintain the social licence to operate smart cities.

Workshop: DataCare for Digital Twins - Fri 24 March

Tom Wardley

Senior Data Scientist / ARUP

Tom is a senior data scientist at Arup with a focus on climate change and sustainability.

Tom’s work embeds data science techniques into climate change and sustainability projects to build a quantitative evidence base that supports project outcomes.

This role combines Tom’s experience as a climate change and sustainability consultant with his educational background, having completed Masters degrees in both Geography and Data Science.

Tom’s work includes complex data analysis, data management, modelling and data visualisation to develop data-driven insights for clients, as well as automating process-driven tasks for environmental practitioners.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

MAIA GOULD

Cybernetic Engagements Lead / School of Cybernetics, ANU

Maia is the Cybernetic Engagements Lead within the new School of Cybernetics at the Australian National University, looking at technology adoption from a human and earth lens.

Maia loves working at the intersection between disciplines. After studying arts and science at university 20 years ago, she trained and worked as a science writer and has since held a variety of strategy, research, communications and business development roles.

She holds a Master of Bioethics focused on emerging science and technology and has worked with some of Australia’s largest professional service firms and managed social research on issues such as mental health and corporate social responsibility.

Maia is passionate about helping ideas and people find their place in a noisy, complex world, and manages a diverse team at the School of Cybernetics.

Workshop: Navigating complex systems with cybernetics - Fri 24 March

Luke Poland

Senior Transport Planner / City of Melbourne

Working across strategic planning, infrastructure delivery and community engagement as Senior Strategic Transport Planner at City of Melbourne, Luke is passionate about active transport as a tool for improving wellbeing, and enhancing the liveability of cities.

Luke has worked in a number of transport-related roles at state government, local government and not-for-profit organisations.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Zoe Eather

CEO / My Smart Community

Zoe is an experienced consultant, Churchill Fellow and engineer who specialises in Smart Communities, that is using different ways of thinking and technology as enablers to make the places we live more accessible, liveable and sustainable for all.

The combination of Zoe’s engineering background and her ability to engage and explain complex topics in a friendly and informative way, allows her to offer future-thinking, useful and realistic strategic advice.

Zoe keeps up-to-date with the latest trends and shares her learnings through hosting The Smart Community Podcast.

Through her boutique consultancy My Smart Community, she offers strategic advisory on dealing with disruption, leveraging infrastructure spend and major projects, smart technology in regional communities and facilitating genuine collaboration.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Kirsten Bauer

Global Design Director / ASPECT Studios

Kirsten is a Director of ASPECT Studios, a global, Australian-based, urban design, landscape architectural and green infrastructure design practice. She is Design Director on the Greenline Project.

A respected design leader with over 20 years expertise in public realm and infrastructure strategy and design across Australia and internationally. She creates vibrant, vital spaces that inspire creativity, enhance the lives of people and strengthen natural systems. She aspires to foster community, build social capital and resilience and, through design innovation, build competitive global success for the cities in which she works.

Kirsten has led significant award winning projects across Australia and internationally. She is a member of several government appointed design review panels and committees as well as being a long standing juror and professional advisor to the University of Melbourne and RMIT University, where she is an Adjunct Professor. Education is fundamental to her thinking and she regularly lectures at universities and industry events globally.

Kirsten is a member of the inaugural Birrarung Council, formed by the Yarra Protection Act, the Victorian Design Review Panel (Office of Victorian Government Architect) and recently co-Creative Director of the 2019 International Festival of Landscape Architecture and the Future Park Competition.

Walking Tour: The Greenline - Fri 24 March

Dr Andrea Siodmok, OBE, Hon DCL, FRSA

Dean / School of Design, RMIT

Andrea is the new Dean of the School of Design at the College of Design & Social Context at RMIT.

Previously, she was the Chief Impact Officer (and de facto Deputy Chief Executive) at the Royal Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

She is a Trustee of CIPD, the membership body for HR professionals, a member of the 1851 Royal Commission Committee and an external examiner at the Royal College of Art in London.A trained industrial designer with a First Class Honours, Andrea has a Masters in public policy from the London School of Economics and a PhD in Virtual Reality from Northumbria University.

Over more than 25 years Andrea has expanded the boundaries of design developing new design practice in service design, social design and policy design. As a design consultant she co-designed the World’s smallest x-ray machine for NASA, developed Virtual Reality worlds at BT’s Adastral Park Labs as well as a range of medical and consumer products.

Formerly Chief Design Officer at the UK Design Council, she co- developed and trademarked the globally renowned ‘Double Diamond’ design process that has since had over 50 million views on Google.

Prior to her current role Andrea worked for six years at the heart of the UK Government as Deputy Director at the Cabinet Office and founder the multi-award-winning Policy Innovation Unit where she also became an innovation advisor to the United Nations Under Secretary General in New York.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Skye Haldane

Strategic Design Principal, Greenline and City Design / City of Melbourne

Skye Haldane is Strategic Design Principal at City of Melbourne, working across the in-house Design and Greenline branches in delivery of the city’s public projects, and as advisor for major projects and strategy.

Skye is a landscape architect and urban designer with over 20 years experience in public and private practice. She has a passion for how great design can allow everyone to pursue their potential and is committed to delivering and advocating for design quality that respects and celebrates connection to place.

Skye is a founding member and chair of AILA Victoria’s Connection to Country committee (C2C) and national C2C member.

Walking Tour: The Greenline - Fri 24 March

Jackie Randles

Partnerships Lead / School of Cybernetics, ANU

Jackie Randles is the Partnerships Lead in the School of Cybernetics at the Australian National University.

Jackie has a knack for joining the dots between and within organisations to uncover new insights and extend impact and reach. She enjoys bringing people, creative ideas and new audiences together.

In her previous role as the founding Manager of Inspiring Australia NSW, the national strategy for public engagement with science, technology and innovation, Jackie connected hundreds of science and technology experts to big audiences, including through curating public programs and festivals.

Prior to that she delivered media and engagement strategies in business, government, cultural and community settings and worked as a writer, editor and documentary radio producer.

Workshop: Navigating complex systems with cybernetics - Fri 24 March

Lara Al-Hassany

Senior Transportation Design Engineer / Stantec

Lara is a Senior Design Engineer at Stantec. She looks at transport systems not through a status quo lens, but for how they can best serve the people and communities that use them.

Whether it’s delivering designs for a busy city street or designing pop-up bike lanes to get people safely from A to B, Lara’s work is centred around people, technology, sustainability, and safety.

Bridging the gap between our data experts and bringing future transport systems to life, she uses design to evaluate possibilities and risks, helping our clients make the right decisions from the get-go, to deliver their projects successfully.

Lara will explore the rapid growth of micro-mobility in Melbourne, where there are more shared e-scooter trips per day than any other Australian city.

She’ll speak about how the team used data to understand the trends and issues relating to this new way of getting around and the implications for our future streets.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Perry Lethlean

Managing Director / TCL

Perry is Design Director on the Greenline Project and considered to be one of Australia’s leading contemporary urban and landscape designers.

His work is widely published, particularly his successful entries for major national and international design competitions including the National Arboretum in Canberra and the University of Sydney. His skills in urban design, at both the large master planning and detailed design scale, make him a valuable asset to TCL and clients. He is a sought after design lecturer and critic at numerous universities and as a juror for professional practice awards and a variety of government design advisory bodies.

Perry has led the successful implementation of complex landscape and urban projects such as The Forest Gallery at the Melbourne Museum, the National Arboretum Canberra, winner of the 2014 World Architecture Festival’s ‘Landscape of the Year’, Auckland Waterfront - North Wharf Promenade and Silo Park, winner of the 2014 Rosa Barba Landscape Prize, and the Australian Garden, Cranbourne, which won the 2013 World Architecture Festival ‘Landscape of the Year’ Award.

His experience varies from the preparation of large-scale urban design frameworks and masterplans to the detailed design of urban and landscape spaces.

Perry’s commitment to quality outcomes permeates his work at all scales resulting in urban environments that are both beautiful and vital.

Walking Tour: The Greenline - Fri 24 March

hoa Yang

Senior Lighting Designer / ARUP

Hoa Yang is a Senior Lighting Designer and PhD candidate at the Department of Art, Design and Architecture, at Monash University.

Trained as an architect, Hoa specialises in daylight and experiential lighting design with experience in local and international arts and culture, public infrastructure, and urban realm projects.

Her practice brings together 24-hour lighting design with human-centric strategies to tackle night-time spatial equity and transform experiences for minority groups within the built environment.

Hoa’s current research focuses on the role of lighting on night time urban experiences of safety for intersectional people.

Her research interests include design for perceptions of safety, Ai/ML for qualitative and quantitative datasets and the politics of intersectionality in urban experiences of fear.

Hoa will be delivering a short showcase session to highlight this important work.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Sam Shaheen

Chief Data Officer / City of Melbourne

Sam Shaheen is the City of Melbourne’s inaugural Chief Data Officer, joining the council in late 2021 to support its strong focus and ambition towards being a data-led, insights driven organisation.

This has been essential for the City of Melbourne in its commitment to the city’s economic recovery and delivering on community priorities.

As a seasoned data leader, Sam has 24+ years of consulting and telco sector experience in a range of tech, data, business intelligence, operational and customer service roles.

Sam is passionate about using data and insights to solve real problems, as well driving simplification and digital automation with good data operations and governance.

She believes data is the water in the pipes that makes an organisation run.

Sam will be joining Rob Adams and Bonnie Shaw on stage for a keynote conversation about the past, current and future practices of data informed design and city decision making.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Kiri Delly

Associate Director / RMIT

Kiri Delly works in a dual role at RMIT University: as Associate Director, Creative Partnerships for the College of Design and Social Context (DSC); and as Program Director, Creative Partnerships within the Policy, Strategy, and Impact Portfolio.

She is responsible for developing and managing collaborative projects across the University’s learning & teaching, research & innovation, and impact areas; and facilitating meaningful relationships with all aspects of industry, government, business, and community - both within Australia and internationally.

Kiri works across a range of disciplines: including design, fashion & textiles, art, media & communication, and architecture & urban design. She works with all levels of enterprise including SMEs and social enterprises; to create partnerships between education, industry, and community, based on the needs of today and the opportunities for the future.

Before joining RMIT, Kiri was CEO of the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA), the peak industry association for the textile, clothing, and footwear (TCF) industry in Australia; working to support and grow sector capability and capacity.

Prior to taking up the role at the TFIA, she held the role of General Manager at the Melbourne Fashion Festival – Australia’s largest fashion event. Previously, she was based in London as Event Director for Foresight Europe, an integrated, experiential marketing agency that specialised in film, lifestyle, and entertainment.

Kiri has over 20 years’ experience assisting and advising creatives and businesses. This includes providing support to grow their skills and connections, through access to information, resources, best practice, and collaborative networks. She utilises her understanding of various sectors, and the needs of their stakeholders, to advocate, educate, enable, and promote.

Through a range of projects and initiatives, Kiri has worked across all levels of the value chain to broker knowledge, build connections, and support collaboration.

Walking Tour: RMIT Social Innovation District - Fri 24 March

Jon hazelwood

Principal & Public Realm Sector Lead / Hassell

Jon Hazelwood is one of Hassell’s most experienced public realm and landscape architecture professionals. Based in the Sydney studio, Jon is also a prolific writer, regularly sharing his insights on how great design, planting design and access to nature enriches our lives.

Over the past 20 years, Jon has guided projects from the broad, strategic thinking phase through to detailed resolution and successful delivery. Jon was instrumental in establishing Hassell in the United Kingdom, leading award-winning projects including the revitalising of Croydon High Street in London.

Jon’s work fits seamlessly into its surrounding natural environment and urban context while also sparking conversations with imaginative details.

This approach is clear on his latest project – the burgeoning redevelopment of Melbourne’s much-loved arts precinct.

Walking Tour: Melbourne Arts Precinct (Map Co) - Fri 24 March

Matthew Mackay

Studio Director / ASPECT Studios

Matt Mackay is the Project Director for the Greenline. He is an accomplished landscape architect and urban designer who has delivered a number of award-winning public realm and landscape projects across Australia. He is driven by a passion to realise project outcomes that exceed client expectations and deliver exceptional places.

Working with both public and private sector clients, Matt has led the design, documentation and delivery of city shaping projects, including the Victoria Harbour and South-East Stadium Precincts in Melbourne Docklands, the International Convention and Exhibition Precinct, Sydney, and high-profile landscapes such as the Glebe Foreshore Walk Sydney, and the Point Leo Sculpture Park on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula.

Matt has performed the role of Project Director across numerous, high-profile landscape and urban design projects, including the Gasworks Precinct Masterplan, Fishermans Bend Innovation Precinct, Melbourne Park Stage 3, and the Twelve Apostles Visitor Centre Precinct.

He draws upon his broad skills in project design strategy, advocacy, collaboration, and creative thinking to help harness the whole project team’s collective ambitions into clear and executable outcomes.

Walking Tour: The Greenline - Fri 24 March

Michael Parry

Director, Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation / Map Co

Michael leads the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project delivery team for MAP Co.

Previously with Creative Victoria, Michael led the development of long term strategy and infrastructure projects as part of the Victorian State Government’s cultural infrastructure portfolio of State-owned cultural facilities and the state collection. He led the Museum Project Office for the Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS), Sydney, spearheading the planning and development activities for the Powerhouse Museum relocation to Parramatta, and led the setup and development of the cultural infrastructure team for CreateNSW.

While Director, Programs & Engagement at MAAS, he was responsible for the Museum’s public facing activities including programs, education, on-line and commercial activities. He led the redevelopment of the Museums Discovery Centre, which reopened after a major expansion and renovation in 2016. Prior to his time with MAAS, Michael was Deputy Director at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne, Australia. He was Project Director for ACMI’s major redevelopment project, culminating in the opening of the new permanent exhibition Screen Worlds in 2009.

Michael has been a Project Director and consultant for major redevelopments and innovation projects including with Ontario Science Centre, Melbourne Museum & Scienceworks, Shedd Aquarium Chicago, Museum of Science Boston and American Museum of Natural History, New York.

He has consulted for a wide variety of cultural and arts institutions globally on infrastructure development, technology, strategy and innovation.

Walking Tour: Melbourne Arts Precinct - Fri 24 March

Hannah Simpson

Educational Developer / School of Cybernetics, ANU

Hannah Simpson is an educational developer at the School of Cybernetics at the Australian National University, where she works to bring cybernetic tools and ideas to a broad range of audiences, from school students to senior executives.

By translating research from the School into educational experiences that are accessible and applicable, she aims to empower audiences to see the systems in which they operate more cybernetically, and start steering them towards safe, sustainable, and responsible futures.

Prior to joining the School of Cybernetics, Hannah completed an MA in philosophy, focusing on social epistemology and ethics. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, reading, and spotting local wildlife.

Workshop: Navigating complex systems with cybernetics - Fri 24 March

Ivan Motley

Founder / .ID (informed decisions)

Ivan Motley is a geographer, the founder of .id (informed decisions) and a strategic advisor to PEXA.

“Presenting data through a spatial lens addresses the need to understand ‘Place’, to make excellent location decisions, and to contribute to a better society.”

For 20 years, the .id team has worked to build an enterprise that contributes to a good society. They are a unique combination of demographic and spatial analysts, urban economists, industry sector experts, IT and data management specialists, and the largest population forecasting team in the country.

Each year 1.5 million people use .id’s 500+ online tools to inform their decision-making. 10,000 people subscribe to .id’s newsletter and 30,000 learn from .id’s blog every month.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Jocelyn chiew

Director, City Design / City of Melbourne

Jocelyn Chiew is an Architect, Landscape Architect and Urban Designer.

As the Director of City Design, at the City of Melbourne, Jocelyn ensures that a curatorial design lens is applied to all projects shaping the municipality.

City Design studio is a collective of multidisciplinary designers who plan, design and deliver council strategies and public works. The studio also provides design review for city shaping development proposals.

Jocelyn’s commitment to design excellence and inclusive design is evident in her various industry appointments. She is Deputy Chair of the Melbourne Design Review Panel, a member of the Office of the Victorian Government Architect’s Victorian Design Review Panel, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects, a former State and National Councillor at the Australian Institute of Architects, a member of the Property Council of Australia’s Victorian Precincts Committee, and a member of Gender Equity Victoria’s Put Her Name on It Reference Group.

Jocelyn continues to be a long standing participant to design competitions, university design critiques, lectures and industry awards.

Workshop: City Design - Fri 24 March

Theodoros Galanos

Advanced Design Lead / Aurecon

Theodoros Galanos specialises in developing AI solutions for the built environment that generate, extract, collect, and articulate Design Intelligence. He is recognised as a world leader in machine learning for AEC design.

As an Advanced Design Lead at Aurecon, his current work focuses on bespoke AI workflows to produce meaningful and measurable outcomes across a large variety of design, engineering and advisory applications.

Theodoros is a PHD Candidate with the Institute of Digital Games at the University of Malta with a focus on researching, prototyping, testing, and implementing exciting new ideas and directions for designing systems that allow the articulation of design intelligence through semantic generation.

He is world renowned for the creation of Architext - a semantic text to layout generator that produces architectural designs directly from natural language.

He is an active supporter the open-source community to democratise access to knowledge, data, and tools needed to solve complex problems in the built environment.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Jithma Beneragama

Strategic Advisor / AWS

Jithma is a senior digital executive with more than 20 years of experience leading organisations to take advantage of our changing digital world. With experience across start-up and large mature organisations, helping them innovate and transform, while maintaining a clear focus on addressing customer needs.

Jithma is a seasoned people leader with solid experience building and leading high performance agile teams. He has global experience as an innovator, developing and delivering strategic objectives, while challenging accepted industry norms.

Recognised as one of Australia’s Top 50 most innovative CIOs in 2018, 2020 and again in 2021, Jithma has led teams to consistently deliver a number of industry firsts and award-winning products in categories such as innovation, customer experience, and design.

Prior to his current role, Jithma was Executive Director of Digital, Design and Innovation within the Victorian Public Sector until August 2021, where he led the development of the state’s digital transformation agenda, culminating in the establishment of Digital Victoria, the state’s transformation agency.

He is now Strategic Advisor (Public Sector) for AWS Australia, helping governments explore and navigate disruptive transformation.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

Trish Hansen

Founding Principal / Urban Mind Studio

Trish Hansen is the Founding Principal of Urban Mind Studio. As a strategist, systems designer and regenerative practitioner in the fields of health, wellbeing, arts and culture, Trish works to enrich the creative and cultural life of people, places, neighbourhoods and cities - in myriad ways.

As a natural collaborator and complex systems thinker, Trish has provoked, pioneered and managed adaptive systems change strategy, social enterprises, projects, programs and quests in paediatric health, urban, arts and cultural sectors.

She is currently the Chair of Brink Productions, a Good Design Australia Ambassador, Fellow of the Centre for Conscious Design, Board Director of the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival, and Chief ExecutiveOfficer of Kindred Australia, as well as serving on other committees.

Data Informed Design Conference - Thu 23 March

PAUL SALMON

CEO / moodflx

Paul Salmon has been a successful professional athlete, media personality and businessman in Australia for over 35 years.

As a professional athlete he retired as a 324 game AFL player with two AFL Premierships to his name. His honours included induction into the AFL Hall of Fame, Essendon FC Hall of Fame and selection in the Hawthorn FC ‘Team of the Century’.
Club honours include being a 2 x Premiership Player, a 7 x leading goal kicker at Essendon, a 2 x Club Champion at Hawthorn, a 3 x All Australian and a Runner Up in the Brownlow Medal.

Paul has also been an entrepreneur since the age of 17 having founded a number of start-ups to successful exit ranging from Tourism and Events and Network Commercialisation in Australia to Waste to Energy Tech globally.

Paul also enjoyed an extensive media career with highlights being the host of ‘Sports World’ on Channel 7 and The Midday Show, Footy Show and ‘Time Out For Serious Fun’ for Channel 9. Paul was awarded the Victorian Father of the Year in 2000, AFL ‘Personality of the Year’ in 2000 and the ‘Australian Sports Medal’ also in 2000.
He has been a leader in the community in his ambassadorial roles for Australia Day and a number charities over many years.

Today he is the Founder and CEO of moodflx [and, in his spare time, Head of Commercial Development for AIA Australia.]

moodflx is the world’s only real time emotion and mood insight platform for organisations and their people that captures and reports hard data from location, environmental and behavioural factors that directly impact mood. These factors are measurable and modifiable, enabling real time insights and behaviour change nudges, to benefit individuals, teams and organisations.

F*ckUp Night Event - Fri 24 March

COLIN MCEVOY

Precinct Operations Manager / Federation Square, MapCo

Colin has extensive experience in managing buildings, assets and teams.

He has worked in some of Australia’s largest organisations including Telstra and Spotless as well as managing iconic sporting venues such as Marvel Stadium and commercial and residential buildings.

For the last seven years he has managed precinct operations for Melbourne’s iconic Fed Square.

Walking Tour: Melbourne Arts Precinct - Fri 24 March

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Leaders in Data & Design

data informed design
conference Melbourne
23-24 March 2023
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