2023 Symposium Speakers

Dr Nicolle, from Adelaide in South Australia, has been interested in Australian native plants since childhood. By the age of 16 he was devoted to

Jack is a young and proud Whadjuk-Ballardong Nyoongar man from Boorloo (Perth). In 2018 he was awarded a MADALAH tertiary scholarship to study at the

Penny and Clive founded Diggers in 1978 where they pioneered the preservation of heirloom vegetable seeds and garden-worthy ornamental flowering plants. In 2011, Clive, Penny

Graham is an award-winning professional photographer based in Canberra. While he shoots a wide variety of genre his passion is Australian flora and fauna. Graham

Shraddha is an Infrastructure Engineer at Mount Barker District Council. She completed her Bachelor of Civil and Structural Engineering with Honours at the University of

Bronwyn Paynter is an occupational therapist (OT) who helps OTs internationally create nature-based programs and businesses using her proprietary NatureOT Method. Bronwyn is passionate about

Catrina is co-founder and CEO of Millennium Kids, a non-profit environmental youth organization. Grown from a youth led annual conference in 1996, Millennium Kids is

Ian has 33 years of experience in the design, construction and management of local government public open space, including five years as Manager Recreation and

Leanne is an expert horticulturist and nurserywoman with over 25 years of experience in commercial plant propagation and production. In her role as Research and

John Sandham took up an apprenticeship at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in 1972 and went on to develop his horticulture career at University of

Simon attended his first international Clean Air conference at Melbourne University as a student in the 1970s. After working in the UK and Europe in the

Greg is a Senior Research Associate of Burnley College, University of Melbourne, where he was Principal from 1988 to 2007; he was Head of the School

Russell is a civil engineer with a passion for integrated, sustainable green urban form and function. As Senior Assets Lead with the City of Unley

Brad Darkson’s work is informed by his First Nations and Anglo Australian heritage. His mob on his Dad’s side is the Chester family, with lineages

Dr Leonie Scriven is the Deputy Director, Living Collections, at the Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia. She provides high level support and

Stefan is an ecologist with 20 years of experience in applied ecosystem science. His research centres around how plants and entire ecosystems cope with changes

Stefan is an empirical ecologist and environmental policy specialist who bridges government and academia. His current role is the Regional Coordinator for Resilient South, a

David is CEO of the Institute of Public Works Engineers Australasia (IPWEA), a role he has held for the past three years following experience in

His early experience in the family’s nursery and landscaping business followed by study at Melbourne’s Burnley College prepared Chris well for a career in arboriculture