Housing - Circular Economy - Workforce
Ignite MNC is a business conference with a twist. This year’s theme will be a carnival – be prepared to be stretched!
Now in its fifth year Ignite MNC will run in beautiful Woolgoolga on 2 November, 2022.
The Ignite MNC Symposium is a business and community event designed to bring together people who work, run businesses and live in the Mid North Coast. The event is designed to inspire new thinking, vibrant conversations and to form collaborative partnerships.
This year’s theme is Carnival! Come dressed for the experience
Participants will learn from the panels, meet a range of people and organisations who can support your business (or community initiative) to grow and thrive, as well as the opportunity to network with a broad range of people from across the region.
AND… in true IGNITE MNC style you can expect to be challenged, inspired and resourced.
There will be discussion panels on our theme topics of Circular Economy, housing and workforce, regional insights with the launch of the Mid North Coast regional plan, lots of time to connect and meet each other, including at our signature lunch in the main street.
Join the Carnival of Ideas at Ignite MNC in 2023!
Early bird on sale NOW!
(Be Quick! Early bird ends 14 Oct 2022!)
EVENT DETAILS
TIME: 9am for 9.30 start to 4pm
DATE: Wed 2nd Nov 2022
WHERE: Woolgoolga Surf Club
Catering: Morning tea and lunch are included with all tickets!
Speakers and Conversations - So, what's on the Agenda in 2022?
Ian Ugarte
About Ian Ugarte
Ian Ugarte is a leading Australian expert on innovative and diverse affordable housing models and their implementation, including micro apartments, rooming, boarding houses, communal residences and adaptable housing. He has designed and implemented adaptions of these models for disability organisations, domestic violence transitional housing, age in place housing and enabling affordable first home ownership through rent to buy.
Ian’s focus is on overcoming unaffordable housing and the loss of community in Australia and established the Australian Housing Initiative to advocate for the provision of affordable housing.
He is passionate about bringing change and educating Government on the ease of providing sufficient affordable housing through minor amendments to existing policy that would create sustainable and practical solutions to affordable housing and offer a win-win scenario for all stakeholders – governments, consumers and investors.
Dr Clare Allen
About Dr Clare Allen
Dr Allen has held some significant CEO roles, over the past 25 years and has won numerous organisational and individual awards.
Clare has key skills in strategy, change management, people and leadership and stakeholder engagement, as well as media relations. Clare has a sound reputation for building strategic partnerships and developing organisational capability and brand recognition.
Clare work’s in a co-design and collaborative manner to achieve long-term sustainable outcomes. Her experience spans senior leadership roles in, for purpose; private equity; and government organisations.
Liz Jeremy
About Liz Jeremy
With a commitment to local governance and a passion for sustainability Liz Jeremy has worked with local government and the communities that it serves for over 35 years.
Having worked with 6 Councils as well as an association, and region of Council’s, Liz’s role is currently General Manager, Bellingen Shire Council. This role provides a consolidation for a career spent working across sustainability issues and with local communities in the local government sector.
Prior to working with Bellingen Shire Council and its community, Liz held the position of Director Sustainable Living for Blacktown City Council, with responsibilities for a broad range of products and services and an annual budget accountability of around $100 million.
In addition, this role included delivering multimillion dollar investments of over $35 million in external funding on two key projects – Blacktown Solar City, and Regenises – a ground breaking carbon project, as well as holding the position of Board Member for Blacktown Venue Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Council responsible for the operation of Blacktown International Sportspark.
Roles previous to this include Manager Sustainable Environment and Health for Liverpool City Council and Manager Environmental Focus for the City of Tea Tree Gully in South Australia.
With an imperative around productivity and effectiveness of operations Liz has led and managed both operational and contract workforces for almost 30 years, is currently a Board Member of the Mid North Coast Region of Councils, as well as Chair of the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation General Managers Advisory Committee.
On a personal level, Liz has a passion for family sustainability and community resilience. She holds a Bachelor of Business Degree as well as Certificates in Government Investigation and is an MBA student, an Alumni of the University of South Australia, holding an Alumni Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement, is a mentor for the University of South Australia’s Business Career Mentor Program, Past President and Board Member of Bellingen Rotary, and part time farmer on the Jeremy plot on the Kalang River.
Dr Cath Cosgrave
About Cath Cosgrave
Dr Cath Cosgrave is the principal consultant of Cath Cosgrave Consulting.
Dr Cosgrave is a rural change-maker, strategic advisor, researcher and evaluator.
She is a social scientist with internationally recognised expertise for strengthening rural professional workforces, particularly health.
Based on ten years of research, she developed the “Whole-of-Person Retention Improvement Framework” – a guide for improving the attraction and retention of health professionals in rural places.
For the last two years Dr Cosgrave has been leading the Attract Connect Stay project a philanthropically funded project, piloting a community-based solution to attract ‘good fit’ health professionals and then helping them and (and their families) relocate, settle and build local social connections to support a sense of belonging.
The model was created by a community in a small rural town in Canada that Dr Cosgrave came across as part of her 2018 Churchill Fellowship. Attract Connect Stay currently operates in Greater Shepparton in Victoria, Glen Innes in NSW and is in the development stage in Mid Coast NSW and Southern Grampians, Victoria.
Attract Connect Stay also draws on Dr Cosgrave’s 25+ years’ experience working with rural communities to develop community-centred, strength-based strategies to effectively address local health and community service issues.
Cath calls Bellingen home—where she has lived for the last 18 years. Her partner and her on 5 acres and try to be good stewards of the land by applying permaculture principles. In her spare time Cath is an active Committee member of Bellingen’s community garden and loves yoga and multi-day hiking.
Keiran Travers
About Keiran Travers
Keiran Travers has over 20 years’ experience in waste management with a background in both the public and private sector. Keiran has also held senior positions in consultancies as well as local government and major waste management contractors He has previously been the site manager of waste transfer stations and recycling centres.
Keiran is owner of Harbak – a Brisbane based waste/ recycling / environmental consultancy that provides services to both public and private sector. This includes the development of procurement projects (waste collection and infrastructure) and waste strategies for local governments as well as undertaking technical research, development applications, business and environmental plans for private companies. Recently he has completed work for Scenic Rim, Burke (Qld) and Central Highlands Regional Councils as well for several organic processing companies
He is a graduate of Newcastle, Griffith and UQ his profile is https://www.linkedin.com/in/waste-consultant-brisbane/
Warren Kennaugh
About Warren Kennaugh
Warren Kennaugh is an Executive Performance Coach specialising in the development of executive and professional elite athlete performance capability. Within his role he is responsible for the assessment, development and implementation of development programs for senior executives in large blue-chip organisations, elite teams and individual professional athletes.
Warren’s core capabilities include business acumen, grounding plans into action, enabling insight in others, the ability to get to the ‘seed’ of an issue and an accurate predicator of behaviours and outcomes.
Prior to establishing his own consultancy, Warren held positions of national responsibility in Training & Development with major organisations in the Banking & Finance industry. Recently he has held positions as, Director of Executive Coaching & Facilitation for Melbourne Business School and Head of Business Effectiveness within ANZ Bank.
Michele Adair
About Michele Adair
Michele has been Chair of the Community Housing Industry Association (NSW) since 2019, an organisation that represents not-for-profit member organisations that manage 54,000 affordable rental homes for people on very low to moderate incomes. Many also provide extensive support services. Michele is also CEO of Housing Trust, a Wollongong based provider with 1,200 homes and another 200 in the pipeline.
Michele was an independent advisor to the Member Services Committee of Local Government Super and the first woman to Chair Golf NSW. Her previous executive roles include CEO of Cystic Fibrosis NSW and leadership roles with The Smith Family and Mission Australia. Prior to moving to the for-purpose sector, Michele had her own consultancy specialising in strategy and organisational performance, working with KPMG, the Sydney Theatre Company, Case Corporation, and several government agencies.
Michele is an effective advocate and prominent media commentator who has achieved policy and reforms in affordable rental housing, health, and gender equity. In 2021 she was recognised as the Illawarra’s outstanding Business Leader of the Year and she’s been listed in the Who’s Who of Australian Women since 2008.
Owen Lednor
About Owen Ledenor
Owen Lednor is the Director of Care for The Shoreline Luxury Retirement Living, located in Coffs Harbour. A Registered Nurse by trade, Owen completed his Bachelor of Nursing in 2017 graduating from Southern Cross University. Going on to obtain his Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management and currently completing his Master’s in Nursing (Leadership and Management), Owen has long been an active proponent for continued education no matter the journey taken to achieve it.
Starting his career in 2018 as a Registered Nurse for a Not-for-Profit Residential Aged Care organisation who gave him the opportunity to participate in their New Graduate Registered Nurse program, he rapidly moved through multiple areas of the business including residential care, community care, education and quality, and business development management. Deciding to change pace and challenge himself, Owen was lucky enough to be appointed Director of Care for The Shoreline which is an under-construction luxury residential care home located in Coffs Harbour right next to Park Beach Plaza.
Owen is an avid supporter that Aged Care is a valid area of nursing that is unique in its breadth of challenges like no other healthcare environment. He encourages others to explore nursing, and to consider the unique benefits that working in the ageing environment brings to yourself as an individual.
Ben Archer
About Ben Archer
Ben Archer has dedicated his career to helping others in developing their skills and enhancing their career outcomes. After 12 years as a high school teacher, Ben now researches career outcomes in regional, remote and rural areas. Ben utilises his experience and qualifications in career development and management to help businesses, educational institutions and individuals overcome barriers that can negatively impact their community potential growth.
Ben’s experience has seen him engage with stakeholders across Australian and international governments, community organisations, schools and TAFEs and universities. In 2021, Ben was awarded a Future of Work grant from BHP in recognition of his contribution to regional economic development.
Ben will be publishing his first book entitled Future Directions in Guidance and Counselling Research in late 2022, and has a number of articles in the areas of careers, school and workforce planning due for publication in 2023.
Claudia Conley
About Claudia Conley
Claudia is your share house accommodation expert. She lives and breathes all things shared living, in her current role as Associate Product Manager, Community at Flatmates.com.au, Australia’s leading and largest share accommodation platform.
Claudia’s driven to change the face of share accommodation across Australia and to break down many of the stigmas associated with living in a share house. Shared living is a long-term and legitimate way of life for many Australians and with the rising cost of living, limited rental stock and population growth, will only continue to become not only more popular, but a necessity.
Claudia supports Flatmates product team as Associate Product Manager, combining research, user testing, data analysis and marketing to make the process of finding a home or a flatmate as efficient for consumers as possible. On the community side, she looks after Flatmates’ social media, customer service team and PR.
Practising what she preaches, Claudia currently lives in a Melbourne share house with two wonderful flatmates she found on Flatmates.com.au.
Nicole Woodrow
About Nicole Woodrow
Nicole is the Development Director of Landcom’s Affordable Housing Unit and is passionate about providing housing for all people. Nicole has over 20 years’ professional experience in the urban planning and development industry. During her time at Landcom Nicole has worked on a number of large scale masterplanned communities, often untangling complex planning pathways and site constraints, and challenging the status quo to deliver diversity in housing and people centric built environments. Nicole has also worked in the Seniors Living and Aged Care sector, project home building industry and undertaken policy work with the development industry.
Jesse Taylor
About Jesse Taylor
Jesse Taylor, MPH (UoS) leads and manages community development initiatives for Mission Australia Housing across the MNC, Foster to Coffs Harbour. Jesse joins us with 20+ years experience in the housing, health and human sectors nationally and internationally.
Patricia Walker
About Patricia
Born and bred in the Nambucca Valley, and a proud Gumbaynggirr woman, Patricia has worked at all levels of government as well as the not-for-profit sector. Patricia is the Manager for MiiMi Aboriginal Corporation, a not for profit, Aboriginal-run corporation that has been in Bowraville for nearly thirty years, well governed by women who have had foresight, daring, and a vision to create change for all Australians.
MiiMi is well-known for its innovative programs, including the Indigenous Land & Sea Rangers, Driving Class L, Remember Your Dreaming, just to name a few. Their resource recovery recycle program has now become a game changer and will take MiiMi into the future, which is why you’ll see Patricia on our Circular Economy panel next week.
Scotty Schindler
About Scotty Schindler
Scotty Schindler is a business and sports leader proudly from Sawtell, New South Wales, Australia. Now the retired startup founder and CEO of ReNet, he is recognised as a leading Aussie business identity and keen surfer who has won multiple surfing Titles. An overview of Scott’s life shows an enviable ability to achieve success in anything he pursues.
At its core, Scott’s career is a story of creativity, hard work and a love of Australian life. As CEO of ReNet, Scott has presided over the growth of a startup business that began in 2000 with just 1 single property listing advertised. On Scott’s retirement in 2017, ReNet managed over $1.125 Trillion Dollars ($1,125,771,059,045) in real estate across Australia and New Zealand by 5,000 real estate offices and some 15,000 real estate salespeople.
In complement to his role as CEO, Scott is also a highly sought-after public speaker, trainer and thought leader within Australia and around the world. A business mentor and sales trainer that can back up advice with proven results in his own life, Scott credits his ‘quintessentially Australian’ identity as a born optimist and clear-cut straight talker as key to his success in this arena.
Before this present chapter of his life, Scott acquired his business and sales trade during 10 years in the insurance industry in the ’90s. Other organisations Scott is actively involved in are the Sawtell Boardriders, Sawtell Business Chamber, Surfing NSW and Fire + Rescue New South Wales. The roles vary but Scott’s devotion to community is a constant and so too an unending love of business and surfing that has carved out many, many adventures.
Alongside having represented and won for Australia at the world surfing titles, Scott also holds multiple surfing championships at all levels of amateur surfing. With an enduring belief that success in business and sport requires dedication to the same qualities, Scott is also very proud of his work as a coach and trainer of WQS surfers and Aussie surfers in junior development.
When away from his work or sporting commitments, Scott spends time with his family, and friends and is a proud supporter and sponsor of local sporting groups such as Sawtell Surf Life Saving and Sawtell Scorpions FC.
Take the Circular Economy Survey!
The Circular Economy Survey has been extended to the 14 October so jump on it and share your thoughts! 
Take the survey here
All at #IgniteMNC2022.
today! 
IGNITE MNC 2022
Circular Economy – Housing – Workforce Ignite MNC is a business conference with a twist.
More about Regional Skilled Migration
Registration links below RDAMNC will host two free sessions regarding the Regional Skilled Migration program
Ignite MNC 2022 – Wrap Up
Opening Address: Imagine an unstoppable community Dr Clare Allen: General Manager for Port Macquarie Hastings
Ignite MNC 2022 – Circular Economy
Speakers Kerry Grace: CEO Regional Development Australia Mid North CoastLiz Jeremy: General Manager of Bellingen
Ignite MNC 2022 – Workforce
Speakers Keynote Speaker: Warren Kennaugh: Click here to see presentation Warren is an Executive Performance
Ignite MNC 2022 – Housing
Keynote Speaker: Ian Ugarte: Ian Ugarte is a leading Australian expert on innovative and diverse