SPEAKERS

Scott Ainslie

Managing Director

Sycon Security Consultants

Scott has served in a wide variety of roles across a career distinguished by the breadth and depth of his exposure to the cybersecurity threat landscape. His approach reflects extensive experience in the physical, personnel and logical security domains.  His use of intelligence-based threat and risk management approaches underscore his success record in understanding cybersecurity and associated critical infrastructure vulnerabilities.  His personable approach and demeanour provide an ideal platform for collaboration and negotiation environments.

Scott has a degree in Criminology from CSU and a Masters in Cybersecurity, Strategy and Diplomacy from UNSW.  He is currently undertaking graduate research for a PhD in cybersecurity with the University of Melbourne. He is a member of multiple security, risk, intelligence, and cybersecurity-related organisations.  This active membership provides an ideal platform for empowering outreach from a broad global community of cybersecurity practitioners

 

Daniel Angel Damjanovic

Head of Branch
Interpol Regional Counter Terrorism Node ESAF & Europe

Daniel commenced his career with the Australian Federal Police in 2007 and has spent 12 years working in Intelligence portfolio across several areas - Aviation Security, Counter Terrorism Intelligence, National Intelligence Community Coordination and Transnational Serious and Organised Crime – in team member and leadership roles. During that period he worked closely with members of the National Intelligence Community and several international partners. Between 2014 and 2016 he was posted in the AFP Bangkok office as the analytical advisor for Counter Terrorism.

Since mid-2019, he has performed the role of INTERPOL Head of Branch, Regional Counter Terrorism Nodes for Eastern/Southern Africa and Europe, responsible for coordination of INTERPOL counter terrorism activities focusing on operational support, information sharing and capacity building.

He holds a BA in Criminology from the Griffith University, a GradDip in International Studies from the University of Adelaide and a Diploma in Police Intelligence Practice. He is currently completing a Masters in Leadership through Charles Sturt University.

 

Shannon Armstrong

Director
Intelo Training Solutions

Shannon Armstrong is a career Intelligence analyst, leader and trainer with 25 years’ experience that spans law enforcement, security intelligence and defence spectrums. Shannon has real-world intelligence delivery and leadership experience in high-pressure, active counter-terrorism and threat to life investigations where his assessments have informed critical operational decision making. As a trainer, Shannon developed the analytical competencies and assessment framework used to shape the next generation of intelligence analysts. Shannon has lectured widely across Australia, and internationally on a variety of intelligence and incident management - related topics and held a position on the Board of Management of the Australian Institute of Professional lntelligence Officers (AIPIO) for five consecutive years (2010-2015). Between 2011 and 2015 Shannon was the Intelligence Capability Advisor to the Australian and New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee, responsible for the national training and professional development of Australia’s CT Intelligence Response capabilities – the Joint Intelligence Group. Shannon holds a Bachelor of Education, a Masters in Terrorism Safety and Security and post graduate qualifications in Adult Vocational Training. In 2017 he was awarded the AIPIO individual award for his 'distinguished contribution to the lntelligence Profession'.

 

Stephen Beaumont AM

Security Programs Consultant

Stephen Beaumont has recently retired from full time military service after 35 years as a professional intelligence officer.  He has served in a wide range of intelligence appointments, including S2 of the Ist Brigade, Commanding Officer of the 1st Intelligence Battalion, J2 of the Deployable Joint Force Headquarters, and J25 of HQ Joint Operations Command.  Stephen served as Defence Attache Seoul, and was involved in Armistice Commission investigations of the North Korean sinking of ROK Ship Cheonan and the shelling of Yeongpyong Do. Stephen travelled to Pyongyang several times during this appointment in efforts to negotiate with the Korean People's Army the repatriation of remains of missing Australian Korean War servicemen.  Stephen has deployed as an intelligence officer to operations in East Timor, Iraq and Afghanistan. Stephen's most recent appointments as Director General Weapons and Technical Intelligence, DIO, Director General ISREW and Cyber and Head of Corps Australian Intelligence Corps, placed him at the heart of contemporary intelligence workforce and capability issues for Defence, making him an ideal contributor to the conference.

 

Dr Narelle Beer

Executive Director, Health and Safety
Worksafe Victoria

Dr Narelle Beer has more than 35 years’ experience serving the community, ensuring public safety and growing organisational legitimacy. Understanding the importance of working with stakeholders through authentic and meaningful partnerships, Narelle delivers prevention, engagement and innovation through contemporary and collaborative leadership to drive harm reduction strategies and enhance safety.  In November, 2021, Narelle commenced in her current role as the Executive Director, Health and Safety, WorkSafe. Enhancing workplace safety and embedding harm reduction processes, opportunities and strategies through engagement, education, compliance and enforcement, WorkSafe (as the Victorian Regulator) reduces harm whilst improving outcomes for injured workers.

Prior to commencing at WorkSafe, Narelle spent three+ years working as the Assistant Commissioner, Regional and Remote Operations, Northern Territory Police. This portfolio was responsible for all operational responses for the Northern Territory (excluding Darwin, but including coastal regions) being one of the largest and most remote police service area's in Australia.

A member of Victoria Police for over 30 years, Narelle’s last position was Superintendent attached to the Western Region - Operations Support. In Victoria Police, Narelle worked in most aspects of policing including General Duties, Criminal Investigation, Corruption Investigation, Collision Investigation, Education, and Corporate Management/Policy Departments. With a passion for and a commitment to ethics and Integrity, Narelle managed and led a number of Taskforces into corruption within Victoria Police.

In 2008, Narelle was awarded the Vincent Fairfax Fellowship for Ethical Leadership presented by the St James Ethics Centre. Narelle has also been awarded a number of Scholarships which have enabled her to travel to the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea, Vietnam and the United States to study Ethics in Policing. Narelle was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2013 and travelled to the United Kingdom and the United States to undertake specialist training and corruption investigations.

 

Professor Catherine Bennett

Alfred Deakin Professor, Chair in Epidemiology

School of Health and Social Development, Deakin University

Professor Bennett’s career in applied biostatistics and epidemiology cuts across health, university and government sectors, including working on outbreak preparedness and response with NSW Health and the Australian Government. After working as Olympic Public Health Coordinator for Northern Sydney in 2000, Catherine returned to academia and was Associate Professor in Epidemiology and Director of Population Health Practice with the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health before taking up the inaugural Chair in Epidemiology at Deakin in late 2009. Her research focusses on community transmission of infectious diseases, and Catherine is involved in a range of COVID-19 projects, including global analyses of excess deaths, public health risk communication, contact tracing methods and COVID-safe protocols. Catherine has been a leading public analyst during the COVID-19 response, keynote speaker, and advisor to industry, governments, and institutions globally. In 2022, Catherine’s research contributions were recognised with the conferral of the title Alfred Deakin Professor, the highest honour the University can bestow.

 

Gerald Berkovics

VP Sales
Cellebrite APAC

For over 20 years, Gerald has worked in innovation focused organizations, helping them adapt to the changing environment they operate in through the adoption of new technologies, processes and ways to look at and approach things. Gerald joined Cellebrite four years ago because of a strong alignment to Cellebrite’s call and mission to create a safer world through innovation, delivery of excellence and partnership with our customers to help protect our communities. He is passionate about empowering people realize their potential, innovation and making things. He is a strong believer that collaboration is crucial for bringing ideas into action and creating value.

 

Jil Blyth

Manager Te Whakaara, Te Whakaara | The Open Source Hub
New Zealand Police

Kia ora! Jil is from New Zealand Police where she manages a unique, all-of-government coworking space and training programme for staff who manage, collect, and analyse open source information. Her background is in information technology & information management and prior to working for Police, spent over 10 years working for national museums in all things online.  She is currently completing a Master’s degree in International Security at Massey University.

  

Lord Mayor Sally Capp

City Of Melbourne

Sally Capp was re-elected Lord Mayor of Melbourne in October 2020 after having previously been elected in May 2018 and is the first woman to be directly elected as Lord Mayor. Sally’s top priority is bringing the buzz back to Melbourne and driving the city’s economic recovery following the devastation caused by the COVID pandemic. Sally is committed to helping rough sleepers get more support and a pathway into secure housing, and ensuring Melbourne remains a global leader in environmental sustainability.

Sally was the first woman to hold the post of Agent-General for Victoria in the UK, Europe and Israel. She has also served as the CEO for the Committee for Melbourne and Victorian Executive Director of the Property Council of Australia. A passionate Collingwood Football Club supporter, in 2004 Sally made history as the first female board member of Collingwood Football Club. Sally began her career as a Solicitor, after completing Law (Hons) and Commerce degrees at the University of Melbourne. She has held senior roles at both KPMG and ANZ, and co-founded a small business which she took to the ASX. She is involved in a number of charities, currently sitting on the board of the Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, the Mary Jane Lewis Scholarship Foundation and the Melbourne University Faculty of Business and Economics.

 

Linda Cavanagh

Chief Operating Officer
Cybermerc

Linda’s career spans law enforcement, politics and cybersecurity, with a focus on the human elements of technology, privacy and ethics. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer for Cybermerc, an Australian-owned cyber security and threat intelligence company. Through Cybermerc and in her previous roles with AustCyber, Linda is an advocate and champion for Australian cybersecurity; working with partners to build a collective cyber defence across Australia and support a growing industry. Linda is also the Founder of the National Missing Persons Hackathon, an Australian first crowdsourced OSINT event that assists Australian law enforcement investigations into missing person cases.

  

Zoe Chenier-Hinde

Law Enforcement Partnerships Manager

Auror

Zoe Chenier - Hinde worked as an Intelligence analyst for Victoria Police from 2018 to 2021, spending time in real-time, operational and strategic units. After leaving Victoria Police Zoe went to Emergency Management Victoria as a Lead Intelligence Officer, overseeing the day-to-day intelligence operations of the state emergency sector as well as long term strategic development. After leaving the public sector, Zoe joined Auror as the first Law Enforcement Partnerships Manager for Australia. Auror is focused on the power of partnership and collaboration to drive real results on a global scale, helping retailers report, prevent and solve crime in stores. Focusing on police engagement and relationship development, Zoe oversees the expansion of Auror’s partnership with state and local police across Australia.

Zoe holds a Bachelor of Criminology from Deakin University, a Master of Criminology and Criminal Justice from Griffith University, and a Diploma of Police Intelligence Practice. Zoe is currently completing a Master of Intelligence through Macquarie University.

 

Melinda Cilento

CEO
Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA)

Melinda is the CEO of CEDA. She is also a non-executive director of Australian Unity and Co-Chair of Reconciliation Australia. Melinda is also a member of the Parliamentary Budget Office panel of expert advisors, the Collingwood Football Club’s Expert Group on Anti-Racism and Generation One’s Advisory Panel - Indigenous Employment Scorecard Project.
She was previously a non-executive director of Woodside Petroleum, a Commissioner with the Productivity Commission and Deputy CEO and Chief Economist with the Business Council of Australia. Melinda has also previously held senior roles with the Federal Department of Treasury, Invesco and the International Monetary Fund.
Melinda’s executive and director experience covers the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors and she has a strong track record of working collaboratively across sectors.
Melinda’s professional qualifications include a Masters of Economics (Australian National University), and Bachelor of Economics (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts (Psychology), (Flinders University, SA). She is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors Course.

 

Leneice Clifton

Green Door

Leneice has over 25 years’ experience as an Intelligence professional having completed 20 years in the Australian Army Intelligence Corps, 2 years as the Regional security Manager at Northrop Grumman and now as a senior contractor to Defence Intelligence. Since leaving the ADF Leneice has continued her commitment and passion to the profession of Intelligence and Security being one of the first Intelligence contractors supporting Headquarters Joint Operations Command.

Leneice is a skilled intelligence analyst with experience across tactical, operational and strategic commands. She is also skilled in Operational Intelligence Planning, Risk assessments, Business Resiliency and Contingency Planning, Physical and Protective security.

 

Nicholas Cochrane-Ng

Consultant
lauretta.io

Nicholas Cochrane-Ng is a data scientist and consultant. He currently manages his own firm in Australia that delivers analytics solutions to clients through techniques such as machine learning. In his work with Lauretta he helps to expand their products and methodologies to the Australian market. Founded in 2016, Lauretta is an AI system that leverages state of the art deep learning and computer vision technology to address the next generation needs of smart buildings and spaces.

Nicholas has a deep passion for both ethics and AI as well as the intersection between those two fields. AI is a powerful technology that can deliver insights, efficiency, savings and speed to diverse human activities and can give rise to wholly new capabilities. But with its potential comes the risk of unintended consequences, and thus deploying AI systems should done in a way that accounts for human values. Lauretta’s systems refrain from the use of biometric technologies (such as facial recognition) and are anonymous by design. They focus on understanding what is happening, rather than who is present.

 

Owen Cooper

Senior Advisor, National Security College Futures Hub 

The Australian National University

As a Senior Advisor in the Futures Hub at ANU’s National Security College, Owen helps government departments and officials think about and plan for the future, through facilitated workshops, serious games, training programs, advice and research. Prior to joining the NSC, Owen spent 14 years in intelligence analysis and tradecraft roles at the Department of Defence. He led methodology advice and support to the 2020 Defence Strategic Update and deployed to Timor-Leste in support of peacekeeping operations in 2010. Owen holds a BA in Communications, a BA(Hons) in History, an MA in Strategy and Management and a Certificate in Intelligence Studies from the US National Intelligence University.

 

Austin Craddock

Smarter Profit Manager - Fraud & Security
Smarter Profit, Coles

Austin is a Loss Prevention veteran with over 20 years’ service with Coles Supermarkets (over 840 stores nationally). He has led investigation and security teams in Coles for many years and has a passion for introducing new ideas and technologies. Austin was responsible for establishing and enabling Coles’ fraud and internal investigations team before turning to external theft matters. As the National Security Manager he leads Coles highly successful Organised Retail Crime program as well as managing Coles people resources and hardware related security.

 

Torren Dimovski

Senior Intelligence Analyst

Counter Terrorism Command, Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, Victoria Police

Torren is a Senior Intelligence Analyst at the Victorian Fixated Threat Assessment Centre. Torren has worked at Counter Terrorism Command, Victoria Police since 2018 and is part of an Intelligence team that supports operations and conducts strategic analysis of emerging threats to the national security environment.

 

 

 

Shelagh Dorn PhD CICA

President, 
International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA)

Dr. Shelagh Dorn began her career in criminal justice in 1991 with the Brunswick (Maine) Police, where she was a Deputy Marine Warden and reserve police officer. In addition to policing, she has public safety experience as a paramedic and volunteer firefighter in her early career. She was the senior criminal intel. analyst manager at the New York State Intelligence Center, a fusion center, from its inception in 2003 through 2011, followed by a stint with the John Finn Institute for Public Safety as the Assistant Director - Training & Technical Assistance.

Currently, Shelagh is a public safety analyst for Cornell University, her alma mater; and she teaches threat assessments for Michigan State University’s Master’s degree program in Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysis.

In 2009, Shelagh joined the International Board for the International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA), and is completing her fourth term as IALEIA President, where she advocates internationally for analysts and professionalization.

 

Mark Evans OBE

Deputy Chief Executive: Insights and Deployment,
New Zealand Police

Mark has been a member of the Police Executive since 2011. In 2014 he was appointed as Deputy Chief Executive Strategy, in 2018 as Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery, and in October 2020 moved into the role of Deputy Chief Executive Insights and Deployment. As head of Insights and Deployment, Mark is responsible for several key areas including Policy and Partnerships, Ministerial Services, Intelligence, Evidence Based Policing and Critical Command Information/Deployment. Additionally, the post includes executive leadership of a number of functions focused on lifting performance including Tasking and Co-ordination and problem solving.

Mark is Vice President of ANZSEBP, a member of the Global Advisory Board for Policing Insight, a member of the World Class Policing Awards Judging Panel and a fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management. Before coming to New Zealand in 2007,  he was Director of Analytical Services for the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Mark earned an OBE for services to policing in 2006. He is a frequent contributor to international intelligence teaching and training.

 

Steve Farrer MBA CAMS CFE

Consultant

Corban Consulting (UK)

Mr Farrer has 35 years of experience from working in law enforcement (RHKPF), working in the financial industry (global payment card company, global banks, global intelligence & technology service providers), and working in civil society (focused on human trafficking), of which 25 years were in the Asia/Pacific region. Currently engaged as a consultant with UNODC, EUTF, and INTERPOL on enhancing capacity in law enforcement agencies, prosecutors, Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs), and financial institutions on use of financial investigations to combat the illicit proceeds from human trafficking and migrant smuggling;  recent engagements have included workshops in Middle East & North Africa, East & Southern Africa, Central & Latin America, and previously across Asia Pacific, US, and Europe. He is a passionate advocate of new & innovate ways to develop solutions and partnerships in the fight against human trafficking; a highly "sought after" and engaging conference speaker and published author on new trends, tools and resources to help front line professionals enhance their knowledge and contribution. He has an MBA (Henley, UK),  B.Sc Hons (Reading, UK), is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), a Certified Anti Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), and a recipient of His Excellency the Governor of Hong Kong’s Commendation for Bravery, the highest bravery award bestowed in Hong Kong, prior to the change of sovereignty in 1997. 

 

Dr Tracey Green

Chief Executive Officer

Australia New Zealand Policing Agency (ANZPAA)

Dr Tracey Green is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australia New Zealand Policing Advisory Agency (ANZPAA), commencing in November 2021. Tracey has 22 years police experience as a sworn officer in the UK and her areas of expertise include serious and serial criminal investigation, in particular homicide, drug and police corruption. As a strong advocate of policing and police education, Tracey has a proven commitment to domestic and international collaboration with police and law enforcement agencies, ensuring education and research are operationally relevant and aligned to policing needs. She joined ANZPAA from Charles Sturt University where she was the Executive Dean, Faculty of Business, Justice and Behavioural Sciences.

 

Helen Glazebrook

Senior Specialist Intelligence Analyst 

Australian Government

Helen is a long-standing member of AIPIO and has worked across a range of agencies in law enforcement, national security, transport security and corrections intelligence over the last 25 years after completing a Bachelor of Arts in Justice Studies at Queensland University of Technology.

Helen currently works for the Australian Government as a Senior Intelligence Analyst and has recently been awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship to investigate international best practice in corrections intelligence after completing a secondment with Queensland Corrective Services where she conducted a review of their intelligence capability and capacity. Helen is honoured to have been awarded the Churchill Fellowship and will provide the conference with a summary of her findings.

 

Michael Hickey MAIPIO

Director, Compliance & Enforcement
Victorian Building Authority (VBA)

Michael is Acting Director, Compliance & Enforcement at the Victorian Building Authority (VBA), Victoria’s regulator of the building and plumbing industry, where he has held various compliance and enforcement related roles for almost 14 years. Michael is responsible for leading the Practitioner Intelligence Team, Complaints Team, Investigations Team and the collection of Victoria’s statutory building activity data and building permit levies. In 2014, he was tasked with establishing the organisations new Practitioner Intelligence Team. Today, it is central to the industry regulators compliance activities, with a growing reliance on data, analysis and generation of actionable insights to address regulatory risk and inform enforcement activities, organisational decision making and support the addressing of harms and achievement of strategic outcomes.

Before relocating to Australia, Michael had a varied past in the UK, primarily as an Analyst in the private sector and Data Manager in national projects at the Department of Health (UK), along with a stint in the dot com boom in London, during the late 1990s and website development in the not-for-profit sector. Michael has completed the ANACAPA Criminal Intelligence Analysis course, in addition to possessing a master’s degree in Intelligence Analysis (Charles Sturt University, Australia), master’s degree in Computer Science (Newcastle University, UK) and a Post Graduate Certificate in Internal Auditing (Institute of Internal Auditors, Australia).

 

Tony Keane

Head of Security and Integrity

Australian Football League (AFL)

As the Head of Integrity and Security at the Australian Football League, Tony is responsible for numerous portfolios including Intelligence and Investigations, Anti-Doping and Illicit Drugs programs, Respectful Behaviours and Safeguarding Children programs.

Tony also oversees the AFL’s Security, and Emergency Management operations across the AFL and AFLW competitions incorporating over 300 games, 40+ stadiums and over 100+ corporate events annually.
Within Marvel Stadium, Tony is responsible for the overall management of the Security and Safety portfolios incorporating events such as A-League Soccer, AFL, BBL, World Rugby along with year-round concerts and major international sporting events hosted at the stadium.

Tony represents Australian Sporting Codes as the delegate for the National Business Advisory Group, a sub-committee of the Australian and New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee. In addition, Tony is a member of both the Forum of Australasian Security Executives, Asia Crisis Security Group and the Coalition of Major Professional Participation Sports and recently joined the board at the Australian Security Medals Foundation.

Tony has travelled internationally conducting research on counter-terrorism, security and stadium operations in the United States, Switzerland, Poland and the United Kingdom.

He has completed an Advanced Diploma of Public Safety (Investigation), Diploma of Public Safety (Policing), Graduate Certificate Sports Integrity (Victoria University Melbourne) and currently studying Graduate Diploma Sports Law (The University of Melbourne). Tony is also an Associate Fellow of the Australian Security Industry Association Limited.

Tony has worked at the AFL for the past 9 years and prior to that spent 14 years as a Detective with Victoria Police working primarily in the Homicide Squad and various criminal investigation units.

 

Major General (Retired) Ben Kite OBE

Senior Executive Leader in Defence, Intelligence, Cyber, Security and Resilience
Kearney

Ben Kite was commissioned into the British Army’s Intelligence Corps in 1990, retiring in April 2022 as a Major General in April 2022. During his thirty-two year career he worked on intelligence, Security and Cyber issues both in the UK as well on deployments to Germany, the United States, Belize, Bosnia, Kosovo, South Africa, Iraq and Afghanistan. His last role was as Director Intelligence Interoperability in Defence Intelligence where he led the creation and implementation of Defence’s first Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance strategy and managed International Intelligence engagement and interoperability with the single services.   Ben is currently working as a Defence, Intelligence, Security and Cyber adviser for the strategic consultancy firm Kearney which is based in Abu Dhabi. He studies military history in his spare time and has published three books on the Second World War, as well as being elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society.

 

Dr Phil Kowalick MAIPIO

President

AIPIO

Phil is one of Australia’s preeminent thought leaders in law enforcement, intelligence and national security. For over 34 years in the Australian Federal Police, he played a key role in many of Australia’s most important law enforcement programs and initiatives. He established multiagency intelligence capabilities in Australia’s major airports; designed arrangements to set and manage Australia’s counter terrorism priorities in the Counter Terrorism Control Centre; was instrumental in developing the Australian Criminal Intelligence Model; the strategic organisational design of the Australian Border Force; the Australian Federal Police, International Engagement 2020 and beyond; and the National Plan to Combat Cybercrime. Phil is the President of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers and a member of the School of Justice Advisory Committee at the Queensland University of Technology.

 

Dr Ari Kruger

Research Fellow

The Hunt Laboratory for Intelligence Research, The University of Melbourne

Dr Ari Kruger is a research fellow at the Hunt Laboratory for Intelligence Research at the University of Melbourne. His work focuses on the empirical evaluation of structured analytic techniques and improving critical thinking for intelligence analysis. He also delivers a course on how to present clear and compelling arguments, tailored for intelligence analysts.

 

 

 

Vicky Kyris

Executive Director Governance and Strategy
ESTA (Triple Zero)

Vicky joined ESTA’s executive leadership team in May 2022 to drive the implementation of strategic and policy related reforms as Executive Director Governance and Strategy. Vicky is a natural and engaging leader with an aptitude for utilising investment management practices to resolve multi-agency problems, respond strategically and deliver public policy. She has more than twenty years’ experience in the public and private sectors and is passionate about delivering public value outcomes and well-aligned services to the community. Vicky has a knack for transforming policy commitments and strategic goals into tangible deliverables and real outcomes.

During her time in and out of government, Vicky has learnt how to navigate complex inter-governmental relationships and system reform and honed her abilities to communicate, influence and negotiate with senior government executives, industrial bodies, community groups and private industries. She is adept at engaging with a diverse range of stakeholders from community members to senior executives, industrial bodies, private enterprises, and all types of consultants across a range of sectors. Vicky is good at forming new relationships and effectively managing established ones. She has led collaboration and engagement activities on behalf of government with the community, partner organisations, academic bodies and the private sector.

Vicky previously held multiple roles within Victoria Police, including Executive Advisor, Service Delivery Reform; Acting Assistant Director and Project Director Infrastructure and IT. Vicky has also led the coordination of investment and performance reporting across the emergency management sector during her time as Director at Emergency Management Victoria. Vicky is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Executive Leadership from AIPM, a Post Graduate Certificate in Innovation and Service Management from RMIT University and a Bachelor of Arts from La Trobe University.

 

Col Lapworth

Security and Intelligence Professional

Col has over 30 years’ experience as an intelligence professional, previously having worked for NSW Police, the Australia Securities Investment Commission and the National Open Source Intelligence Centre. Col is a long-standing member of AIPIO and served on the board from 1996 to 2000.

 

 

 

 

Catherine Lee

Director
Lethbridge Piper & Associates

As Director of Lethbridge Piper & Associates, Catherine is dedicated to working with client organisations to achieve real and tangible improvements in their organisational culture and business performance through strategic occupational health and safety (OHS) and risk management.

With more than 30 years’ experience as an OHS Professional both in Australia and the United Kingdom, Catherine has established a solid reputation for risk management, leading change and business improvement to enhance the health and safety of workers. She holds a Graduate Diploma in OHS, a Graduate Certificate in Management and a Diploma in Professional Coaching and is currently completing Master of Arts Research at Griffith University. Catherine is an accredited OHS Management Systems Auditor (Exemplar Global), Fire Safety Advisor (QFRS) and Licenced Private Investigator (Queensland Government) and is also one of Queensland’s approved panel Self-Insurance Auditors. She has also completed professional development in Mental Health First Aid and Neurodiversity in the Workplace. Catherine is a Certified Professional Member of the Australian Institute of Health and Safety (AIHS) and serves on the National College of Fellows Mentoring Committee.

Catherine has led high performing, multi-disciplinary OHS teams across a diverse range of organisations and industries and worked in senior roles in the private, not-for-profit and public sectors including as the Director of Health and Safety for the Department of Emergency Services in Queensland. Most recently Catherine has designed a new approach to the management of health and safety for neurodivergent workers and established “The Neurodiverse Safe Work Initiative” which is attracting international attention. Since 2019 Catherine has served as a Board Member for Protect All Children Today (PACT) a not-for-profit organisation that provides support to vulnerable child witnesses required to give evidence in the Queensland Criminal Justice System.

 

Michael Le Huy

General Manager
Visual Analysis

With over 20 years of experience in various federal departments within Australia, Michael brings diverse experience across business & information technology transformation and operational leadership. Michael has spent the last 12 years in fraud and regulatory compliance bringing substantial operational experience in investigations, intelligence & data analytics. This is combined with experience in program and project management roles on large-scale government initiatives to deliver business transformation and information technology modernization to manage fraud and compliance within the public sector. Michael is based in Canberra, Australia, and is focused on leading the growth of VA and supporting VA's clients and customers through their technological innovation.

 

Nick Lewis OBE

Global Head of Integrated Intelligence and Investigations, Financial Crime Compliance,
Standard Chartered Bank

Nick joined Standard Chartered Bank in September 2016, and established the Integrated Intelligence & Investigations model. Nick leads a team of financial crime investigators and intelligence analysts in five major locations worldwide, identifying and mitigating money laundering, terrorist financing, sanctions evasion, proliferation financing and corruption risk across the bank’s operations in 58 countries. He is a champion of partnership working, and led the work to establish the Joint Money Laundering Intelligence Taskforce, the UK’s public-private partnership to tackle financial crime. Nick has played a leading role in the development of similar partnership models in Hong Kong and Singapore and is actively engaged in building partnerships to tackle corruption with a small number of African governments.

Nick is a leading participant in the UK Economic Crime reform agenda, sitting as a member of the SARS Reform Group and is a Special Adviser to UK Finance on information sharing, data and (SAR) reporting. He is also a Board Member for the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Centre for Financial Crime and Security, and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime.

Nick entered the financial sector after over 30 years in UK law enforcement, the majority spent with SOCA (pre-cursor to the NCA), and until 2008 was the Regional Head for the North West region, working closely with a number of regional police forces and law enforcement agencies. In 2008, Nick was posted to the British Embassy in Washington DC, where he led the UK’s engagement with US policy-makers and federal law enforcement agencies. In 2013, he was awarded the National Intelligence Medallion by the US Government, the highest award available to a foreign national, for work to build partnerships between the international law enforcement and intelligence communities, and was awarded an OBE in 2014 for services to international law and order.

 

Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford APM

Deputy Commissioner
Queensland Police

Deputy Commissioner Tracy Linford APM, was sworn in to the Queensland Police Service (QPS) in November 2015. In December 2017, she was promoted to Deputy Commissioner and currently holds executive responsibility for the Crime, Counter Terrorism and Specialist Operations portfolio. The Deputy Commissioner is responsible for expert specialist and investigative support, advice and direction in all areas of the crime, counter-terrorism, domestic and family violence and other specialist operations.

Deputy Commissioner Linford has over 37 years' experience in both the Victorian Police and the Queensland Police Service. During her 31 years in Victoria Police, she worked on a number of state-wide projects that have impacted significantly on the way Victoria Police operates today. 

Highlights include - the introduction of a Victoria Police Intelligence Model, and the formation and implementation of the Major Crime Management Model, which was brought about following a series of gangland murders. 

The Deputy Commissioner performs key governance roles on Boards and Committees including the QPS Board of Management. She chairs the Demand and Capability Committee, Youth Justice 5PP Steering Committee and the Senior Women's Collective and is the Queensland representative on the Australia-New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee, Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation, Australian Transnational, Serious and Organised Crime Committee, National Crime Intelligence System Steering Committee and the Major Events Executive Committee; and is a member of the Women’s Safety Justice Taskforce; Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council and is the organisation’s Chief Security Officer. Deputy Commissioner Linford also represents the QPS on several intergovernmental committees.

Deputy Commissioner Linford holds a Bachelor of Business Management Degree and an Executive Masters in Public Administration.  She is a graduate of the Leadership Victoria Program, the international Leadership in Counter Terrorism Program, ANZSOG Executive Fellows Program, and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course. In 2009 she won an outstanding leadership award from ACWAP for driving cultural change.  She was awarded an APM in the Australia Day Honours in 2014.

 

Dr Karla Lopez

Karla is an experienced and highly inquisitive Forensic Psychologist committed to the implementation of evidence-based practice in all facets of community services and public safety initiatives. For over 20 years, primarily in the public service, she has held strategic, therapeutic, service design and risk management roles pertaining to a range of complex client groups coming into contact with the criminal justice system. Over her decade at Victoria Police, she was unwavering in supporting policing through agitating for innovation, capability building and data driven decision-making. She is a tireless networker, connector and truly believes collaboration is a superpower, particularly when this involves diverse perspectives and disciplines. She will discuss the impact of this drive and how it has led her down very unexpected paths, including television to podcasting.

 

Shannon Lorimer

Chief Information Security Officer
KPMG Australia

Shannon Lorimer is the Chief Information Security Officer of KPMG Australia and has 24 Years of experience in security, intelligence, and investigations. She is very active in multiple Global and Regional Security initiatives and advisory committees within KPMG. In her last role she spent two years in leadership at ANZ Bank developing a human risk, investigations and insider threat program. Prior to that she was the Deputy Director for Security at the Department of the Navy from 2015 to 2018, overseeing security for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, strategic planning and budgets for security, policy, operations, investigations, intelligence, and security. Shannon has a robust history in standing up and leading complex Government Agency Security Programs, including programs such as Continuous Evaluation, Insider Threat, and playing an essential part in automating components of the Security Clearance Process through the use of big data across the Government and Privacy Sectors. She was instrumental to the development of the Executive Order on Insider Threat, Privacy Exemptions for use of Social Media for Vetting, and creation of the US Department of Defense Big Data Platform for Continuous Evaluation and Background Investigations.

 

Helen McGarry

Executive Manager, Intelligence Services
Queensland Fire and Emergency Service

Helen McGarry’s extensive intelligence career spans across multiple Intelligence agencies and disciplines in Australia, UK, Europe, Balkans and Middle East. In her current role as Executive Manager, Intelligence Services for State Operational Coordination Branch at the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service, Helen is charged with the development, design and implementation of leadership and intelligence capability across the strategic, operational, and tactical domains of Incident and Disaster Management. Ensuring that the QFES intelligence function is at the fore front of timely and responsive decision making by senior management, responders, and community members.

Helen has achieved proven success in the identification of organisational key intelligence capability gaps as well as the implementation and management of intelligence frameworks and strategies to assure improvement. Acknowledged for consistently engaging a culture of high performance, and outstanding results from staff members, this was recognised by the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO) with the receipt of AIPIO Individual Award (2020/21) which recognised a single individual who had made a distinguished contribution to the Australasian intelligence profession.

Helen has served and conducted numerous military operational tours as an Intelligence Officer with the British Army and Australian Defence Force. Helen’s leadership philosophy founded on values that included respect for others, integrity, and selfless commitment, originated during this period and to this date is continually enhanced and matured.

 

Susan McLean

Cyber Safety Expert
Cyber Safety Solutions

Susan McLean is Australia’s leading expert in the area of cyber safety and was a member of Victoria Police for 27years. She was the first Victorian Police officer appointed to a position involving cybersafety and young people. She is unique in her expertise in this area and is the only person in Australia with her specific background, experience and qualifications. Susan consults to a wide range of organizations including all levels of Government, Sporting Orgnisations both elite and grass roots, Educational Institutions, Medical Practitioners, Adolescent Psychologists, large and small corporations, NGO’s, law enforcement, and judicial officers. Her expertise is internationally recognized and she is highly sought after by all forms of media for expert comment. She is the most highly qualified of all eSafety Commissioner Trusted Education Providers. Susan is afforded expert status by the Safer Internet Programme Europe and is the author of the best-selling book Sexts Texts & Selfies (Penguin).

  

Kathryn McMullan

First Assistant Director, General Analytical Capabilities Division
Office of National Intelligence (ONI), Australian Government

At ONI Kathryn is responsible for whole of intelligence community workforce, training and inclusion initiatives, plus leadership of analytical modernisation within ONI. In addition, Kathryn leads ONIs current intelligence and open source collection capabilities. Previously, Kathryn has held roles that covered intelligence strategy, mission management, and foreign engagement at ONI. Kathryn has worked extensively in the national security community in a range of operational and strategic policy roles within the Australian Government. This experience canvasses border security, defence, foreign policy and national criminal matters. In addition, Kathryn spent a number of years as National Security Advisor to the Attorney-General and senior strategic adviser to the Minister for Home Affairs. Kathryn has augmented her government roles with a period in the private sector, working as a senior strategy consultant with a UK based firm.

 

Jonna Hiestand Mendez

Author, Former CIA Chief of Disguise
CIA

Jonna Hiestand Mendez is a retired CIA intelligence officer with 27 years of service. When she retired, she was the Chief of Disguise at the CIA. Since that time, she has continued her career as a photographer, a consultant/lecturer, and an author. She and her husband, Antonio Mendez (of ARGO fame) published “The Moscow Rules,” just before the world closed down due to the Covid pandemic.

She was recruited into the Central Intelligence Agency in Europe in 1966. For many years she lived under cover, serving tours of duty in Europe, the Far East, and the Subcontinent, as well as at CIA Headquarters. She joined CIA’s Office of Technical Service in early 1970 and within a few years she was back overseas as a Technical Operations Officer with specialties in clandestine photography and disguise. Her duties included the preparation of the CIA’s most highly placed foreign assets in the collection of intelligence, using subminiature cameras and disguise technology.

She is a founding board member of the International Spy Museum in Washington DC. Many of her talks can be found on-line. She is currently working on a new memoir, the title of which is “In True Face.” It will be available in 2024.

 

Professor Seumas Miller

Professor in Philosophy
Charles Sturt University

Seumas Miller is Professor of Philosophy at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security at Charles Sturt University and Distinguished Research Fellow at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford. He is the author or co-author of over 250 academic articles and 22 books, including Shooting to Kill: The Ethics of Police and Military Use of Lethal Force (Oxford University Press, 2016), Institutional Corruption (Cambridge University Press,  2017) and Cybersecurity, Ethics and Collective Responsibility (with T Bossomaier) (Oxford University Press, 2022).

 

John Molnar

KPMG

Currently working for the Management Consulting branch of KPMG, John’s career spans the corporate, government and Defence sectors. Recently he has completed two years supporting the Victorian Government’s response to COVID 19 in both a Defence and Public Service capacity. In these recent roles, John led Strategic Planning teams working on the practical analysis and application of data to develop response planning and inform decision making during the pandemic.

His prior experience extends to international engagement in both commercial business primarily focused on the Asia Pacific region and defence where has built multi agency and culturally diverse executive teams with a strong focus on organisational design and leadership development.

 

Samantha Moore

Intelligence Analyst
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning

Sam has been a member of the intelligence community since 2017, when she crossed to the ‘dark side’ after a fourteen-year investigative career with the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP).  She is currently an Intelligence Analyst within the DELWP Conservation Regulator’s Regulatory Intelligence Unit and enjoys keeping a toe dipped in investigative work in her capacity as an authorised officer under DELWP-administered legislation.

Sam’s focus has aligned with the Conservation Regulator’s regulatory priorities – including illegal possession and trade in wildlife, illegal take of firewood, illegal vehicle use on public land, illegal campfires and illegal commercial timber harvesting in state forests. Sam is a proud member of AIPIO and is passionate about developing a good intelligence product and engaging meaningfully and sharing intelligence to inform effective tactical actions.

 

Mark Nuttall CAMS CPP PMP

Director of Risk Solutions Asia and Emerging Markets

Thomson Reuters

Mark Nuttall is Director of Risk solutions for Thomson Reuters in the Asia and Emerging Markets region. With an extensive counter-crime and risk background and over 20 years’ experience in global risk management, anti-financial crime, and international security, Mark is a renowned expert in his field. Marks holds an MA in International Security, is a Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist (CAMS), Certified Protection Professional (CPP), and has managed corporate projects through his qualification as a Project Management Professional (PMP). All the above is compounded by his professional expertise base as a risk, security, and geopolitics expert, as quantified by the Global Institute against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC), and published works of academia. As an active member of Singapore Institute of Directors, Mark offers his deep corporate understanding to peers and advises businesses on navigating complex supply chain and risk assessment ventures. He is a fellow and member of many other associations and institutes, both in terms of corporate activity, as well as security, geopolitics, military matters, and AML/Compliance, and so is well placed to advise on this basis.

 

Brent Osmotherly

Delivery Lead
Ripjar

Brent is the Delivery Lead for Ripjar Australia and has over 15 years experience in the Intelligence field. Brent is an Intelligence Officer in the RAAF including two operational deployments and since leaving full time service has worked with multiple Intelligence analytical software platforms for Government and Law Enforcement. Brent has been able to shape and innovate technical solutions and has just concluded five years as the senior Systems Engineer on a Commonwealth implementation and deployment of the Ripjar Labyrinth Intelligence platform.

 

 

Zac Panopoulos

Senior Intelligence Analyst

Counter Terrorism Command, Fixated Threat Assessment Centre, Victoria Police

Zac is a Senior Intelligence Analyst at the Victorian Fixated Threat Assessment Centre (VFTAC). Zac joined Victoria Police in Intelligence Collection in 2018 and obtained a position in the intelligence team at VFTAC in 2020, conducting strategic and operational analysis on issues and threats within the national security environment.

 

 

Brett Peppler

Managing Director
Intelligent Futures Pty Ltd 

Brett Peppler is the Managing Director of Intelligent Futures Pty Ltd – a specialist management consulting practice providing intelligence-led approaches for managing uncertainty in strategic planning.  He specialises in the creative application of strategic foresight to frame and navigate complex business challenges. Brett is a Fellow, Past President and Life Member of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO), a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), a Member of the International Association for Intelligence Education (IAFIE), and an Adjunct Fellow at Macquarie University. 

 

Kathy Pherson

CEO
Pherson Associates

Katherine Hibbs Pherson, Chief Executive Officer of Pherson Associates, teaches advanced analytic techniques and critical thinking skills to analysts in the Intelligence Community, homeland security community, and the private sector. She is a consultant to the government on planning, security, communications, and analysis projects. She and Randy Pherson are co-authors of Critical Thinking for Strategic Intelligence, 3rd ed. (Sage/CQ Press, 2021). Ms. Pherson has served as vice chair of the Intelligence and National Security Association’s (INSA) Security Policy Reform Council since its inception in 2011. She also chairs the Industrial Security Working Group’s (ISWG) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Focus Group.

Ms. Pherson in 2000 completed a 27-year career with the Central Intelligence Agency in intelligence and security analysis and resource management. Her leadership in the security arena led to the adoption of a risk management methodology, the strengthening and the implementation of overseas security countermeasures, and improvements in dealing with unsolicited contacts. As Director of the Director of Central Intelligence’s (DCI) Center for Security Evaluation she managed the Intelligence Community's involvement in rebuilding the penetrated US Embassy in Moscow.

Ms. Pherson received her A.B. in Hispanic Studies from Vassar College, an M.A. in Spanish Linguistics and Latin American Studies from the University of Illinois, and an M.A. in Communications from the University of Oklahoma. She is a recipient of the CIA's Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal and the Intelligence Community's National Distinguished Service Medal.

 

Randy Pherson

President

Pherson Associates

Mr. Pherson is President of Pherson Associates. He has taught advanced analytic techniques and critical thinking skills to analysts in most US Intelligence Community agencies, a dozen Fortune 100 companies, and many countries around the world. He has authored or co-authored twelve books including Structured Analytic Techniques for Intelligence Analysis, Critical Thinking for Strategic Intelligence, and How to Get the Right Diagnosis: 16 Tips for Navigating the Medical System. He has facilitated Strategic Foresight Analysis workshops for foreign governments, international foundations, and multinational corporations. Mr. Pherson also is a Founding Director of the Forum Foundation for Analytic Excellence, a nonprofit that supports the propagation of critical thinking skills and structured analytic techniques.

Mr. Pherson was a career CIA intelligence analyst and manager, last serving as National Intelligence Officer for Latin America. Previously at CIA, Mr. Pherson managed the production of analysis, served on the Inspector General’s staff, and was Chief, Strategic Planning and Management Staff. He was awarded  the Distinguished Intelligence Medal for his service as NIO and the Distinguished Career Intelligence Medal. He received his AB from Dartmouth College and MA in International Relations from Yale University.

  

Mark Richards

Global Director, Business Development

Sintelix

With a legal background and over 20 years' experience in technology, Mark is the Global Director of Business Development at Sintelix. Bringing together a wealth of expertise in big data and process automation, he helps customers solve their data analysis challenges using the Sintelix text intelligence platform.

Armed with proven solutions for both intelligence and investigation needs, Mark works directly with customers in Government and Private sectors across the APAC region. He also supports internal and partner teams around the world to discover insights and unlock the hidden value in unstructured and semi-structured data sources.

 

Adam Riley

Investigations Advisor and Technical Account Manager, Asia Pacific
Cellebrite

Adam has over seventeen years law enforcement experience within the Qld Police Service culminating in his last assignment as Lead Investigator for the Queensland Police Service Homicide Unit’s Digital and Telecommunications Investigation Unit. Adam is heavily focused on increasing the organisational capability between the investigations, intelligence and the digital forensics lab cells. He applies his extensive investigative and intelligence background within large operations coupled with digital forensics experience to ensure investigators and analysts are aware of evolving methodologies available to them, all whilst balancing the finite resources of intelligence cells and DF Labs. Adam engages with agencies to provide advice in relation to these areas, and to assist them in their investigations. Adam’s broader experience also covers telecommunication data interpretation and use, complex criminal network investigations and processes, integration of intelligence processes in the digital evidence flow, and open-source investigations through covert and overt means.

 

Bernard Rix MA MBA

Founder and Publisher
Policing Insight and PolicingTV

Bernard Rix is the Founder and Publisher of Policing Insight and PolicingTV, the leading international media platforms for policing. Bernard's first experience of policing was as a management consultant in 1990, when he was commissioned by the UK's Home Office to work on a project examining factors affecting the motivation of constables and sergeants. Since then, he has worked on over 60 policing-related advisory projects, for Policing Insight Advisory and for previous employers such as Deloitte and PA Consulting, primarily in the UK but also in North America, across Europe and in the Middle East. He set up his own company, CoPaCC Ltd, in 2012, which - with the support of an outstanding and rapidly growing team - is increasingly well known globally for Policing Insight and PolicingTV, as well as for the World Class Policing Awards, for Policing People and for the Policing Friendship Tour. 

 

Kate Rossiter

Director of Intelligence
Fair Work Ombudsman

Kate is currently the Director of Intelligence at the Fair Work Ombudsman.  For 20 years she has worked across the Federal Public Service managing operational delivery, strategic support and intelligence functions. Over the last seven years Kate has led the development and embedding of an intelligence function at the Fair Work Ombudsman, assisting to shape the agency’s transformation to an intelligence led regulator.  Kate champions information sharing across government and is an active member of the broader intelligence community. Kate was previously named as one of the 31 Most Powerful part-timers in Women’s Agenda because of her active engagement with advocating flexibility for women in leadership roles and continuing involvement with volunteering in community organisations.

 

Samantha Rush

Principal Consultant
Legion Consulting

Samantha Rush is an experienced Corporate Executive, Company Director, and Advisor who believes in the importance of making a positive impact. Her experience, knowledge and skills are unique and multifaceted, spanning business intelligence, risk, governance, strategy, sales, finance transformation, project management, change management, and operational efficiency.

She holds an MBA, as well as tertiary qualifications in Psychology, Industrial Relations and HR, International Business, and is currently undertaking a PhD focused on team decision making.

 

Emerald Sage

Head of Intelligence Services

OSINT Combine

Prior to joining OSINT Combine as Head of Intelligence Services, Emerald spent over a decade working within the Federal Government's security and intelligence community. Emerald has worked across a range of national security programs including: Counter-Terrorism, Counter-Intelligence, Cyber Security, Insider Threats and Personnel Vetting. Emerald has applied a diverse array of operational counter measures to this work including open-source intelligence (OSINT).  Emerald is thrilled to be speaking about OSINT and how it can be used to ethically generate capability uplift and foster collaboration amongst the international intelligence community on national security issues.  

 

John Schmidt

Founder/Synthesist
CANSYNTH

John M Schmidt, founder of CANSYNTH, practices the discipline of Synthesis in relation to strategic intelligence, foresight, strategic planning, organizational development, risk analysis and management, and counter-terrorist resourcing.

John “retired” in 2015 from FINTRAC (Canada’s financial intelligence unit) after fifteen years. Between 2006 and 2011, John was seconded to Canada’s Integrated Threat (now Terrorism) Assessment Centre (ITAC), where, among other things, he produced products related to threats to critical infrastructure and a major study and model of terrorist resourcing. Returning to FINTRAC, he led its Strategic Research and Analysis team, responsible for strategic and policy-relevant analysis. He led the development of the Egmont Group’s Strategic Analysis Course, and its delivery internationally from 2013 to 2015.

Before FINTRAC, John worked for the Alberta Attorney General’s Department (1977-1988), University of Canberra (1988-1989), Australian Attorney-General’s Department (1989-2000), and AUSTRAC (2000). John has BSc and MSc degrees in Psychology. He has published articles on intelligence and foresight in academic and professional journals, including Synthesis: The necessary, but often neglected component of intelligence, Journal of the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers, Volume 27 Issue 2 (2019), and a chapter on terrorist resourcing, in Terrorism and Counterterrorism in Canada, UT Press Jan 29, 2020.

 

Benjamin Scott

Financial Crime Compliance
Commonwealth Bank of Australia

Benjamin Scott works in financial crime compliance at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, where he leads an intelligence team. He spent eight years as a financial intelligence analyst at the New South Wales Crime Commission. He has degrees in history and law. His academic articles have been published in the Journal of Financial Crime and the Journal of Money Laundering Control. Benjamin's research interests include intelligence methods, financial crime law and the history of organised crime. He also has a particular interest in the use of data analytics and intelligence technology in detecting financial crime.

 

Dorothy Seidel Hooke MAIPIO

Dorothy has been working in various roles in intelligence for the past decade. She has experience at the tactical, operational, and strategic levels, and now manages a team of experienced analysts. In addition to her employment in intelligence, Dorothy's academic background is in Criminology and Intelligence Analysis.

She is committed to the profession of intelligence, which has been reflected through her role as managing editor for the AIPIO Journal, an AIPIO board member, and mentor to new and developing intelligence professionals.

  

Rajiv Shah

Managing Director
MDR Security

Rajiv Shah has over 25 years of experience in the cyber, data and digital business, and runs a boutique consulting firm providing strategic, business and technical advice. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and has published a number of policy papers for them. His earlier career has included a range of senior technical and business leadership roles at major multinational companies, establishing and running various cyber focussed business units.

Rajiv’s experience includes working with clients in the UK, USA and Australia, across the full project lifecycle – from business analysis and design through development and into implementation and operation. He is a regular speaker at industry conferences and contributor to industry publications.

Before joining the commercial world, Rajiv completed a PhD in computational physics and retains a keen interest in mathematics and science.

 

Jason Shepherd

Senior Director International Strategy
TRSS International

Jason Shepherd served two decades in the UK’s National Security community, in a range of operational and leadership roles driving technological change and community cooperation. He led work to put Science and Technology at the heart of the UK’s strategic Integrated Review, and continues to champion the inclusion of economic statecraft and illicit finance as a national security risk. He is a Senior Associate Fellow of the Centre for Financial Crime and Security at RUSI and a Fellow of the Centre for Science and Policy at Cambridge. He is now the Senior Director for Strategy at Thomson Reuters Special Services International, who specialise in network analysis of graphed data to produce risk intelligence.

Phil Shepherd

Director
Active Leadership

As a consultant, Phil works as a facilitator and a leadership coach, delivering innovative and transformative leadership programs.

In his previous role as Director of Leadership at the Australian Institute of Police Management, Phil managed the development and delivery of a range of national and international executive leadership programs, often partnering with organisations such as the F.B.I., Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Metropolitan Police (London) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

During his 26-year career with Victoria Police, he spent almost a decade as a homicide detective investigating murders and suspicious deaths across the State and managed various stations, teams and taskforces. 

 

Arran Smith

General Manager ANZ
Janes

Arran Smith served 20 years in the full-time Army, mostly as an officer in the Australian Intelligence Corps. Throughout his career, he developed a depth of experience in tactical and operational level analysis and collection, led deployed teams throughout the Middle East, and completed several joint postings and interagency secondments.

In 2019, Arran took a break from Army service and returned home to Perth as a senior executive in the WA Department of Justice. In this role he led the intelligence branch, responsible for collecting and analysing threat intelligence across a custodial estate that included 17 corrections facilities, about 7,100 incarcerated prisoners and approximately the same number of offenders serving community-based sentences.

In late 2021, Arran returned to Army service, this time as a part-time officer to develop a Joint Effects and Fusion capability within 13 Brigade, WA’s hybrid regular/reserve formation. Within the brigade headquarters, Arran’s team provides intelligence to support the generation of domestic and offshore effects in Australia’s only Indian Ocean-facing state.

Arran joined the world’s oldest OSINT company, Janes, in July 2022 as General Manager ANZ. His role is to build on an already solid foundation by further growing Janes’ partnerships across government, industry and academe through demonstrating the company’s leading-edge digital product lines.

 

Stella Smith

Chief Executive, Crime Stoppers Victoria
Director, Crime Stoppers Australia

Stella Smith is the Chief Executive of Crime Stoppers Victoria and a Director of Crime Stoppers Australia. Stella has held a number of senior leadership roles in the community and health promotion sectors, establishing and overseeing complex projects with well-known organisations such as Melbourne Victory FC and ‘Life. Be in it’ Australia.

She has been responsible for the development and delivery of a broad range of community engagement projects and public awareness campaigns. Stella’s role at Crime Stoppers is to develop and maintain partnerships with government, police, media and the community to encourage crime prevention and the reporting of crime information.

 

Dr William A. Stoltz

Senior Adviser, Public Policy
National Security College

Dr. William A. Stoltz is the Senior Adviser for Public Policy at the National Security College. He is responsible for mobilising the College’s research and resident expertise to influence and inform current public policy debates. He is also a Visiting Fellow at the Robert Menzies Institute at the University of Melbourne, and an Associate Member of the Centre for the Study of Subversion, Unconventional Interventions and Terrorism (SUIT) at the University of Nottingham.

Dr. Stoltz’s own research explores options for Australia to shape and influence international security, as well as Australia’s policy responses to a breadth of national security challenges. He joined the NSC after working across Australia’s defence, intelligence, and law enforcement communities, including strategic intelligence and advisory roles. He holds a PhD and Advanced Masters of National Security Policy from the Australian National University as well as a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne.

  

Senior Sergeant Glenn Tait

Queensland Police Service

Glenn Tait is a Senior Sergeant with the Queensland Police Service, working in the State Intelligence Group. He has over 23 years' experience working in the intelligence field from station to state level.  Part of his career has been working at the Police Academy delivering the Intelligence Training Program sculpting young minds of future generations of practitioners. Glenn has a strong commitment to the discipline which is demonstrated by his membership with International Association of Law Enforcement Intelligence Analysts (IALEIA) and the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers (AIPIO).  

 

BC Tan

Director of Risk Solutions Asia and Emerging Markets

Thomson Reuters

B.C. is an advocate on the use of intelligence, technology and data to more effectively uncover international illicit networks and safeguard our international financial system.

Currently a Director of Risk solutions for Thomson Reuters in the Asia and Emerging Markets region, B.C. had previously served the industry as Global Head of Trade Finance Proposition, APAC Head of Customer & 3rd Party Risk, APAC Head of Research, Global Head of Organised Crime Research for World-Check and more recently the Global Head of Data for a Regtech. 

In addition to his expertise in the fields Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism; BC is specialist in transnational organized crime networks, illicit trafficking, proliferation financing, maritime security and human trafficking. He speaks regularly at a variety of workshops and conferences on these topics for both the corporate and government sectors.

 

Meg Tapia

Principal Director, National Security and Safety
Accenture

Meg is a seasoned national security and foreign policy practitioner focused on intelligence capability and technology, based on over 20 years of experience in Commonwealth and state governments including 16 years as a diplomat. As Principal Director, National Security and Safety, Accenture, she brings the best of Accenture's sovereign and global network to help government clients build their digital core, optimise their operations, and shape a better future. Meg co-hosts the Women in National Security (WiNS) Podcast and champions the strategic benefits of diversity in Australia’s national security community. She has been awarded the Australian Operational Service Medal and NATO Medal for her civilian service in Afghanistan and several departmental awards during her time with DFAT. Meg is an MBA candidate at Deakin University, has a Master of Policy Studies (International) from Sydney University and a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology/Politics) from Macquarie University.

 

Phil Thomson

Co-founder and CEO
Auror

After spending four years as a commercial lawyer specialising in Privacy and IP, Phil was part of the founding team at Auror and now leads the global organisation as its CEO. He and the team have spent the last 10 years on a mission to empower retailers with the intelligence and tools they need to stop crime, for good. Auror is focused on the power of partnership and collaboration to drive real results for both retailers and police.

Phil is committed to the digital transformation between police and retailers, and is acutely aware of the impact of collaboration on reporting, solving and preventing organised offending and retail crime - on a global scale.

 

Dr Eva Tsahuridu

Organisational ethics specialist

Eva has been researching, teaching and advising on organisational ethics, culture, leadership and professional standards for over two decades. She contributed to the development of national and international codes of ethics and professional standards and has executive experience in public, private and not for profit organisations in Australia and abroad.  

Currently, Eva is a non-executive director, the Deputy President - Professional Standards Division of the Police Registration and Services Board and an ethics advisor.  Her bibliography is extensive including edited books, journal articles, book chapters and conference papers.   She is an executive editor of the Philosophy of Management Journal and the chair of the Australasian Business Ethics Network.  

Eva’s current work focuses particularly on ethics training, behavioural and positive ethics.

 

Dr Corinne Unger

Research Fellow, Business School
The University of Queensland

Dr Corinne Unger is an expert in insidious risk management with a PhD from The University of Queensland Business School. Insidious risks are inconspicuous and slow growing risks that develop over time and may be noticed and acted upon or overlooked with varying consequences. Her current research explores the legitimacy or stigmatisation of disruptive and/or violent protests, to gain an understanding of how some protests are acceptable while others are considered extreme.

 

Dr Tim van Gelder

Director
The Hunt Laboratory for Intelligence Research, The University of Melbourne

Tim van Gelder is Director of the Hunt Laboratory for Intelligence Research at the University of Melbourne. Most of his career has been devoted to understanding human thinking and how it can be improved, with particular focus on reasoning. This has included developing new ways to teach critical thinking in undergraduate courses, developing software to support reasoning processes, and providing consulting and training for large organisations in government, corporate, and professional services arenas. In 2017-2020, he was co-lead of a major research program ("SWARM") funded by the US Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity under its CREATE program.  

 

Andrew Vild

Kuva Space

Andrew Vild has a varied background in Engineering, Entrepreneurship, Military and Training. With experience working across Africa and Asia as well as the technology landscape, he now consults for Defence and for a Hyperspectral Satellite company developing CubeSats to provide Hyperspectral Imaging insights to agriculture, carbon accounting, emissions monitoring and national security. 

 

Associate Professor Patrick Walsh, PhD

Associate Professor, Intelligence and Security Studies
Charles Sturt University

Patrick F. Walsh, PhD, is a former intelligence analyst who has worked in Australian national security and law enforcement agencies. He is an associate professor, intelligence and security studies at the Australian Graduate School of Policing and Security, Charles Sturt University, Australia. He consults to government and his research focuses on a range of intelligence capability issues including governance, leadership, intelligence and ethics, biosecurity, health security and cyber.

He is the author of Intelligence and Intelligence Analysis, Routledge, UK 2011; Intelligence, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, Palgrave Macmillan, UK, 2018; and Intelligence Leadership and Governance. Building Effective Intelligence Communities in the 21st Century, Routledge, 2020.

 

Teresa Walsh

Global Head of Intelligence

Financial Service Information Sharing and Analysis Centre (FS-ISAC)

Teresa Walsh is FS-ISAC's Global Head of Intelligence, based in London. Her team extends around the world, supporting FS-ISAC's mission of cyber risk resilience for the financial industry. Teresa has worked for FS-ISAC for over six years, previously working for the banking industry at Citibank and JP Morgan Chase. Teresa started in the intelligence analysis profession with the US Department of Defence, working for the US Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and later as a Booz Allen contractor for the US Army. She has 20 years of experience in the field. 

 

 

Senator Vernon White

Australian Strategic Policy Institute
Charles Sturt University

Vernon White is currently a sitting Senator in the Senate of Canada. He has worked with the RCMP, moving through the ranks, Constable to Assistant Commissioner and has served in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and Ontario and as well spent almost 19 years in the three northern territories of Canada. He was Chief of Police for the Durham Regional Police Service as well as the City of Ottawa between 2005  and 2012.

He has and is currently or has held a position as an Adjunct, visiting/part-time professor and guest lecturer at universities across Canada and elsewhere in many other countries.  He is an International Fellow with the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. Vernon has an extensive background at the investigational/supervisory and Aboriginal/First Nation and Community Policing level over a 31 + year policing career. His extensive experience in policing covers all avenues; administrative, managerial and investigational.

Mr. White has been honoured with a number of awards and commendations over the years, including a Commissioners Commendation, a Queen’s Jubilee Medal, and a United Way Community Builder of the Year Award.
He was appointed to the Senate of Canada, representing the province of Ontario in February 2012. He is presently a member of the National Security and Intelligence Committee of Parliamentarians (NSICOP).

 

Danielle Williams

Lead Intelligence Analyst - Child Endangerment
Crisp, a Kroll Business

With 16 years’ experience working as an analyst within policing Danielle has now moved to the private sector leading a team of analysts identifying child endangerment risks online. Dani started her career as a researcher in 2004 with North Yorkshire Police and became an analyst shortly after. She joined Greater Manchester Police in 2008 and worked on the Major Incident Team for four years before becoming a divisional safeguarding analyst. She then moved over to work in a multi-agency CSE team working for the council, then moved to the Joint Slavery and Trafficking Analysis Centre within the NCA, before taking on a role as a Lead Analyst in an NPCC unit focusing on subjects such as International Coordination.

Dani was one of the winners of the ACIA awards in 2014 and went on to win the IALEIA award in 2015. She regularly speaks at conferences and enjoys promoting the work of analysis in law enforcement. In her spare time Dani is a special constable with West Yorkshire Police and having spent 8 years on the front line she now trains new recruits to be special constables.

 

Kirsten Williams

Executive Advisor, Office of the Deputy Commissioner

Capability and Service Delivery Transformation, Victoria Police

Kirsten commenced employment as a Policy Advisor with Department of Justice in 2002. Having always wanted to pursue a career in criminal intelligence, Kirsten joined Victoria Police in 2005 as a civilian intelligence practitioner and has performed analytical roles in a range of operational and strategic intelligence areas. In 2008, Kirsten assumed the role of Intelligence Manager and developed the inaugural Road Safety Intelligence Unit. In 2010, Kirsten developed and managed Victoria Police’s State Tasking and Coordination Model.

More recently, Kirsten was a Senior Specialist Analyst responsible for providing strategic advice on intelligence and state-wide assessments. In 2015, Kirsten was appointed the Executive Adviser to the Assistant Commissioner, Intelligence and Covert Support Command. This involved overseeing the introduction of Victoria Police’s first analytics capability and intelligence management solution – “Neo”.

Kirsten’s current role is Executive Adviser to the Deputy Commissioner, Capability. An important part of this role is providing key advice and project management support to ensure the successful delivery of Victoria Police’s Service Delivery Transformation.

Kirsten holds undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Criminology, post graduate qualifications in Criminology (The University of Melbourne), Criminal Intelligence (Charles Sturt University), Management (Victoria University) and most recently Executive Leadership (Australian Institute of Police Management). Kirsten was awarded the Chief Commissioner’s Medal for Merit for the Regional Boundaries Project in 2011.

 

More speakers to be announced soon.