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2015 Beacon National Conference
Spaces are filling fast!
Join us in this dynamic forum, and hear from leading educators and influencers.
Open to all school leadership staff, business partners and partnership group
members.
Hear from an exciting line-up of guest speakers from corporate, political and academic
worlds.
Keynote Speakers
Dr Suzy Green D.Psyc.(Clin.)
Founder of The Positivity Institute
Michael McQueen
ODE Management, Award-winning speaker,
social researcher, best-selling author.
Senator Nova Peris OAM
Senator for Northern Territory
Alison Watkins
Group Managing Director, Coca-Cola Amatil
Ted O’Brien
Managing Director, Ted O’Brien & Associates
Management Consultancy
Participate in open forums for lively debate.
Professional Development leadership steams.
Networking opportunities with best practice schools and Beacon associates.
Celebrate success at Beacon National Excellence Awards cocktail reception.
KEY NOTE SPEAKERS
Dr Suzy Green D.Psyc.(Clin.)
Founder of The Positivity Institute
Dr Suzy Green is a Clinical and Coaching Psychologist and the Founder of The Positivity Institute, an organisation
dedicated to the research and application of Positive Psychology for life, school and work. Suzy is a leader in the
complementary fields of Coaching Psychology and Positive Psychology and has been identified as a leader in the
emerging field of Positive Education. Suzy has been engaged to co-create and implement a Positive Education
Program in a number of leading Australian schools. Suzy has a strong academic background having published
in the Journal of Positive Psychology and having lectured on “Applied Positive Psychology” as a Senior Adjunct
Lecturer in the Coaching Psychology Unit, University of Sydney for ten years.
Michael McQueen
ODE Management, Award-winning speaker, social researcher, best-selling author.
Michael McQueen understands what it takes to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Widely recognized for having
his finger on the pulse of business and culture, he has helped some of the world’s best-known brands navigate
change and stay ahead of the curve. As a leading specialist in demographic shifts, change management and
future trends, Michael features regularly as a commentator on TV and radio and has written three bestselling
books. Michael is a seasoned conference presenter having shared the stage with the likes of Bill Gates, Whoopi
Goldberg and Larry King. He has spoken to hundreds of thousands of people and is known for his high-impact,
research-rich and entertaining conference presentations.
Senator Nova Peris OAM
Senator for Northern Territory
Known to many Australians for her sporting achievements, Nova was the first Indigenous Australian, and first
Territorian, to win an Olympic Gold Medal. Nova played in the Australian Women’s Hockey team at the 1996 Summer
Olympics, and later switched to athletics and became a double gold medalist in the 1998 Commonwealth Games.
She is the only person ever to make back-to-back Olympic finals in two different sports. Nova was named Young
Australian of the Year in 1997. Born and raised in Darwin, Nova has extensive community experience addressing
Indigenous disadvantage, particularly in the Northern Territory. In 2013 Nova embarked on a political career with
the Australian Labor Party and became Australia’s first indigenous woman elected to federal parliament.
KEY NOTE SPEAKERS
Alison Watkins
Group Managing Director, Coca-Cola Amatil
A leading figure in Corporate Australia, Tasmanian Alison Watkins joined Coca-Cola Amatil as Group Managing
Director in March 2014. Her previous roles include Chief Executive Officer of agribusiness GrainCorp Limited
and of Berri Limited, and Managing Director of Regional Banking at ANZ. Alison spent 10 years at McKinsey &
Company becoming a partner of the Firm, before moving to ANZ as Group General Manager Strategy. Alison has
been a non-executive director of Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Woolworths Limited and
Just Group Limited. She is a former Victorian President and National Board Member of the Australian Institute
of Company Directors.
Dr Vicky Plows
Research Fellow, The Victoria Institute, College of Education, University of Victoria
PhD (Uni Edinburgh), MSc (Uni Edinburgh), MA Hons (Uni Edinburgh), PGCert in Academic Practice (MMU)
Vicky has a particular focus on professional learning for social inclusion in education, and is currently conducting
research with educators in secondary schools and flexible learning programs. Vicky has an interdisciplinary
background, and her work is located at the intersection of sociology, human geography, education, and childhood
and youth studies. Her research seeks to address the social inclusion, education and well-being of young people
experiencing disadvantage or marginalisation. Vicky will share results from a major project about flexible learning
programs around Australia. Vicky’s interest in challenging behaviour emerged from her experiences of working
with young people identified as having social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Ted O’Brien
Managing Director, Ted O’Brien & Associates Management Consultancy
Ted is a renowned community leader and company director. His consultancy helps business, government and
community be more innovative and find new ways of working together. He has over 20 years’ experience as a
company director and brings deep insights into government and the community sectors.
Ted comes from one of Queensland’s pioneering business families, the O’Briens, who started Defiance Mills and
built it into an international flour milling, baking and food manufacturing conglomerate. He is a former Chairman
of the Australian Republican Movement, Chairman of the Advisory Board for Ronald McDonald House Charities
SEQ, Chairman of the LNP Futures Committee and a 500 Club Director. Ted is currently working on a new social
enterprise to help address the issue of local youth unemployment.
for more info go to : beaconfoundation.com
2015 Beacon National Conference: AGENDA
DAY 1
Time
8:30
8:50
9:00
9.10
9.40
10:10
Session Content
Conference opening / Welcome to Country
MC welcome & housekeeping
Welcoming Address from Scott Harris Beacon CEO
Key note Speaker - Alison Watkins Group Managing Director, Executive Director Coca Cola Amatil
Q & A Panel - An insight into the Beacon RFG funnel from students and business - panel participants from Holcim, Cummins, IHG
Morning Tea
Keynote speaker
10.30 - Dr Suzy Green (The Positivity Institute ) Positive Psychology in education
What's new @ Beacon?
11.00
11:20
12:20
1:00
Leadership Stream
Session 1
'Courage in Leadership' - Q&A Panel
Leadership stream
Session 2
Workshop - Beacon as a Strategic approach
supporting schools strategy
Concepts from Ted O'Brien
Workshops
eBeacon 101
Prepare, Polish & Present - Beacon High Impact Programs
Lunch
Chat rooms - Concurrent 30 minute dialogue sessions (delegates to choose 2 of
the 4 at registration)
2:00
1) Identifying my Leadership Shift - Rosie Connor, Head of Education Services
2) Flexible learning, Research & Beacon case studies - Dr Vicky Plows, Victoria
University
3) ‘Where Corporate Social Responsibility and Work Force Development
Initiatives Intersect’ – An unique industry perspective (Holcim) - Peter Ambrose,
General Manager, Queensland Aggregates
4) NSW Business Chamber “Future trends: Jobs and Skills” - Danielle Buckley
Keynote Speaker - Michael McQueen (Social researcher and bestselling author)
3.00
3.15
Afternoon tea
Fishbowl interactive Q&A session - ''Career education is failing Australia’s young people ''
• Jan Owen ( CEO of the Foundation for Young Australians )
• Pip Marlow( MD Microsoft Australia)
• Ted Noon (Principal Ashcroft High School NSW)
• Bill Lawson AM (Founder and Chairman of Beacon Board)
* Scott Harris ( CEO of Beacon)
• Jenny Wheatley ( CEO of the Vincent Fairfax Family Foundation )
• Student representative Ashcroft High School
4.30
6:00-7:30
DAY 2
Time
8.45
9.00
9.30
10:20
10:50
Day 1 Close
Beacon National Excellence Awards cocktail reception
Welcome back & reflections on day 1
Keynote speaker - Senator Nova Peris OAM
Session Content
Panel Interview - Q & A - National Excellance Awards winners
Leadership Stream
Session 3
Sean Barrett (Gratan Institute) - Findings on making
time for great teaching and how The Beacon model
supports that
Morning Tea
Showcasing examples from The Beacon Model: Raising the Bar
3 x 25 min sessions
Session 1: Industry/Business Engagement within the School community
- How to engage business within the school community
- Business Partnership Groups
Session 2: Industry Engagement within the Curriculum
- Collaborative Classrooms and Business Blackboards
Session 3: Education to Employment
- Beyond the Classroom – Work Exploration, Authentic Workplace Experiences
leading to Real Futures in meaningful employment
12:15
1:00
Principal Panel
1.30
Networking session - ''School & Community Alignment''
2.30
3:00
Bill Lawson AM - Founder and Beacon Foundation Board Chairman
Conference close
Lunch