Chellie (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa) is a professor of leadership at the University of Waikato Management School, Aotearoa New Zealand. Her research explores wayfinding, authentic leadership and how businesses can create sustainable wealth and wellbeing. Chellie is a co-author of a book on traditional Polynesian navigation Wayfinding Leadership: Groundbreaking Wisdom for Developing Leaders (2015) with Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr and John Panoho. Wayfinding Leadership is a best-selling book for Huia Publishing. It was shortlisted for the Māori Book of the Year awards, 2016. Wayfinding Leadership has catalysed a new approach to leadership development that is growing fast and programmes are currently being taught nationally and internationally.

After a rewarding experience as Leader in Residence at the Atlantic Institute, Oxford University in 2023 Chellie has just released The Catalyst’s Way – A Handbook for People Who Want to Change the World and the companion guide The Catalyst’s Way – Foundational Storytellers.

Jill is an accomplished higher education leader, currently serving as the Director, University Transformation and Improvement at The University of Western Australia (UWA). She is proudly connected to her Noongar Ballardong (West Australian) Aboriginal boodja (country) and moort (family). Jill has held several influential roles within the Library sector, including a decade as the University Librarian at UWA, as Chair of the Council of Australian University Librarians (2019-2023), and as Board Director, International Association of University Libraries (IATUL) (2017-2022).

Jill is passionate about strengthening leadership within higher education and is the current Director of the Council of Australasian Information Technology Directors Annual Leadership Institute. In addition, she is committed to advancing research data management locally and globally and is the current Co-Chair of the Research Data Alliance Council, and Chair of the Australian Research Data Commons HASS + Indigenous Expert Advisory Panel.

Masud, a computer scientist by education, is the University Librarian and Keeper of the Brotherton Collection at the University of Leeds. Masud’s interests and expertise cut across the topics of strategic leadership, digital transformation, user experience, learning spaces, innovation cultures, open education and research, and staff talent realisation.

Before Leeds, Masud has had a varied career with senior roles in the private sector and higher education, including at the Bodleian Libraries (University of Oxford), Lancaster University, and the University of York.

Masud is also the current chair of Research Libraries UK (RLUK), a consortium of 39 research intensive libraries in UK and Ireland and sits on several national and international committees and forums. He is particularly interested in leadership, digital transformation, and diversity in academic and research libraries.

Ry is Canada’s inaugural Associate University Librarian – Reconciliation at the University of Victoria. His role within UVic Libraries’ focuses on building and sustaining relationships to introduce Indigenous approaches and knowledge into the daily work of the Libraries and more broadly across the campus community.

Ry came to this position from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) hosted by the University of Manitoba. As founding director, he oversaw the development of the NCTR from inception contributing to major national initiatives including the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, the national Student Memorial Register and the designation of multiple residential schools as national historic sites.

Ry serves on the board of the Royal British Columbia Museum, the National Indigenous Leadership Circle on Research, and the executive committee of the Coalition for Canadian Digital Heritage. He is a former member of the International Federation of Libraries Association’s Cultural Heritage Committee.

One of Aotearoa’s most inspiring advocates for diversity, inclusion and equality, Vanisa Dhiru is an equality champion with a strong sense of social responsibility who has worked in a variety of advocacy roles throughout her career. She has assembled an astonishing collection of skills across leadership, management, marketing, communication and strategy.

Born and raised in Manawatū, and now based in Wellington, Vanisa has served the community through a variety of both paid and volunteer commitments including previously holding the roles of National President of National Council of Women of New Zealand (NCWNZ), CEO of Volunteering New Zealand, Executive Director of 20/20 Trust and General Manager with InternetNZ.

Today, Vanisa is a member of Global Women NZ, the Institute of Directors and the Global BMW Foundation Responsible Leaders Network. She currently holds commissioner roles with the NZ National Commission of UNESCO and the Library & Information Advisory Commission.

Jill is an accomplished higher education leader, currently serving as the Director, University Transformation and Improvement at The University of Western Australia (UWA). She is proudly connected to her Noongar Ballardong (West Australian) Aboriginal boodja (country) and moort (family). Jill has held several influential roles within the Library sector, including a decade as the University Librarian at UWA, as Chair of the Council of Australian University Librarians (2019-2023), and as Board Director, International Association of University Libraries (IATUL) (2017-2022).

Jill is passionate about strengthening leadership within higher education and is the current Director of the Council of Australasian Information Technology Directors Annual Leadership Institute. In addition, she is committed to advancing research data management locally and globally and is the current Co-Chair of the Research Data Alliance Council, and Chair of the Australian Research Data Commons HASS + Indigenous Expert Advisory Panel.

Ry is Canada’s inaugural Associate University Librarian – Reconciliation at the University of Victoria. His role within UVic Libraries’ focuses on building and sustaining relationships to introduce Indigenous approaches and knowledge into the daily work of the Libraries and more broadly across the campus community.

Ry came to this position from the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation (NCTR) hosted by the University of Manitoba. As founding director, he oversaw the development of the NCTR from inception contributing to major national initiatives including the Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada, the national Student Memorial Register and the designation of multiple residential schools as national historic sites.

Ry serves on the board of the Royal British Columbia Museum, the National Indigenous Leadership Circle on Research, and the executive committee of the Coalition for Canadian Digital Heritage. He is a former member of the International Federation of Libraries Association’s Cultural Heritage Committee.