Mary Coustas

Mary Coustas is a Logie Award winning actor, comedian and writer, also well known by her alter ego Effie – who needs no introduction! She has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Performing Arts with a sub major of Journalism and has many stage and screen credits to her name.

She is the star of Out of Work, Acropolis Now, Wogarama, Hercules Returns and Greeks on the Roof, to name but a few. Mary is a quite achiever donating a great deal of herself for her many chosen causes.

Kerri-Anne Kennerley

Kerri-Anne Kennerley has had a varied career ranging across the media, business and entertainment. She has interviewed world leaders, sporting icons and show business superstars, yet has retained her 'grassroots,' down-to-earth approach to life. Away from the media spotlight, Kerri-Anne is a tireless worker for charities and raising awareness to organisations with which she is associated.

Jean Kittson

Jean Kittson is a multi-talented performer and writer, and one of Australia's best known and most popular comedians, amusing audiences in theatre, on radio television as well as print as a columnist for the new Weekly, Sunday Telegraph Magazine as well as the Sydney Magazine and Sydney Morning Herald. Jean has also appeared in many feature films and gives of her time generously to many charitable organisations.

Dr Colin Adrian

Chief Executive, Canberra Institute of Technology

Dr Colin Adrian was appointed Chief Executive of the Canberra Institute of Technology in August 2006. He is also Chair of the Board of CIT Solutions Pty Ltd, wholly owned by CIT to pursue the Institute’s commercial activities. In November 2006 he was appointed to the ACT Skills Commission. He is also a member of the TAFE Directors Australia Board. Dr Adrian has held a number of senior positions in ACT Department of Disability, Housing and Community Services, the ACT Department of Urban Services and Environment ACT. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.

Doug Edwards

Chief Operating Officer Prime Television Limited

Prior to this role, Doug held the position of General Manager, Business Operations of the Prime Network, looking after the day-to-day management of Prime’s Business Operations – covering Sales, Marketing and administration of Prime’s 20 regional offices. Doug currently serves on a number of industry boards, including Chairman - Regional Broadcasters Australia, FreeTV and Freeview, as well as ACT Brumbies Rugby.

Ms Christine Faulks

CEO Canberra Business Council

Christine joined the Canberra Business Council, a business organisation which represents the interests of a large number of businesses in the ACT and Capital Region, in September 2007. Prior to this role she spent 13 years as an adviser and Chief of Staff to Federal Government Ministers and, most recently she was General Manager, Public Affairs and Government Relations at Diabetes Australia. Chris has been involved in a wide range of community organizations in Canberra for 38 years.

Jeremy Lasek

Chief of Staff for the Chief Minister ACT

Jeremy Lasek arrived in Canberra in 1992 to take up the news director's position with WIN-TV. In 2000, Jeremy joined the National Capital Authority as the Director of Promotions. Jeremy was appointed to the position of Director Communications with the ACT Government in 2003.

In 2008, Jeremy was seconded from his role in the ACT Government's Chief Minister's Department as Executive Director of Arts, Communications, Events and Protocol to become Chief of Staff for the Chief Minister of the ACT.

Eoghan O'Byrne

General Manager, Canberra FM Radio - Mix 106.3 / 104.7

Eoghan has worked in the Radio industry for the past fifteen years in a number of different roles. He is actively involved in our community and is a committee member to Canberra Camp Quality and a Board member of the Snowy Hydro Southcare Helicopter.

Canberra FM Radio currently runs a volunteer program in order to assist people returning to the workforce.

CHRISTOPHER PETERS (CHRIS) AM

Chief Executive, ACT & Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Chris represents business on over 20 ACT government boards or committees, including 3 statutory authorities. He is on the Board of several public companies and a number of community organisations including: CEO of the Retail Traders Association ACT & Region, Deputy Chairman of the Tourism Industry Council (ACT & Region), Managing Director of the Australian Industry & Defence Network, Chairman of the Multicultural Business Chamber of Australia and Chairman of the Indigenous Business Chamber of Australia.

Simonne Shepherd

General Manager, Australian Capital Tourism

Simonne joined Australian Capital Tourism on 30 July 2007 and comes to the ACT with over 18 years experience in the tourism industry, both at a national and international level. She has worked most recently as Managing Director Australia of the Canadian Tourism Commission and previously with the Tourism Victoria, Le Meridien Port Vila and the Fiji Visitors Bureau.

She is former Chair and current board member of the Association of National Tourism Office Representatives in Australasia (ANTOR) and a director of the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW).

Ivan Slavich

General Manager Retail operations ActewAGL & TransACT

ActewAGL & TransACT are responsible for the provision of electricity, gas, water, telephone, broadband, pay TV and mobile phone service in the ACT and surrounding region and is responsible for all aspects of retailing such as wholesale purchasing, marketing, customer service, sales and product development.

Ivan is a Director of the Australian Science Festival, MacKillop Catholic College and The Australian Complex Trauma Research Institute, has held Directorships with the Energy Retailers Association of Australia, Mawson Primary School and the Ukrainian Club.

Fiona Wright

President Restaurant & Catering Association

Fiona Wright is Canberra's best-known restaurateur and caterer, starting out in 1989 with the much-loved Lobby Restaurant before establishing Water's Edge, the only ACT fine-diner to be named best regional restaurant by the Sydney Morning Herald. Fiona was awarded the 2003 Telstra Business Women of the Year Award.

Fiona, married with two daughters, became the first independent operator to establish cafes in large public service institutions, and currently has five large cafes at the Defence Department. Recently she was chosen as caterer to the staff and public at Canberra's Parliament House. She is also the President of the Restaurant & Catering Association of the ACT.

Cindy Young

National Convention Centre Manager

Cindy Young, brings more than 22 years of convention and meetings industry experience to her role. This range of experience includes roles as the Canberra Convention Bureau Director of Sales and time on the Sydney Organizing Committee for the 2000 Olympic Games.

Cindy has a genuine interest in the wellbeing of Canberra as a strong and vibrant city and as such, is a strong advocate for further developing the connection between disability and business.