Speakers
Public Transport Australia New Zealand Conference will bring together industry thought-leaders from our region and around the globe to determine how we can achieve “The Great Recovery”.
We are delighted to confirm the keynote speakers for the conference will include.
Stephanie Wiggins
Chief Executive Officer, LA Metro
The Board of Directors of the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (Metro) voted to hire Stephanie Wiggins as Metro’s CEO on April 8, 2021. A lifelong trailblazer and champion of equity and inclusion, Wiggins is the first African American woman to lead the agency. As CEO of Metro, she oversees an agency that runs the third-busiest transit system in the United States and serves as the lead transportation planning, programming, and financing agency for the 10.1 million residents of LA County. Before rejoining Metro as CEO in June 2021, Wiggins served for two-and-a-half years as CEO of Metrolink, the nation’s third-largest passenger rail system covering 538 route-miles throughout Southern California.
Prior to serving as CEO of Metrolink, Wiggins was the Deputy CEO of Metro, where she assisted the CEO in providing leadership and achieving strategic public transportation objectives, including the passage in 2016 of Measure M, a half-cent sales tax approved by 71 percent of LA County voters. She also established the Women and Girls Governing Council. During her tenure at Metro, Wiggins also served as the Executive Director of Vendor/Contract Management, where she implemented procurement streamlining initiatives and greatly expanded Metro’s contracting of small and historically underutilized businesses. Prior to that role, Wiggins was the Executive Officer and Project Director of the Congestion Reduction/ExpressLanes Program where she launched the first high occupancy toll lanes in LA County on the I-10 and I-110.
With a deep and genuine commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, Wiggins strives to provide all people living in Southern California equal access to mobility to get to work, school, healthcare and leisure activities. Achieving that goal depends on leading an organization that is as diverse and inclusive as the region it serves.
Rob Sharp
Secretary, Transport for NSW
Crissy Ditmore
Head of Public Policy - North America, Optibus
Formerly with Cubic, Conduent, and Enterprise Rideshare. Crissy holds a Master of Science in Project Management and is a Mass Transit Magazine Top 40 Under 40. She is the creator of the Mobility Minute weekly video series discussing mobility trends where she is always #AllAboutThatBus.
We are pleased to announce the Speaker for the Gala Dinner is:
Bernard Salt
Executive Director, The Demographics Group
Bernard Salt is widely regarded as one of Australia’s leading social commentators by business, the media and the broader community.
Bernard heads The Demographics Group which provides advice on demographic, consumer and social trends for business.
Prior to that Bernard founded KPMG Demographics.
He writes two weekly columns for The Australian newspaper and was an adjunct professor at Curtin University Business School between 2010 and 2020.
In conjunction with KPMG Australia he hosted a top-rated podcast called “What Happens Next” which discussed rising trends and important business issues.
Bernard is one of the most in-demand speakers on the Australian corporate speaking circuit.
He is well known to the wider community for his penchant for identifying and tagging new tribes and social behaviours such as the ‘Seachange Shift’, the ‘Man Drought’, ‘PUMCINS’ (pronounced pumkins) and the ‘Goats Cheese Curtain’.
He is perhaps best known for popularising the phrase “smashed avocado” globally.
Bernard was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 2017 Australia Day honours.
Further speakers confirmed for the conference include:
Michelle Batsas
Executive Director, UITP Australia New Zealand
Michelle Batsas is the Executive Director of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) in Australia and New Zealand, advocating for best practice public transport and sustainable mobility solutions for the region. Michelle is a senior executive with broad and diverse experience across management, strategy, governance, events, communications and policy. She has held senior roles at Public Transport Victoria and VicRoads, leading large teams through transformational change in order to realise the best outcomes possible for users of an integrated transport network. Michelle is a qualified lawyer and prior to entering the world of transport, she worked in the justice and emergency management portfolios of the Victorian Government. She is passionate about promoting urban mobility for the benefit of customers and broader communities.
Katie Cooper
Chief Executive Officer, Metro Tasmania
Katie Cooper is a commercially focussed, operationally experienced and authentic business executive with an impressive track record of success in private and public sector services.
Prior to joining Metro Tasmania, Katie held positions with Melbourne Airport, Stansted Airport, Northern Territory Airports and Air New Zealand. Over the course of Katie’s career, she has worked across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Katie’s work experience has been enhanced by formal studies, including an MBA and other academic qualifications. She has been recognised for her skills and knowledge with various business Awards. These include being awarded a Chief Executive Women scholarship to attend Harvard Business School’s leadership program and the Northern Territory Telstra Business Woman of the Year in 2012.
Katie is a Director with the International Association of Public Transport Australia and New Zealand (UITPANZ) Her previous executive portfolio also included being a previous Director of the Australian Airports Association, Tourism Central Australia and Chamber of Commerce (Alice Springs).
Clint Feuerherdt
Group CEO, Kelsian Group Limited
In 2012-2013 Clint led the expansion of Transit Systems Group into the United Kingdom, making Transit Systems Group the only Australian owned multinational public transport operator, which further expanded into Singapore in 2015.
Clint graduated from the University of Queensland with an Honours Degree in Commerce and was awarded the University Medal. Clint previously worked as an infrastructure M&A specialist in several global investment banks.
Richard Harrison
Manager Metro Optimisation, Auckland Transport
Richard leads the continuous improvement team for public transport in Auckland, finding ways to optimise the service offering and internal processes. The team have a broad remit to find opportunities and then implement change.
The team's current focus includes timetable optimisation, process and system improvement, data and analytics, enhancing the experience for customers with accessibility needs, coordinating major change initiatives and leading the public transport response to COVID.
Dr Deborah Hume
Establishment Manager Multimodal & Innovation, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency
Loretta Lynch
Managing Director, Transdev Sydney Ferries
Loretta is a well-recognised and experienced leader in the public transport industry, with a unique combination of commercial and people leadership expertise and a strong track record of delivering major complex projects and organisational targets.
Loretta joined Transdev in March 2020 and brings 25 years’ experience in large-scale operations, managing people, contracts and finance across rail, public transport, construction and mining.
Loretta was appointed the Managing Director at Transdev Sydney Ferries in July 2021. Previously, she was the Director Business Development – Special Projects with Transdev Australasia, managed Transdev’s bus operations in Melbourne and has held senior leadership roles domestically and internationally in the construction and mining sectors.
Notably, Loretta has previously held the positions of Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer at G:Link, Keolis Downer’s Gold Coast light rail operation. Her achievements at G:Link include overseeing a culture program that reduced injury statistics by 75 per cent over 18 months, the successful delivery of increased transport services during the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and the successful launch of operations of Gold Coast Light Rail Stage 2.
Loretta is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Australian Society of CPAs; she holds a Bachelor’s degree in business from the Queensland University of Technology and a Masters of Business Administration at Deakin University.
Adele McCarthy
Chief Development Officer, Keolis Downer Yarra Trams
Martin McMullan
Founder, Mobli
Martin is the founder of Mobli, a cloud based solution for all your mobility needs starting with the customer experience, rider rewards, operations and ticketing. All configurable in around an hour.
Mobli is used by some of the world's biggest brands to deliver innovative mobility solutions that make transport cheaper, environmentally friendly, engaging and fun.
Yvette Mihelic
Director, Customer Experience, Rail and Transport, John Holland Group
Yvette is a customer experience senior executive with over 20 years of extensive experience across industry and sector.
After starting her career in hospitality and retail, she moved into Financial Services where her passion for customer experience originated. She has recently focused on public transport and mobility from both a private and public sector perspective across multiple organisations.
As General Manager for Customer Experience for Sydney Trains, she was responsible for the implementation of Opal (ETS) across Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink as well as the establishment of the multi-modal Revenue Protection division across the NSW Public Transport cluster.
During her time at TfNSW, she delivered the Customer Channel Transformation Program which resulted in multi-faceted improvements for the way public transport in NSW interacted with its community, customers and visitors using transport in the state.
She has also been responsible for the development, implementation and ongoing delivery of on demand transport for Transdev.
Most recently she is leading the customer experience division within John Holland’s Rail Operations and Maintenance team and has designed, developed and implemented customer experience strategy for the corporate division as well as several public transport contracts across Australia, while providing support and direction for continuous improvement in the delivery of services and performance.
Yvette’s expertise is centred in leading large and complex teams as well as the design and development of strategy to deliver exceptional experience to significant and diverse customer bases as well as using human centred design and lean six sigma methodology. She has a passion for delivering personalised and contextualised customer experience strategies that provide a continually improving customer experience while simultaneously delivering better performance outcomes for clients, operators and maintainers of public transport.
Natalie Reiter
Deputy Secretary, Department of Transport (Victoria)
Natalie is a dynamic and highly motivated Executive with a strategic mindset. Natalie is Deputy Secretary of Policy, Precincts and Innovation at the Department of Transport (DoT), having had a diverse career including senior executive roles in private consulting as well as local and state government. In her current role, she leads the strategy underpinning the creation of Melbourne’s transport precincts.
Natalie thrives on her ability to build, lead and grow highly constructive, engaged and aligned teams that achieve outstanding results.
DoT is structured according to a lifecycle model, and Natalie is responsible for the first phase of the lifecycle including policy, strategy, data insights, planning, road safety, precincts, ports and freight. Natalie’s focus is on optimising problem solving for the benefit of all stakeholders of the transport network.
Natalie’s team seeks to create and translate data insights, policy and transport and land use visions into practice through collaboration with stakeholders the provision of guidance.
Natalie enjoys thinking about behavioural management and how a sense of place impacts the lives of community.
Natasha Santha
Partner, L.E.K. Consulting
Natasha regularly advises Governments and industry on the impact of new and emerging transport technologies. Her experience spans all modes , and covers public transport, road, and airports.
She has also worked extensively across the energy value chain, including renewable technologies and alternative fuels – bringing a deep understanding of the implications of the decarbonisation of the transport fleet.
Natasha has led several high stakes projects in the context of service/technology driven transport disruption and supporting the transition to net zero emissions.
Sally Stannard
Deputy Director-General (Translink), Department of Transport and Main Roads
Sally is the Deputy Director-General of the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the head of TransLink, where she leads the delivery of customer-focused passenger transport services across Queensland including policy, planning, ticketing, contract management and customer services.
TransLink Division is responsible for the integrated rail, bus, ferry and tram network in South East Queensland; and long-distance rail, coach and aviation services in regional, rural and remote Queensland, in addition to school transport, personalised transport and demand responsive transport services.
Sally has qualifications in Engineering and International Studies and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Chris Steel
Minister for Transport, ACT Legislative Assembly
Chris Steel is a Member for Murrumbidgee in the ACT Legislative Assembly. He was elected to the Assembly in October 2016.
In August 2018 Chris became a member of Cabinet in the ACT Government. He is currently responsible for the following portfolios:
· Minister for Transport and City Services
· Minister for Skills
· Special Minister of State
Prior to entering politics, Chris was an education advocate, at peak body Early Childhood Australia and has previously worked in both the Australian Government and ACT Government focusing on a range of social policy areas.
He has worked extensively in the area of early childhood reform including the introduction of the National Quality Agenda, and universal access to early childhood education.
Chris has completed undergraduate degrees in Law and Arts (majoring in Political Science) at the Australian National University (ANU).
Judith Sturman
Executive Group Manager Transport Canberra, Transport Canberra and City Services
Judith’s core discipline is in transport operations and customer service delivery spanning more than 25 years. She has worked in private and public companies across heavy rail, buses and light rail in the UK and throughout Australia.
Judith’s main focus has been to successfully lead teams through change and delivery, including customer and business reforms as well as operationalisation of major infrastructure projects, such as the Regional Rail Link in Victoria. In her current role of Executive Group Manager of Transport Canberra, Judith is responsible for leading the teams managing light rail, bus operations and public transport planning and delivery, including zero emission buses, next generation ticketing and public transport growth.
Tim Washington
Chief Executive Officer, JET Charge
Tim Washington is the founder and director of JET Charge, Australia's largest EV charging infrastructure business. JET Charge is also a co-founder of Chargefox, Australia's largest EV Charging network.
Tim is also the Chair of the Electric Vehicle Council, the peak body for the electric vehicle industry in Australia.
Jon Whelan
Chief Executive, Department for Infrastructure and Transport
He is accountable to the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, with diverse responsibilities for transport systems and services, planning, efficient transport, and valuable social and economic infrastructure that will improve the lifestyles of all South Australians.
It is estimated that approximately $4.2 billion will be spent over the next two financial years, which includes a significant investment both in Metropolitan Adelaide and in regional South Australia.
A highly respected and respectful professional both within government and industry, with long standing productive working relationships with private sector and across government. A sound adaptable and politically astute leader, who maintains open and honest communication.
Jon has been appointed by the Governor of South Australia as both the Rail Commissioner, and the Commissioner of Highways, with overarching responsibilities for all modes of transport in South Australia.
His responsibility under the SA Public Transport Authority is to ensure that a well‐connected and customer focused service for mass transit movements are delivered safely, efficiently, and sustainably.
More recent achievements have seen Jon deliver the almost $1 billion Adelaide FestivalPlaza Precinct redevelopment. He has successfully led the North‐South Corridor, TorrensRoad to River Torrens Project Team through the Department’s first competitive Alliance procurement process. The Department is now in its eighth Alliance, with Jon having been a member of every Alliance Leadership Team.
We are pleased to announce the Debaters for the topic "The Public Transport Furture: Is it Mass or MaaS?"
Rebecca Blewitt
Senior Communications Manager, Downer
Having only joined the public transport industry a year ago, Rebecca is one of our newer gunzels.
She is the Senior Communications Manager for Downer’s national Rail & Transit Systems business, managing communications for projects such as Melbourne’s High Capacity Metro Trains and Sydney’s Waratah Trains. She also sits as the Treasurer for the UITPANZs Emerging Mobility Leaders Committee.
Prior to Downer, she spent 12 years in the public sector across federal, state and local governments, as well as two years in London.
Outside of work she enjoys travelling, running and yoga.
Jamie-Lee Owen
Principal Advisor (Service Integration & Delivery), Department of Transport and Main Roads (Translink)
Jamie-Lee is an experienced project and program manager in Queensland’s Department of Transport, Translink Division.
Jamie-Lee has been the program manager responsible for the development, management, and delivery of the Passenger Transport Service Investment Program – a multi-year, multi-million-dollar investment program delivering service improvements on QLD’s PT network – for the past three years and has an established background and demonstrated history in delivering key service improvement projects in line with customer insights and government strategy.
Ruw Palapathwala
Transport Planner, Aurecon
Ruw is a transport planner at Aurecon, motivated to create a better world by believing in its capacity to create better people. Ruw sees his work as a vocation that serves both the community and his clients, bringing excellent communication and a dependable work ethic to projects. He is committed to exceeding client expectations, par excellence, thriving in working to demanding project programs in leading work and collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams.
Ruw is driven by taming the wicked problem of traffic congestion and is passionate about delivering efficient and reliable transport systems which help bring people and opportunity together.
To this end, Ruw has carried out work in traffic engineering, demand modelling, microsimulation modelling, GIS mapping, traffic impact assessments, intersection network modelling and transport strategy advisory. Moreover, he also volunteers in a leadership capacity with the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) and the Institute of Transport Engineers Australia-New Zealand section (ITE-ANZ), organisations both committed to advancing transport development for the wider community and profession. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) (Honours) and Bachelor of Business (Finance) dual major from Swinburne University of Technology.
Shanil Perera
Mechanical Engineer, Department of Transport (Victoria)
Shanil has been working in the Rolling Stock Development Division of the Victorian Department of Transport for just over 2 years as a Mechanical Engineer.
In his role, Shanil has worked on the E-Class Tram Project, the Vlocity Train Project and is currently working on the X’Trapolis 2.0 Train Project. While working on the E-Class Tram project, he conducted quality inspections, reviewed engineering documents, managed production and warranty issues, performed stakeholder engagement with the operator and manufacturer and managed delivery of trams onto the Network. On the Vlocity project, Shanil has reviewed test procedures, conducted test witnessing of trains and has performed stakeholder engagement with the manufacturer.
Shanil holds a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) Degree from RMIT University and a Master of Engineering – Management Degree from the University of South Australia