Speakers

The former world no. 4 tennis player, Jelena Dokic is a living testament to resilience, triumph, and the unyielding spirit of a true champion. Her journey on the court has been nothing short of awe-inspiring, marked by monumental victories and a fearless determination that defies all odds.

At a mere 16 years old, Jelena etched her name in tennis history by orchestrating one of the sport's most astounding upsets, dethroning the formidable Martina Hingis, the world number 1, at Wimbledon. This iconic victory propelled her to the tournament's quarter-finals, a precursor to her consecutive semi-final appearances the following year at just 17, a testament to her precocious talent and steely resolve.

However, beyond the world of grand slams and stadium lights lies a narrative of unparalleled courage and perseverance. A two-time refugee, Jelena bore the weight of adversity early in life, navigating a path fraught with bullying and racism. Yet, her most daunting battle unfolded within the confines of her own home, a harrowing ordeal of abuse endured at the hands of her father for over 15 agonising years, starting at the tender age of 6.

The scars of this traumatic past manifested in the shadows of her success, casting a long, silent shadow on her mental health. It led her to the brink, where the darkness threatened to engulf her entirely. At 22, she stood at the precipice, grappling with the crushing weight of her experiences, contemplating a life teetering on the edge. Yet, it was this very darkness that ignited a resilient flame within her, a resolve to not only survive but to transcend and thrive.

Jelena emerged as a beacon of hope, bravely sharing her story through the pages of two bestselling books, Unbreakable and Fearless. These powerful narratives unmask the raw realities of her childhood abuse, the labyrinth of mental health struggles, diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and PTSD, and the profound journey of reclaiming one’s voice and strength, unshackling from the chains of the past. Her words echo as a testament to the immense power of sharing our stories and finding the resilience within to soar beyond limitations.

In 2024, Jelena’s story captivated audiences once again through the critically acclaimed documentary Unbreakable: The Jelena Dokic Story. The film became a number one hit and, in 2025, was named Feature Documentary Production of the Year at the Screen Producers Australia Awards, and the 2025 Logies Best Factual or Documentary Program, solidifying her impact as both a storyteller and a symbol of survival.

Beyond the tennis court, Jelena has become an influential voice, a sought-after speaker, a compelling TEDx presenter, a revered commentator, and a familiar face in NINE’s coverage of the Australian Open and other grand slams. She’s not just an expert in sport but a living embodiment of the human spirit’s capacity to heal, rise, and lead.

Jelena’s story is a tapestry woven from threads of adversity, courage, and unwavering resilience, a testament to the unbreakable human spirit and the power of finding one's voice, transcending the past, and thriving against all odds.

Graeme is a leading science communicator and extension leader within Victoria’s Primary Industries sector.He leads a cross-industry team who work with farm and service provider audiences who have delivered 100’s of presentations on climate change, carbon farming and emissions issues (sessions are via request, demonstrating meeting the needs of farmers).

Graeme brings practical approaches for communicating climate and carbon issues in rural Australia. He has a 37 year background in science, research and policy communication, farm planning, catchment management, farm-forestry and agriculture industry development, land use change and socioeconomic impact programs. 
His intuitive nature, foresight and understanding of rural people and farm practice change (the 3 key ingredients) have always placed him on the front line of emerging issues and change programs. After designing and leading the Planning for Climate Change initiative (2008-2012) which developed award winning communication products such as the ClimateDogs, Graeme won the DPI Leadership Award in 2011 for "Exceptional leadership in delivering accessible and relevant information to farmers regarding climate change", and that same year he and his team were awarded National Climate Adaptation Champions (NCCARF).



He is currently Agriculture Victoria Climate Change Program Manager and Extension Specialist leading an innovative program that has created programs such as the AgVic on-Farm Emissions Action Planning Pilot which is currently working with over 200 individual farm businesses to better understand their farm emissions and carbon sequestration balance and provide customised action plans specific for each farm.

Graeme has also recently authored Agriculture Victoria’s ‘Making Sense of Carbon and Emissions on Farms’ booklet, ‘Soil Carbon Snapshot’ review of Australian research as well as producing and managing Agriculture Victoria’s public website resources supporting carbon and emissions education and extension 

He is passionate about assisting agriculture leaders and rural communities in making sense of the growing climate change, seasonal risk and carbon farming story, we can "Make decisions today, that leave us better off in future".

Dr Susan Orgill is a passionate advocate for healthy soils and resilient farming systems. An applied soil scientist with over 20 years’ experience, she works closely with farming businesses to understand soils as living, dynamic systems and to enhance soil function and natural capital uplift that support profitable farm businesses. As Chief Scientist at Impact Ag Australia, she brings deep expertise in soil health, carbon farming, and climate‑smart agriculture. A recipient of Landcare Australia’s 2025 General Jeffery Soil Health Award, Dr Orgill is driven by delivering real value to farmers through innovative, science‑backed, market‑ready soil management.

Tom burst onto the comedy scene in the mid 2000’s when in only his second year performing, he represented Victoria in the national final of FHM’s Australia’s Funniest Man Competition.

Since then, Tom has become a regular and favourite at all the top comedy clubs in Australia. In the early days, Tom was handpicked to support the biggest names in the business including Dave Hughes, Fiona O’Loughlin and Jimeoin but now he has become a star in his own right, headlining those same venues.

In 2015, Tom combined his love for comedy and Australian Rules Football and came up with the character ‘The Suburban Footballer’. The Suburban Footballer started as a Facebook page where Tom would post one liners and short videos about playing local footy. That page now has over 85,000 followers and his videos have had over 30 million views.

The Suburban Footballer then became a live show that Tom performed in sold our seasons at The Perth Fringe and Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

Tom then took his show on the road where to date, he has performed his show at over 300 footy (and other sporting) clubs, in front of over 150,000 people all across Australia.

Some of his highlights include performing private shows for the Adelaide Crows, Carlton, Richmond and Collingwood as well as performing at Sportsman’s Nights/Luncheons alongside pretty much every big name in the AFL.

His Suburban Footballer show is one of the most sought after acts in Australia, always completely booking out many months in advance.

Tom has also worked as a writer on The Footy Show, has written and starred in many sketches for Sportsbet’s hugely popular Youtube channel, and was one of the head writers and actors on CH7’s sketch show ‘Kinne Live’ which went for 3 seasons.

During lockdown, Tom got to work writing his first book ‘The Suburban Footballer’ which he self-published and has already sold over 4000 copies. He then moved onto writing and illustrating his first Children’s book ‘Harry and The Magic Footy Tree’ which has also sold very well and is a hit with the kids.

Most recently Tom has teamed up with his good mate Evan Hocking to produce a very popular, weekly podcast called ‘Good Banter’. In the podcast they look at the lighter side of local footy and tell many hilarious stories from their early and current day lives.