Julia Gillard was the 27th prime minister of Australia.

She currently serves as the Chair of Beyond Blue, one of Australia’s leading mental health awareness bodies. She is also the inaugural Chair of the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, which, through research, practice and advocacy, is addressing women’s under-representation in leadership.

Julia was recently appointed the Chair of Wellcome, a global charitable foundation that supports people and organisations using science to solve urgent health challenges.

Her second book, Women and Leadership: Real Lives, Real Lessons, co-authored with Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, was released in 2020.

Dr Laura Jana is a US-based paediatrician, early educator and social entrepreneur dedicated to addressing the most pressing needs of children, families and communities. Laura first gained international recognition through her work with world-renowned paediatrician Dr Spock, and she has more than 20 years’ experience collaborating with parents, educators, government and non-profit organisations, corporations and the media to ensure best outcomes for children. She is the owner of a 200-place early learning centre, an advisor to the world’s largest toy company and is currently a faculty member at Penn State University. Laura is also an early literacy advocate and award-winning author of more than 30 books for children and parents. Her most recent publications, The Toddler Brain and Jumping into Kindergarten, focus on the social–emotional and other skills needed to succeed in the 21st century and their foundational development during the first five years of life. She is a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics and has given three TED talks and several presentations on early childhood to cross-sector audiences, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, The World Bank and the UK Parliament.

Australian of the Year 2022, Dylan Alcott AO, is one of the country’s most successful and well recognised Paralympians. In 2021 he became the only male in any form of tennis to win the ‘Golden Slam’, winning the Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open Championships, together with his gold medal from the Tokyo Paralympic Games.

In 2017, Dylan launched the Dylan Alcott Foundation, a foundation created to help young Australians with a disability achieve their goals in the workplace, on the sporting field or at university.

Dylan was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 2022 for distinguished service to Paralympic sport, particularly to tennis, and as a role model for people with disability, and to the community through a range of organisations.

Dean Parkin is from the Quandamooka peoples of Minjerribah (North Stradbroke Island) in Queensland. Dean was closely involved in the process that resulted in the historic Uluru Statement from the Heart and continues to advocate for constitutional and structural reform as Director of From the Heart.

Formerly an investment analyst at alternative asset investment firm Tanarra Capital, he has extensive experience in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs. He has consulted across the public, corporate, not-for-profit and political sectors at national, regional and local levels. He has advised a range of clients on strategy, engagement and co-design and has commercial experience both in Australia and the UK.

Dean has a Bachelor of Arts (Politics and Journalism) degree from the University of Queensland and a Graduate Certificate in Education from the University of Melbourne. He is a Senior Fellow of the Atlantic Fellowship for Social Equity and is an ex-officio member of the Business Council of Australia’s Indigenous Engagement Taskforce.