Nikki Beaumont is the Founder and CEO of Beaumont People and has over 35 years of experience in the recruitment industry. Since founding Beaumont People in 2001, Nikki has transformed the industry with her innovative, people-first approach, earning recognition for her pioneering efforts, including the implementation of the Four-Day Work Week. Beaumont People has been recognised as Best Place to Work in Australia for companies with under 100 employees for three years consecutively, a validation of Nikki’s unwavering dedication and belief in “Placing People First”. Nikki's disciplined nature and drive shine through in her personal endeavours as well. From trekking to Everest Base Camp, to seeing in the new millennium driving a team of Huskies from Finland to the Russian border in sub -30c temperatures, Nikki's personal motivation is an inspiration to all around her. She is immensely passionate about the Not-for-Profit sector, and in 2009, at the peak of the Global Financial Crisis, founded a Not-for-Profit Division, that has saved charities over $47 million in recruitment fees. Nikki is celebrated not only for her business acumen but also for her compassion and commitment to meaningful work.

With over 25 years’ experience in the Social Housing and Community Service sectors in South Australia, Trish is a passionate advocate for tenant engagement, community inclusion, and internal capacity building resulting in enduring and sustainable tenancies. As the Community Inclusion Manager at Unity Housing, she has cultivated long-lasting partnerships that promote tenant stability, strengthen neighbourhood connections, and enables robust service delivery across diverse communities. Trish's unwavering commitment to amplifying the tenant voice has driven systemic and operational improvements, directly contributing to safer and better life outcomes for tenants. Under her leadership, Unity Housing’s Community Connect team and broader staff group implements the Tenant Engagement Delivery Plan designed to meet tenant and community needs with creativity, compassion, and inclusivity. A pioneer in her field, Trish continues to lead the award-winning Street Speak project, focusing on upskilling staff and empowering Aboriginal tenants through innovative engagement practices. A strong advocate for internal capacity building, she has been instrumental in fostering professional development across Unity Housing, ensuring staff are skilled to provide services that support sustainable tenancies. As the inaugural and current Chair of the PowerHousing Tenant Engagement Working Group, and a former Chair of the PowerHousing Operations Roundtable, Trish has contributed her expertise to shaping operational strategies across the sector at a national level.

My name is Beauty Bwembya, and I am in a general management capacity role managing the housing operations of Bethanie Housing Ltd (BHL), the housing division of the Bethanie Group. With an empathetic and professional approach, I have assisted to create vibrant and safe communities for over 600 people across the Perth and Southwest regions in Western Australia. Before becoming a member of the BHL leadership team, I was awarded the Rising Star and Scholarship Immersion’ by Power Housing Australia in 2020. In 2016, my dedication and talent in the property industry was recognised by the Property Council of Australia’s and I made the ‘100 women in property’ inaugural program. I am passionate about community housing as well as supporting tenants in having successful and sustainable tenancies. I am also proud to work for an organisation that shares my passion of promoting and developing independent and social communities for everyone. I am equipped with undergraduate and post graduate university level qualifications in Property and Business Administration.

Andrew is a Consultant in our Banking, Governance & Corporate team having been Senior Partner and head of social housing at Devonshires. His work in the social housing sector spans over 35 years, starting from his time as a banking lawyer at the outset of the period when housing associations started to borrow in order to fund their development work. He is known for his strategic advice, regulatory compliance, structuring transactions and dealing with “problem cases”. Andrew has been a member of the NHF’s Finance Policy Advisory Group and the Regulator of Social Housing Advisory Panel and has been a board member of both not for profit and for profit social landlords. He received the NHF Lifetime Achievement award for his work in 2018. Andrew advised the then Regulator on the UK Housing & Regeneration Act. He has also worked on social housing projects in Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Rwanda, India, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, understanding different policy environments and opportunities. His clients include a broad range of providers of For Profit and Not for Profit social housing in the UK, including London & Quadrant and Sage Homes.

Carolyn Doherty is a distinguished leader in the Community Services Sector, boasting an illustrious career that spans over three decades. Her tenure includes more than 14 years in pivotal executive roles within the Community Housing sectors of New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland. Presently, she steers Argyle Housing as its CEO, championing the cause of delivering exemplary social and affordable housing solutions for regional populations in NSW and the Australian Capital Territory. Under her adept leadership, Argyle Housing has seen remarkable strides in innovation and teamwork, culminating in strategic partnerships aimed at augmenting housing supply in less urbanised areas. Carolyn's influence is notably evident in landmark ventures like the Regional Social Renewal initiative in Tolland, Wagga Wagga, and the collaborative Griffin Green project in partnership with Griffith City Council. Her esteemed role on the Board of the Community Housing Industry Association (CHIA) underscores her profound commitment to fostering sustainable, community-centric housing models, thereby affirming her status as an indispensable asset to the wider community housing movement.

Eileen Fitzgerald is the founder and principal of ThruSight LLC, a strategic consulting and advisory services firm. She brings more than 30 years’ experience as a strategist and a seasoned leader, with deep expertise in housing affordability, community development, philanthropy and nonprofit management. Eileen is an innovator and a change agent with a strong track record of success who utilizes her deep expertise to support organizations and senior executives. Eileen started ThruSight LLC in early 2023 and has provided support for organizations’ growth strategies through strategic planning and advising, business models, and initiative expansion. She has supported CDIFs, affordable housing developers and owners, tax credit syndicators, green and climate financing groups, policy and advocacy organizations, and impact advisors. Eileen is also a trained facilitator and very much enjoys bringing different voices and perspectives to a shared consensus. Prior to ThruSight, Fitzgerald served as head of housing affordability philanthropy at Wells Fargo, where she led the development and execution of a $1 billion Housing Affordability Philanthropy commitment. Fitzgerald also served as president and CEO of Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF), a collaborative of nonprofits that collectively owns and operates more than 140,000 affordable rental homes nationwide, and as CEO and COO of NeighborWorks® America. Fitzgerald worked at the Fannie Mae Foundation and as chief investment officer for Single Family at the AFL-CIO Housing Investment Trust. She also served at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service as the Associate and Acting Administrator. Fitzgerald currently serves on the boards of the National Housing Trust, Low Income Investment Fund, Housing Opportunities Community Partners of Montgomery County, MD, and the National Rural Housing Coalition. Fitzgerald has a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Economics from Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and a Master in Public Affairs from Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.

Jack Haber is an Architect, Valuer and Land Economist. Since moving from design to managing development projects, he has accumulated over 25 years of experience working with both private and public sector developments spanning all phases of property development. As managing partner of his own consultancy firm, he’s led large residential, commercial, education and industrial projects in Victoria, NSW and Queensland. Jack developed expertise in timber and modular construction in his role since 2007 as Chairman of an engineered timber business and is passionate about advancing the use of Modern Methods of Construction in the Australian construction environment. He brings together the design, approvals, procurement and delivery skills to achieve financially efficient, buildable and sustainable project results. Since selling his consultancy, Jack is now head of Development for Haven Home Safe in Melbourne and is leading projects under the Big Housing Build with a combined value of approximately $150 million.

Andrew has over 25 years of senior leadership experience across capital-intensive ASX-listed companies, other public companies and government, spanning property, energy, transport and Defence sectors. This has included new asset development, asset management and leading major commercial transactions. He has seven years of CEO experience in residential property development, investment and management, leading the ACT’s largest social and affordable build-to-rent property developer in CHC. In this role he has conceived new opportunities and brought parties together to deliver new mixed-use developments that includes supporting key workers and some of the most vulnerable people in the community, whilst also financially positioning the organisation to be able to capitalise on major new growth in supply opportunities.

Haleh Homaei is a highly accomplished management executive and non-executive director with over three decades of experience across government, executive management, housing, property development, and governance. From 2016 to 2024, Haleh served as Chief Executive Officer of HousingFirst Limited, one of Victoria’s most respected providers of social and affordable housing. Under her leadership, HousingFirst expanded to a housing portfolio of over 1,500 properties, supporting more than 2,200 resident tenancies. Before joining HousingFirst, Haleh held senior management roles with several of Australia’s leading community housing organisations and held key leadership positions within government. Her extensive experience has made her a recognised leader in the housing sector. A Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), Haleh is an experienced director with a deep understanding of governance and strategic leadership. She is currently the Chair of PowerHousing Australia and a board member of Community Housing Canberra(CHC) and Haven; Home, Safe(HHS). Haleh also served on the board of the Community Housing Industry Association Victoria (CHIAVic) for ten years, including three years as Chair, contributing significantly to the advancement of the community housing sector.

Caryn Kakas is the Head of Housing and Strategy at ANZ where she leads the bank’s commitment to improving the availability of suitable and affordable housing options for all Australians and New Zealanders. Caryn was previously Executive Director, Housing at the Department of Family and Community Services (NSW). Caryn has over 20 years of experience in the residential housing sector working across private, not for profit and government. She is actively engaged in supporting housing outcomes in Victoria including as a member of the Melbourne City Council’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, Open House Melbourne and as a member of the Victorian Government’s Housing Growth Advisory Group.

Scott has had a 20 year career in housing development, management and investment spanning the private sector and community housing industry. He believes that affordable housing is the foundation for a healthy housing system with pathways to home ownership also crucial for social and economic well being. Prior to joining Housing Australia, Scott led significant innovation to mobilise institutional investment into affordable housing in Australia in his role as Group CEO of SGCH, a leading community housing provider serving 12,000 customers living in 7,000 homes. Bringing together capital and capability, SGCH had residential assets under management of approximately $3.9 billion, and mobilised over $1.01 billion of private sector investment. Scott held prior roles including General Manager of Housing and Urban Development for Junction Australia and Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Australia, after working in the private sector in construction and development. A Chartered Surveyeor (MRICS) with a housing management and development specialisation, Scott also holds an MBA and postraduate qualification in property development, and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Duncan Maclennan is an applied economist with interests in the functioning of and policies for housing, neighbourhoods, cities, and regions. Duncan has been involved in shaping housing policies in the UK and elsewhere. He served as Principal Consultant to the OECD on Urban Affairs from 1984-1996 and was adviser to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Housing Inquiry (1996), the Rowntree Foundation (1988-2003) and the RICS inquiry into UK Housing (2016). He has also worked as a policymaker. On the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 he was appointed Special Adviser to the first three First Ministers of Scotland. He then held senior policy positions in Australia (as a Chief Economist in the Government of Victoria), and Canada (Chief Economist at Infrastructure and Cities Canada) before returning to academia in Scotland. His specific involvements in non-profit housing have included advising the English Housing Minister in establishing the ‘new regime’ (1988) for non-profit housing, serving on the Board of Scottish Homes from 1989-1999 and in leading the policy development work to facilitate the transfer of council housing to associations in Scotland, most notably the Glasgow stock transfer and subsequently advocating the growth and diversification of the sector in the UK, Australia, and Canada. His recent work has included reviewing the roles and productivity effects of housing in the Australian economy (summarised in ‘Housing: Taming the Elephant in the Economy’ (UNSW, 2022) and more recently developing a systems approach to housing policies for CMHC in Canada. He is currently engaged in two research projects, exploring collaborative multi-order housing partnerships in metropolitan areas, and understanding transformations of non-profit housing systems in the UK, Australia, and Canada. He currently lives and works in Canada and Scotland.

Andrew is a respected community housing figure, both nationally and internationally. He has delivered social, affordable, and large-scale urban renewal projects for more than 30 years across Australia and the United Kingdom. Andrew’s experience highlights the innovation and vision required to create cutting edge outcomes for projects which link Government, the private sector and the community housing sector – in order to deliver mixed tenure housing and place based urban renewal outcomes which create places for people to thrive. Andrew has been recently appointed to the role of Vice Chair, PowerHousing Australia, and is also a Board Director of CHIA NSW.

Ben has over 20 years of experience in community services, including playing a key role in operationalizing the first-ever community housing stock transfers in South Australia. In 2019, he brought this expertise to UnitingSA, where he has since become an essential figure. In his current role, Ben is pivotal in expanding UnitingSA Housing’s portfolio. He also oversees significant property and aged care developments, ensuring the organization continues to meet the needs of the communities it serves. Under Ben's leadership, UnitingSA has achieved Tier 1 community housing provider status and successfully completed numerous large-scale projects. These include the $54 million UnitingSA West Lakes Aged Care complex and a $35 million Affordable Housing Development. Ben is deeply committed to advancing key community housing initiatives, ensuring that South Australians with low to moderate incomes have access to affordable and suitable long-term housing solutions.

Rebecca Oelkers is BHC’s Chief Executive Officer. Rebecca has worked in the affordable housing sector for over two decades, including 15 years in executive roles within BHC. She leads a growing team of 80 staff who have delivered more than 2,000 homes across 45 developments since 2002. Most recently Rebecca led BHC’s involvement in the Queensland Government’s Housing Investment Fund, securing partnerships with institutional investors to grow the supply of social and affordable housing by up to 1,200 homes in Queensland. Rebecca is committed to providing safe, secure and affordable homes, with BHC delivering services, beyond housing provision, to empower residents to reach towards their goals. Rebecca is the Deputy Chair of CHIA and a Board Member of UDIA Queensland. She has a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Arts, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and recipient of the 2018 UDIA Women in Leadership Award.

Eliza Owen was appointed the Head of Research at CoreLogic Australia in 2020. She has spent almost a decade as a housing market researcher, reporting extensively on key issues including housing affordability, credit conditions and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on housing market performance. In addition to her role at CoreLogic, Eliza is passionate about sharing her knowledge with broader consumer audiences, and serves as a state advisory council member for NSW/ACT with CEDA.

Michael is one of Australia’s leading advisers in the financing and structuring of social and affordable housing. He’s the founder and Managing Director of Paxon Group, an international financial and commercial advisory firm. Michael has led transactions involving the newest and most innovative models in the sector, including a number of funding models at the Federal and State level. Over the past 5 years, he has advised on more than $15 billion worth of new projects, including the development of over 50 outcomes-based models across the housing continuum. Michael is an expert adviser to major players in the sector including CHPs, government, private sector, institutional investors, financiers and developers.

Gemma is a principal at Right Lane Consulting, a for purpose strategy consulting firm, where she leads their housing practice. She has worked in senior positions in superannuation and the labour movement for over two decades prior to becoming a strategy consultant. Over the last two years Gemma has worked on over 20 housing projects across investors, government and the CHP sector. Gemma is a director of Open House Melbourne and holds a Master’s degree in Communication from RMIT, an Honours degree in Women's Studies and Politics from Monash University and is a graduate of the AICD Company Directors course.

Michelle has over 20 years of senior executive leadership experience in both the NGO and commercial sectors, where she has consistently championed the advancement of gender equality. Michelle has extensive International and Australian business experience in national strategy, change management, community engagement, funding, and commercial partnerships. Michelle is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Australia which provides gender responsive housing and homelessness solutions to enable women and gender diverse people to find stability and feel safe and secure. Michelle joined the PowerHousing board in 2021 and currently sits on the Audit and Risk, and Steering Committee. Michelle is also member of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games - Sunshine Coast 2032 Legacy Plan Community Reference Group.

Miranda Serkinic, Executive Manager, Corporate Services Miranda Serkinic is an experience professional in Corporate Governance and Executive Management, recognised for her leadership in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. She holds a certification from the Australian HR Institute and has executive experience in leading Corporate Services and HR and Safety functions. In her current role, Miranda leads several critical portfolios, including Finance and IT, Risk and Compliance, People & Culture and Health & Wellness and Safety. Her active engagement in the sector is reflected in her positions as Chair of the PowerHousing Australia’s People and Culture Communities of Practice and as a member of The Property Council’s national People and Culture Academy Committee. Miranda is committed to shaping the future ways of working. Her work focusses on the strategic positioning and alignment of people and systems with business priorities to advance the organisational culture and its mission, vision and values.

Jesse Taylor is a seasoned community development professional with over 25 years of experience in Australia and the USA, dedicated to fostering positive social change through community-led solutions. Currently serving as the Community Development Manager (Mid North Coast, NSW) and National Grants Manager at Mission Australia Housing, Jesse is also the founder of Community Development Australia and Oz Grants and serves as the MIZ Campaign Manager for the Constellation Project with AAEH. Jesse’s approach to leadership unites organisations for greater impact. This philosophy was exemplified in a recent MOU between three Tier 1 Community Housing Providers, a pioneering initiative that led to successful joint grant-funded projects. Building on this success, Jesse is facilitating the formation of the NSW SHMT Alliance, bringing together six Community Housing Providers to collaborate on enhancing tenant outcomes across NSW. Jesse holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy from Montclair State University. He has been recognised with multiple senior leadership fellowships in New York City, underscoring his commitment to advancing social justice and community development on both national and international levels.

David is a Board member, Principal and Architect at Hayball leading the practice’s NSW and ACT studios. Passionate about the creation of places for communities to live and learn, he is a sitting member of North Sydney Council Design Excellence Panel. He is a strong advocate for gender equity and was a founding member of the Architects Champions of Change Coalition national group. David’s built work, articles and papers focus on the creation of demonstrable social value through design. He was recently accountable for developing Hayball's new Social Value measurement framework. He is an accomplished architect who has led many award-winning projects that have been widely published in both Australia and Europe, his work regularly employs a co-design methodology to deeply engage the communities that he works with into the creative process. David is an active member of the Australian Institute of Architects, Property Council of Australia, UDIA and Learning Environments Australasia.

Llewellyn Visagie is a performance and results-driven professional with a strong background in the property services industry. As Group Executive Manager of Operations at Pacific Link Housing, he oversees the tenancy and assets teams, ensuring the company's assets and tenancy obligations align with its vision and strategic plan. Llewellyn brings key expertise in asset management, operations management, strategic planning, project management and relationship management. His leadership and foresight were instrumental factors that contributed to the start-up success of Pacific Link Housing’s property maintenance social enterprise, Renew Projects.