Dr Michalak is an evidence-savvy specialist in psychosocial risk management and performance. With 20+ years of experience spanning the public, private, and NFP sectors, Dr Becs draws from her uniquely transdisciplinary expertise to help organisations face up to and work through wicked problems. Her strategic advisory, capability building, and expert opinion work demystifies what ‘bad to best’ really means on the journey from compliance-orientated cost-saving, through to value-baking. She holds tertiary qualifications in psychology, business, and management research, and is a certified trainer and assessor. 

Rick is a Co-Founder of fr&nk and has over 13 years of practical experience in guiding businesses to achieve positive health, safety, and cultural improvements. He has an extensive background in workplace health and safety advice, systems, training, facilitation, and auditing. Rick is a First Nations man who enjoys collaborating with and supporting clients and colleagues. He is personable and approachable and has a very inclusive and
collaborative approach to work. When not working, Rick enjoys spending time exploring Australia with his young family.

Hillary Bennett is a director of Leading Safety, a consultancy specialising in safety leadership, safety culture, human factors, and workplace health and safety. She is a registered psychologist and works with organisations across all sectors to develop safe and healthy workplaces. She has a particular interest in mental health and wellbeing at work. She developed the Business Leader's Forum CEOs Guide to Mental Health and Wellbeing at Work. Hillary has been exploring how to apply Safety-II principles to enable and support workplace wellbeing. She was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award at the New Zealand Workplace Health and Safety Awards 2019.

Naomi is the Co-Founder and Capability Coach at fr&nk, a consultancy that pulls no punches about what it's about – Capability. With co-founder Rick Fox, together they are on a mission make organisations more capable to manage health and safety in whatever they do.

She is a Certified OHS Professional (COHSProf) and Graduate Company Director (GAICD). In her day job, she helps build capability of leaders and businesses who truly care for the health, safety and wellbeing of their people and their community. Her mantra is to help leaders who want to transform their approach to managing risks and make a difference — to cut through the bureaucracy, increase worker engagement, shape culture, and facilitate change that resonates through every level.

Naomi is the immediate past Chair of the AIHS Board and remains a national spokesperson and advocate for the AIHS, the profession and health and safety in Australian workplaces. She has also been an Expert Member of the WHS Board for the Queensland Government, Office of Industrial Relations. Naomi continues to serve on the University of Queensland OHS Science Program External Industry Advisory Committee.

Abbas is a former refugee from Afghanistan, who was rescued by the Norwegian containership, the MV Tampa, in 2001. He was one of the lucky few to be resettled to New Zealand, as an 8 year old, along with his family. Since they're arrival to New Zealand, Abbas and his family have thrived in their adopted homeland, most notably, Abbas was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to the United States. He is the author of the bestselling book, After The Tampa: from Afghanistan to New Zealand. In today's talk/presentation, Abbas will discuss the life he left behind, the journey to safety, and the life that his family have built for themselves in New Zealand.

Denva is the Head of Safety, Health & Wellbeing at Woolworths New Zealand, where she leads a team of 25 safety professionals on our shores here in New Zealand, and also represents NZ on the Woolworths Group SH&W Leadership Team that spans across Australia, New Zealand & Asia. Denva and her team are passionate about ensuring the safety, health and wellbeing of nearly three million customers that shop and interact with WWNZ across Aotearoa each week, as well the Woolworths’s NZ based team of 22,000 who help make Kiwi’s lives a little better every day.  

With over 20 years’ experience, Denva’s career has been varied and brings together operational, safety and HR roles across the petrochemical, dairy manufacturing, courier services and FMCG sectors.

Denva’s high energy, passion and experience make her an invaluable leader. She enjoys problem solving with other leaders and teams to find practical operational solutions that are embedded in care, and that keep the Woolworths team, customers, suppliers and contractors safe.

Virginia is the Manager, Injury Prevention, Workplaces at ACC and has been with ACC for almost eight years.  Virginia has extensive management and leadership experience, within mostly public sector organisations. Her expertise is leading the design and implementation of system and sector change, in collaboration with industry and profession groups, with the goal being to improve outcomes for New Zealanders. 

Virginia leads a team of committed professionals at ACC that is focused on how best to improve the performance of the Work System and evolve the role that ACC can play in this.  Currently the team’s focus is on building partnerships with key system players and activating these groups through investment, and other enabling supports, so that they are well set up to make meaningful change for businesses and workers in Aotearoa. 

Andy joined ACC in September 2022 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE), where he was the Deputy Secretary for Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ).

Prior to MBIE, Andy was Deputy National Commissioner at the Department of Corrections. Originally from the United Kingdom, Andy had an extensive career in the British police, including as a senior officer investigating fatal road crashes – an experience which makes him particularly passionate about ACC’s Prevention focus.

Strategy, Engagement & Planning plays a key part in delivering ACC strategy, Huakina Te Rā, through its crucial role in translating our strategy into measurable actions, defining our strategic approach to engagement, providing research and insights that support the continual improvement of ACC's services, and by telling our performance story.

The Strategy, Engagement & Planning group also includes ACC’s Injury Prevention function. This team enables ACC’s core purpose of reducing the incidence and severity of injuries, by driving an injury prevention culture across New Zealand.