Growing up in a family of serial entrepreneurs - my parents and four siblings have founded a total of 17 businesses between them - and playing supporting roles with successful female entrepreneurs like Collette Dinnigan and Donna Hay, I have had the opportunity to learn from some of the best. My journey has been one of supporting creative and action-oriented visionaries to develop innovative solutions that create impact.

My passion for Newcastle and inspired by its potential for transformation led me to coordinate TEDxNewy in 2011, showcasing the incredible self-starters of the region with one talk selected for TED.com and garnering 1.8m+ views.

Since 2017 I have led the University of Newcastle's Integrated Innovation Network (I2N). The I2N aims to catalyse regional transformation as we transition from an industrial economy to a differentiated knowledge economy.

The I2N has welcomed 4,900+ innovators and entrepreneurs from various industries and sectors, providing coworking spaces, connection events, and accelerator programs that have played a direct role in building new ventures headquartered in the region, regardless of their affiliation to the University.

My leadership approach is centered around experimenting, iterating, and collaborating, much like a startup founder, to create maximum impact with minimal resources.

Overall, my experience and passion for entrepreneurship, combined with my commitment to the Newcastle region and incredible support from the University, have enabled me to become an entrepreneurial leader who is dedicated to supporting and empowering innovators and entrepreneurs to create a better future for themselves and their communities.

Professor Alex Zelinsky
Vice Chancellor and President
University of Newcastle



Professor Zee Upton
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research & Innovation)
University of Newcastle



Warwick Dawson
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Industry & Engagement)
University of Newcastle



Richard Berry
Program Coordinator
University of Newcastle's I2N



Kelly Peihopa
Community Coordinator
University of Newcastle's I2N

I am grateful for the support and guidance of Professor Kevin Hall and Micky Pinkerton, who introduced me to the world of tech-enabled startups and provided me with the freedom to explore and build programming that meets the needs of our region.

I also want to thank Professor Alex Zelinsky, Professor Zee Upton, and Warwick Dawson for their continued support and commitment to fostering an entrepreneurial culture within the University of Newcastle and the wider community.

I am fortunate to work alongside a dedicated and hardworking team, Richard Berry and Kelly Peihopa, whose unwavering commitment to our entrepreneurs and ecosystem is commendable.

Furthermore, I would like to express my appreciation to all our Venture Mentor Service mentors, coaches, facilitators, and collaborators who share our passion for supporting the next generation of founders. I am grateful for the support of the NSW Government, Nathanial Bavinton and Simon Massey at the City of Newcastle, Simon Byrnes at Port of Newcastle, and Lauren Eade at Davies Collison Cave.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge the founders who inspire me every day to keep going and the support of my partner Dean and my children Sienna and Vincent, who have accommodated the peculiarities of many weekend hackathons and evening pitch nights and provided me with unwavering support.