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AUSTRALIAN STUDENT LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2024 GUEST SPEAKERS

yLead is proud to partner with the following speakers for across the five locations of our residential conference. These young people are all role-models in their community, committed to driving change and making a difference in the world. We are excited to welcome them to the ASLC stage to inspire and empower the 2024 Year 12 cohort.

Find the speakers for your specific location below.

SPEAKER BIOS

Bella Hanson

Bella Hanson is cofounder and cohost of Cowgirl Channel, whose mission it is to create a community of inclusion for the girls living in remote and rural Australia and those longing to be. In her podcast, she covers everything from isolation to careers, mental health to working on the land, friendships, love and everything in between. Her work raises awareness for rural women’s mental health and wellness.

Bella will be speaking at: ASLC Central Queensland

Fiona Goodsite

Fiona Goodsite is the CEO and cofounder of Tutbob. Driven by a passion for impactful innovation, the AI-powered tutor revolutionises learning with real-time transcription, note-taking, and quizzes. She is dedicated to enhancing student learning experiences, earning her Sweat Female Tech Entrepreneur winner at the SA Young Achiever Awards with her cofounder. Tutbob bridges learning barriers, supports student mental health and empowers students and educators. Their impact on the educational landscape signifies a transformative shift towards personalised, accessible learning tools through innovative solutions..

Fiona will be speaking at: ASLC South Australia

Jamie Bucirde

Jamie Bucirde is an Adelaide-based, university-qualified sexologist specialising in sexuality and relationships education, research, writing, and activism. She founded On The Cusp, a business dedicated to delivering workplace training on sexual violence awareness, respectful relationships, and bystander intervention. Jamie also writes a fortnightly column, On the Cusp, for CityMag, where she writes about the culture of sexuality.

Her academic achievements include the publication of Not So Hospitable, a groundbreaking report produced in collaboration with the University of Melbourne. This report represents one of Australia’s first in depth studies on the culture of sexual violence within Adelaide’s hospitality industry. Jamie’s impactful work earned her the title of South Australia’s Young Achiever of the Year in 2024. She served as MC for the Adelaide Violence Against Women rally in 2024, further highlighting her commitment to social change and women’s safety. 

Jamie will be speaking at: ASLC South Australia

Kristy-Lee and Luke Guazzo 

Kristy-Lee and Luke are coffee enthusiasts, who set up Coffee Presto, a coffee supplier born from a vision to have world-class coffee roasted locally, accompanied by local premium products. Kristy-Lee and Luke saw an entrepreneurial opportunity to wrap coffee appreciation, innovative technology, local products, and sustainable practices with their foundations in professional service . They brought this new and authentic offering to their North Queensland home region.

Kristy-Lee and Luke will be speaking at: ASLC North Queensland

Mikayla Foruria

Mikayla graduated from JCU in 2016. She spent her first year practicing as a veterinarian in Northern NSW, then moved back north to join the Southside Veterinary Surgery team in 2018. Mikayla loves educating clients about their pets’ health. Other than her vet practice, Mikayla has been a contestant on The Amazing Race. She loves the outdoors, including hiking, water-skiing and fishing. 

Mikayla will be speaking at: ASLC North Queensland

Samantha Plath

Samantha is the cofounder of community run club Run and Rump. With 120 regular runners, Run and Rump has had up to 500 runners at one time and regularly partners with local businesses to get them involved in the social enterprise. Samantha is also agribusiness manager at NAB and was selected for NAB’s inaugural female talent and leadership course 1500 Degrees, a program to develop women and support them in their career progression. 

Samantha will be speaking at: ASLC Central Queensland

Tom Price

Tom Price founded You Are Not Alone in late 2021 as a year 11 student, after seeing first hand how mental health affected him and people around him. He found that speaking about mental health was the best way to normalise the struggles that young people face, and wanted to raise awareness. Tom made a short film with the support of his peers, which featured young people, celebrities and community members speaking about mental health. He continues to build on the initiative, and has grown significantly since 2021, with the awareness Fun Run being the pinnacle of You Are Not Alone’s work in 2023. Funds raised through the event will allow the organisation to introduce positive mental health programs into schools around Australia. 

Tom will be speaking at: ASLC South-East Queensland

Tom Walven

In 2023, Tom Walven experienced a life-changing injury. After three months in hospital and extensive rehab, he threw himself into triathlon, earning himself a place in the 2024 Oceania Paratriathlon Championships. He will be speaking to the ASLC participants about his tenacious journey and how to go after your huge goals. His are competing in the LA 2028 Olympics and Brisbane 2032.. 

Tom will be speaking at: ASLC South-East Queensland