Maliha Rahman is a first-generation Bangladeshi-Australian public sector leader committed to building a more inclusive, accountable and human-centred public service. With over 12 years of experience, she has led multi-billion dollar national programs to deliver better social and economic outcomes for vulnerable communities. She played a key role in establishing the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission and currently serves as Acting Director in disability employment at the Department of Social Services. Maliha also Co-Chairs the DSS CALD Committee where she champions representation and drives systemic change. Known for her calm and collaborative leadership, she is a passionate advocate for a public service that reflects the community it serves. She leads with integrity, curiosity and courage, working to embed empathy and accountability into policy, culture and leadership. Her work is grounded in a deep belief that good policy is measured by the outcomes it achieves. Outside of work, Maliha is a nature and wildlife photographer who finds joy in story, stillness and connection.

Margherita Coppolino is an Inclusion/Intersectionality consultant and photographer. With an outstanding network of contacts in government, business and social justice organisations, Margherita has a proven ability to inspire and influence a wide range of stakeholders on inclusion/intersectionality issues. She has strong commercial acumen and ability to frame inclusion issues in a commercial context.

Margherita has undertaken the Australia Institute of Company Directors training and has sat a several Boards in Executive and non-executive positions. In 2022, was appointed as ILGA Oceania Co-Chair/Director ILGA World Board, and previous ILGA Oceania Disability Sub Committee Chair. Current Vic Chair on Drummond& Queer-space Board. Past National Ethnic Disability Alliances (NEDA) President. Appointed to the Victoria Ministerial LGBTI Taskforce in 2020 & 2022. SBS Community Advisory Committee in 2019 & 2021.

Previously, she held the position of Chair on Arts Access Victoria and Australia Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) Boards. Non-Executive positions on Spectrum Migrants Resources Centre and Action on Disability Within Ethnic Communities, Women With Disabilities Australia and Short Statured People of Australia.
In 2020 Margherita moderated the Queering the COSP Side Event at United Nations CRPD COSP 13 and was a panelist member on the 2018 LGBTIQA side event at the United Nationals CRPD COSP11 in New York. Was also on the Intersectionality Panel at the Outright Advocacy Summit 2020.

Margherita is first generation Australian, born to Sicilian mother who migrated in the 1959. She was born with a Short Statured condition and is a proud feminist and lesbian. In her spare time, you will find Margherita either taking photos, volunteering, working out in the gym, competing in the World Dwarf Games, travelling, listening to live music and seeing live theatre, drinking wine and whisky tasting and chilling with friends.

With a 20+ year career in the public sector driving better outcomes for people – our communities, stakeholders and teams, I have a passion for carving out clear paths to do things better, connecting policy with execution and people with purpose. Leveraging diverse experience than spans high-profile policy development and ministerial advisory to complex service delivery and transformation, I move government organisations to more innovative, customer-focused ways of working by viewing everything through the dynamics of front-line implementation. By understanding the obstacles and opportunities, I deliver results in line with ambitious mandates for change.

My key strength is my ability to work with anyone. I love to engage with people. I facilitate conversations and dive deep into problems to bring people together, towards the solution. In working to understand underlying motivations of different groups, I replace siloed, short-term emotions with a shared vision, uniting stakeholders in pursuit of a common goal and empowering the rapid delivery of organisational objectives.

Dr Paul Hubbard is the Co-Head of the AI CoLab, a cross-sector initiative to advance inclusive and impactful uses of AI. The AI CoLab brings together government, industry, academia, and civil society, and is partly funded by the Australian Public Service Capability Reinvestment Fund.

With a deep background in economics and public policy, Paul has been at the forefront of leveraging artificial intelligence to drive innovation and inclusivity in public policy. He has almost two decades of service across key government departments, including Treasury, Prime Minister and Cabinet, and Finance. His extensive experience has equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of policy-making and problem-solving.

Paul holds a PhD in Economics and is the author of two books of short economics fiction, “A Wealth of Narrations” and “A Theory of Moral Sentences.” He also hosts the popular “Masked Economist” podcast, where he simplifies complex economic concepts for a broad audience within the Australian Public Service.

Chin was until recently the Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner. As the Commissioner Chin was the voice that led Australia’s conversation and initiatives on combating racism and racial discrimination. He succeeded in securing from the Federal Government a commitment of $7.5 million over four years to develop a national racism strategy. This resulted in the establishment of the National Anti-Racism Framework by the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Chin was also previously the Chairperson and agency head of the Victorian Multicultural Commission. He was the Director of Multicultural Engagement at Swinburne University of Technology. He was also a practising lawyer by profession with more than 24 years standing.

Chin is an acknowledged and respected leader in the community and has high level and proven leadership, skills, expertise, experience and the necessary background in the areas of cultural diversity, inclusion, social harmony and cohesion, multiculturalism, racism, racial discrimination, community engagement, cultural management, equity, equality and human rights and in leading complex organisations.

A community leader described Chin as a leader and individual who is “a friend and an expert who cares”.