In her earlier career, Dr Michele Bruniges AO was a practising teacher in primary, secondary and TAFE settings. Teaching and learning rests at the heart of her career, extending from working as a part-time numeracy teacher, in Automotive at Wetherill Park TAFE, teaching Reading and writing to on-arrival refugees in Liverpool and Campbelltown, and later, alongside her appointment of NSW Director General of Education and Communities, holding the position of Managing Director, TAFE NSW.

In her earlier executive career, Michele was Chief Executive of the ACT Department of Education, Director-General of the NSW Department of Education and Communities and Secretary of the Australian Government, Department of Education and Training.

Michele has a PhD in Educational Measurement, a Master of Education and a Diploma in Teaching. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Churchill Fellow, a Fellow of the Australian College of Educators and a Fellow of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders. In 2012, Michele became a member of the Order of Australia (AM), for service to public administration and was a joint recipient of the inaugural 100 Women of Influence Award for her work in public policy.

Michele received national recognition in 2015 for her significant contribution to education as the recipient of the Australian Council for Educational Leaders Gold Medal Award. In that year, she was also awarded the Australian College of Educators’ Sir Harold Wyndham Medal for her contribution to the education of young people in NSW.

Since 2017, Michele has held the elected position of Chair of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) Governing Board.

In 2019, the Australian College of Educators awarded Michele its highest award, the College Medal, for her outstanding and sustained contributions to the fields of education and across a range of sectors.

In 2026, Michele became an officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to public administration, to educational policy and teaching practice, and to addressing educational disadvantage.

As the Chief Executive Officer of Business NSW, the state’s leading voice of business, Daniel Hunter is committed to providing member businesses with the information, advice, products and services they need to grow and stay competitive.

Dan is passionate about the purpose-driven mission of the organisation, which aims to bring value to members, businesses, the economy and the overall community. Business NSW is uniquely placed to deliver this, whether it’s through advice, advocacy or the successful commercial businesses it successfully owns and operates. He strongly believes organisational culture and visible leadership are the key enablers to success.

Dan’s career has spanned finance and operational leadership roles, across both the private and public sectors.

Previously the Deputy Secretary Finance and Asset Management and Chief Financial Officer for NSW Health, Dan managed a $29 billion annual health budget for the state. He is proud to have been a part of the NSW Health system and their world-leading response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to this, Dan was the Chief Executive of HealthShare NSW, the 7,000-person shared services delivery organisation of NSW Health, since 2015.

Dan also worked at Sydney Water in many different senior roles, including on the project team for the $2.3 billion private refinancing of the Sydney Desalination Plant. He also led Sydney Water’s Human Resources function and was the General Manager of Transformation. In the private sector, Dan has worked with the Intercontinental Hotels Group and with Channel Seven’s Pacific Magazines as the Company Financial Controller.

Dan holds a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Commercial Law from the University of Auckland, a Master’s degree from Griffith University and is a CPA.

Thomas Costa is the Assistant Secretary of Unions NSW, where his responsibilities include managing the peak body’s legal team and industrial strategy.

Thomas is also responsible for the coordination of Unions NSW’s Migrant Services, including the multi-union Visa Assist Project. A partnership with the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre (IARC), Visa Assist was launched in 2019 to support unions in organising and advocating for migrant workers.

Prior to his role at Unions NSW, Thomas worked as an industrial officer and lawyer with the national offices of the Australian Rail, Tram and Bus Industry Union and the Australian Workers’ Union. He has also worked as a solicitor for Slater & Gordon Lawyers and the HIV Aids Legal Centre (HALC). Thomas also holds the position of non-executive director on State Super.

Bridie Searle is an award-winning education, training and workforce development professional with experience across the defence industry, vocational education and training (VET), workforce capability and youth education.

Bridie has built her career within the defence industry, working across project management, facilities and asset management, and training and workforce capability. Her work has included supporting large trade workforces, workforce compliance and capability development, giving her practical insight into the skills needs of industry and the importance of strong VET pathways.

Her own career began through the VET system as a trainee. In 2023, Bridie was named NSW Trainee of the Year before being awarded Australian Trainee of the Year at the Australian Training Awards. She has since become a strong advocate for apprenticeships, traineeships and vocational pathways.

Bridie is also the Founder of ReadySkills, an education initiative delivering practical life, career and employability skills programs to young people across Australia. Through ReadySkills, she works with schools, employers and industry to strengthen the transition between education and employment, with a particular focus on ensuring young people understand the opportunities available through vocational pathways.

As a member of the NSW Skills Board, Bridie brings experience across industry, education and workforce development, alongside the perspective of someone whose own career was established through VET. She is passionate about ensuring the skills system is responsive to the needs of learners, employers and industry, and creating accessible pathways into meaningful and sustainable careers.

Justin Brooker is the Managing Director of Woomera Group, a 100% Aboriginal-owned engineering, rail and infrastructure consultancy. A qualified electrical tradesperson with more than 30 years of experience, Justin has held senior leadership roles across Australia's rail and transport industry, delivering complex infrastructure, maintenance, asset management and operational improvement projects for both public and private sector organisations.

Prior to his executive career, Justin played professional rugby league in Australia's NRL and England's Super League. The discipline, resilience and leadership developed through elite sport continue to influence his approach to leading high-performing teams, solving complex challenges and delivering practical outcomes for clients across the transport and infrastructure sectors.

Annabel Crookes has more than 25 years’ experience in the construction industry and has held senior leadership roles at Laing O’Rourke Australia for 19 years. She joined the Australian Executive in 2018 as its first female member and leads the Legal, Risk and Company Secretarial functions, as well as the company’s Industry Influence strategy. She has held various other roles at Laing O’Rourke, including Director of HR and operational leadership roles.

In 2022, Annabel was elected the first female President of the Australian Constructors Association, having joined the Board as a Director in 2019. She is also an executive lead of the Construction Industry Leadership Forum. She first joined the NSW Skills Board in October 2022, where she provided independent advice to the NSW Government on skills, training and workforce development.

Nicki Hutley is a highly respected economic practitioner. Over her career, she has worked in financial and investment markets and as a consultant on economic policy. She is particularly interested in the intersection of economy, society and environment.

After many years in the corporate world, including as a partner at Deloitte Access Economics, Nicki established her own economic consulting practice in 2021. Nicki is also Chief Economic Adviser to the Customer-Owned Banking Association, a Councillor on the Climate Council, and an Advisory Committee member for the Financy Women’s Index, which reports on women’s economic progress.

Nicki is a member of the Australian Business Economists’ executive committee and a past president of the Economics Society of Australia (NSW branch). She is also a frequent commentator across the media.

Jeff Whitton FAICD, CDPSE is an accomplished company director, Chief Executive Officer and governance leader with more than 4 decades of experience across telecommunications, digital technology, cybersecurity, information intelligence and critical infrastructure.

Over a career spanning more than 40 years, Jeff has served as a Chief Executive Officer for 3 decades, leading technology businesses through significant growth, digital transformation and innovation. Combined with more than 30 years of boardroom experience, he brings extensive expertise in corporate governance, strategic leadership, cyber resilience, risk management, organisational transformation and workforce development.

A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) since 2007, Jeff is recognised for his ability to bridge business strategy, technology and governance to deliver sustainable outcomes for organisations, government and the community.

Jeff is Chair of OCTEC Limited, one of Australia’s leading employment, education and community service organisations, and a founding Director of Marathon Health. He is also Co-Founder and Director of Yirigaa Pty Ltd and Yirigaa Pathways Limited, First Nations-led organisations dedicated to creating education, skills and employment pathways into cybersecurity, digital technology and emerging industries.

A long-serving Orange City Councillor since 2004 and former Deputy Mayor, Jeff has built a strong reputation for championing regional economic development, critical infrastructure, workforce capability and community outcomes across rural and regional New South Wales.

Throughout his career, Jeff has been a passionate advocate for Australia’s sovereign technology capability and cyber resilience, advising government, industry and boards on digital transformation, critical infrastructure protection, emerging technologies and workforce capability. His leadership is underpinned by a commitment to developing future leaders, strengthening regional Australia and creating meaningful opportunities for First Nations communities through education, skills and employment.

Jeremy Kurucz became the acting Deputy Secretary for Education and Skills Reform in January 2025.

In this role, he is responsible for leading strategic reform for the NSW Department of Education across schooling, skills and higher education. The Education and Skills Reform team delivers critical programs across the pillars in Our Plan for NSW Public Education aimed at improving outcomes in schooling and skills to positively transform lives through learning. The Education and Skills Reform team also drives delivery of the NSW Skills Plan to support participation in vocational education and training (VET), driving economic and wellbeing outcomes in NSW.

Before stepping into his current role, Jeremy served as the Executive Director for Reform and External Relations within the department. During his time in this role, he supported negotiations for school and skills funding agreements with the Commonwealth Government, led strategy and reporting functions for the department, and intergovernmental relations for schooling and skills in NSW. His responsibilities included building and maintaining strong relationships with stakeholders, advocating for policy changes and ensuring alignment between departmental goals and student and industry need.