Learning, Education & Professional Development Summit 2025
Education and professional development are key offerings that associations provide to support the growth and success of their members, while advancing the industries or professions they represent.
This summit brings together association leaders, decision-makers, and practitioners to explore strategies, share best practices, and address issues related to education, training, and professional development within their organisations. Topics include:
- Supervision in formal education and workforce entry
- Mentoring and knowledge sharing
- Career advancement, micro-credentialing, and certifications
- The Continuing Professional Development (CPD) cycle
- Journey of Lifelong Professional Learning
Through expert-led presentations, case studies, panel discussions, product showcases, and networking, attendees will gain insights, practical tools, and actionable takeaways to enhance the impact of their learning initiatives.
8:30am |
Registration Opens |
9:00am |
Welcome to the Learning, Education & Professional Development Summit |
9:05am |
|
9:10am |
Associations Forum Overview Tony Gleeson, Associations Advisor, Associations Forum |
9:20am |
|
Curriculum Development and Education Programs |
|
9:50am |
Providing Education Programs that Improve the Professional Skillset & Employability of Association Members |
10:20am |
|
10:50am |
Morning Tea |
11:20am |
|
Mentoring, Networking and Knowledge Sharing |
|
11:50am |
Innovative Mentoring Program Across the Professional Career Span -Effective coaching and mentoring strategies Jenny Bax, Chief Executive Officer, Underwriting Agencies Council |
12:20pm |
Sponsor Address |
12:50pm |
Lunch |
1:40pm |
Sponsor Address |
Career Advancement, Certification and Credentialing |
|
2:10pm |
Credentialing Case Studies |
3:00pm |
Afternoon Tea |
3:30pm |
Panel Discussion David Bushby, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial and Asset Finance Brokers Association |
Continuous Cycle of Learning and Development |
|
4:00pm |
Supporting Compliance: Navigating Regulatory Change and Developing CPD Pathways Michelle Ryan, General Manager, Education Content and Strategy, Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand |
Journey of Lifelong Professional Learning |
|
4:30pm |
Closing Q&A Panel Discussion Ruth Ferraro, Non-Executive Director for multiple Private Higher Education Providers |
5:00pm |
Closing Comments |
Member Registrations: $550
Non-Member Registrations: $770 (NFP only)
Associations Forum will send a tax invoice upon registration for this event.
Registrations are only open to not-for-profit organisations. For corporate enquiries, please contact partnerships@associations.net.au.
Accomodation - Get 10% off at Mercure Sydney. Simply email h2073@accor.com or call 02 9217 6797, quoting the discount code "2506ASSOCI". A cut-off date of 14 days prior to the summit applies.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Tracey Smith, President, Business Managers Victoria
Tracey Smith has had more than 38 years’ experience as a Business Manager in Victorian government schools prior to accepting the nomination for the role of full time President of Business Managers Victoria (BMV). She has been a member of BMV since 1988, Vice President for 16 years, and understood the needs of the members and what her focus and priorities would need to be. Part of the expectation of being on secondment for the Department of Education, is that she is a member of 31 committees. Tracey has been a member of the international group of business leaders for 10 years. In this role she shares professional learning suggestions, strategies and networking ideas. Tracey has a Diploma of Business Management, and a Post Graduate Certificate of Education Business Leadership from Deakin University. Tracey’s longtime personal motto of “Aspire to Inspire before I Expire” (Author Unknown) drives her passion to provide lifetime learning opportunities for her members.
Jenny Bax, Chief Executive Officer, Underwriting Agencies Council
A trailblazing leader with 30 years in insurance, Jenny Bax is the inaugural Chief Executive Officer of the Underwriting Agencies Council and passionate about shaping the future of UAC and delivering its members a road map for success. Jenny is a founding member and current past Chair of ANZIIF’s General Insurance Faculty Board. She has worked for several leading insurers in a variety of operational & management roles both in Australia & overseas. Jenny has a Graduate Diploma in Insurance and a Master of Business Administration from Deakin University and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
David Bushby, Chief Executive Officer, Commercial and Asset Finance Brokers Association
David Bushby has experience in both the public and private sector, with thirty years’ background in the practice of law, as a company director, in government and community relations, law making, politics and diplomacy. He is an admitted solicitor to the High Court of Australia and served as a Federal Senator for Tasmania from 2007 to 2019, where he was Chief Government Whip of the Senate from 2014 onwards. David was for many years, Chair/Deputy Chair of the Senate Economics Committee where he took a particular interest in the banking, finance and superannuation sectors. Between 2019 and 2022, David served as Australia’s Consul-General in Chicago. Most recently, he was assisting the state Government in Tasmania. In October 2023, David commenced as the Chief Executive Officer of the Commercial & Asset Finance Brokers Association of Australia (CAFBA), a position in which he relies and draws on his experience in small business, as a lawyer and an economist, government relations, law making and diplomacy. In particular, David’s understanding of government, regulation and policy development and implementation, place him ideally to assist with the public policy advocacy aspect of his role as CEO of CAFBA.
Steve Morris, Chief Executive Officer, Pharmaceutical Society of Australia
Steve Morris is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. Previous roles include those of CEO Arthritis South Australia and CEO NPS Medicinewise. Prior to that he was Executive Director at SA Pharmacy and Chief Pharmacist, SA Health, having responsibility for the delivery of statewide pharmacy services to the public sector within South Australia. He has worked in numerous clinical and managerial roles within health spanning pharmacy practice, including community, hospital, primary care, industry and NGO sectors. Prior to moving to Australia, he was the Deputy Chief Executive of the National Prescribing Centre in the UK, an organisation which supported pharmacists working within General Practice. He has a keen interest in medicines safety, health literacy and workforce strategies which enhance the impact of pharmacists on patient outcomes.
Ruth Ferraro, GAICD, FGIA, Non-Executive Director for multiple Private Higher Education Providers
Dr Ferraro (Ruth) has more than 25 years in executive roles in education across multiple disciplines within membership bodies. The sectors she has worked in include education, medical specialisations, accounting, law and financial planning. Ruth has been responsible for the design, development and delivery of formal accredited programs using work-integrated models as well as for programming continuous and lifelong learning including credit recognition through micro-credentials. Since 2018 Ruth has pursued a portfolio career of consulting to education providers on governance and holds several non-executive director roles for private higher education providers. Her research interest is the professionalisation undertaken by membership bodies of emergent and niche/sub-specialisations.
Tony Gleeson, Associations Advisor, Associations Forum
Tony Gleeson MBA GAICD is Associations Advisor at Associations Forum. He has over 30 years of experience in the fields of association management and governance, leadership, project and change management, organisational integration and talent development. Tony has been Chief Executive of Australian Institute of Refrigeration Air-conditioning and Heating (AIRAH) and the Australian Institute of Management (AIM), and was an Executive General Manager with CPA Australia. Prior to his roles with membership associations, he held senior consulting roles in strategy, process re-engineering and change management with PwC, Deloitte and Terra Firma Consulting.Tony is an innovative and energetic leader, skilled communicator / team builder, and adept negotiator. He has significant experience in providing support and guidance to CEOs and boards in areas of governance, strategic planning, change management and more.
MAJOR SPONSOR
Mercure Sydney
Mercure Sydney is a premier destination for meetings and events in the heart of the city. Located moments from Sydney’s Central Station, the hotel offers easy access for both local and international attendees. With versatile function spaces, state-of-the-art technology, and tailored catering options, it’s perfect for conferences, seminars, and celebrations. Each event is supported by a dedicated planning team, ensuring seamless execution. Guests enjoy comfortable, modern accommodations, a rooftop pool, and stunning city views. Proximity to key attractions like Darling Harbour and the ICC Sydney makes it an ideal venue for blending business with leisure.
SHOWCASE SPONSOR
CPDValet
Bayshann delivers a range of advisory services and software solutions to the higher education sector and professional associations. Bayshann has recently released its digital solution for the management of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) schemes. Our world first CPD platform is a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, capable of supporting the CPD needs in any profession, such as accounting, health, law, plumbing, electrical and much more. Bayshann provides software development and systems implementation services for major platforms such as Microsoft Dynamics 365. We work closely with our customers to deliver transformative outcomes through innovation and industry insight.