Speakers, Chairs & Moderators
Our 2026 conference speakers and chairs are listed below with biographical details. Their address abstracts will be added as they become available.
 |
NETWORKING DINNER KEYNOTE ADDRESS The Hon Julie Collins MP Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |
 |
VOTE OF THANKS Ms Megan Williams Co-Vice President, RAID Network |
 |
NETWORKING DINNER CLOSING COMMENTS Mr Shaun Coffey FTSE, CRSNZ, FAIA, FAICD CEO, Crawford Fund for Food Security |
 |
WELCOME AND OPENING SESSION Ms Sue McCluskey FCPA FTSE Chair, Crawford Fund for Food Security |
 |
OPENING SESSION Ms Victoria Anderson Secretary of the Department of Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry |
 |
SESSION 1 Dr Sandra Milach Chief Scientist, CGIAR |
 |
SESSION 2 Dr George Carter Senior Fellow and Dep Head of Department of Pacific Affairs, Director of ANU Pacific Institute |
 |
SESSION 2 Dr Tekini Nakidakida Pacific policy action representative and Deputy Secretary Agriculture Department, Fiji, lead UNFCCC COP agriculture negotiator |
 |
SESSION 2 Ms Sally Higgins Youth Climate Champion for COP31 |
 |
SESSION 2 Ms Imelda “Dada” Bacudo FAO convenor for regional momentum on agri-climate action & contribution to NDCs |
 |
SESSION 2 Dr Sally Box Division Head, International Climate Negotiations, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water |
 |
SESSION 3 Professor Jaquie Mitchell Discipline Lead – Crop Science of School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability & Director of Research of School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, University of Queensland |
 |
SESSION 3 Dr Mohammed Mainuddin Senior Principal Research Scientist, CSIRO Environment |
 |
SESSION 3 Dr Dennis Beesigamukama Postdoctoral Fellow, ICIPE |
 |
SESSION 3 Dr Tony Pattison Senior-Principal Researcher with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries |
 |
SESSION 4 Dr Stefan Schmitz Executive Director, Crop Trust |
 |
SESSION 4 Dr Himanshu Pathak Director General , ICRISAT |
 |
SESSION 4 Mr Soane Patolo Jr CEO, MORDI Tonga Trust Adjunct Associate Professor, Researcher – Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research |
 |
SUMMING UP & RECOMMENDATIONS Ms Rosemary Deininger Former Deputy Secretary Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry |