National Summit to rethink leadership development in Australia

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As Seen: Australian Rural Leadership 

Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, Australian Rural Leadership Impact, Leadership Development Summit

What does leadership development look like when tensions related to ideology, evidence epistemology and values collide? That’s the central question for this year’s Leadership Development Summit, to be held in Canberra from 8 – 10 December 2025.

The three-day gathering at the Australian National University will bring together leadership development practitioners, academics and pracademics from across Australia and abroad.

Hosted by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF), the Menzies Leadership Foundation, the Australian National University and The Leadership Network, the Summit offers a rare opportunity to connect diverse perspectives and bridge the gap between theory and practice.

Andrea Hogg, Director of Leadership Innovation at the ARLF, said the event is designed to challenge assumptions and push leadership development conversations forward.

“Across Australia, there are people reshaping how we think about leadership one conversation, one program, one experiment at a time. This Summit offers a forum for those threads to connect,” Ms Hogg said.

Following the sold-out inaugural event in 2024, organisers expect even stronger demand this year. The 2025 Summit will dive deeper into its central theme: Tension, Turf and Terrain.

  • Tension: negotiating competing values, power and priorities.
  • Turf: who holds access to leadership spaces, and who remains excluded.
  • Terrain: the influence of culture, community and place on how leadership is lived.

Menzies Leadership Foundation CEO Liz Gilles said the themes reflect the reality of leadership in complex times.

“The most important leadership questions aren’t easy. They sit in the tension between systems, values and outcomes. That’s why we’re committed to helping create spaces like this, where those questions can be explored honestly and collectively,” Ms Gilles said.

Speakers announced

The 2025 program features a line-up of national and international thought leaders with highlights, including:

  • Professor David Day: Professor of Psychological Science, Claremont McKenna College; Director, Kravis Leadership Institute speaking on What is the future of human leadership and the implications for leader development?
  • Liz Skelton: Director and founder of The Adaptive Practice speaking on –Complex leadership in global polycrisis and the implications for marginalised and disadvantaged communities. 
  • Jenna Robertson: Regenerative Leadership and Creativity Coach speaking on Leading without losing yourself: reclaiming purpose and identity in a performance-driven culture
  • Professor Neil Curtis: Adjunct Professor at the University of Southern Queensland’s School of Business speaking on The tension between hierarchical models of leadership and the collaborative and adaptive models 
  • Dr Aiden Thornton: Complexity leadership expert; academic and management consultant speaking on Seven guiding questions for our consideration as leadership development practitioners, academics and pracademics
  • Scott Ko: Leadership strategist, social entrepreneur and speakerspeaking on where do we seek to continue our collaborations in the sector? 

Pop-up events

In addition to the program, a series of pop-up events will extend the conversation beyond the Summit halls.

On Tuesday 9 December, attendees and the wider public are invited to a free evening oration by Professor David Day, Professor of Psychological Science at Claremont McKenna College and Director of the Kravis Leadership Institute. He will explore “What is the future of human leadership and the implications for leader development?”

The following morning, Wednesday 10 December, a public breakfast event will welcome anyone interested in leadership, purpose and wellbeing. Dr Michael Bunting, best-selling author and leadership researcher, will speak on [insert topic] alongside other guest presenters.

Event details

The Leadership Development Summit
The Leadership Breakfast
The Leadership Oration with Professor David Day

At the Menzies Leadership Foundation, we believe leadership development must evolve to meet the complexity of our times, where values, evidence and lived experience often intersect and collide.

Through the Leadership Development Summit, we’re creating a space for curiosity and courage — one where practitioners, academics and communities can question, experiment and reimagine what leadership might become.

Together with our partners, we’re bridging theory and practice to grow leadership as a collective endeavour: one that is adaptive to context, grounded in purpose and open to the tensions that shape our shared future.

The terrain of leadership is shifting. The opportunity is to navigate it, not alone, but together.

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Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity. 

Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.

LinkedIn | natasha.eskinja@menziesfoundation.org.au

Sarah Jenkins

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Sarah has more than 18 years’ experience in communications and marketing leadership across a range of sectors.

Communications strategy and organisational growth is a continuing theme in Sarah’s career. Most recently, she leads the development of a Leadership Movement, evaluated by Menzies Viral Co-efficient Model; a contribution to the NFP. 

Sarah’s early career centred around best practice in marketing and communications which later culminated into the establishment of her very own agency. This work extensively spanned across PR, traditional media, event management, strategy, digital marketing, graphic design and business development consultancy. 

In 2019, Sarah joined the lean and robust team at the Menzies Foundation. She has since crafted the Foundation’s narrative and communication strategy. The development of this strategic communications platform is essential for ‘movement building’ and requires a strong strategic, management and communication skills set. Sarah has brought so much to this important work, which sits at the forefront of communication practice. 

Sarah continues to contribute to the NFP sector through her commitment to Purpose; as she reflects on her own leadership, builds her own leadership capability and contributes to the greater good. 

LinkedIn | sarah.jenkins@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0401 880 071

Rohan Martyres

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Rohan has 15 years’ experience in facilitating cross-sector collaborations to address complex social and health challenges.  He has worked with the World Economic Forum in Australia, led an international conflict resolution field team in Nepal, and directed a 10-year £40m initiative to reduce health inequity in London.

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When Rohan isn’t exploring Melbourne’s creeks with his partner and 6yo daughter, he’s working on his currently weak Australian accent (after 15 years in the UK).

LinkedIn | rohan.martyres@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0404 505 954

Trudy Morrison

Operations Manager

A marketing and communications specialist with over 20 years experience in government, corporate and consumer marketing, Trudy brings her adaptive and organisational project management skills to the Menzies Foundation team. 

With a BA degree in Public Relations, Trudy began her career with the City of Melbourne and in magazine publishing, before moving into marketing communications consulting. She has worked in strategic marketing leadership roles with retail brands and enjoys juggling many projects and tasks simultaneously. Her skills were further enhanced when managing her own communications business representing industries across private education, financial services, aviation, government and the health industry. 

Trudy is passionate about leadership and all people being encouraged to reach their full potential through research and educational initiatives and opportunities throughout Australia. A skilled and accomplished writer and editor Trudy is enthusiastic about bringing her variety of skills to the Menzies Foundation team. 

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Liz Gillies

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LinkedIn | liz.gillies@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0416 112 703

Natasha Eskinja

Digital Communications Coordinator

Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity. 

Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.

natasha.eskinja@menziesfoundation.org.au