Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a great leader? Join us at our inaugural Leadership Summit for two transformative days exploring and developing the crucial skills that define exceptional leaders.
Through a mix of keynote talks, panel discussions, and hands-on activities, you’ll hear from people who have led with purpose across careers, communities and causes.
The two-day program includes an experience in design thinking, empathy mapping, creative ideation, and pitch preparation. You’ll work in small groups, tackle real-world challenges, and even have the chance to share your ideas with peers and facilitators in a supported setting.
Tickets are $25 per person, which will be fully refunded upon your attendance at the summit.
Morning: UniSA Involvement
9:00am – 9:30am | Welcome to Country & event overview
An official Welcome to Country, followed by an introduction to the summit's theme, objectives, and a walkthrough of the two-day program.
9:30am – 10:15am | Keynote address – Michelle Perugini
A keynote presentation by Michelle Perugini, reflecting on UniSA’s journey, key achievements, and how leadership has shaped its legacy. Insights will focus on leading through periods of change and transition.
10:15am – 11:45am | UniSA success stories
A showcase of innovative student projects, research breakthroughs and alumni contributions. This session highlights UniSA’s real-world impact and inspires you to continue this legacy.
11:45am – 12:25pm | Lunch
Refresh and network informally with your peers over catered lunch.
Afternoon: ASE Design Thinking Lab – Leading Through Change
12:30pm – 1:00pm | ASE Welcome & Icebreaker
Participants are welcomed by the Australian School of Entrepreneurship (ASE) team and introduced to the purpose of the Design Thinking Lab. Through an interactive icebreaker, students build rapport with peers and begin cultivating the collaborative mindset essential for navigating change as a leader.
1:00pm – 2:00pm | Session 1: Understanding Design Thinking
This session introduces the five stages of Design Thinking (Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test) and explores their application in solving complex leadership challenges. Students will learn how this process empowers leaders to make meaningful progress in times of change.
2:00pm – 2:15pm | Mini Break
Short refreshment break.
2:15pm – 3:00pm | Session 2: Empathy Mapping & Problem Definition
Participants engage in empathy mapping to gain a deeper understanding of the needs, fears and motivations of key university stakeholders (e.g. students, staff, academics) during a time of institutional change. Participants will identify specific leadership challenges, such as communication gaps or disengagement.
3:00pm – 3:15pm | Mini Break
3:15pm – 4:00pm | Session 3: Ideation
Teams brainstorm a wide range of creative and actionable solutions to the leadership challenges identified. This session encourages students to embrace ambiguity, think boldly, and practice collaborative innovation, all critical leadership behaviours when guiding others through transition.
4:00pm – 4:30pm | Day 1 Wrap-Up
The day concludes with a reflective discussion, where students share key learnings and insights about leading through change. The wrap-up sets expectations for Day 2, including how participants will bring their ideas to life through prototyping, testing, and pitching.
4:30pm – 6:00pm | Networking Drinks at the Gallery
An informal networking session where students, alumni, staff, and industry guests can connect, share experiences, and build meaningful relationships.
Morning: UniSA Involvement
9:00am – 9:30am | Debrief & overview
Recap of day 1 highlights and an outline of day 2 activities, preparing you for deeper engagement.
9:30am – 10:30am | UniSA success stories (continued)
A continuation of UniSA’s impact stories, focusing on student-led initiatives and alumni leadership in community and industry contexts.
10:30am – 11:45am | Leadership panel: Perspectives on leading through change
A panel discussion featuring industry leaders and UniSA alumni, offering diverse perspectives on effective leadership during times of transformation and uncertainty.
11:45am – 12:25pm | Lunch
Afternoon: ASE Design Thinking Lab – Leading Through Change
12:30pm – 1:00pm | Motivational Speaker & Day 1 Recap – Jahin Tanvir
Jahin Tanvir, CEO of the Australian School of Entrepreneurship, shares his personal story of overcoming challenges, leading with purpose and advocating for change as a young leader. His reflections inspire students to see themselves as change-makers within the evolving university landscape and provide renewed focus for Day 2 of the Lab.
1:00pm – 2:00pm | Session 4: Prototyping
Students begin to transform their ideas into tangible concepts by developing simple prototypes, such as visual mock-ups or diagrams, that bring their solutions to life. This hands-on process emphasises experimentation and reinforces the importance of taking action, testing assumptions and adapting to real-world feedback.
2:00pm – 2:15pm | Mini Break
2:15pm – 3:00pm | Session 5: Testing & Feedback
Teams present their prototypes to other participants and facilitators to gather insights and constructive critique. Through this process, students practise receiving feedback with openness and refining their solutions, skills that are central to effective leadership in rapidly changing environments.
3:00pm – 3:15pm | Mini Break
3:15pm – 4:00pm | Session 6: Pitch Preparation
In this final preparation stage, teams refine their messaging, sharpen their storytelling and align their pitches to highlight the leadership impact of their ideas. They’re coached on communicating the “why” behind their solutions and demonstrating how their approach fosters positive change within the new university.
4:00pm – 4:45pm | Pitching to Guest Judges
Each team presents their solution to a panel of guest judges, showcasing their creativity, leadership potential and capacity to drive meaningful change. Judges provide feedback on the viability and impact of each idea, creating an opportunity for students to celebrate their growth and receive recognition for their leadership contributions.
4:45pm – 5:00pm | Summit Closing Remarks
The summit ends with final reflections, acknowledgements and a celebration of the student voice. Participants leave with a toolkit of leadership strategies and a deeper belief in their ability to lead through change, both at university and beyond.
Can’t attend in-person? Register for an online leadership masterclass with the Australian School of Entrepreneurship on Wednesday 16 July.
Dr Michelle Perugini
CEO, UniSA Ventures
Dr Michelle Perugini is an entrepreneur and AI leader with deep expertise in healthcare. She has a PhD in Medicine, a decade of oncology research experience, and has founded two global AI tech companies—one acquired by EY in 2015. As Co-Founder and former CEO of Presagen, she developed a Federated AI platform for medical data, with its flagship product, Life Whisperer, improving IVF outcomes before being acquired by Astec in 2024. She is now Co-Founder and Board Chair of Qubigen, focusing on AI-driven drug design, and serves as Head of Commercialisation and CEO of UniSA Ventures.
Carmen Garcia AM
Founder and CEO, Community Corporate
Honorary Philippine Consul to South Australia
Carmen Garcia AM brings over 20 years’ experience working in refugee resettlement, migration, community development, training and workforce strategy across multiple sectors. Operating in corporate social responsibility, she is widely recognised as a leading multicultural workforce expert, creating solutions that maximise employment and skilling opportunities for refugees and migrants. Carmen was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2024 Australia Day Honours List for her significant service to the multicultural community. She is also the first female appointed as the current Philippine Honorary Consul in South Australia.
Dino Vrynios
Managing Director, Das Studio
Dino Vrynios is a registered architect and the Managing Director of Das Studio, an award-winning team of architects, interior designers and landscape architects. Having completed his Master of Architecture in 2008 from the University of South Australia, Dino has extensive experience in both large and small practice, delivering a wide range of project typologies of varying scale, cost and complexity. He was the recipient of the South Australian & National Emerging Architect Award by the Australian Institute of Architects in 2021, InDaily’s 40 under 40 in 2020 and Resilient Business Leader award winner, and recipient of the Property Council's Future Leader award.
Jahin Tanvir
CEO, Australian School of Entrepreneurship
Jahin Tanvir is the CEO of the Australian School of Entrepreneurship, Australia's largest innovation provider. Jahin is a 3-time TEDx speaker, board director, and was named on the 40 under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians for 2022, at the age of 21-years-old. As a first-generation migrant, Jahin’s vision is to empower people from diverse backgrounds in decision-making and conversations in Australia, representing the multiculturalism of Australia. A regular media commentator, Jahin has been an ongoing advocate for young people, and diversity and inclusion.
Leigh Willson
Senior Consultant, CulturAlchemy
With over 25 years of experience partnering with leaders across government and corporate sectors, Leigh specialises in leading change, building capability and enabling cultural transformation. As a registered psychologist, organisational development practitioner and leadership coach, Leigh brings a grounded, people-first approach to driving sustainable change and delivering meaningful business outcomes. Leigh’s career has been defined by her ability to translate complexity into practical, actionable strategies, and for empowering others to lead change with confidence. She's enabled individuals and teams to shift perspective, unlock their potential, and take purposeful action—whether in times of significant transformation or in day-to-day leadership.
Nicole Gollan
Founder, Nik&Co. Consultancy
A Ngarrindjeri woman, Nicole has resided in Kaurna Country for much of her life and has worked across many sectors, ensuring that a cultural lens is prioritised to advocate genuine ambitions in corporate Australia. In 2016, Nicole became the City of Adelaide Cultural Consultant where she drove the reconciliation agenda to new heights. In 2021, Nicole launched Nik&Co. consultancy with a mission to transform lived experiences of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people by weaving genuine reconciliatory practices into government, business, education, health, philanthropic and community settings.
Ollie Sharp
PhD student, UniSA
Olivia (Ollie) Sharp is an alumnus of UniSA graduating from a Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) in 2024. Throughout her time at UniSA, Ollie held several volunteer and casual roles, including as a student club executive, UniMentor, UniMentor Leader, Student Engagement Support Officer, and PASS leader. Ollie credits these roles for the range of professional skills she now uses as a PhD student. However, both her road to leadership and her definition of leadership may be considered unconventional. A bubbly go-getter, Ollie advocates for leadership beyond just titled roles, and instead relies on her values and strengths to make a positive impact at micro and macro levels.
Sarah Cutbush
CEO, Leaders Institute of South Australia: Home of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation
Sarah’s 35+ year career spans leadership roles across a range of sectors, including higher education, financial services, travel, transport, sport, and manufacturing. A respected leader with a background in marketing and communications, she is passionate about good leadership and the transformative power of education. As CEO of the Leaders Institute of South Australia, Sarah and her small team work with individuals and organisations across the State to champion adaptive, connected leadership.
Themis Chryssidis
Managing Director, Sprout Food Group
Themis Chryssidis has a Master of Nutrition and Dietetics, a Bachelor of Psychology and a Graduate Certificate of Human Nutrition, and he is currently the Managing Director of Sprout Food Group. In 2017 Themis was awarded the Young Achiever Award by the Dietitians Association of Australia. Themis is a respected media spokesperson and a regular contributor for Health Partners and Channel 7 television show "Discover". He is also the co-host of Fiveaa radio show "On the Menu with Callum and Themis" and he is an ambassador for the Jodi Lee Foundation, Health Partners and Mitolo Family Farms.
Valeria Alonso
Founder and Creative Director, Dancing with Miss Val & El Ritmo Productions
Valeria Alonso is a multidisciplinary artist, cultural producer and founder of El Ritmo Productions and Dancing with Miss Val. With over 15 years of experience in arts, education and community engagement, Valeria uses Latin American music, dance and storytelling to build inclusive spaces for children and families. She has delivered programs across schools, festivals and early childhood settings, and is passionate about cultural representation and creative leadership. Her purpose is to inspire young people to embrace their roots, express themselves freely and find belonging through creativity and culture.
