Day One

08.30 REGISTRATION

09.00 Chair’s opening remarks

09.10 Keynote address – Elevate your impact: The Emotional Intelligence Advantage for Executive Assistants

Developing self-awareness to communicate more effectively and assertively.
Mastering interpersonal dynamics to improve your ability to build strong relationships.
Grace under fire –maintaining emotional balance in challenging situations.
Using emotional intelligence to advise and support your executive more effectively

Gina Chick, Survivalist, Rewilding Facilitator & Writer, Gina Chick

10.00 Applying the power of strategic networking to support success

Developing high levels of trust, reputation, and confidence by starting meaningful conversations
Shifting from small talk to strategic connections to strengthen your social capital and your influence through your network
Using AI tools to identify the key people to meet at each event to leverage your network’s talents to enhance your expertise
Learning from your network by setting clear networking goals to achieve better results

Wendy Lloyd Curley, Keynote Speaker, Strategic Networking and Human Connection, Strategic Networking

10.45 Morning tea

11.15 Increasing your influence to lead as an Executive Assistant

Developing trust by promoting your integrity and reliability
Being the First Follower or Force Multiplier to amplify power and influence
Sharpening your strategic approach and business acumen
Building good relationships across the team to foster commitment to goals and objectives

Mary-Elizabeth Denmark, Senior EA to Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Medicine and Health/Macquarie University Hospital and Clinical Services, Macquarie University

12.00 EA PANEL – Leveraging high-level administrative skills to change direction

Knowing your ‘why’ to inform the desire for change
Identifying your toolbox of skills and how they will support career change
Evaluating your transferrable skills against desired role descriptions
Demonstrating your broader expertise by showcasing adaptable skills to leverage opportunities

Enisa Fazlic, Investor Relations Global Events Manager, Worley

Linda Viskovic, Senior Executive Assistant (to the Governor-General and Branch Coordinator), Australian Public Service

Leanne Geach, Consultant, Parbery

Jo Terry, Picture Editor, Daily Mail

12.45 Lunch

13.45 Becoming strategic as an Executive Assistant

Understanding what it takes to be strategic
Developing a managerial mindset
Managing your executive’s mindset to foster ready acceptance of your inputs
Strengthening business skills with training to create growth opportunities

Diana Moffitt, EA to Group Executive Operations, ASX

14.25 Unlocking the power of data visualisation: Preparing Executive Assistants for tomorrow’s challenges

Understanding the fundamental concepts and importance of data visualisation in modern business decision-making
Identifying key tools and software commonly used for creating impactful data visualisations
Learn how to optimise your visualisations with best practice design tips

Explore real-world examples of how data visualisation enhances communication, project management, and strategic planning in executive assistance

Lachlan McKenzie, Managing Director, White Box Analytics

15.05 Afternoon tea

14.25 Mastering Overwhelm: Thriving in High-Demand Roles

The brain under pressure – understanding cognitive overload
Managing energy levels for sustainable productivity
Calm command through emotion regulation
Resilient decision-making

Jenny Steadman, Co-National Director, Potential Project and Mindfulness Coach, Open Wisdom

16.10 SENIOR EXECUTIVE PANEL – Exceeding expectations – how does my Executive Assistant do this?

Knowing your Executive to act as them when needed
Forward planning, problem-solving and communicating to prevent obstacles
Using great interpersonal skills to build stakeholder relationships and improve office culture
Mapping processes to meet deadlines

Diona Rae, Chief Operating Officer, ASX

Lisa Annese, Chief Executive Officer, Chief Executive Women

Simone Robards Director People and Performance, City of Canterbury Bankstown

Vanessa Trower, Director, Principal Learning & OD Consultant, Nexperk

16.55 Congress photo

17.00 Networking drinks

Day Two

09.00 Chair’s opening remarks

09.10 Combining confidence and knowledge to boost your assertiveness

Stepping out of your comfort zone to increase self-confidence
Understanding the part information plays in being assertive
Creating ‘thinking time’ strategies to push back the bulldozers
Asking open and investigative questions to support your capability

Elizabeth Tregoning, Managing Director, Boutique, the Consultancy

09.55 EA PANEL – Thriving as an ‘exceptional’ Executive Assistant

Fostering strong and collaborative relationships across the organisation to building trust
Developing underestimated soft skills to enable greater organisational involvement
Finding your unique selling point
Developing your brand to enhance your value

Ania Konopka, Head of Executive Office, Australian Chamber Orchestra

Sally Caldwell, EA to CEO, Hesta

Petrina Bradshaw, Manager, Office of the CEO, Clean Energy Finance Commission

Kelly Wight, Executive Support and Project Officer, NSW Legal Aid

Derek Wiseman, EA to General Manager Legal Services and Authority Member, Australian Communications and Media Authority

10.40 Morning tea

11.10 Managing your relationship with your Executive more intentionally

Adapting different communication styles and ways of working to create a ‘dream team’
Gaining awareness of your Executive’s goals and objectives and those of the organisation
Thinking like your Executive to anticipate their needs
Ensuring mutual success using effective communication.

Emily O’Shea, Executive Assistant to Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Global, Newcastle University

11.55 Enhancing your strategic value using Artificial Intelligence as your ally

Shifting your thinking to embrace a 21^st century mindset to boost productivity and performance
Exploring the myriad AI offerings to help you create your AI support suite
Humanising AI for enhanced solutions
Creating a personalised reference library at your fingertips
Keeping up as AI evolves to continuously develop your career

Mario Halouvas, CEO and Founder, Mario Halouvas Productivity Professionals

12.40 Lunch

13.40 Conducting difficult conversations to encourage progress and growth

Understanding the person to adapt conversation tone
Providing feedback that encourages improvement
Planning discussions to allow flexibility of approach
Ensuring a satisfactory outcome for all participants

Kris Byrne, Personal Development Coach, Inside Out

14.25 EA PANEL – Managing time and tasks to effect efficiency and productivity in your day for you and your Executive

Developing routines to prioritise your ‘best time’ to set up your day to allow you to tackle your ‘hit list’
Creating and triaging a ‘master list’ using strategic thinking, forward vision, and your executive’s consideration to focus on the ‘urgent’
Planning, prioritising and being goal-focused to demonstrate a can-do attitude and initiative
Establishing open communication, questions, and corporate knowledge to know who and what is important to timely completion of any task

Diana Moffitt, EA to Group Executive Operations, ASX

Elizabeth Borst, Personal Assistant to General Manager, Wollongong City Council

Mary-Elizabeth Denmark, Senior EA to Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Medicine and Health/Macquarie University Hospital and Clinical Services, Macquarie University

Emily O’Shea, Executive Assistant to Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Global, Newcastle University

Anna Ribarovski, Personal Assistant, Riverwall Constructions

15.10 Afternoon tea

15.40 Close of Congress