Public Sector Executive Assistant Congress Agenda

28-29 October 2020, Canberra

Conference Day One – Wednesday 28 October 2020

8.30	Registration
9.00	Opening remarks from the chair
9.10	Keynote address: Taking ownership of your work and exerting influence
	Developing leadership skills and leading from within Dealing with management and leadership tasks Making strategic decisions and taking control of the situation
	Georgeina Whelan, Commissioner, ACT Emergency Services Agency
9.50	Keynote address: Unleashing the power of women – realising your potential
	Can Women ‘have it all’ … and why do I keep dropping the ball? What are the barriers and obstacles to women’s progress? Gender equality in action – what’s your role?
	Amy Haddad, Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion, Coffey International Development; Former Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
10.30	Morning Coffee
11.00	Advancing your communication skills to influence others
	Engaging and influencing executives and colleagues Adapting your communication style to different situations Being assertive and supportive at the same time Managing misunderstandings and conflicts Influencing people in meetings
	Ross Judd, Director, Team Focus This session will be presented online via Zoom
11.55	Panel discussion: Supporting your executives during challenging times as a strategic business partner
	Showing initiatives and understanding your business during tumultuous times Developing your skills and positioning yourself as a strategic partner Understanding and prioritising your executives’ needs Breaking out of “I’m just an EA” and stepping out of the ‘EA’ box Being the voice of your executives during challenging times
	María Rivarola, Executive Assistant to UK Defence & Military Adviser, British High Commission Anita Grassos, Executive Assistant to Chief Executive Clinical Excellence Commission, NSW Health Elizabeth Borst, Personal Assistant to General Manager, Wollongong City Council Jessica Zdanowicz, Executive Assistant to General Counsel, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
12.20	Uncovering the myths of emotional intelligence
	Why do we need to use emotional intelligence at work? Reading people’s body language and emotional cues Making emotions work for you instead of against you How do you develop emotional intelligence?
	Rita Joyan, Career and Emotional Intelligence Trainer, Australian Delegate G20 YEA 2019
13.00	Lunch
14.00	Exploring the opportunities of being a virtual assistant
	What is a virtual assistant? Working remotely to support your executives Using the ever-evolving technologies effectively for daily operations Overcoming challenges for virtual assistance
	Ursula Kohler, Managing Director, Capital EA
14.40	Applying project management skills at work
	Working effectively in dynamic project environments Creating and supporting high performing teams and work environments Effective project communication and influence Achieving great results using project resources and tools
	Chris Nightingale, Founder and Director, Chris Nightingale Consulting
15.20	Afternoon tea
15.50	Panel discussion: Taking control of your own career progression
	Mastering a range of skills to advance your career as a professional executive assistant Leveraging your experience to win a new role outside of the EA space Communicating openly with your executives to gain support Choosing the right career path
	Liz Grimmett, Executive Assistant to Chief Data Officer & Assistant Secretary, Geospatial & Information Analytics, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment Kerri Clarke, A/g Executive Officer to Commissioner, ACT Emergency Services Agency Samone Mason, Project Officer, Advocacy Services, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
16.30	Building a positive workplace culture as a trustworthy executive assistant
	Discovering ways to keep calm in high-pressure situations Be equipped with practical strategies to conquer unhelpful stress Managing and using stress as an opportunity to grow Channelling your mindset to focus more on the wellbeing of mind
	Maria Larzabal, Executive Assistant to National Manager Corporate Shared Services, Services Australia
17.10	Closing remarks from the Chair and end of conference day one
17.10-18.30	Networking Drinks

Conference Day Two – Thursday 29 October 2020

9.00	Opening remarks from the chair
9.10	Building resilience and raising mental health awareness
	Dealing with and recovering from work-related stress Handling sudden changes at the workplace Exploring approaches and tips to avoid burnout Developing self-awareness and self-care plans
	Sue Read, Founder and Director, Registered Psychologist, Life Unlimited Psychology
9.55	Multiple Perspectives for Difficult Conversations

	John Sautelle, Executive team coach; Author, Choose Your Stories, Change Your Life
10.55	Morning Tea
11.10	Using technology to build a paperless work environment
	Supporting a paperless workplace in a digital world Using technology to view, edit and distribute documents electronically Understand how OneNote and Teams work together to provide a seamless paperless environment What are the technologies best suited to assist your work flow?
	Mario Halouvas, National Learning & Development Manager, Priority Management Australia
12.10	Panel discussion: Managing up to become the “boss” of your boss
	Anticipating your executives’ needs and exercising judgements accordingly Exploring practical strategies of people management Interacting with employees at every level Setting up objectives, goals and deadlines Dealing with uncooperative people on behalf of your executives Remaining firm with your executives in certain situations
	Robbie Eason, Executive Assistant to the Assistant Secretary, People Policy and Employment Conditions, Department of Defence Jessica Zdanowicz, Executive Assistant to General Counsel, Department of Veterans’ Affairs Casey-Marie De Veau, Executive Assistant to Deputy CEO, AUSTRAC Samone Mason, Project Officer, Advocacy Services, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
12.55	Lunch
13.55	Building your personal brand and your online influence
	What makes a great first impression? How do you establish credibility both in person and online? The Roadmap Plan for clarifying and confidently communication your personal and professional brand online Practical and actionable steps that can be applied straight away using LinkedIn
	Kirryn Zerna, Author, The Stand Out Effect This session will be presented online via Zoom
14.40	Senior executives’ panel discussion: What makes a successful executive assistant?
	What’s your vision of a great executive assistant? What are the top-notch skills you appreciate the most? Building a strategic business relationship with your executive assistants Getting advice from the top – what do your executives really want?
	Bridget Brill, Executive Director, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Chris Collett, Deputy CEO, Intelligence, AUSTRAC Tony Krizan, Executive Director Corporate Operations & Information, National Health & Medical Research Council Kylie Galway, Chief Data Officer & Assistant Secretary, Geospatial & Information Analytics, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
15.40	Closing remarks from the Chair and End of Conference

Get information on our exciting post conference workshops on

Sharpen your technology skills with Outlook and OneNote to be more effective and save time!

Strategic Storytelling – Boosting your professional writing skills

Conference Day One – Wednesday 28 October 2020

Conference Day Two – Thursday 29 October 2020

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