Dr Kathryn Mannix

Palliative Care Doctor (UK)

Dr Kathryn Mannix spent 30 years as a palliative care doctor and cognitive behaviour therapist before turning her attention to improving public understanding of dying. She lives with her husband and a small flock of chickens in the north-east of England. She laughs a lot. She is easily moved to tears by the extraordinary wonder of everyday life. And she’s not afraid of dying. 

Dr Allen Power

Geriatrician (US)

Dr Allen Power is an internist, geriatrician, and Schlegel Chair in Aging and Dementia Innovation at the Schlegel-UW Research Institute for Aging in Ontario, Canada. He’s a vocal critic of the over-prescription of antipsychotic medications for people with dementia and advocates for alternative, person-centred approaches to care. In his spare time, he’s a singer/songwriter. 

Professor Susan Kurrle AO

Geriatrician (AU)

Sue is a geriatrician practising at Hornsby Ku-ring-gai Hospital in Northern Sydney and in a rural outreach capacity at Batemans Bay and Moruya Hospitals in southern New South Wales. She holds the Curran Chair in Health Care of Older People in the Faculty of Medicine and Health at the University of Sydney. 

Her research and practice interests centre on dementia, frailty, elder abuse, geriatric outreach services, successful ageing, and intergenerational programs, and her work focuses on translation of research into clinical practice. She is the current president of the Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine. In January 2023 she was appointed as an Officer of the Order of Australia for distinguished service to medicine as a geriatrician, and to research into dementia and cognitive function.

Craig Gear

CEO, Older Persons Advocacy Network (AU)

Craig Gear is the CEO of the Older Persons Advocacy Network. As a health care consultant with over 20 years’ experience in senior management and within the health sector, his goal is to work towards a better level of healthcare for all. Flowing from his background in nursing, he is passionate about connecting and improving the Australian health system. 

Wendy Hall

Founder, Dementia Doulas International (AU)

Wendy Hall is the managing director and founder of Dementia Doulas International, developing and training professional doulas to support and enable people living with dementia and their families. She is also a Registered Nurse, paramedic, dementia consultant and author. 

Monica Cations

Clinical Psychologist (AU)

Dr Monica Cations is a clinical psychologist who has worked with older adults and people with dementia for nearly two decades, adapting her clinical skills to meet the unique needs of these populations. She has a special interest in supporting young people living with dementia, and older people who have survived psychologically traumatic events. In addition to her clinical work, Dr Cations is also a Senior Research Fellow at Flinders University.

Jonathan De Jong

Filmmaker (NLD)

Jonathan de Jong is a multi-award-winning documentary filmmaker and best-selling author from the Netherlands. His work is characterized by social and human stories that make a big impact every time. His latest film Human Forever is the most watched documentary of all time in Dutch cinema, is currently being screened in 26 countries and was recently awarded the most prestigious Dutch Film Prize, The Golden Calf. Together with Teun Toebes, he co-authored the international bestselling book on dementia, VerpleegThuis / The Housemates, which reached #1 in 14 countries. They recently followed up with their second compelling release, A World to Win. 

Teun Toebes

Humanitarian Activist (NLD)

Teun began his career as a nurse, but was so moved by the way we treat people with dementia that, at the age of 21, he decided to move into the closed ward of a nursing home. He did this for three and a half years, during which time he formed valuable friendships with his housemates and learned lessons that he shared with the world in the bestseller 'The Housemates'. As a humanitarian activist and care ethicist, Teun is now committed to helping those we so often forget: people with dementia. Not only to give them a voice, but above all to improve the quality of life of everyone who has to live with a form of dementia. In his mission, he has gained many loyal followers online and offline and has become a global innovator in healthcare.

Sanka Amadoru

Geriatrician (AU)

Dr. Sanka Amadoru is a geriatrician working across public hospitals, private clinics, and residential aged care facilities. He is a founding director and Chief Medical Information Officer (CMIO) at Aria Health. Sanka is deeply committed to improving the care of older people through his involvement in research and clinical trials, workforce training, advisory services in digital health to government and industry, and as an Elected Councillor and Company Director for the Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine.

Julian Trollor

Scientia Professor (AU)

Julian is a Scientia Professor, NHMRC Leadership Fellow and Director of the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health at UNSW Sydney. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2025 for significant service to people with disability, particularly as a clinician and academic.

Linda Harrison

Training & Capacity Director (AU)

Linda is the Director of Training and Capacity Building at LGBTIQ+ Health Australia. In this role Linda has the privilege of working with LGBTI community members and organisations to address health and social inequities resulting from discrimination and stigma, including older LGBTI people accessing aged care services. Linda is passionate about playing a part in system improvement through participatory practice, relational leadership and the power of lived experience.