Meet our speakers

Find out all about our expert speakers here, including the voices of those living with dementia and their carers. Sign up below to receive updates on topics and speakers in the countdown to 5-6 September 2024.

Leigh Sales AM

ABC Journalist and Author (AUS)

Leigh Sales AM is a multi award-winning author and journalist at the ABC and anchors the much-loved Australian Story program. Before that, she presented the network's prime time current affairs program 7.30 for 12 years.

She has been the face of the ABC's major events coverage, including federal election and budget nights.

Leigh has interviewed every living Australian Prime Minister and innumerable world leaders and celebrities from Hillary Clinton and Tony Blair to Paul McCartney and Elton John. She's the author of five books, including the national bestseller Any Ordinary Day, Well Hello co-written with Annabel Crabb, and her latest Storytellers - a fascinating insight into the vital and much-misunderstood profession of Journalism.

Dr Nathalie Huitema

Sexologist and Psychologist (US/NL)

Dr Nathalie Huitema holds a PhD in human sexuality and is a trained psychologist with a focus on older adults. She is a registered psychologist in the Netherlands and a licensed sexologist in the US.

In her role as a sex educator, Dr Huitema has pioneered diverse sexuality training programs for long-term care. She is a (co-)author of numerous journal articles and book chapters, and her insights have been featured on radio shows and podcasts.

Specialising in the intersection of sexuality, ageing, and consent, Dr Huitema brings over 15 years of practical expertise to her field, acquired through her work in long-term care in the Netherlands. Nathalie's internationally focused work reflects a commitment to advancing understanding and awareness in the realm of human sexuality, particularly concerning older adults.

Dr Nathan Davies

A/Prof Ageing and Applied Health and Research (UK)

Dr Nathan Davies is Associate Professor of Ageing and Applied Health Research, and Director of Centre for Ageing Population Studies (CAPS) at University College London, UK.

He is an internationally renowned expert in palliative dementia care, with interests in ageing, dementia, clinical decision making, unmet complex needs and eHealth. He has over 130 publications.

Dr Davies has an extensive record of high impact research in dementia care, including interventions on decision-making and inclusion, which have been implemented in health and care services globally. His work has included a decision aid for family carers supporting people with dementia, and a novel toolkit of rules-of-thumb for practitioners making end of life care decisions.

Dr Samir Sinha

Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health System (CAN)

Dr Samir Sinha is the Director of Geriatrics at Sinai Health System and the University Health Network in Toronto, a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, and the Director of Health Policy Research at Toronto Metropolitan University’s National Institute on Ageing.

A Rhodes Scholar, Samir is a highly regarded clinician and international expert in the care of older adults. As an inaugural and current member of Canada’s Ministerial Advisory on Dementia, he helped to develop and implement Canada’s National Dementia Strategy in 2019.  In 2021, he was appointed to serve as a member of the Government of Canada’s National Seniors Council and recently led the successful development of Canada’s new National Long-Term Care Services Standard.  

Prof John Swinton

Author and Theologian (UK)

The Rev Prof John Swinton, FBA, FRSE, is a Professor in Practical Theology and Pastoral Care at the University of Aberdeen. He is an ordained minister of the Church of Scotland, and worked for more than a decade as a registered nurse specialising in psychiatry and learning disabilities. He also worked for a number of years as a hospital and community chaplain.

John serves as an honorary professor and researcher at Aberdeen’s Centre for Advanced Studies in Nursing. In 2004, he founded the University of Aberdeen’s Centre for Spirituality, Health and Disability and in 2014 he founded the University’s Centre for Ministry Studies.

John has published widely in the areas of disability theology, spirituality and health, qualitative research, and mental health. He is the author of Dementia: Living in the Memories of God.

Senator Anne Ruston

Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care (AUS)

The Hon Anne Ruston has been a Senator since September 2012. She is currently the Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Shadow Minister for Sport and Manager of Opposition Business in the Senate.

Prior to the 2022 election, Senator Ruston was a Cabinet Minister, holding the positions of Minister for Families and Social Services, Minister for Women’s Safety and Manager of Government Business in the Senate for three years.

Before her election to the Senate, Anne held several senior positions in government and the private sector, including as the inaugural chief executive of the National Wine Centre. She was also a primary producer and irrigator, owning and operating the largest commercial rose garden in Australia.

Olga Pandos

Lecturer in Law and PhD Candidate (AUS)

Olga is a lecturer in Law and PhD candidate at the University of Adelaide, Adelaide Law School, Australia. In 2020, she was admitted as a barrister and solicitor in the Supreme Court of South Australia. Her PhD is in technology law and ethics, drawing upon her scientific background in biochemistry and genetics, examining the ethical and regulatory implications of heritable human genome editing.

Her research traverses medical law and ethics, with a specific focus on decision-making capacity, consent, supported decision-making, access to justice for vulnerable populations and reform. The intersection of health, medicine and the law are fundamental themes within Olga’s research.

Olga has extensive experience working within policy and law reform. She has been a lead researcher and project manager at the South Australian Law Reform Institute for four years. Her research has been published in leading peer review law journals. She has been an author of six reports to State Government. Most recently, Olga led and was lead author of the statutory independent review of the Mental Health Act in South Australia. Prior to her work at the South Australian Law Reform Institute, Olga worked as a policy officer for the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Bill Yeates

Person Living with Dementia (AUS)

After graduating from Pharmacy, Bill entered the field of education where he was a school administrator and taught senior physics and chemistry for over 35 years.

In August 2019, at the age of 59, he was diagnosed with Younger Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Bill has a keen interest in learning how to best manage his diagnosis on a daily basis and has created his own website where he enjoys helping and showing others how it is possible to still lead a better life. Besides being a volunteer surf lifesaver, Bill competes in masters swimming, finswimming, pool rescue and surf lifesaving championships, at a local, state, national and international level. In August last year, Bill travelled to Fiji and participated in his first ever ocean swim.

Currently, Bill is a member of Dementia Australia's Advocate Program and has been Vice Chair of Dementia Alliance International for the past two years. He is also a member of the World Health Organisation GDO KE Focus Group, member of the Global Review Panel for ADI Accreditation of dementia care and a member of the Public Involvement Panel for StepUp. Recently, Bill accepted the position of Living Experience Associate Consultant with Dementia Support Australia.

In the last few years, Bill has started to share his experiences at national and international conferences as a way of raising awareness about dementia, focussing mainly on post-diagnostic care and support via his holistic approach to life and the development of reablement plans. His goal here is to show by example that it is still possible to live a rewarding and fulfilling life.

Dr Tom Russ

Director, Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre (UK)

Tom trained in medicine and psychiatry in Edinburgh, the Highlands, and London and undertook doctoral training at the University of Edinburgh. He works clinically with older people with dementia and has a PhD in dementia epidemiology.

He is an honorary Consultant Psychiatrist (NHS Lothian), Network Champion of the Neuroprogressive and Dementia Research Network (NHS Research Scotland), and Director of the Alzheimer Scotland Dementia Research Centre (PPLS, University of Edinburgh). He is interested in geographical variation in dementia and the environmental risk factors for dementia which might be responsible for this variation. 

 

 

Angela Raguz

General Manager,
The Dementia Centre (AUS)

Angela Raguz is an Australian leader in dementia care, both in residential and ‘at home’ care. Angela is highly qualified in best practice dementia design and quality service delivery and improvement, deeply involved from conception to planning of a residential service to commencement and operation and ensuring that services are aligned to philosophy of care.

Angela has worked in the aged care industry for 30 years, is a Registered Nurse and holds an MBA. She is also the General Manager, Residential Care for HammondCare, which specialises in complex dementia care.

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