Barbara van Ernst is currently an Educational Consultant and works with universities, government agencies, locally and internationally, and also with TAFE Institutes. Barb served as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) and Pro Vice-Chancellor (Community Engagement) at Swinburne University of Technology where she was responsible for the University’s Lilydale campus, for Learning and Teaching including the Indigenous Programs Unit, and for Community Engagement. At Deakin University, Barb was Head of School in the Faculty of Education and in the Faculty of Arts during which time she was also Chair of Deakin University’s Academic Board. Barb served three terms as a Councillor for the City of Hawthorn, including two years as Mayor, has served on numerous other boards and committees, including the Victorian Qualifications Authority and the Higher Education Advisory Committee in Victoria, and is a higher education quality auditor for several overseas agencies. In 1994 Professor van Ernst was made a Member of the Order of Australia for services to education.

Daniel Atkin is an experienced risk management professional who has worked across the public and private sectors in a number of roles, with a particular emphasis on education. Daniel’s experience includes working in the Federal and Victorian State public sectors, in Higher Education Regulation and providing risk management consulting to the Victorian Public sector, including education, as well as a range of other sectors, and in publicly listed companies. Daniel serves currently as Group Head of Risk for IDP Education Limited, a global education services company

Jim Barber trained as an experimental psychologist and he has extensive experience in university teaching, research and administration in Australia and Canada. In Australia, he served as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the University of New England (2010-2014), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at RMIT University (2006-2010), and three terms as Head of Department at Flinders University (1993-2003). Jim also worked in Canada where he served one term as Dean at the University of Toronto. Jim is widely published and in 2005 won North America’s Pro-Humanitate Medal for his research in the field of child welfare. He is a former winner of the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at Flinders University and in 2021 was made a Member of Order of Australia for his services to educational administration and young people

Usha George was previously Director of the Ryerson University Centre for Immigration and Settlement, Toronto, Canada. She also served terms as Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and prior to that, as Dean, Faculty of Community Services also at Ryerson University. Usha is widely published and is the recipient of millions of dollars in nationally competitive Canadian research grants. She is the winner of: ‘Professional Female of the Year’, Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (2011); ‘Outstanding Community Service Award’, South Asian Arts and Cultural Organization of Toronto (2004); and ‘Excellence Award for Contribution to Community’, South Asian Family Support Services, Toronto (2002). Usha is a Member, Senior Women Academics Administrators of Canada (SWAAC); Member, Inter-University Consortium on International Social Development; and Life member, Indian Association for Canadian Studies, Delhi, India.

Travis Walker has more than 20 years’ experience in the higher education sector in financial roles. He is currently Vice President Finance at Southern Cross University where he is responsible for all aspects of financial management and reporting including statutory reporting, treasury, tax and other regulatory reporting, financial performance and analysis as well as travel and procurement. Travis previously served as Deputy Director Finance at RMIT University where he was responsible for the budget, forecasting and reporting on financial performance as well as commercial analysis of university programs and assessment of future opportunities. Travis is on the board of the Australian Universities Senior Finance Officers Group and represents Southern Cross University at the Australian Deputy Vice-Chancellors Corporate group.

Tim Harms is a communications engineer who specialises in cybersecurity.  He is currently Principal Consultant for Contauro AG in Switzerland working on cybersecurity in air traffic control and defence. After graduating from RMIT University in 1985, Tim worked as Development Engineer for Design Two Thousand Pty Ltd, Australia and Vicom Australia Pty Ltd, Australia. Moving to Switzerland in 1993, he continued working as a Development Engineer, this time for ABB Infocom AG. In 1993 he was appointed Test Engineer, Application Engineer, and finally Product Manager for Schmid Telecom AG in Zurich, specialising in air traffic management. From 2009, Tim worked for Crypto International AG as Product Manager, Senior Radio Systems Engineer developing Secure IT and Radio encryption systems for civilian and military customers, including IT applications for messaging and tracking.

Dr. Atif Ahmad (PhD, CPP) is a Professor at the University of Melbourne, where he serves as Deputy Director of the Academic Centre of Cyber Security Excellence, located in the Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology. Atif’s expertise is in crisis management and organisational practice specific to cybersecurity. Over the course of his 25+ years at the University of Melbourne, Atif has researched, educated and managed a research team dedicated to studying how organizations respond to critical cyber attacks and develop defense capabilities. Dr. Ahmad’s expertise extends beyond academia: he is a highly sought-after consultant, having worked for leading consulting firms WorleyParsons and Pinkerton. As an executive producer and storyteller, Atif commissioned a series of teaching films that depict real-world cybersecurity practices. These have garnered multiple awards, including the “Best Original Screenplay” at the London International Film Festival. For a more comprehensive overview of Dr. Ahmad’s work, visit his website: https://www.atifahmad.me/.

Dr Monjur Ahmed is Dean of the Australasian Academy of Higher Education. He has many years of experience in academia and industry (cyber security), working in senior leadership roles across both sectors. He is a GIAC certified Cyber Security Leader (GSTRT), certified ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, TOGAF certified Enterprise Architect and PRINCE2 certified Project Manager. Dr Ahmed earned his PhD in Cyber Security from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, and has authored several publications and conference papers on cyber security. He holds a teaching qualification in adult and tertiary teaching from Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec).

Dr. Peiris brings extensive experience in academic learning support and higher education, focusing on student success through innovative teaching and personalised guidance. As AAHE’s Student Support Officer (Academic) and lecturer, Sabeetha helps students navigate the complexities of cybersecurity and emerging technologies, and actively contributes to initiatives that strengthen academic integrity, digital literacy, and ethical technology practices. With a background spanning both corporate and academic sectors, Sabeetha integrates research-driven strategies to enhance student learning outcomes. Her PhD research on blockchain’s transformative impact on businesses informs her approach to digital innovation and security. Sabeetha. Passionate about advancing cybersecurity education, she equips students with the skills needed to thrive in the evolving digital landscape while promoting a culture of integrity and lifelong learning. Regularly presenting her research and speaking at prestigious conferences, Sabeetha has received multiple awards and has also obtained the PR 373-ISMS ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Lead Auditor certification from CQI | The Chartered Quality Institute.

Jim Barber trained as an experimental psychologist and he has extensive experience in university teaching, research and administration in Australia and Canada. In Australia, he served as Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Officer of the University of New England (2010-2014), Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at RMIT University (2006-2010), and three terms as Head of Department at Flinders University (1993-2003). Jim also worked in Canada where he served one term as Dean at the University of Toronto. Jim is widely published and in 2005 won North America’s Pro-Humanitate Medal for his research in the field of child welfare. He is a former winner of the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at Flinders University and in 2021 was made a Member of Order of Australia for his services to educational administration and young people.

Mark Hatwell has worked in the Australian higher education sector for more than 25 years, holding a broad range of leadership roles. Prior to AAHE, Mark’s most recent positions were as Director, Registration and Courses for the national higher education regulator, TEQSA, and as Associate Director (Academic Services) in the Student and Education Business Services directorate at Monash University. During his 17 years at Monash, Mark also led teams responsible for central student administration functions including Admissions, Enrolments, and Curriculum and Publications, and he previously held a school administration manager role at Swinburne University of Technology. Mark is highly respected across the Australasian higher education sector in institutional policy and as pioneer of an international policy network, co-authoring a best practice guide, regularly facilitating events and presenting at conferences. A former Vice-President on the Board of the Association for Tertiary Education Management (ATEM), Mark’s contributions to ATEM have been recognised with a Best Practice Award in Policy and Governance, a Fellowship, and a Meritorious Service Award.

Dr Monjur Ahmed is Dean of the Australasian Academy of Higher Education. He has many years of experience in academia and industry (cyber security), working in senior leadership roles across both sectors. He is a GIAC certified Cyber Security Leader (GSTRT), certified ISO 27001 Lead Implementer, TOGAF certified Enterprise Architect and PRINCE2 certified Project Manager. Dr Ahmed has earned his PhD in Cyber Security from Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand, and has authored several publications and conference papers on cyber security. He holds a teaching qualification in adult and tertiary teaching from Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec).