MasterClass Speakers

Isabel Metz

Isabel Metz is an Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour at the Melbourne Business School. Broadly, her research aims to assist organisations effectively manage talent and employment relationships, and assist individuals effectively manage their careers. More specifically, her research interests are in the areas of gender and careers, diversity management, work and family, and employment relationships. Current research projects focus on diversity practices and organisational outcomes, women's turnover, work family conflict, and psychological employment contracts. She has published in leading academic journals and has won prizes for conference papers. Isabel lectures in areas such as HRM, Management, and Managing Diversity.

Prior to becoming an academic, Isabel worked in Banking and Finance for over a decade in various management positions.

Isabel is a member of the Australia and New Zealand Academy of Management, the US Academy of Managament, the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI), and a Senior Associate of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia. Isabel has worked on projects with local business organisations including AHRI, the Victoria Police Force, and the Australian banking industry.

Su Kearns

Su Kearns is the Group Manager, Corporate and Strategic Development for the Fair Work Ombudsman. In this role she has responsibility for strategic human resources, leadership, learning and development, internal and external communications and business support functions, and has driven the Diversity agenda including establishing a Diversity Council. Su is the recipient of the 2011 Australian Human Resources Institute Dave Ulrich Award for HR Leader of the year.

Presentation Topic: The Fair Work Ombudsman's approach to developing a successful gender diversity program.

Su will discuss the process of moving an organisation from perceptions of a gender biased culture, through a program of research, stakeholder engagement and the establishment of a Diversity Council to the position of being a leader in the field of gender diversity. The presentation will cover some of the roadblocks, how these were overcome, and the importance of aligning initiatives to the core objectives of the organisation. The benefits of innovation and the leverage of the gender diversity work to build a more collaborative and overall diverse organisation will be discussed. The importance and challenges of developing and reporting on metrics will also be covered.

Paul Brant

Paul Brant is the ABC'S Indigenous Employment Coordinator.

He is a WIRADJURI / NGUNAWAL Man from New South Wales. Paul has been in this role since August 2002 and is the coordinator of a range of activities and functions in regards to indigenous employment. These activities include the coordination of indigenous staff conferences and the online indigenous cultural package.

Shelley Cussen

Shelley Cussen, Group Manager People & Capability, leads the Human Resources function for SP AusNet. Shelley has completed a Masters Degree in Industrial and Employee Relations and has gained first class Honours in Management with her specialty in Organisational Culture. As well as her work in HR, Shelley has a keen interest in the Community. She completed the Williamson Community Leadership Program in 2010 and has since become a member of two not-for-profit boards in the youth sector.

George Elliot

George has held senior positions across both the private and community sectors. The primary focus of his career has been on the shaping and continuous improvement of organisations, and the development of innovative approaches to the achievement of organisational outcomes.

He has extensive experience in the development, implementation and monitoring of quality management systems across a range of recognised standards.