Cath Thrupp is CEO of CarbonPlanet, a Brisbane-based company creating a new Metaverse and Blockchain platform to connect investors to their on-ground catchment and sustainability projects. She is an aquatic ecologist and catchment manager, who has over twenty years of experience delivering major water and natural resource projects within the private, public & non-profit sectors. Cath also undertakes water advisory work, with a focus on water innovation, strategy and digital water solutions.

Having grown up on a farm on the Balonne River floodplain in western Queensland, Cath has a lifelong interest in rivers and a deep understanding of how floods, droughts and water security can impact landholders and local communities. Since then, Cath’s career has spanned from managing environmental aspects of dam operations in central Queensland to wetland and fish monitoring in the northern Murray-Darling Basin and Coopers Creek, to environmental flow monitoring in north and central Queensland, through to urban water planning and policy in Brisbane. Most recently, Cath’s focus has been on leveraging the latest technology to create new business models that can scale catchment and coastal restoration projects.

In her spare time, Cath is also a Director of Our New Leaders, an advisory company specialising in online mentoring and training for mid-career professionals who want to upskill for the future. Cath is a big picture thinker and a ‘people’ person, who deeply cares about supporting our catchments, community & industry to prepare for the future.

Alison Carmichael has extensive experience with industry associations in both board and senior executive roles covering irrigation, energy efficiency, forestry and product stewardship. Prior to taking up these positions, Alison was a partner in a consulting business specialising in Natural Resource Management. She is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Alan Hoban is a Director of Civil and Water at Bligh Tanner Pty Ltd, based in Brisbane. He is a civil and environmental engineer who has worked closely with government and industry to establish policy, planning frameworks and technical standards for better urban water management.

His expertise includes integrated water management and water sensitive urban design (WSUD), policy and planning advice, infrastructure planning, development applications and approvals advice, waterway management, flood and stormwater studies, civil engineering and climate change strategies. His awards include the Gilbert Vasey Award in Agricultural Engineering, the Queensland Medal for Landscape Architecture (for the 'Flood of Ideas' community resilience-building project), and 'The AILA ' for his leadership of the Water by Design program.

Alan also cofounded Victoria's Flexicar car-share scheme and is a graduate of Social Leadership Australia. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers, Australia and a sessional lecturer at various universities. 

Dr Peter Breen is a retired founding director of E2Designlab and Practice Professor in the faculty of Architecture at Monash University. Peter has a long interest in the integration of science and practice in the management of rural and urban aquatic ecosystems. He has been a leading researcher and practitioner in the development of WSUD in Australia.

Peter has over 40 years in the water sector and has held positions in industry, academia, research and consulting in organizations such as Monash University, State Rivers and Water Supply Commission, CSIRO, Dandenong Valley Authority, Melbourne Water, CRC for Freshwater Ecology, Ecological Engineering (founding Director), EDAW and AECOM, E2Designlab (founding Director). He has over 100 publications on topics including aquatic botany, wetland, stream and lake ecology, stormwater and wastewater treatment, water quality management and restoration ecology.

Peter is involved with the Wellcome Trust/Asian Development Bank funded Revitalising Informal Settlements and their Environments (RISE) program at Monash University where he contributes to the design of interventions to improve the public and environment health of informal settlements. 

Sudesh Mudaliar is a goal-driven executive, with over 25 years in the sales, marketing and development of software solutions primarily in water resource management. Experience in business development and operations management in the software industry: Specializing in engineering-based technologies with a focus on delivering a rewarding client experience. Has led research and development teams in delivering software tools for the water resources sector. Experience in managing and growing channel partners in Asia as well as establishing a shared off-shore business services Centre. Experience in business management across different cultures: Japan, Korea, China, India, South East Asia and including Australia and NZ.

Sadbh Duffy has extensive experience as a Project Coordinator, Administrator, Executive Assistant, IT Systems Administrator, Data Specialist and Business Analyst.