DR KAREN HUSSEY
Deputy Director-General, Environment and Heritage Policy and Programs
Department of Environment and Science

Karen leads the development and coordination of policy, strategy and legislation relating to the environment, conservation, and cultural heritage. She oversees the delivery of strategic programs such as protection of the Great Barrier Reef, circular economy, and the Land Restoration Fund. She also leads policy and programs in areas such as heritage, climate change, environmental offsets, biodiversity, koala conservation and State of Environment reporting. Prior to joining government, Karen was Professor and Director of the Centre for Policy Futures at the University of Queensland. 

ALISON SMITH
Chief Executive Officer, LGAQ

As CEO, Alison is responsible for leading a diverse team of professionals at the LGAQ, which is the peak body for local government across Queensland. The LGAQ has been advising, supporting and representing local councils since 1896, enabling them to improve their operations and strengthen relationships with their communities.  

Between 2007-2020, Alison has worked with ASX-100 companies, heading their corporate affairs functions. Alison was Group Executive External Affairs at The Star Entertainment Group, and previously held media and corporate affairs roles at Rio Tinto’s coal and uranium businesses in Australia, Africa, and Canada.  

Alison has worked in the public and private sectors in ICT, transport, energy, police, and corrective services. She also spent 14 years as a journalist, working in newspapers, radio, and television, before being a senior media advisor in the Queensland Government for two terms.  

Alison’s current external appointments include Chair of the Brisbane Festival board. 

YASMIN GRIGALIUNAS
Founder & Director, Circonomy

Yas is a Director and Founder of the award-winning circular economy enterprise, Circonomy (formerly World’s Biggest Garage Sale). An entrepreneur of impact and a circular economy pioneer in Australia,  she recently closed an equity capital raise to expand nationally, with Officeworks as a key investor and shareholder. 

Yas was named a Top 100 Global Leader of 2022….and together, through expansion of reuse, repair, resource recovery and recommerce initiatives, she is thrilled to work with partners and investors to bring her Circonomy vision to life, creating a world where nothing goes to waste, including human potential. 

Learn more about Circonomy here.