Meet the Activators

Supporting the next generation of Aussie changemakers

Every school participating in Future Anything’s Activate program is connected with an ‘Activator’.

Acting as their very own ‘Entrepreneur in Residence’, Activators work with a participating school, supporting their teachers and students as a mentor, sounding board, and cheerleader as they work through Activate

The Activator’s goal is to help to connect learning in the classroom to life outside the school gates.  

MEET THE 2023 ACTIVATORS

Future Anything is proud to welcome a cohort of epic humans who will generously volunteer their time to support the next generation of Aussie innovators and changemakers in 2023.

Adele Laughton

CEO & Founder

Future Farmers Network | Unpackd | Free From Baking Co

Alexandra Bruhn

Community Manager

Youth Inc.

Alexis Kuchel

Innovation Adviser

SA Water

Allan Shaw

Executive Coach

Amelia St Baker

Sales Director

St Baker Energy Innovation Fund

Amelia Asciutto

Multiple Roles

PROJECT ROCKIT, KOS Magazine & JOY Media

Chelsea McLean

Founder

Circular Economy Pioneers

Christopher Ramsden

Educational Consultant

Accelium Australia

Chun-Yin San

Executive Design Manager

ThinkPlace Global

Dave Kertesz

Director

Crew Commercial

David Eedle

Co-Founder and CEO

EdSmart

Deb Allen

Manager

Manufacturing Hub Mackay

Elyce Tunbridge

Owner Operator / Councillor

New Leaf Connect / Shire of Irwin

George Samios

Founder

Madd Loans

Hayley Langsdorf

Chief Doodler

Thoughts Drawn Out

Janelle Finucane

Director

Finucane Consulting

Jason Britton

Regional Harbour Master

Maritime Safety Queensland

Jennifer Chalmers

Teaching Academic

University of South Australia

Jo Palmer

Founder & Managing Director

Pointer Remote

Joanne Marriott

Creative Facilitator & Leadership Coach

Jody Graham

CEO

JBG Industries

Julia Spicer

Qld Chief Entrepreneur

Engage and Create Consulting

Leanne Butterworth

Founder

Empathy First

Lisa Longman

Head of Innovation Pathways

Bloom: Centre for Youth Innovation

Lisa Bourke

Director

Content Hive

Lisa Paisley

Co-Founder

Aggie Global & Aggie Gifts

Marissa Thomas

Founder

The STEAM Engine Co.

Mark McCrystal

Catapult Program Lead

City of Logan

Megan Peach

Managing Director

On the Cusp Consulting

Micheal Pulo

Venture Partner & COO

Unify Ventures & Deckee

Mick Hase

Founder/Director

SEVENTEENx

Mikhara Ramsing

Managing Director

S&K Consulting Group; Miks Chai; Ethnic LGBT+

Miranda Wilson

Investment General Manager

QIC

Miranda Simmiss

Product Manager

Everledger

Monte Huebsch

Lead Generation Manager

Content to Convert

Murray Galbraith

Founder & Creative Director

Syntropic Studio

Nilan Mihindukulasooriya

Director Technology

Brick and Mortar Digital

Paulette Oldfield

City Transformation Program Leader

Logan City Council

Peter Ball

Managing Director

Greater Outcomes

Peter Laurie

Director

Junta

Rakalene Condon

Head of Product

Everledger

Ray O'Sullivan

Chief Innovation Officer

Liquid

Ruth Knight

Lecturer

QUT

Sandy Deans

Advisor/Mentor

Advisory Board Centre

Sarah Curtis-Fawley

Director of Programs

SBE Australia

Sonia Martin

CEO & Co-Founder

Sunny Street

Stephanie Spencer

Product Director

Macquarie Bank

Suzanne Thompson

Soulpreneur & Founder

Soul Archaeology

Tamara Hamilton

Founder

Cherish Videos

Trenna Probert

Founder and CEO

Super Fierce

Vanh Mixap

Founder

Yes Everyone Matters

Warrick Tan

Co-Founder | Customer Success Manager

Oversi

Zoe Savic

COO

Cogniom

Zoe Gorbunow

Founder

Zoe Gorbunow Consulting

ABOUT ACTIVATE

Future Anything’s Activate program empowers young people to design innovative, sustainable, and scalable solutions to the problems they care about. It’s delivered by educators in their own classrooms over one or two terms and culminates in their school’s very own ‘shark tank’ or showcase.

Activate teachers receive professional development and support, and extensive curriculum resources and assessment tools – everything they need to build enterprising mindsets in their classrooms.

Plus, students have the opportunity to take their ideas to our high-profile national competition with young people pitching for funding and support to launch their ideas into the real world.

Want to bring Activate to your school? Find out more here.