Session 2C | Exposure, hygiene and leading-practice health monitoring
Stream C
| Monday, October 5, 2026 |
| 10:35 AM - 12:35 PM |
| Golden Ballroom - South |
Speaker
Dr Aglae Hernandez Grande
MARS Centre Researcher
Edith Cowan University
The better together platform: MARS workplace barometer
10:35 AM - 10:55 AMBiography
Aglae has a PhD candidate in Management from the University of Technology Sydney, where she has also taught courses in human resources management, management, employee wellbeing, performance management, economics and analytical units. She holds a Master of Business Administration and has worked as an Operations Manager in both Spain and Australia. Her research focuses on employee wellbeing and organisational resources, using advanced quantitative methodologies. Specifically, she is interested in how organisations can better support their employees' mental and physical health
Dr Fleur Sharafizad
MARS Centre Researcher
Edith Cowan University
The better together platform: MARS workplace barometer
10:35 AM - 10:55 AMBiography
Fleur Sharafizad is a Senior Lecturer at Edith Cowan University, Western Australia. Fleur’s research focuses on gender and careers, workplace wellbeing, and research methodology.
Miss Annett Koenig
Neuroscientist
Neurosciene in Action
Cognitive risk: The missing critical control in modern mining
10:55 AM - 11:15 AMBiography
Annett Koenig is a Clinical Neuroscientist, Non-Executive Director and MBA-qualified leader with over 25 years of international experience across Germany, Australia and the United States. Specialising in clinical neuroscience and epilepsy surgery, she brings a rare depth of insight into how the brain performs under pressure and why cognitive reliability is fundamental to safe, high-stakes decision-making.
Through her BRAIN Principle™ program, she translates cutting-edge neuroscience into practical strategies that strengthen human-dependent critical controls in high-risk industries. Her work challenges organisations to recognise that every critical control ultimately depends on the human brain, an invisible yet decisive asset that shapes performance long before outcomes become visible.
Jordan Jackson
Founder
Psychosocial Risk Strategies
Psychosocial safety developing a diverse workforce in the mining industry
11:15 AM - 11:35 AMBiography
Jordan Jackson is Co-Founder of Psychosocial Risk Strategies (PRS) and holds a Master of Suicidology. His research on stigma, help-seeking and help-offering among FIFO workers has contributed to suicide prevention knowledge. Jordan serves on the Suicide Prevention Australia NSW Committee and previously worked as a Psychosocial Inspector with the WA Department of Mines. He contributed to key initiatives including the DEMIRS Suicide Prevention Strategy 2024-2026 and the WA Mining Industry Suicide Prevention Competency Framework. Jordan has authored guidance on workplace suicide prevention, trauma-informed practice and psychosocial risk management, and has contributed to the development of various workplace Codes of Practice.
Mrs Narelle McMahon
Founder
Psychosocial Risk Strategies
Psychosocial safety developing a diverse workforce in the mining industry
11:15 AM - 11:35 AMBiography
Narelle is a safety leader who turns safety risk into measurable, sustainable improvements across mining, exploration, construction, government, and agriculture. With more than 30 years of experience—and eight years as a safety regulator—she has helmed high-profile investigations and prosecutions of workplace incidents, including fatalities, suicides, sexual assaults, and systemic WHS breaches.
Narelle designs and implements safety campaigns and leadership initiatives grounded in reliability-cantered practices, driving improvements in gendered violence, LGBTQ+ inclusion, suicide prevention, and anti-bullying across WA mine sites.
Her credentials include a bachelor's in occupational health and safety, a Diploma in Investigations, and a Diploma in Quality Auditing.
Her work has been recognised with the DMIRS Work Health and Safety Excellence Award for Excellence in Safety Leadership (for her role as a Regional Inspector at WorkSafe Mines Safety, with a special mention for outcomes from the WA Parliament Inquiry “Enough is Enough” into sexual harassment against women in FIFO mining) and the Western Australian Women in Leadership Award in 2025 for outstanding work at WorkSafe Mines Safety, especially in the area of psychosocial safety.
Narelle brings strategic risk management, stakeholder engagement, and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding workers and ensuring compliance.
Ms Kath Polglase
Principal Psychologist
Australian Psychological Services
The hidden hazard: Addressing incivility as a psychosocial risk
11:35 AM - 11:55 AMBiography
Kath is a registered psychologist and Principal Consultant at Australian Psychological Services. She holds a Master's degree in Counselling Psychology, along with postgraduate qualifications in Education and Investigative Services. With over 25 years of experience in organisational and clinical roles, Kath has developed a extensive expertise in psychosocial risk management, workplace well-being, leadership development, and conflict resolution.
Before joining Australian Psychological Services, Kath spent 13 years as an organisational consultant, successfully managing her own consulting practice. Her industry experience is extensive and varied, spanning both the public and private sectors. She has significant expertise across a range of fields, including mining and resources, construction, education and training, health services, community welfare, and employment services. Kath's approach is grounded in her ability to blend workplace mental health, safety, leadership, team development, and psychosocial risk management.
Kath is passionate about enhancing workplace wellbeing and fostering positive engagement within organisations. As a skilled facilitator and coach, she is renowned for her practical, no-nonsense approach that consistently drives meaningful and impactful outcomes.
Mr Mike Boyle
Consultant
Risk Mentor
Record or belief: what an officer's due diligence has to show, and who keeps it : A health scientist's view of safety assurance
11:55 AM - 12:15 PMBiography
Mike Boyle is CEO of Risk Mentor, which builds digital task workflows with the crews who use them, so safe, productive work and the evidence behind it happen in the same step. An occupational hygienist by training, he held site roles at Nabalco, group roles with CSR and Thiess, consulted to major miners, and was Executive General Manager Zero Harm at Downer EDI Mining before joining Risk Mentor in 2016. He holds a BSc, an MOHS, postgraduate qualifications in ethics and governance, ARM and CIH (retired). His paper, Record or belief, asks why safety assurance never learned to measure.
Session Chair
Q&A Session | 2C
11:55 AM - 12:15 PMBiography