Maureen Hassall is Professor and Director of the Minerals Industry Safety and Health Centre at The University of Queensland. She is passionate about helping industry achieve zero fatalities. Her industry-focused research, training and expert consultancy projects combines innovative and impactful risk management, human-centred design, and safety engineering approaches to improve the health, safety, and wellbeing outcomes of high risk work. Maureen’s academic work is motivated by 18 years working in a range of high hazard industries across a range of countries. She holds bachelor’s degrees in engineering and psychology, a Masters in business administration and a PhD in Cognitive Systems Engineering and is a registered professional and chartered engineer.

Kate Du Preez began her career in South Africa’s underground coal mines, holding statutory positions, and subsequently held a variety of roles, including government service as Commissioner of Resources Safety and Health in Queensland, and executive roles in mining companies, spanning ESG, risk management, corporate affairs, communications, and regulatory reform.

Sean is a forensic engineer who investigates engineering failures from a technical and organisational perspective. In 2020, he completed the Brady Review, an investigation into the causes of fatalities in the Queensland mining industry. The review was tabled in parliament and made 11 recommendations to the regulator and mining companies on how to improve safety. In 2024, he completed the technical and organisational investigation into the catastrophic failure of a turbine generator at Callide C Power Station in Queensland, Australia. He also speaks, writes and podcasts on the causes of technical and organisational failure.

Matt is a mining engineer with over 40 years' experience. He has a strong technical, operational and executive management background, having worked as an underground miner, mine planning engineer, supervisor, department head, general manager, COO, CEO and managing director, in Australia, Papua New Guinea, India, Ghana, Bolivia and the USA. He holds four First Class Metalliferous Mine Manager’s Certificates of Competency and has been instrumental in the successful development of five mines (Porgera, Beaconsfield, Ballarat, Morning Star and Endeavor). He is a three-time winner of the Australian Mine Manager of the Year Award and received the AusIMM Leadership Award in 2008. Matt was most recently a non-executive director for Polymetals, and then GM leading the re-opening of their Endeavor mine in NSW. Prior to that, he was the MD&CEO for White Rock Minerals and Castlemaine Goldfields, and has also been the Group Chief Operating Officer for Singapore-listed LionGold Corp, and has worked for Renison Goldfields, Placer Pacific, WMC and Rio Tinto. Matt runs his own mining advisory consultancy, and also sits on the Board of Akora Resources as a non-executive director, focused on advancing that company’s high-grade iron ore projects in Madagascar.

Dr Nikky LaBranche leads the Dust and Respiratory Health Program at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute, overseeing a $4M research portfolio focused on improving dust exposure assessment, control, and prevention of occupational lung disease. She is also Director of Professional Development at SMI, leading the development of industry-aligned training programs that translate research and operational experience into workforce capability. A mining engineer by background, Nikky integrates advanced particle characterisation, exposure science, and industry engagement to support practical, risk-based health management. She is a Board Director of the AusIMM and a former Chair of the AusIMM Health and Safety Society. Her work has informed dust management practices across multiple commodities and continents, and she is the recipient of the 2024 AusIMM Professional Excellence Award and the 2025 Queensland Resources Council Exceptional Woman in Technological Innovation Award.