2021 CofE Festival Guide

Dr Alina Dini Dr Alina Dini is captivated by renewable energy innovation and how it can build long term financial and climate resilience. Alina’s experiences delivering energy and sustainability programs include working alongside some of the world’s leading innovators – such as Tesla’s founders and Australia’s first Renewable Energy Commissioner. As Founder and CEO of Whirl, a peer-based digital marketplace re-imagining the shopping experience for energy technologies like electric cars, Alina brings a human element into technology topics and works with everyday people, businesses, and communities to help them harness energy innovations.

Dr Dean Chircop Dean Chircop is a writer and director known for his audience appealing stories. Dean has directed some of Queensland’s most successful short films including the Dendy Award nominated The Parlour starring Tiriel Mora (The Castle, Frontline) and Bloody Footy starring George Kapiniaris (Acropolis Now, Wogboy). Dean joined the Griffith Film School (GFS) in 2009 as a drama specialist and is the departmental Head of Directing and Program Director of the Bachelor of Film and Screen Media Production degree.

Sherrie Dunshea Sherrie is passionate about assisting clients and students to become more self-aware in relation to their strengths, skills and values when identifying personal and career goals. Her coaching style reflects a warm, friendly approach and utilises excellent listening skills and an extensive recruitment background to lead clients to success. As a Career Coach and Educator, Sherrie is able to utilise her vast HR and Business experience to manage projects at all levels of an organisation. Sherrie’s organisational change and process improvement background enables her to provide a diverse range of services to assist individuals in reaching their true potential.

James Fitzgerald James is a Somerset alumnus and the Managing Director of the JLF Group of Companies, a Gold Coast based property investment and development company, where he has bought, sold and developed more than 2,000 properties over the past decade. James is also author of Bulletproof Investing: Gaining Financial Control in Uncertain Times , a book aimed at helping Australians build confidence and control with their personal finances so that they never have to worry about money. He is also Chairman of Toogoolawa Schools Ltd, a not-for-profit school for disadvantaged youth.

Carly Fradgley Carly is the founder and CEO of Baby Give Back, a leading Queensland based charity that collects, cleans and safety-checks preloved and baby essentials, which are then recycled and rehomed to disadvantaged and vulnerable families across Queensland and Northern NSW. It operates in partnership with social service agencies to ensure items go directly to families in need. Carly is driven to change the trajectory for the 1 in 6 children in our community that live in poverty. Giving up her career as a Lawyer, Carly has dedicated countless hours to pursue social justice so that vulnerable families feel safe, connected, socially included and supported by their community.

Wayne Gerard Brisbane tech superstar, Wayne Gerard has been appointed as Queensland’s 4th Chief Entrepreneur. As the CEO and Co-Founder of global company RedEye, he is a key leader in Queensland’s innovation ecosystem and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the role. Wayne is passionate about cementing the value of having a competitive and sustainable innovation ecosystem in Queensland. In 2015, he was named Queensland Entrepreneur of the Year. He has also been a serving member on several boards, including StartUpAus and the Premier’s Business Advisory Council. He will work alongside a newly established Advisory Council for Innovation. Together they will focus on maximising the support available to help open doors to the expertise and networks our innovation community needs to succeed in the new economy.