Opening speaker, Marion Farrelly (Maz)

Maz has been to more showbiz parties than The Clooneys in Oscar season, and down more red carpets than a Dyson vacuum. Her contacts contain bigger names than the toilet queue at the Oscars, and if you can stick a name plate on it and hand it over to loud applause, she's won it - BAFTAs, Logies, ASTRAS, Royal Television Society Awards, UK Comedy Awards, and a Bronze Rose De Montreux. If you've watched it, Maz probably made it - here in Australia, L.A. and London - the biggest shows in the world, with the biggest teams, budgets, audiences and stars. Her content has been watched more than eight billion times and she once created so much social traffic, she broke Twitter. Maz now helps smart individuals and ambitious companies find their X Factor, because attention, impact and influence are everything.

Closing speaker, Natalie Cook

Five-time Olympian Natalie Cook has spent a lifetime harnessing and championing the transformative power of sport. A board director in the Olympic movement, sport strategist and influential business woman, she has made it her mission to unlock the potential of sport to change lives and better the world. Nat’s experiences and insights from the sand as an Olympian, all the way to the boardroom allow her to apply a unique sport lens to her professional pursuits, an invaluable asset for organisations and individuals as the Brisbane Games come into focus. A Director of Brisbane 2032 and a World Olympians Association Board member, Natalie’s a firm believer in the Games’ capacity to leave lasting legacies for individuals, businesses and society, and works with private enterprise and government to unlock the potential of this once-in-a-generation event. She is a highly sought speaker and influential business woman, her trademark authenticity and ease, coupled with her personal and professional success, differentiates her as a powerful storyteller and communicator. Throughout her work, Nat remains a tireless athlete advocate. She recently founded Green & Gold Athletes Australia Ltd as a legacy of her life’s work and is now leading a unique cheer squad to nurture, uplift and equip Australia’s next generation of athletes as they navigate the pathway from emerging to elite.

Abbie White

Quick & authentic ways to grow your practice

Want to boost your business growth without being ‘salesy’? This practical and realistic session with Abbie White will address your business’s low-hanging fruit. You’ll learn the quickest, most authentic and highly practical strategies to grow your business, confidently following the Sales Redefined approach. Expect to leave with simple actions and tried-and-tested-methods you can implement immediately to drive instant momentum.

Abbie is one of Australia’s most dynamic sales experts. Her superpower is being the ‘marriage counsellor’ for sales and marketing in order to deliver an astronomical ROI. She’s achieved in excess of 2000%+ ROI on lead generation campaigns. With over 15 years’ experience in sales and sales management, Abbie’s proven track record includes assisting in the delivery of over $500M in sales. 

Jordan Millar

AI & dietetics: Step into the world of tomorrow

Prepare to embark on an exploration of the dynamic intersection between AI and the future of dietetics. Discover how AI can revolutionise dietetic practices by offering personalised client care, optimise operational efficiency and provide data-driven insights. In this presentation, Jordan will cover AI's role in dietetics from enhancing client engagement to streamlining administrative tasks. He will also discuss ethical considerations, and provide a sneak peek into the future of AI trends in the dietetic industry. Join us as we delve into the exciting realm where cutting-edge technology meets nutrition, promising to reshape the way you approach client care.

Jordan is the driving force behind ChekRite, a company that transforms the way businesses capture data through inspections. With degrees in Artificial Intelligence and Software Engineering, Jordan doesn't just apply technology, he understands its core. With a knack for bridging the gap between business and technology, Jordan is adept at translating complex tech concepts into tangible business solutions. Jordan's tech journey has been marked by significant roles in global institutions in Japan, the UK and France.

Rachel Hawkins

Harnessing the power of Instagram marketing to build your brand

Digital real estate is paramount for healthcare businesses. It’s no longer a question of if you should invest in digital marketing, but how. This presentation will empower you to build your brand and propel your business to new heights using Instagram. Rachel will look at how you can humanise your content to build trust and drive engagement while maintaining professional boundaries. She’ll also shed light on the dynamic interplay between brand, social media and business growth. You’ll walk away with practical strategies to help you show up authentically online and build a unique brand presence so you can thrive amid the ever-changing social media landscape.

Rachel is a Brand Builder, Digital Marketing Strategist and Cocktail Enthusiast who believes that the best brands have their own unique twist. As an expert for health professionals, Rachel mixes a unique cocktail of strategy, brand and marketing to help her clients build unique brands and market these online with ease to confidently build profitable and sustainable businesses they love,in their own way. Rachel has helped 300+ health professionals through her digital courses and services to grow their online audience, generate more sales and make more money in their businesses through the power of brand and online marketing.

Susie Burrell and Leanne Ward

Behind The Nutrition Couch podcast

Susie Burrell and Leanne Ward are two of Australia’s top nutrition experts. In recent years, they have joined forces to create The Nutrition Couch bi-weekly podcast – the number one nutrition podcast in the country, sharing nutrition news and trending products with their audience, as well as answering listeners nutrition questions. In this session, Susie and Leanne will share the highs, lows and learnings from their incredible The Nutrition Couch journey.

With nearly 5 million downloads (and growing!), The Nutrition Couch is Australia’s top nutrition podcast hosted by Susie and Leanne. Combined, they have over 30 years of experience seeing thousands of clients and are regarded as two of Australia’s top nutrition experts. Together they have leveraged their successful brand to create webinars, eBooks, sold-out live events and a growing range of supplements under their new company, Designed by Dietitians. Separately, they have developed prominent public profiles, both on social and mainstream media, and continue to assist clients in their own coaching businesses and through the regular podcast episodes each week.

Laureate Professor Clare Collins

Understanding personalised nutrition: A guide for dietitians

Rapid developments in genomics and metabolomics mean tailoring individual dietary advice to personalised genetic risk is on the horizon. Laureate Professor Clare Collins reveals why understanding variations in digestion and metabolism is central to precision nutrition. In a world where food choices continually evolve due to factors like age, health, and even advertising, Clare uncovers the dynamic nature of our dietary landscape. While assessing dietary intake remains important, future integration of metabolomic biomarkers will facilitate personalised nutrition recommendations. Clare explains how the fusion of this data with eHealth tools, including telehealth, empowers dietitians to optimise health like never before. 

Clare was awarded the NHMRC Elizabeth Blackburn prize in 2022 as the highest ranked female Investigator Grant applicant in Clinical Medicine and Science. Her current research focuses on precision and personalised nutrition for chronic disease and across life stages. In 2023, Professor Collins was made a Life Member of Dietitians Australia and is a Fellow of four prestigious societies, including the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences, Nutrition Society of Australia, the Royal Society of NSW and Dietitians Australia.

Joanna Baker

Transforming IBS care with gut-directed hypnotherapy

Dive deep into the gut-brain axis and revolutionise your approach to tricky Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) cases. Joanna will explore the pathophysiology of pain pathways and the evidence supporting the efficacy of gut-directed hypnotherapy, while sharing practical insights on integrating hypnotherapy into your practice. If you are just starting out or looking to enhance your current care, this presentation will  elevate your expertise, broaden your toolkit and help you make a significant difference in the lives of your IBS patients.

Joanna is an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Registered Nurse who is passionate about digestive health, nutrition and wellness. Her extensive experience with IBS has taught her that IBS is never just about food. People who get the best results include strategies that also target the gut-brain axis. She is on the Adverse Food Reactions committee with Dietitians Australia and sits on the advisory board for the Master of Dietetics course at Deakin University. Joanna regularly writes for several leading publications and loves to guide her patients to resolve digestive issues and rebuild a positive relationship with food.

Lauren Gladman

Beyond fussy eating: Managing ARFID in paediatrics

ARFID is a relatively new diagnosis characterised by rigid, repetitive and restricted eating. Children with AFRID are severely restricted in a way that causes poor growth and nutrient deficiencies, sometimes requiring ONS or enteral feeding. Notoriously challenging for dietitians to manage, families of children with AFRID need a clear plan to prevent significant negative health impacts. Through exploring real-life case studies, this presentation will provide a practical structure for approaching ARFID and prioritising the changes that will give the most impact. 

Lauren has worked her dream job as a paediatric dietitian for 19 years. Her diverse experience includes tertiary hospitals in Australia & the UK while concurrently running her own private practice for 14 years. She held a Paediatric Dietitian position at Sydney Children's Hospital and then St George Hospital for 13 years, before moving solely to private practice in 2020. Lauren specialises in food allergy management, tube feeding and paediatric feeding disorders particularly in disability and autistic clients. Lauren is passionate about empowering families to use nutrition to benefit their health by providing practical information translated from research.  

Michelle Theodosi 

To weigh or not to weigh? Exploring the use of scales in eating disorder recovery

The relationship between the scales and recovery is complex, and there are many potential benefits and pitfalls. Michelle will dissect the arguments for and against scale use with a curious and critical lens, considering their impact on mental and physical wellbeing. Michelle will also cover evidence-based strategies for employing scales in a supportive and therapeutic manner. This presentation aims to spark insightful discussions and provide you with a balanced perspective to make informed decisions. You will leave better equipped to sensitively and effectively support your clients on their journey to recovery.

Michelle is an experienced Accredited Practising Dietitian, Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician and Founding Director of The Lifestyle Dietitian, a Sydney-based private practice spanning 14 clinic locations. As one of only a handful of dietitians in Australia with qualifications in both Dietetics and Psychology, Michelle is passionate about supporting individuals with a poor relationship with food and body, to change their mindset and live happier, healthier lives. 

Amanda Clark

An experimental approach to weight management

How can we empower our clients seeking weight management assistance? Join Amanda Clark at Dietitians Unite to find out. Through investigating real-life case studies, Amanda will explain the benefits of helping our clients think of themselves as a ‘life-long self-experiment’, and why it’s important they avoid perfectionism along the way.

Amanda Clark is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian and Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician with over three decades helping people manage their weight and relationship with food. Her work has attracted two national awards for innovation and excellence. She is the author and creator of Portion Perfection – a visually intuitive and practical eating system.

Dr Janeane Dart

Embracing debate & diversity of practice

Join us for an exploration of the complex world of professionalism in dietetics. In this engaging session, Janeane will challenge traditional dichotomies and encourage lively debate and discussion about the varied interpretations of professionalism within different contexts and cultures. Discover how embracing this diversity can reshape our practices, and why the spectrum of approaches in dietetics isn’t black and white. It’s time to celebrate the many perspectives and tools in our toolbox while acknowledging that differing viewpoints and debates can fuel innovation and progress.

Dr Janeane Dart is an Advanced APD with over 30 years’ experience. In 2022, she was awarded a National Award of Merit by Dietitian’s Australia in recognition for her pioneering research and education initiatives to strengthen professionalism within the dietetic profession. Janeane is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food at Monash University, Melbourne. Her teaching excellence has been recognised with several University Awards and she is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She currently holds an Education Fellowship exploring ‘engaging students as partners in health professions education’. Janeane is also a nationally and internationally recognised researcher in dietetic education.

Tara MacGregor

The power of conversation: Transforming health through Motivational Interviewing

Eating is a behaviour that can be challenging for people to change for many reasons. Rarely do humans stick to change on the basis of being prescribed a solution or persuaded by good science. This is a dilemma for dietitians and where Motivational Interviewing (MI) can be a game changer. MI is a powerful conversational style with a strong evidence base across healthcare disciplines that can spark engaging conversations with your clients experiencing weight concern. Join us to explore how MI can help your clients discover their version of sustainable wellbeing that aligns with their capacities, values and priorities.

Tara MacGregor is a health professional with over 25 years’ experience in public, community and private health settings. She is a professional Counsellor and Psychotherapist, Clinical Member of PACFA (Psychotherapist & Counsellors Federation of Australia), Member of MINT (Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers), PACFA Accredited Supervisor and an Accredited Practising Dietitian committed to the Health at Every Size® approach. In 2021, Tara founded Dietitian Supervision Resources Australia www.dsra.com.au to lead the development of a culture of supervision in Australian Dietetics. Working with a special interest in mental health for many years, her business now exclusively provides skills training and professional supervision for health professionals.

Dr Terri-Lynne South

An update on anti-obesity medications from a dietitian-turned-GP

Weight loss medications have been around since the 1950s, but there has been an explosion of medication options recently, with more on the horizon. In this presentation, Dr Terri-Lynne South will provide an overview of the current anti-obesity medications in Australia, exploring how they work, how they are being used and how effective they are. She will also discuss the concerns, potential side effects and ways dietitians can support patients seeking or taking anti-obesity medication.

Dr. Terri-Lynne South is both a Medical Doctor (GP) and Accredited Practising Dietitian, and is the Director of a specialised health service, Lifestyle Metabolic. With more than 25 years’ experience as a healthcare professional, Terri-Lynne is passionate about holistic metabolic healthcare that achieves positive outcomes anchored in evidence, innovation and experience. Terri-Lynne is dedicated to breaking down the stigma, bias and shame associated with the label “obesity” and ultimately strives to help patients living in a larger body. Terri-Lynne promotes the science behind the concept of pathological excess body fat as both a health risk and a chronic medical condition.

Dr Joanna McMillan

Dr Joanna McMillan is a PhD qualified nutrition scientist, Accredited Practising Dietitian, an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at La Trobe University and guest lecturer at The University of Sydney. She is a Fellow of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine and Graduate of The Australian Institute of Company Directors. An experienced TV presenter, Jo is a regular on radio and in print media, an experienced speaker with more than 1 million views of her TEDx talk, the author of eight books and four Audible Original series. She is also a non-executive board member of Cobram Estate Olives.