WPFG2027 First Responders Conference
Be Inspired. Be Informed. Engage with a Global Network.
A 2.5 day conference specifically tailored for First Responders and Emergency Services personnel. Join industry leaders and global innovators for insights, connection and strategies for success!
FAQs
- I am an accredited athlete competing in the Games. Do I need to purchase a ticket?
The full conference ticket is included in all accredited athlete's registration fees, but registering your intent to attend is required. Upon registering as a competitor for the Games, you will be sent an email with information on how to register and secure your place at the conference. Please ensure you complete the necessary forms to ensure your place is secured.
- I am a not a First Responder/ don't work for an associated agency. Can I still register to attend?
This is a conference specifically for first responders & associated agency staff (sworn and unsworn/ frontline and agency staff) only.
Media and members of the general public are not eligible to attend.
However, if you have a unique reason to attend and would like to request access please email convention@wpfg.info and consideration will be given.
- I am a First Responder but am not competing in the Games. Can I still attend?
Yes! The Conference has been specifically designed to deliver valuable outcomes and opportunities for all First Responders, whether or not they are competing in the Games. You'll need your Agency ID to register.
- I am looking to book numerous tickets for my agency. Can I be invoiced?
Yes! For agency group bookings of 10 or more (or if you don't know the attendees/ haven't yet allocated who will attend but want to secure the places) email convention@wpfg.info and we can secure your seats and send an invoice for payment.
- I only want to go for a few sessions.. Can share my ticket?
Split ticketing is not permitted. Attendees will be required to scan tickets at entry and each ticket only covers one entry per day. We have priced the tickets at a very accessible level and ask that you do not share your tickets.
Lineup
Andy Rhodes OBE QPM
Andy Rhodes OBE QPM served 30 years as a police officer and is the former Chief Constable of Lancashire Police a force of over 6000 staff. Up until retirement in 2021 he was chair of CPOSA the Chief Police Officers Staff Association, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the North West Police Benevolent Fund and National Police Chiefs Council lead for wellbeing and organisational development. In 2015 he established the first National Police Well Being Service - Oscar Kilo which he continues to support part time as Service Director. He was awarded the Queens Police Medal in 2017 and an OBE in the 2022 birthday honours for services to emergency service workers mental health. Andy has in depth experience, and lifelong commitment to, staff engagement and is a recognised expert in the field of survey methodology, delivery and insights. Andy’s keynote will draw on over 30 years of frontline policing experience and his work as founder of Oscar Kilo, the UK’s national police wellbeing service, to explore the critical role of mental resilience, purpose, and peer support in high-stress and high fatigue public service environments. Framed around the spirit and legacy of the World Police & Fire Games, the presentation will connect the values of camaraderie, recovery, and excellence in sport with the realities of operational service life—highlighting how individuals and organisations can sustain performance under pressure while protecting wellbeing. Andy will offer practical insights, real-world stories, and evidence-based approaches that resonate across policing, fire, and emergency services globally, setting the tone for deeper engagement through the panel discussion and an interactive workshop focused on building resilient teams, leadership behaviours, and cultures that enable people to thrive. In particular Andy will share insights from deploying wearable technology to over 2000 frontline officers, a ground breaking project which has helped him rethink the relationship between the individual ,the organisation and technology presenting an exciting opportunity to transform how we approach health prevention Andy will share insights on Oscar Kilo’s journey from grassroots wellbeing advocacy to a national capability delivering nationally mandated standards in UK policing, and looks ahead to what comes next. Andy will examine how emerging technology is tackling burnout at both the individual and organisational level. Not by adding surveillance, but by building recovery systems designed around privacy, personalisation and prevention - keeping the human at the centre of every intervention.
Peter Baines OAM
Peter Baines OAM is one of Australia's most respected leadership experts — not through theory, but through lived experience at the sharp end of some of the world's most challenging environments. Over a 22-year career with the NSW Police, Peter led teams in response to acts of terrorism and natural disaster on a global scale. He was part of the leadership response to the 2002 Bali bombings and went on to lead international teams following the Boxing Day Tsunami of 2004, heading multiple rotations into Thailand to identify those who lost their lives. His final years in the Police were spent on secondment to the National Institute of Forensic Science, working on counter-terrorism and leadership capacity building — advising bodies including Interpol and the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime. He has also been engaged by the Government of Saudi Arabia on crisis mitigation and deployed to Japan following the 2011 tsunami. It was the scale of human loss in Thailand that moved Peter to act. In late 2005, he founded Hands Across the Water — a charity dedicated to the children left without parents by the disaster. Today, Hands has raised over $40 million, supporting several hundred children every night across multiple locations in Thailand, and continues to create meaningful shared experiences that connect supporters deeply to its work. Peter holds qualifications in Law, Forensic Science, and postgraduate Management, and is the author of four books — Hands Across the Water, Doing Good by Doing Good, Leadership Matters, and his most recent release, Together We Can (2025). His accolades include an Order of Australia Medal for International Humanitarian work, the Fifth Class of the Most Admirable Order of the Direkgunabhorn awarded by the King of Thailand, a Rotary Professional Excellence Award — the first Australian to receive this international honour — and multiple police service medals. He was a NSW finalist for Australian of the Year in 2010 and in 2025 was recognised as one of the top five most influential Australians working in Thailand. When he's not on a stage or in the field, Peter can be found with his wife Claire on their rural property, running ultra marathons, or flying helicopters. In 2024, to mark the 20th anniversary of the Boxing Day Tsunami, he ran 1,400 kilometres through Thailand in just 26 days — the equivalent of 33 marathons — in the heat and humidity of a country that has shaped so much of who he is.
Professor Fiona Wood AO
Professor Fiona Wood AO is an internationally recognised burns surgeon, researcher, and innovator with more than three decades of experience. She is Director of the Burns Service of Western Australia, Consultant Plastic Surgeon at Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, Winthrop Professor in the School of Surgery at The University of Western Australia, and co-founder and director of the Fiona Wood Foundation. Fiona is best known for co-inventing the ground breaking "spray-on skin" cell technology (ReCell), which has transformed the treatment and recovery of burn patients worldwide. She came to prominence leading the medical response to the 2002 Bali bombings, saving many lives and advancing the future of trauma care. Her contributions have been recognised with numerous honours, including Australian of the Year (2005), the Australian Society for Medical Research Medal (2022), induction into the WA Science Hall of Fame (2024), and an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2024.
Dr Adam Fraser
Dr Adam Fraser is a human performance researcher and consultant who studies how organisations adopt a high performance culture to thrive in this challenging and evolving business landscape. Adam has a true passion for the research behind his work and has long held partnerships with various Universities throughout Asia Pacific. In fact, he is thought to be the only keynote speaker in the world to have had the impact of his keynote presentation measured in a University study (It improved the behaviour of attendees by 41%). He has worked with elite level athletes, the armed forces and business professionals of all levels. In the last 10 years he has delivered more than 1500 presentations to over half a million people in Australia, New Zealand and worldwide. He has worked in many industries with clients including CBA, Westpac, Optus, Telstra, IBM, PwC, Ernst & Young, Asteron, AON, Local Government Managers Association, Merck Sharpe & Dohme, Queensland Law Society and the Department of Education. In addition to this Dr Adam is the author of four best-selling books, including his latest book released in 2020 ‘Strive’ and the acclaimed ‘The Third Space’. His topics include the psychology of performance, improvement of productivity, transformational leadership, engagement of teams, work life balance and development of high performing cultures. He is regularly featured in the media, having appeared in the AFR, SMH, The Age, CEO magazine, BRW, Fast Thinking, Readers Digest, Human Capitol Magazine and Management Today. He has held regular radio spots on ABC Radio Nationally and his own slot on Sky Business. He is also regularly on Channel 7's Sunrise & The Morning Show, Channel 9's Today and Today Extra and Close Up in Auckland. He is married to a woman who is far brighter than he is, two daughters who have him completely wrapped around their finger and a dog Tilly who routinely outwits him.
Dr Marny Lishman; Burnout to Brilliant
Dr Marny Lishman is an Author, Speaker, Doctor of Psychology, Mindset Coach and Media Commentator. As a former psychologist of 15+ years, she has worked across a wide range of roles over the past two decades, including private practice, designing and implementing government health-prevention programs, and training professionals in cutting-edge, evidence-based approaches across Australia. She has also taught at several Australian universities as a sessional academic, delivering psychology units to emerging practitioners. A nurturer at heart, Marny draws on her deep understanding of the human condition to create powerful learning and development experiences. Her mission is to equip people with the psychological skills they need to build capability, adaptability and flexibility so they can thrive in today’s fast-moving, uncertain world. Marny is also the author of four books; “Burnout to Brilliant”, “A Beautiful Mess”, “Crisis to Contentment” and the newly released “Only You: The Unexpected Gift of Being Alone.” Marny will present at the WPFG2027 First Responders Conference sharing her expertise, insights and advice for First Responders and agency staff.
Jonathan Pain
Jonathan Pain has 42 years of international investment experience having led investment teams in London, Bahrain and Australia. Jonathan holds a joint honours degree in Economics and Politics from Keele University and a master’s degree in finance from Exeter University. He is the author and publisher of a widely read investment newsletter, TheWeekly Pain Report and is a regular guest on CNBC TV. In one of his most contrarian calls he predicted Donald Trump would win the 2016 US election. He then predicted Biden would win in 2020, and that Trump would win a clean sweep in 2024. On Monday 24 February 2020, in a CNBC TV interview, he warned of an imminent 20-25% crash in global equity markets saying the financial markets were far too complacent about the COVID outbreak. He was wrong they fell 35%. Through 2021 he warned that central banks had kept interest rates too low for too long and had lost control of inflation. In November 2021 he issued a stark warning that interest rates would have to rise sharply. Just prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, he said the world was seeing the emergence of ‘An Axis of Autocracy’, comprised of Russia, China, Iran and North Korea. This, Jonathan believes, signifies a tectonic shift in the geopolitical landscape. Jonathan lived in Bahrain for 9 years, first moving there in 1986, and has had a 40-year passion and fascination for the Middle East. He is regularly asked to share his knowledge of the region, and what it means for energy markets and the global economy. Jonathan sees the world as a giant jigsaw puzzle, with new pieces arriving every day. Each piece contains a clue and a hint of what the future might look like. Having been born in South Africa and lived in Lesotho, Swaziland, England and Bahrain, Jonathan now calls Australia home. Jonathan's keynote at the WPFG2027 First Responders' Conference will offer insights on global events, and the current and future economic and geopolitical environment that affects our daily lives.
Dr Tara J Lal AFSM; After the Siren – What Happens When the Uniform Comes Off?
Dr Tara Lal is a lived experience researcher, internationally published author, former firefighter and registered physiotherapist who bridges the worlds of frontline emergency services and academic research. She is the Emergency Services Lead at Black Dog Institute and an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of New England, specialising in translating evidence into culturally responsive mental health solutions for first responders. Tara's passion for this work stems from the twenty years she spent as an operational firefighter and peer support officer with Fire and Rescue NSW, where she witnessed first-hand the impact of frontline work on her colleagues. In 2022 she was awarded the Australian Fire Service Medal for her contribution to mental health and suicide prevention in the fire service, and in 2024 completed her PhD, receiving the Chancellor's Medal for her doctoral thesis on the impact of suicide on firefighters. She is the author of Standing on My Brother's Shoulders – Making Peace with Grief and Suicide, which traces her own journey from childhood trauma to a life of meaning and purpose, and includes a guide to post-traumatic growth. Her work sits at the intersection of suicide, trauma, growth and transformation. She is also a proud mum to Nelson, a black Labrador. Keynote Outline: After the Siren – What Happens When the Uniform Comes Off? This keynote integrates research, lived experience and practice to explore what it means to transition out of a career as an emergency service worker (ESW), how it impacts us, and what we can do to better support people through this process. Drawing directly on her doctoral research, Tara explains the experience of transition through five core pillars of psycho-social health that are eroded in trauma-impacted populations: our sense of safety and security, our bonds and networks, our sense of justice, our identity, and our sense of existential meaning and purpose. Tara will also present work currently underway at the Black Dog Institute to develop a co-designed, peer-led transition support program — helping ESWs make sense of their experience through this framework, and build the skills to rebuild safety, relationships, justice, identity and purpose. This presentation is relevant to any ESW, current or former, and will empower attendees to better understand their own experience and prepare for their own transition out of service, whenever that may be. Attendees will leave able to: • Understand the psycho-social impact of transition through the five-pillar framework • Recognise their own experience of transition, whenever it occurs • Identify practical strategies to rebuild safety, connection, identity and purpose
Simone Lord; What We Carry – The Family Behind the Frontline
What We Carry – The Family Behind the Frontline Behind every first responder is a family adapting to a life that rarely runs to plan. Drawing on more than fifteen years as the partner of a police officer and the lived experience behind her book What We Carry, Simone explores the often-unseen impact of frontline service on partners and families: changing rosters, missed milestones, emotional load, identity, connection and the constant need to adapt. Through honest storytelling and her practical Compass Framework, Simone brings the family voice into the wellbeing conversation and explores how we can better support not only those who serve, but the people who carry alongside them.
Daniel Murray
After making waves in corporate strategy and management consulting with some of Australia’s biggest financial services organisations, Daniel Murray now helps businesses, leaders and audiences unlock higher performance through the power of people, culture and empathy. Combining a background in mathematics, strategy and behavioural economics with deep research into emotions, neuroscience and human behaviour, Daniel is one of Australia’s leading voices on Strategic Empathy. As the author of The Empathy Gap and CEO of Empathic Consulting, Daniel has worked with leadership teams and spoken at major conferences and events across the APAC region. Whether delivering a keynote, facilitating a leadership experience or hosting an event as MC, Daniel brings energy, humour, insight and warmth to the stage. Known for his ability to make complex human dynamics practical and engaging, Daniel helps audiences think differently, connect more deeply and leave ready to lift performance through greater trust, curiosity and understanding.
Professor Alain Brunet
Doctor of Psychology, specialising in mental health, Alain Brunet is globally recognised for his research on the treatment of victims who have developed emotional trauma. Alain Brunet, PhD, currently leads the National PTSD Research Center (Thompson Institute, at the University of the Sunshine Coast, in Australia). He works to enhance our understanding of the neurobiology of PTSD and to advance the treatment of trauma- and stressor-related mental disorders. The Thompson Institute integrates a research facility, clinical services, and world-renowned training facilities all under one roof, enabling the rapid translation of advances in mental health research and PTSD treatment into practice. Previously, he directed the Mental Health and Society research program at the Douglas Institute (Montreal) and was full Professor at the Psychiatry Department at McGill University (Canada). Dr. Brunet has demonstrated through numerous clinical trials in humans that the emotional strength of a traumatic memory can be reduced in individuals who have developed PTSD. He developed Reconsolidation Therapy™, which can relieve patients of their trauma symptoms in 6 weeks, in 70% of cases.
Professor Sophia Nimphius, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sport)
Professor Sophia Nimphius is Professor of Human Performance at Edith Cowan University. Her research focuses on human performance, injury risk and resilience, and equity in sport and health systems. She is internationally recognised for her collaborative and industry-driven research , in addition to the funded project through NHMRC and WA Police Force, her funded collaborations include Australian Institute of Sport, FIFA, Surfing Australia, FIFPRO and many others. Her work in enhancing evidence quality and equity in human performance has been recognised and awarded nationally and internationally. She impacts policy and practice nationally and internationally through roles such as member of the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council and Scientific Panel Member for European Football Clubs, which represents over 800 European football clubs . She enjoys leveraging insights from various high-performing environments, making connections previously overlooked.
Dr Rob Orr
Doctor Rob Orr is Professor within the Doctor of Physiotherapy program at Bond University and Founder, and now Director of, the university’s Tactical Research Unit (TRU). Drawing on 23 years of service in the Australian Army, where he served as an infantry soldier, Physical Training Instructor, physiotherapist, and Human Performance Officer, his work focuses on enhancing the health, performance, and resilience of military personnel, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders. In tactical populations alone, Professor Orr has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications and over 70 technical reports, and current supervises 17 higher degree research candidates. Collaborating internationally with defence, law enforcement, and emergency services organisations, his research interests include tactical load carriage, physical conditioning, rehabilitation, injury prevention, occupational performance, and physical employment standards. He has served in editorial and leadership roles across several national and international organisations, including as Editor of the National Strength and Conditioning Association Tactical Strength and Conditioning Technical Report, and on numerous scientific, professional, and conference committees. His contributions have been recognised through awards for research impact, publications, presentations, and teaching excellence. A frequent keynote speaker at international conferences, Professor Orr is ranked among the world's top 2% of cited researchers, #6 for law enforcement research, and is recognised as a leading international researcher in tactical and law enforcement performance.
Steve Dobson JP, MBA, B.Bus(FP), AdvDipFS(FP), FChFP, AFP®, GAICD, SSATM Director & Financial Planne
The Value of Financial Advice for Emergency Services Personnel: Protecting Those Who Protect Us Emergency services personnel dedicate their careers to protecting their communities, often operating in high-pressure environments where long shifts, traumatic incidents, workplace risks, and family commitments can make financial planning a lower priority. Yet the financial decisions made throughout a career can have a profound impact on personal wellbeing, family security, and retirement outcomes. In this engaging and practical session, Steve Dobson draws on more than two decades of experience as a financial planner, together with his service as a Police Officer and Volunteer Firefighter, to explore how professional financial advice can support emergency services workers through every stage of their careers. The presentation examines the financial issues commonly faced by police officers, firefighters, paramedics, corrections officers, and other first responders, including superannuation, insurance, debt management, investment strategies, retirement planning, estate planning, and navigating major life transitions. Participants will gain insights into the value of having a financial roadmap that evolves alongside changing career, family, and lifestyle circumstances. Steve will share practical examples and lessons learned from working with hundreds of emergency services personnel, highlighting how quality financial advice can help reduce stress, improve decision-making, and create greater confidence about the future. Whether participants are commencing their careers, balancing family and financial commitments, planning for retirement, or considering life after operational service, this session will provide valuable strategies to help build financial resilience and long-term security. Steve Dobson is an experienced financial planner, company director, and emergency services volunteer whose career spans financial services and emergency management. As Director of Mal Dobson & Associates Financial Planning, Steve has spent more than 25 years helping individuals, families, business owners, and government employees achieve financial security through strategic advice and long-term planning. Steve holds an MBA from Murdoch University and a Bachelor of Business (Financial Planning) He is a Fellow Chartered Financial Practitioner member of the Financial Advice Association Australia, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Specialist SMSF Adviser, and a Justice of the Peace. Steve served as a Western Australia Police Officer in both uniform, covert operations and detective roles, providing him with first-hand insight into the personal, professional, and financial challenges faced by emergency services personnel. Steve is also a life member of the Jandakot Volunteer Bushfire Brigade. Steve is an experienced non-executive director who currently serves as a Senate Member of Murdoch University and an Advisory Board Member for the World Police & Fire Games Perth 2027. His previous appointments include the Tax Practitioners Board, Chair of the Small Business Development Corporation of Western Australia and Board Member of the Gaming and Wagering Commission of Western Australia. Combining the perspectives of a financial planner, former police officer, volunteer firefighter, and company director, Steve brings a unique and practical understanding of the financial opportunities and challenges encountered by first responders throughout their careers. His passion is helping emergency services workers and their families build financial confidence, make informed decisions, and achieve long-term financial wellbeing.
Dom Hilbrink; Moral Injury: The Invisible Wounds of Frontline Work
Dom Hilbrink is a clinical social worker with over 25 years' experience as a specialist in occupational trauma and moral injury. He is a senior clinician at St John of God Richmond Hospital where he led the Trauma Recovery Program for first responders, veterans and other frontline groups for many years. Dom also served as a senior clinician with Fortem Australia, informing innovative wellbeing programs and contributing to the establishment of a nationwide clinical service supporting both first responders and their families. Dom collaborates in trauma research, provides clinical supervision to multidisciplinary teams, and has presented to frontline personnel, agency staff and clinicians on a range of topics. In 2022, Dom established the Moral Injury Project, an initiative to bridge the gap between clinical research and lived experience. He is the author of Our Invisible Wounds: Understanding and Repairing Moral Injury, the first book for a general audience to explore a wide range of moral injury experience, due for release in December 2026. Moral Injury: The Invisible Wounds of Frontline Work Emergency response and law enforcement can expose people not only to physical danger and traumatic events, but to experiences that violate deeply held values or fracture trust in others. Yet until recently, the moral hazards of frontline work were largely absent from our understanding of workplace stress and psychological injury. Moral injury is the enduring psychological and social impact of experiences that leave us struggling with our sense of self, trust, and meaning. In the high-stakes environments that first responders operate, moral stressors sit alongside physical danger, with the potential to create deeply troubling experiences of betrayal, horror, injustice, anger, guilt, and shame. A growing body of research shows that moral injury is associated with more severe PTSD, greater functional impacts, and increased suicide risk. Growing recognition of moral injury has created an urgent demand for explanations that are clear, accessible, and relatable. Drawing on 25 years of clinical experience in trauma recovery, this presentation provides a framework to help frontline workers, PSOs, chaplains, wellbeing staff and leaders to identify, understand and respond to moral injury in frontline work. It explores how moral conflicts arise, how moral injury differs from threat-based PTSD, and what helps people and organisations move towards repair and mitigation. It also highlights a broader challenge: moral injury is not just an individual psychological issue, but a collective one requiring recognition and action at the organisational and policy levels. Attendees will leave with: • A practical framework for recognising, understanding and responding to moral challenges, moral distress and moral injury. • An understanding of what moral injury looks and feels like. • An understanding of how moral injury differs from threat-based PTSD and where the two intersect. • Practical language, decision points and take-home resources to help tailor interventions to the specific and very personal nature of moral injury. • A foundation for mitigating moral injury and supporting moral repair at team and organisational levels.
A/Prof Myles Murphy, PhD FASMF MACP
A/Prof Myles Murphy is the Director of the Centre for Injury Prevention and Pain at the University of Notre Dame Australia. His research focusses on preventing musculoskeletal injury and improving health for physically active populations – with a focus on athletic and tactical populations. He co-creates injury prevention and management interventions that are not only effective, but also successfully implemented into practice. His research is funded by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council as well as industry partners (e.g., WA Police Force). He has >100 published papers, has received prestigious awards (e.g., finalist in the 2026 Premier’s Science Awards) and is on the editorial board for the worlds highest ranked sport and exercise medicine and science journal. Myles' presentation at the WPFG2027 Conference will be focused on "Co-creating a successful injury prevention and management intervention for recruit training: The who, what, when, how and why!"
Dr Grant Lynch; From physiology to policy: managing heat stress risk in emergency services
Dr Grant Lynch is the Commercialisation and Partnerships Portfolio Lead in the Heat and Health Research Centre at The University of Sydney. His background is in applied thermal physiology, and his work focuses on translating heat-health research and innovation into workplace heat-stress policy, risk assessment frameworks and environmental monitoring. Grant works with employers, event organisers and sporting bodies whose people work or compete in the heat, and leads the Centre's commercial venture EMU Systems, which provides real-time, site-specific heat-risk monitoring to support operational decisions on the ground. Dr Lynch joins the WPFG2027 First Responders Conference line-up and will provide a keynote on the following: From physiology to policy: managing heat stress risk in emergency services Police, fire and emergency services personnel work — and at the Games, compete — in conditions that push the body's ability to shed heat. This session gives emergency service leaders and safety practitioners a practical, evidence-based foundation for managing that risk. It covers the fundamentals of how the body gains and loses heat and why the same conditions can be safe for one group and dangerous for another. It then looks at how to build a heat management system around workload, clothing and on-site conditions rather than a single temperature threshold, and how real-time monitoring can sharpen decision-making and support defensible decisions.
Professor Sanjit K Roy; When AI Joins the Team: Human–AI Collaboration for Better Services
Professor Sanjit K. Roy is Professor of Marketing and Service Science and Vice Chancellor's Professorial Research Fellow at Edith Cowan University, Australia. An internationally recognised expert in customer experience management, digital transformation, and AI-enabled services, he helps organisations navigate complex change and improve service delivery in rapidly evolving environments. With more than 15 years of experience across Australia, Europe, Asia, and North America, Professor Roy has published over 100 research articles in leading international journals and has received more than 11,000 citations for his work. His research explores how technology, innovation, and human-centred service design can enhance organisational performance and stakeholder outcomes. Professor Roy also serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Strategic Marketing, contributing to the advancement of marketing and service research globally. A sought-after keynote speaker, he combines world-class research with practical insights, delivering engaging presentations on customer experience, innovation, digital transformation, and leadership in technology-driven service environments. At the WPFG2027 First Responders Conference, Professor Roy will present "When AI Joins the Team: Human–AI Collaboration for Better Services" The AI has made its recommendation. But can you trust it? Imagine a system that spots an emerging risk, predicts where resources are needed, or handles routine admin while people focus on urgent and difficult decisions. In a volunteer organisation, AI might match people with the right opportunities. In healthcare, it might support clinicians making complex choices. In emergency services, it could help identify patterns, improve coordination and provide a clearer picture of what is happening. But bringing AI into the team also creates challenges. People must often still make the final call, remain accountable when something goes wrong and ensure that faster decisions are not poorer ones. Drawing on research into AI readiness, human–AI collaboration, volunteering and healthcare, this presentation explores what organisations need to use AI effectively and responsibly. At its heart is a simple question: what should AI do, what should people do, and how can they work together to deliver better services?
Leadership WA Panel; Beyond the Uniform: Leading People, Performance and Purpose
First responders are trained to perform under pressure. But what does it take to lead well when the pressure doesn't stop? This conversation explores the leadership qualities that enable people and teams to perform, adapt and thrive; not just in moments of crisis, but across an entire career. Moderated by Candy Choo, CEO Leadership WA, hear insights from; - Priya Cooper OAM (Australian Paralympian, 9 x gold medals), - Jamie Harnwell, CEO Football West (Former Professional Athlete, Elite Level Coach and Commentator), and - Cameron Britt, CEO South Fremantle Football Club
Dr Cass Edwards, Sleep Specialist, Clinical Neurophysiology- London UK
Restoring Sleep and Health when Working Against our Body Clock, including targeted advice on recovery and preparation when doing shift-work
Nick Virs; Assistant Fire Chief with Maple Ridge Fire Rescue in British Columbia, Canada
Case Study: A proactive, full-spectrum wellness approach for First Responders. Hear insights from Maple Ridge B.C. A/Fire Chief on how frontloading comprehensive health data—including advanced DNA testing—empowers members to build a solid foundation for long-term health and happiness. Discover how this preventative framework delivers real results for those navigating high-stress professions. Nick Virs serves as Assistant Fire Chief with Maple Ridge Fire Rescue in British Columbia, Canada. His fire service career has fostered a strong commitment to the health, wellness, and long-term resilience of first responders. Before becoming a firefighter, Nick built experience in the skilled trades and as a business owner. This background in leadership, entrepreneurship, and practical problem-solving informs his strategic, people-centred approach to modern fire service leadership. Nick is passionate about sharing lessons learned in modernizing how fire departments support member well-being. He has collaborated with multidisciplinary committees to challenge established practices and reimagine traditional first responder health and wellness delivery models. Together, the team has developed one of Canada’s most comprehensive fire service member health and wellness programs, focused on accessible, proactive, and sustainable support throughout a member’s career.
Tales of a Diver with Luke “Macca” McCulloch
Hear from Luke “Macca” McCulloch — published author, former Western Australian police officer, and Search & Rescue Diver — as he shares the stories behind his gripping memoir Tales of a Diver: Profundus Obscurus Sordidus. In this powerful presentation, Luke will take you deep into the world of police diving, recounting intense operations with the WA Water Police Dive Squad over a 10-day period. From search-and-rescue missions across Western Australia to locating vital evidence and even close encounters with Great White sharks, Tales of a Diver offers rare insight into the physical, emotional, and psychological challenges of this unique and demanding role. Luke “Macca” McCulloch dedicated 15 years to the Western Australian Police, including eight years on the specialized search and rescue dive team — a role he chose after taking up scuba training just hours before selection and went on to serve in some of the State’s most challenging underwater operations. Beyond the action, Luke’s talk explores the camaraderie, sacrifice, and resilience that come with serving on the front lines of underwater policing, as well as the personal journey of finding purpose after service. Whether you’re curious about police work, fascinated by life beneath the water’s surface, or interested in resilience and storytelling, this event promises inspiration, reflection, and unforgettable tales from the deep. Copies of Tales of a Diver will be available for purchase after the talk.
Kate Chambers APM, Assistant Commissioner Department of Corrections NT
The Resilience Toolbox – A Personal Journey What does resilience really look like when life and service test you to your limits? In this powerful and deeply personal presentation, Kate Chambers APM shares lessons drawn from extraordinary personal adversity, a career spent serving others, and the realities of leading through challenge. Rather than presenting resilience as something people either have or do not have, Kate explores the practical tools that help individuals build, grow and protect their wellbeing over time. Honest, thought-provoking and ultimately hopeful, this session will leave attendees reflecting on their own resilience toolbox and the role it plays in both life and leadership
Grant Edwards APM, The Cop and the Invisible Reflection
THE COP AND THE INVISIBLE REFLECTION Identity, Loss and Rebuilding Purpose Through Sport For more than thirty years, Grant Edwards balanced dual roles as an Australian Federal Police Commander and an international strength athlete. After experiencing service-related psychological injury, physical illness, and retirement, he gradually lost both identities, which challenged his sense of self and belonging. Drawing on his forthcoming memoir, The Man and the Invisible Reflection, and his personal journey back to competition at the World Police and Fire Games, Grant explores four interconnected stages of recovery: loss, understanding, rebuilding and reconnection. His presentation highlights how sport can offer more than physical rehabilitation or competitive success, providing a pathway to restore psychological confidence, rediscover belonging, and develop a renewed sense of identity and purpose beyond service. Grant Edwards APM is a retired Australian Federal Police Commander, international strength athlete, author, and mental health advocate. Over his 34-year policing career, he held senior leadership positions in Afghanistan, Timor-Leste, and the United States. Grant represented Australia in athletics, bobsleigh, strongman, and powerlifting. His achievements include being named Australia's Strongest Man, competing in the 1999 World's Strongest Man competition, and setting a Guinness World Record by pulling a 201-tonne locomotive. As a former Mental Health Ambassador for the Australian Police and Emergency Services Games, Grant uses his experience with psychological injury, chronic illness, and recovery to advocate for first responder wellbeing, identity, and the role of sport in restoring connection and purpose.
Larissa Muir, CEO 12 Buckets
"Before the Feeling Comes the Signal" Drawing on her lived experience as a late-diagnosed autistic and ADHD adult, Larisa will explore how neurodivergence can shape the way individuals recognise, interpret and communicate their internal experiences. Through a body-first approach, incorporating resources from Brainy Co, the presentation will examine the value of recognising physical and sensory signals before applying emotional labels. It will also explore how role-modelling this language creates an invitation for others to develop greater awareness of their own body signals. Combining lived experience with practical application, the session will offer a different perspective on how we approach regulation, communication and wellbeing within high-pressure environments.
Phil Britten, FORGED: How Leaders Respond When It Gets Hard
Phil Britten is a two-time Australian Speaker of the Year, author of Undefeated, and a survivor of the 2002 Bali bombings. A WA Business News 40 Under 40 recipient, he built Life Martial Arts from the ground up over more than two decades and founded The Forge, a men's development program. Phil speaks on resilience, accountability, and leadership under pressure, drawing on lived experience rather than theory. At the WPFG2027 Conference, Phil will present FORGED: How Leaders Respond When It Gets Hard. Every leader faces moments that test them, and what matters is how they respond. Drawing on his experience surviving the 2002 Bali bombings and building a business through two decades of pressure, Phil introduces the FORGED framework, a practical six-step method for turning pressure into progress. Audiences will learn how to choose their response over their reaction, take full ownership without blame, treat pain as data, and anchor hard moments to a bigger purpose. They leave with tools they can apply the next day, in their team, their work, and their own life.
David Windsor, Karla Katitjin Bushfire Centre of Excellence
Right Fire, Right Time, Right Way: What First Nations Fire Knowledge Can Teach Us. Insights into cultural fire, caring for Country, seasonal knowledge, and the relationships between people, place, and fire.
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