Sam Hannah-Rankin is the Director for Public Sector Innovation for the State Government of Victoria in Australia. The Public Sector Innovation branch supports new ways of working with and within government, and includes the Public Sector Innovation Fund, the Behavioural Insights Unit and the cross-government Innovation Network.
Sam specialises in growing innovative business in mature organisations, and has held senior executive roles across industries including identity services, banking and digital communications. She has also worked as a management consultant across both the public and private sectors
Professor Tom Kvan is the founding Director of AURIN, a national digital infrastructure to support urban research, and Professor of Architecture. Tom has many years of experience in senior leadership roles in three universities inMelbourne, Sydney and Hong Kong. Before taking up an academic career, Tom was in design practice in Africa, Europe, Hong Kong and the USA. Internationally recognised for his pioneering work in design, digital environments and design management, he has published over 200 papers in academic, professional and popular channels.
Jill Garner took the helm of the Office of the Victorian Government Architect in 2015, stepping into the role as a public advocate for architecture and design after more than twenty years in practice. As an architect, her practice – Garner Davis – has received numerous industry awards for delivering sensitive, crafted public and private works. As a design advisor and advocate in government, she strongly promotes the value of contextual, integrated design thinking and a collaborative approach across design disciplines.
Jill has taught at both RMIT and Melbourne University. She is a graduate of the innovative practice-based Masters by Design at RMIT; a past board member and examiner for the Architects Registration Board Victoria; chair of the Venice Architecture Biennale Committee and Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects.
