Speakers

Sally Stannard

As Acting Director-General, Sally Stannard leads the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR). TMR has an annual budget of $12 billion, including capital expenditure of $4.2 billion and managed assets in excess of $106 billion.

In Sally's previous role as the Deputy Director-General (Translink), she led the delivery of customer-focused passenger transport services across Queensland including policy, planning, ticketing, contract management and customer services. 

Sally is the Chair of Cross River Rail and Chair of Public Transport Association Australia New Zealand. She is also a board member of Roads Australia and Queensland Hydro.  She holds qualifications in Engineering and International Studies and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Sally is passionate about the role transport plays in equitable and sustainable economic development of our cities and regions.

Jeremy Kruger

As the Program Director at the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority, Jeremy is responsible for leading the delivery of three major packages of work:

• Tunnel Stations and Development (TSD);
• Rail, Integration and Systems (RIS); and 
• The European Train Control System (ETCS).  
• In addition, the project is rebuilding six stations within the Brisbane Metropolitan area and constructing three new stations on the Gold Coast.

Prior to joining the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority in 2017, Jeremy had gained over 20 years of local and international experience working for major engineering firms in Australia, the UK and Ireland. Over the last decade, he has been involved in signature rail and tunnelling projects, including the Melbourne Metro tender, North West Rail Link, Westconnex, Moreton Bay Rail and Brisbane’s Airport Link & Northern Busway Tunnel.

Will Telfer

Will Telfer is a Civil Engineer with over 25 years of project and executive-level experience delivering complex infrastructure across regional and remote Australia. As the Alliance Director for the Fitzroy Bridge Alliance, Will led the successful delivery of the New Fitzroy River Bridge project completed under extremely tight timelines in a highly remote environment. Will brings deep expertise across road, bridge, power generation and mineral processing infrastructure projects, with a focus on delivering better project outcomes through innovation, local engagement and collaboration.

Michael Farrell

Michael Farrell is an experienced project and program manager. With a background in the legal and property sectors, he has a particular expertise in the planning, procurement, and delivery of state-led projects through private sector partnering models. Since May 2024, he has served as Regional Director for Queensland at Inland Rail, where he oversees the Border to Gowrie and Gowrie to Kagaru segments.
Formerly a Planning and Environment lawyer, since 2006 Michael has held various project delivery and advisory roles across a spectrum of public and private sector projects. These encompass management roles on transport, housing, retail, and tourism infrastructure initiatives.
Michael’s more recent experience has involved project executive leadership roles in the Queensland Government, including leading the legal and policy aspects of the successful bid to host the 2032 Olympic & Paralympic Games.

Councillor Ryan Murphy

Cr Ryan Murphy is the Civic Cabinet Chair for Transport and the Councillor for Chandler Ward in Brisbane City Council. Ryan oversees a number of Council’s major projects including the $1.55Bn Brisbane Metro and $550M Bridges for Brisbane program, as well as Brisbane’s bus, ferry and CityCat fleet. He is responsible for the Transport for Brisbane network which carries 80 million passengers annually. He also leads the rollout of the city’s innovative e-mobility program and Council’s investment into bicycle infrastructure projects. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts with a Double Major in Political Science (UQ) and is currently completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with the University of Queensland. Before becoming a Councillor, he served in the Australian Army Reserves as Communications Systems Operator and worked in the private sector as a public relations consultant for some of Queensland’s largest infrastructure and resource projects. Ryan is committed to shaping Brisbane into a leader in sustainable, high-quality public and active transport.

Brayden Soo

As Manager, Freight and Supply Chain at the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR), Brayden leads policies and projects, and management of freight data, research and advice, to advance access and productivity outcomes for the heavy vehicle road freight sector, that is also balanced against meeting Australia’s Net Zero and Vision Zero commitments. Key achievements for the NHVR include delivering Australia’s first national access instrument for heavy agricultural vehicles, which has eliminated over 80 per cent of permit requirements for the agricultural industry; developing Australia’s first Heavy Vehicle Productivity Plan (and its most recent refresh); and releasing interactive tools to raise awareness of the long-term safety, productivity and sustainability effects of vehicle choice to undertake the road freight task. Brayden considers himself a ‘plangineer’ and has about 15 years’ experience in transport, infrastructure and planning for the public and private sectors. He is a member of the Austroads Freight Task Force and is regularly sought to advise freight network and industrial development projects nationally.

Stephen Hulme

Alton Twine

Alton Twine is a highly experienced former public servant with a long record of passionate and effective advocacy for cycling and sustainable transport. At City of Gold Coast for over 13 years as Director Transport and Infrastructure and Director Lifestyle and Community, where he had a critical role in delivering the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Alton has also led cycling infrastructure and active transport planning and activation at Brisbane City Council as well as with the Queensland Government . A member of the Australian Bicycle Council for many years, in 2009 he was awarded Cycling Professional of the Year by the Cycling Promotion Fund and Engineer of the Year in 2018 by the Institute of Public Works Engineers Queensland. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Traffic Planning and Management. He first joined Bicycle Queensland as a member in 2003. He grew up in Townsville where he started his cycling career on a bright green Malvern Star, and, with still too many bikes in the shed, has recently bought his first E-bike.

James Gleeson

James Gleeson – Founder and Director of Marvel Engineers – has spent more than 20 years managing and coordinating the delivery of major transport infrastructure in South East Queensland. His experience on these projects helped develop an appreciation for the value afforded at the intersection of a Lean Construction methodology and BIM processes. After recognising the opportunity for the industry to dramatically improve, Marvel Engineers was launched to maximise the potential of engineering that is lean, digital, and nimble. James is highly skilled in project and design management, multi-discipline engineering coordination, lean construction principles, civil engineering, Building Information Modelling, construction contract documentation and independent technical reviews. James is known for his ability to build and lead effective teams, fostering engagement and accountability through clear communication and trust. His leadership style enhances team performance and project outcomes, particularly in complex and dynamic environments.

Sam Mendoza

Sam is a well-established infrastructure and transport expert with proven success advising clients in business cases, cost and commercial management, risk, procurement, project advisory and delivery. He has extensive experience in all infrastructure sectors with a particular focus on light rail and metro, marine, aviation and zero emission infrastructure. Throughout his career, Sam has played a key role in planning and delivering some of the most city-shaping projects including Parramatta Light Rail, TfNSW Zero Emission Buses, Coffs Harbour Bypass, Circular Quay Renewal, Western Sydney Airport and others.

Kate Mackay

Kate is the Queensland Transport Planning Business Lead for Arup. In the 25 years that Kate has worked as a transport planner she has been focussed on creating and shaping better places for people to live, work and play. Recognised for her pragmatic approach to addressing challenges, Kate collaborates with clients to help articulate and deliver their vision and acknowledge uncertainties, enabling robust decision making. Through her deep understanding of travel behaviour, she designs and implements user focussed integrated transport strategies, considering spatial, transport and digital access. Kate has a reputation for using innovative and creative techniques like design thinking, systems thinking, and personas to ensure people are front and centre of planning, policy and investment. Previously Kate led the Australia Transport Planning Practice for Mott MacDonald, ran her own consultancy in Fiji, and worked for Steer Davies Gleave (now Steer) in London and South Africa. She has a MSc in Transport from Imperial College/University College London and a BA Hons degree from Newcastle University.

Peter Papantoniou

Peter Papantoniou is a highly experienced General Manager who has worked on some of South East Queensland’s largest road and rail infrastructure projects over the last 20 years. He has held senior leadership positions delivering some of Queensland’s largest public transport and road projects including Gold Coast Light Rail Stages 1-3, Airport Link, Northern Busway (Windsor to Kedron) and Cross River Rail. Peter is currently the General Manager of the Rail Infrastructure Delivery Office in Transport and Main Roads and is here to give us an insight into the B2N Rail Upgrade Project.

David Rynne

Ashley Merrett

Ashley Merrett is a Director at NDY, delivering building services across a range of complex projects. Having relocated to Brisbane from the UK in 2024, he brings an international perspective to his work in transport. Applying learnings from the London underground, rail stations and bus networks, he's passionate about designing transport precincts that deliver for the people who use them. With people-centric design at their core, he believes transport systems can become more efficient, resilient and sustainable. Ashley also enjoys hearing how others embed people centricity into their work over a coffee. Please get in touch if you’d like to catch up.

Lauren Hewitt

Lauren has demonstrated ability to liaise, interpret and mediate between parties facing critical environmental challenges. This has included work in project development for Queensland’s energy producers as well as General Manager Policy at Queensland’s peak agricultural body, AgForce achieving landmark legislative reform and private and public negotiations on behalf farmers. In 2015, Lauren was awarded Queensland Rural Woman of the Year in recognition of her impact and leadership skills. Lauren applies her skills considering and improving the efficiency and footprint of the freight sector as CEO of the Queensland Transport and Logistics Council. When not thinking about how to solve problems for members and their industries, raising some active and inquisitive children, beekeeping and tending to the family farm keep her busy (though not necessarily in that order).

Chris Pires

A dynamic leader with over 15 years of industry experience, Chris Pires excels at transforming structural design processes through innovative digital techniques. Previously serving as Production Manager in Dubai, Chris pioneered virtual design and construction practices while integrating BIM, VDC, and Computational workflows. Now as Lead Digital/Computational Designer – ANZ, he champions parametric BIM workflows on large-scale transport and infrastructure projects, streamlining design iterations and generating significant cost and time savings.

Scott Wheeler

Scott is a Technical Director at Robert Bird Group. Over his 28 years with Robert Bird Group, he has been involved in the design of the major retail, commercial, and transport projects in Australia, UK and Dubai. More recently Scott was Technical Director for Robert Bird Group’s role in the design of the Stations and Portal Structures for Cross River Rail and is presently working on Waterfront Brisbane. Scott is committed to achieving practical and sustainable engineering design solutions.

Professor Lynette Cheah

Lynette Cheah is Professor and Chair of Sustainable Transport at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. She leads the Sustainable Mobility research lab, which develops data-driven models and tools to advance low-carbon, inclusive and resilient transport systems. Her expertise is in transport modelling and simulation, life-cycle assessments (LCA), and urban metabolism. She is currently authoring a United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) report on decarbonising urban mobility.

Scott Whitaker

As the North Coast Regional Director for Transport and Main Roads (TMR), Scott and his diverse team of more than 300 people are delivering the region’s largest-ever transport infrastructure program. One of Queensland’s fastest growing regions, the North Coast covers Moreton Bay, Sunshine Coast, Noosa and Somerset local government areas. Scott leads a four-year capital and maintenance works program of more than $5.38 billion and recognises the critical role he and his team have in shaping the region’s future. Tackling the challenge of planning and managing unprecedented growth in both the Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay areas, the team is building transformational transport solutions. Scott drives a sustainable vision focused on improving liveability, accessibility and economic opportunities for the region while valuing its environment and enviable lifestyle. Scott’s engineering career spans more than 20 years at TMR and as a business owner in the mining and construction sector. It’s this experience, combined with a passion for collaboration, innovation and sustainability, that inspires Scott’s customer-first approach. He places a high value on community consultation and engagement to successfully deliver the region’s integrated program of road, rail and public transport projects and help its communities thrive.

Matt Ryan

Matt is a highly skilled transport modeller and planner with more than 23 years’ experience, many of those spent leading high performing teams across ANZ. His career spans a decade at the Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads, where he led the Transport Modelling Team (2009–2012), followed by more than a decade at Jacobs, where he has played a pivotal role in delivering major transport projects for local and state government and private sector clients. Now, as Development Director - Transport Data Insights for Jacobs’ Advisory team, Matt is at the forefront of leveraging emerging technologies and advanced data analytics to transform transport networks. His focus is on harnessing big transport data to provide actionable insights that enable more efficient planning and operations of our current and future transport networks. Matt brings a wealth of experience and a forward-thinking approach to shaping resilient and sustainable mobility solutions.

Nathan Hildebrandt

Nathan is a globally recognised BIM subject matter expert and is acknowledged as being one of the few people that understands how to apply BIM to enable great outcomes for organizations on projects. His solid background in delivering building projects particularly for institutional clients gives him an organizational perspective on the application of BIM technology. He is skilled in understanding technologies and how they can be applied in business to improve effectiveness and efficiencies for day to day operations. His interest in improving industry has seen him contribute through his involvement in numerous industry groups. His rare combination of technical and leadership skills has led to his role in developing an industry leading Archicad BIM template, launching an Archicad user event, and his previous roles as chair of BrisBIM, Director of buildingSMART Australasia, committee member of BILT ANZ and the chair of the ACA QLD | NT / AIA QLD BIM Taskforce.

Trent Field

Trent is a seasoned AEC professional with nearly two decades’ experience driving innovation and streamlining workflows using advanced engineering design tools. As a Technical Consultant at ARKANCE, he excels at understanding client needs, overcoming challenges and delivering tailored, impactful solutions.

Aleks Jankovic

Aleks Jankovic is the founder of VivoAI, Queensland’s first AI-native stakeholder intelligence platform purpose-built for infrastructure and government. With just shy of two decade’s experience leading major programs for Government and infrastructure projects; Aleks brings unmatched insight into the frontline challenges faced by transport and infrastructure projects. VivoAI is redefining how teams engage communities - integrating AI-driven sentiment analysis, voice-to-insight call logging, and real-time feedback maps into a single, intuitive platform. It’s smart tech, delivered with urgency, to support the people responsible for delivering critical projects. Aleks is a relentless innovator, driven by deep domain experience and a clear vision: equip project teams with cutting-edge tools to reduce delays, improve trust, and stay focused on delivery. Under her leadership, VivoAI is fast becoming a go-to solution for agencies looking to modernise stakeholder engagement from the ground up.

James Kellagher

James has over two decades of experience in the technology industry, with a strong focus on Oracle Construction & Engineering. He is currently responsible for managing Alliances and Reseller partnerships in the JAPAC and India regions, ensuring successful collaboration with key business partners.

His tenure at Oracle spans fourteen years, during which time he has held various positions. Initially, James worked as a Solutions Consultant, assisting clients in utilising Oracle technology to solve complex construction and engineering problems. Prior to this, he was employed at CH2M Hill, where he gained valuable experience delivering ICT projects and implementing project control systems for significant construction programs in the Middle East and UK.

James's earlier roles included project management, overseeing technology implementation projects. He began his technology career as a PL/SQL developer, contributing to complex system implementations. This hands-on experience provided a solid foundation for the subsequent roles in his career.

With his diverse skill set, James offers practical insights and expertise in both the technical and managerial facets of the construction technology industry. His comprehensive understanding of the field is an asset in fostering successful partnerships and delivering effective solutions

Jessica Lovegrove-Walsh

In her role as the Executive Officer of Friends of Parks Queensland (FoPQ), Jessica leads extensive community engagement efforts focused on environmental issues. She works to grow the number of on-ground volunteers to improve biosecurity responses in Queensland's national parks.

FoPQ is an ACNC-registered charity that supports conservation volunteers across Queensland's protected areas, with most working on the removal of invasive species.

Jessica is deeply committed to community engagement, demonstrated through leading grassroots movements to raise awareness of environmental issues and providing avenues for community action. Additionally, she dedicates significant volunteer hours each year to combatting biosecurity challenges and contributing to environmental projects. This includes serving as secretary for a threatened species organisation and participating in on-ground efforts to combat weeds.

Lang Nguyen

Lang Nguyen is a Customer Success Manager at Bluebeam, where he works closely with engineering and construction teams to unlock the full potential of digital collaboration. With a background in sales, marketing, and customer strategy across the technology and infrastructure sectors, Lang is passionate about helping teams streamline workflows, improve accuracy, and drive smarter project delivery.
In his current role, Lang supports a wide range of clients—from engineers to project managers—in adopting tools like Revu and Studio Sessions to enhance communication, reduce rework, and stay aligned across disciplines and locations. His approach is grounded in real-world outcomes and practical applications, making digital transformation both approachable and impactful.