Keynote Speakers
Samantha Bloom
World Para Surfing Champion, bestselling author; Australia
Samantha Bloom is a four-time World Para Surfing Champion, bestselling author, and the inspiration behind the critically acclaimed film Penguin Bloom, starring Naomi Watts. The movie, based on the international bestselling book Penguin Bloom: The Odd Little Bird Who Saved a Family, recounts Sam’s extraordinary journey of resilience and recovery. Paralyzed in an accident in Thailand in 2013, Sam’s determination has led her to win multiple Oceania paracanoe championships and achieve global recognition in adaptive surfing.
Beyond her athletic accolades, Sam is a passionate advocate for spinal cord injury awareness, working with global charities and serving as an ambassador for Wings For Life. She is also an adventure traveler, a Tourism Australia ambassador, a former neurology nurse, and a devoted mother of three boys. Sam’s incredible story of strength, passion, and perseverance continues to inspire audiences worldwide.
Dr Bronwyn King
Social entrepreneur, humanitarian, company director, radiation oncologist; Australia
Dr Bronwyn King AO is a social entrepreneur, movement maker and a globally renowned humanitarian on a mission to inspire and transform organisations into purpose driven businesses. She is a sustainability expert, company director and radiation oncologist who has worked with everyone from the terminally ill to the fittest athletes in the Australian Swim Team. Her engagement across the global corporate, finance, health and diplomatic sectors has provided unique insights into universal power structures, how to build trust, harness influence and sidestep ‘the impossible’. Her TEDxSydney talk has been viewed more than three million times.
As the founder and CEO of Tobacco Free Portfolios, Bronwyn took her place on the stage at the United Nations in New York to launch The Tobacco-Free Finance Pledge, a global initiative she led, which now has over 180 Signatories – global financial institutions with combined assets under management of over AU$15 trillion.
As a speaker, Bronwyn is exceptional. Her presentations are uplifting and engaging, with a focus on business outcomes and practical takeaways for every audience member. Whether virtual or in person – Bronwyn is guaranteed to add spark and energy to your event! Bronwyn has received countless awards in recognition of her outstanding expertise and accomplishments. Most notably, she was awarded an Order of Australia (AO) in 2019 for distinguished service to community health and named 2019 Melburnian of the Year.
Jason Leitch
Senior Fellow, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), Scotland
Jason is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
From January 2015 to May 2024 Jason was The National Clinical Director for the Scottish Government. He worked for Government from 2007 as the National Clinical Lead for safety and subsequently, for Quality.
The National Clinical Director is responsible for quality in the health and social care system, including patient safety and person-centred care, NHS planning, and implementing quality improvement methods across the government and the broader public sector.
He was appointed CBE in the 2019 Queen’s Birthday Honours.
He was elected to the US National Academy of Medicine in 2022, a rare accolade for a non US citizen.
He is an Honorary Professor at the University of Dundee and a Visiting Professor at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow.
He was a 2005-06 Quality Improvement Fellow at IHI.
Jason is a non-executive Board member of the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland, a Board member of The Nazareth Trust which runs an acute hospital providing care in Northern Israel and the West Bank and a trustee of the Indian Rural Evangelical Fellowship (UK) which runs a children’s’ home and schools in southeast India.
He qualified as a dentist in 1991 and was a clinical academic and Consultant Oral Surgeon in Glasgow. He has a doctorate from the University of Glasgow, a Masters in Public Health from Harvard and is a fellow of the three UK surgical Royal Colleges.
He is an internationally recognised speaker and adviser on health and care improvement, public health and has advised countries all over the world.