Presenters
Martin Sampson - CEO, Canadian Parks and Recreation Association
As CEO of the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association (CPRA), Martin has led major initiatives that position parks and recreation as essential contributors to public health, social connection, youth employment, climate resilience and economic vitality.
Their work spans national policy and advocacy, workforce development, inclusive programming and cross-sector partnerships, bringing together diverse stakeholders to turn shared priorities into meaningful, measurable outcomes.
Anand Pillay - CEO, Parks and Leisure Australia
Anand has worked in the sport and recreation industry for the past 24 years. Prior to taking on his current role as the CEO of Parks and Leisure Australia he enjoyed many opportunities in the public service including being the first Regional Director, Sport and Recreation for North Queensland, leading the development of community partnerships for the State and was part of the team that developed Queensland’s first whole of government sport and active recreation strategy. He has previously held sport and recreation planning roles for Brisbane and Townsville City Councils and a leadership position in the Department of Premier and Cabinet’s Economic Policy team.
Anand is completing the final stages of a PhD at James Cook University investigating the benefits and quantifying the value of sport and recreation facilities. He was a member of the inaugural Discover Sport board at James Cook University, a former Australian representative on the Board of World Urban Parks and a Parks and Leisure Australia National Board member. Anand has a passion for understanding how physical activity can provide a platform for equity, health and social connection.
Professor Thomas Astell-Burt - Professor of Cities and Planetary Health and Founding Director of the Centre for Flourishing Cities, University of Sydney.
Thomas is Professor of Cities and Planetary Health and Founding Director of the Centre for Flourishing Cities at the University of Sydney. Thomas is ranked first out of over 10,000 scientists globally for his research on nature and health. He is a Clarivate Top 1% Highly Cited Researcher for three consecutive years and is listed in the Stanford-Elsevier Top 2% scientists worldwide. An Australian Research Council (ARC) Future Fellow, he leads major national research programs exploring how nature-based interventions and urban design can help to address depression, diabetes, and dementia. As Co-Director of the Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), Thomas’ work has informed urban greening strategies in Sydney, across Australia, and in hundreds of cities worldwide.
Dr Megan Taylor - Adjunct Fellow, University of Technology Sydney
Megan is an urban planner and researcher interested in a deceptively simple question: when a city grows, how do we make sure there is still enough room for people to play, gather, exercise and spend time outdoors?
Her work focuses on public open space provision and the planning decisions that shape it. Megan’s PhD at UTS examined the politics of park provision in Sydney, looking at how land, planning policy, funding, governance and competing priorities come together to determine where parks are provided — and whether enough space is secured in the first place.
Megan has worked across planning, governance, strategy, research and the built environment. She brings a perspective that sits between policy and practice, with a particular interest in what happens between having a good idea for a park and actually getting that park delivered.
For the Leisure Planners Course, Megan will explore the realities of planning for public open space in growing communities, including the assumptions and regulations behind provision, the choices and trade-offs that planners face, and the opportunities to influence open space outcomes before the most important decisions have already been made
Elizabeth Calleja - Senior Advisor for Physical Activity, National Heart Foundation
Elizabeth is the Senior Advisor, Physical Activity at the National Heart Foundation of Australia.
In her role she advocates for people in Australia to be healthier and more active, reducing their risk of cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.
She is the subject matter expert on physical activity and PA media spokesperson for the organisation. She also manages a team of passionate physical activity and urban planners, as the lead for health professional engagement, the update of the Blueprint for an active Australia and The Heart Foundations flagship program, Healthy Active by Design.
www.healthyactivebydesign.com.au
As an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, Elizabeth supports the brilliant Heart Foundation Walking program and its team to guide health messages and program content.