QUALITY SPEAKERS, AMAZING STORIES OF SERVICE AND ACHIEVEMENT

 
Quality speakers and outstanding stories of service and achievement will be the highlight of the Rotary District 9685 Annual Conference planned for Canberra on March 11 and 12.
 
Rotary District 9685 stretches from the Blue Mountains to Gosford and back to the north western districts of Sydney. It is one of the largest and most successful Rotary Districts in Australia.
 
District Governor Gina Growden chose the Canberra Convention Centre as the venue for her major event of the year because of the quality and pricing of the facility and nearby accommodation – compared to other major venues around NSW.
 
Always the innovator, Governor Gina has created a unique opportunity for Conference patrons in that weekend sessions will be confined to Friday evening; and Saturday – with a free day to explore and shop in Canberra on Sunday!
 
Saturday evening will be a fun night at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra with Rotarians and partners dressing in special sporting theme costumes.
 
Another innovative feature of Governor Gina’s planning is her invitation to the general public to attend the Conference to be informed, enlightened and entertained!
 
Interested members should go to the District Conference website –
http://conference.rotarydistrict9685.org.au – for registration details and additional information.   To go direct to the online registration site, click here.
 
 
The list of outstanding speakers includes –
  • Dr Tim Sharp – one of Australia’s outstanding academics. Tim has completed a B.Sc (Hons), a Masters degree in Clinical Psychology and a Ph.D., before working for many years as a clinical and academic psychologist. He has Sydney’s largest clinical psychology practice, is an accomplished author and has featured in the prestigious Telstra Business Awards.
  • Dr Sam Prince – a 27 year old entrepreneur, medical doctor and philanthropist.  Sam established a fresh Mex Grill franchise whilst studying medicine at the age of 21. He grew Zambrero to over 15 stores and counting – 170 staff and over $10 million in revenue. Sam has set his will towards democratising healthcare and education for young people across Australia and the globe.
  • Rob Pennicott – proprietor of Bruny Island Cruises, Rob started his business career as a fisherman in the pristine waters of southern Tasmania. His business has expanded into a world class ecotourism experience which has won numerous state and national tourism and business awards. Rob has a passion for Rotary and the Polio eradication campaign and in 2011 he led a special expedition to drive two yellow dinghies around Australia and raise $259,000 for Polio Plus!
  • Professor Greg Nelson – private Consultant Cardiologist, North Shore Cardiac Centre.  Greg has been in Cardiology practice since 1984 and has been involved in development of the process of field triage for primary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction. He helped establish the concept of the Regional Heart Attack Centre at Royal North Shore Hospital and has a strong interest in clinical research as the author of over 70 papers in peer reviewed journals.
  • Gemma Sissia – living proof that, with a passion to achieve and the support of Rotary – anything is possible in this world. Only daughter of a sheep farming Rotary family from Guyra, Gemma was educated as a teacher with copious first class and honours degrees, before she went off to follow her dream of working with poor children in East Africa. She met and married a young Tanzanian man and with a gift of land from her father in law – and ongoing support from Rotary clubs and volunteers in Australia - has built one of the most successful private schools in rural Africa – the School of St Jude.  The school opened in 2002 with a handful of students to a stage where there is now 1,900 students across three campuses from primary through to full secondary classes. In 2012, Gemma was named one of The Australian Financial Review and Westpac’s 100 Women of Influence in the Global category!