Drew Clarke PSM
The new Australasian spatial and surveying industry conference, Locate14 – which combines the previous spatial@gov Conference, the Surveying & Spatial Sciences Conference (SSSC), and the Asia- Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards (APSEA) – has announced some of its key speakers.
Among the speakers presenting at the event is:
Keynote Speaker: Drew Clarke PSM, Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Communications
Drew Clarke was appointed to office in March 2013 with a portfolio that includes the ABC, SBS, Australia Post, the Australian Communications and Media Authority, the Telecommunications Universal Service Management Agency and the National Broadband Network Company (NBN Co). Drew began his public sector career as a surveyor working in Australia and Antarctica, and has held leadership roles in energy policy, AusIndustry and science agencies.
Conference Closing Speaker: Rachael Robertson, former Antarctic expedition leader, Chief Ranger and leader with 20 years of ‘extreme’ leadership experience.
As only the second female to ever lead a team to Davis Station in Antarctica, Rachael Robertson managed a diverse group of up to 120 people in the summer months. In February, most of the team returned home and a small group of 18 remained for the 9 months of winter – in total isolation, months of darkness, and no way in or out. It was a leadership laboratory in the most extreme and hostile environment on Earth, where most of the theory doesn’t apply.
According to Rachael, the use of spatial technology in the Antarctic was prevalent throughout the expedition: “We used GIS (Geographic Information Systems) to map iceberg calving and movement. So, spatial information is big news.”
Prior to her experience in Antarctic, Rachael held senior operational management roles for 16 years in a range of complex and challenging environments, was Victoria’s youngest Chief Ranger and led the media co-ordination unit during the Black Saturday bushfires.
Topic Speaker: Locating the Digital Economy: Denise McKenzie, Executive Director, Communications and Outreach for Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) U.K.
Denise McKenzie is responsible for the planning and execution of marketing, communications and education programs to raise awareness and increase application of open geospatial and location standards by technology providers and users worldwide. Prior to her role with OGC, Denise worked for over 12 years with the Victorian Government (Australia) in areas of strategic policy, collaboration and innovation.
Locate14 will be held at the National Convention Centre in Canberra from 7-9 April 2014, and will be a forum to connect with industry leaders and to learn about new advancements in the industry, IT, and government.
