Karen is currently the Vice President for International Ministries with the Global Leadership Network overseeing the Asia Pacific region along with global communications and marketing.

In her role as the CEO for Global Leadership Network Australia, she works alongside a gifted staff who equip and resource leaders across every state and territory of Australia.

Karen has a strong involvement with the Baptist World Alliance and she is the President for the Baptist World Alliance Women’s Department 2020-2025.

With teaching and theology degrees, Karen has held many leadership roles including co-Senior Pastor at Whitford Church, Executive Director of the Global Leadership Summit Asia, Executive Minister at Riverview Church, Perth and she has served on numerous not for profit Boards.

She loves working with people from all walks of life and feels called to speak up for those who have no voice of their own. With her faith being the driving motivator, Karen is passionate about her work with the poor and marginalised and is often found in other nations working amongst those in great need.

Bruce is a member of the Executive Team as Director of Mission for UnitingCare Queensland. As an influential leader he draws from a rich experience in ministry and mission roles within the Uniting Church and other Christian organisations including Scripture Union QLD. He has a diverse background in senior management positions within government, private business and the not-for-profit sectors and is well-recognised for his expertise in leadership development, transformational and cultural change.

He is a proud dad with four adult sons… and has many stories to tell about the days when he used to wrestle crocodiles for a living.

Bruce holds a Bachelor of Theology, graduate qualifications in Management and Environmental Science and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and International Association of Teamwork Facilitators.

Allan Demond is the Senior Pastor of NewHope Baptist Church in Victoria, where he has served since 1995, the Executive Director of NewHope Community Care Inc. and an adjunct lecturer at Whitley College.

He has served on various Boards in Canada and Australia and currently sits on both state and national leadership bodies in the Australian Baptist movement. Allan has benefited enormously from the ministry of the Global Leadership Network over many years and has participated in and hosted numerous Global Leadership Network events.

As a pastor and an educator for more than 30 years Allan is passionate about individual transformation, institutional renewal and the re-visioning of the church. He enjoys serving as a communicator, mentor and strategist and he celebrates the privilege of walking with many creative and godly colleagues who have shared his journey of trial and error, pain and progress, at the coalface of local ministry.

Allan is married to Janet who is an artist and they have three adult children.

As the Chief Operating Officer of Bible Society Australia Melissa has a lifetime of leadership lessons and wisdom to share from a wide diversity of situations. She developed leadership skills early as an officer in the military, honed these over two decades in the very different setting of the local church, and now relishes the opportunity to share in the leadership of a large, growing Christian mission and media organisation – Bible Society Australia.

Ordained in the Uniting Church in Australia and a passionate advocate for the local church being the hope of the world, she previously was the Executive Minister of a large evangelical church on the Gold Coast where she joyfully invested her (and her family’s lives) for nearly 20 years.

Married to her husband Peter for longer than she cares to remember, she loves spending time hanging out with him and their two young adult children.

Leonie Wright is the Senior Pastor of Kardinia Church alongside her husband Rick. For over 20 years they have brought vision and leadership to multiple church campuses that incorporate multi-purpose community spaces such as Cafés and Early Learning Centres. As a leader, Leonie’s passion and skill is unlocking the potential in people to know their God-given purpose in life as well as ensuring leaders are being continuously developed. Leonie also predominantly uses her time to strategically plan for the entire organisation.

Leonie has hosted the Global Leadership Summit since 2006 at Kardinia Church Geelong, as well as leading the production team for the Geelong Summit for many of those early years.

Leonie and Rick have three adult children, a son and two married daughters.

Kynan has held a position of leadership and ministry at Hope Valley Church for over 22 years. The role has included transitioning Hope Valley to be a church that is contemporary in nature, community based and gospel centred. This long term tenure has involved staff management, property development and leadership across most ministries and at every level.

His heart for the church and his community has led through times of abundance and times of crisis and each of these seasons has drawn out deep leadership values and attributes. He leads his life by example, walking with Christ, raising and empowering leaders to be effective in their mission and being community driven.

Dale is the Senior Pastor at Springwood Church of Christ south of Brisbane. Previously he served for 22 years as Senior Pastor at HumeRidge Church of Christ in Toowoomba, seeing the Church grow to around 1000 in attendance.

During those years in Toowoomba Dale hosted and facilitated the Global Leadership Summit for 12 consecutive years – from 2007 to 2018. He has attended every summit since 2005 and was delighted to attend the summit live in Chicago in 2011.

Dale is a Graduate of the Australian Institute for Company Directors, and last year completed a Master of Arts with the Australian College of Ministries (ACOM). In addition to his ministry role he is also on the Board of Churches of Christ in Queensland.

He is married to Wendy, who serves as Women’s Pastor at Springwood, and they have three young adult children.