Todd Babiak is the co-founder of Story Engine, a consultancy based in Vancouver that uses narrative to solve business problems and build brands. In 2011, one of his clients, the Edmonton Economic Development Corporation, changed his life because he fell in love with place-branding. Many clients later, his strategy work for Tasmania turned into a job, which led to another job, possibly the best job in the world: CEO of Brand Gold Coast.

David is a former Victoria Police Detective and former member of the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission with over 15 years of experience in law enforcement.

Throughout his career, David witnessed first hand the challenges faced by police investigating crimes - particularly the hundreds of thousands of hours spent collecting CCTV footage manually from businesses and homes.

With his unique background in both law enforcement and technology (30 years of software development), David founded Safer Places Network to bridge the gap between community safety and efficient policing - while maintaining the highest standards of privacy protection.

Hannah Belsito built the destination management function at Destination Cleveland beginning in 2011. Today, destination management includes destination engagement, experience, development, and impact. With a background in urban planning and civic engagement, Hannah’s team focuses on strengthening Cleveland as a destination product by activating and engaging local networks, place-building, and scaling collaborations to broaden economic impact of visitation. This work allows her to live her passion for connecting people to place. Hannah’s work has contributed to major events including the 2019 MLB All-Star Game, 2021 NFL Draft, 2022 NBA All-Star Game, 2024 NCAA Women’s Final Four & Total Solar Eclipse. She’s most proud of the now-renowned Cleveland script signs and the impact they’ve made on local pride. Hannah holds a bachelor’s degree in communications from John Carroll University and a master’s degree in urban planning, design & development with a specialization in historic preservation from Cleveland State University. Hannah and her family frequently take advantage of the city’s outdoor experiences, including Edgewater Beach and biking through the Ohio & Erie Canalway Towpath Trail.

Yoge Biju is an accomplished leader in placemaking and urban revitalisation with more than 20 years of experience in strategic development, and community-focused city shaping across several local government areas in Melbourne. As the Head of Placemaking and Revitalisation at the City of Greater Dandenong, Yoge has led major urban renewal, economic development, and cultural activation initiatives that have transformed some of Melbourne’s most diverse and dynamic neighbourhoods.

Her leadership of the flagship Dandenong Market Precinct Plan is a 20‑year vision for one of Victoria’s most iconic markets which demonstrates her commitment to innovative precinct planning, investment attraction, and sustainable urban growth. Yoge has also driven transformative projects including the Springvale Revitalisation Action Plan, Revitalise Central Dandenong, Little India Precinct and Afghan Bazaar Revival, and the Living Neighbourhoods Place Activation Program, each celebrating cultural diversity, strengthening local economies, and enhancing community cohesion.

Passionate about community wellbeing and economic resilience, Yoge brings political acumen, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to placemaking excellence to every project she leads.

Neil Frauenglass has over 25 years of marketing experience with McCann Worldgroup, Ann Taylor Stores and most currently, VISIT PHILADELPHIA. Over the course of his marketing career, he’s led integrated, multi-channel teams across agencies and countries to yield award winning campaigns for his clients. His experience spans a broad variety of categories, including travel, retail, consumer package goods and financial services. He is adept at building partnerships, understanding the demands of businesses that run at retail speed, and the power of branding to rise above deals and promotions. His clients over the years have included Qualcomm, OppenheimerFunds, HomeGoods, Coca Cola, Johnson & Johnson, Verizon, Kohl’s, and MasterCard.

At VISIT PHILADELPHIA, Neil leads advertising, social, web and paid media, and is currently leading efforts to build programming and marketing for America’s semi-quincentennial in Philadelphia throughout 2026.  

Neil currently resides in Old City, Philadelphia on Elfreth’s Alley, the nation’s oldest continuously residential street. He oversees the preservation and programming for this National Historic Landmark as president emeritus of the Elfreth’s Alley Association.

As Cúpla's lead strategist, Lyndal is a champion of the audience perspective - challenging traditional demographics to focus on the behaviours, wants, needs and motivations of the people a brand serves. She believe this is essential in building a strong place brand, starting with the communities that call the place home. In her 22 years of experience, she has developed an approach to brand strategy that is simple, highly effective and anchored in audience insights, which has been honed through place branding projects throughout Victoria and NSW, as well as broader sectors in Australia, Singapore, Europe and the US. She is particularly experienced in regional and rural place branding, and how to activate local communities to own, advocate and promote on behalf of their shared place brand.

Amanda is the Managing Director of AT+ M Marketing, part of a national business services group. An active member of the committee of management for Mainstreet Australia, she developed a passion for place activation, place branding and community collaboration during her 7 years serving as EO of Launceston Central, a successful and innovative traders association in Tasmania. Her expertise spans destination marketing, B2B sales, small business growth and leadership across Australia and the UK. She has worked in and with sectors across commerce and government including professional services, industrial, retail and events , and has an active interest in the not-for-profit sector.

Based in Launceston, with clients across Australia, Amanda leads her team of 13 staff with a focus on client relationships and delivering results. Passionate about community and place, she serves two not for profit boards and has a secret passion for governance.

Jess Radford is the Acting CEO of Brand Tasmania, leading the organisation’s mission to define, amplify, and leverage Tasmania’s unique identity as a driver of social, economic, and cultural growth.

Brand Tasmania works closely with the community, using research-driven insights and engagement to develop projects that bring the brand to life across government, business, and society while addressing policy challenges and harnessing Tasmania’s distinct competitive advantages.

With a passion for Tasmanian-ness, Jess specialises in uniting diverse stakeholders, co-designing strategies, and shaping narratives that foster sustainable, thriving communities across the state. Her work ensures that Tasmania’s brand is a tool for meaningful action.

Marie Scalia has been part of the marketing team for Destination Cleveland since 2012. In her current role, she is responsible for overseeing the organization’s integrated marketing efforts, including development and management of the Cleveland brand, digital marketing, web development, and major event campaigns. Marie holds a bachelor’s degree in interpersonal communications with a minor in marketing from Kent State University and an MBA from Cleveland State University. Shortly after joining the organization, she was part of the work to define and introduce the Cleveland visitor brand, resulting, most notably, in the creation of the now-viral hashtag #ThisIsCLE and Cleveland script signs. She was a key part of the work to bring ABC’s “The Bachelor” to Cleveland for an episode in 2019 and instrumental in the local marketing efforts for the 2021 NFL Draft and 2022 NBA All-Star Game. In 2021, Marie was named a Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award recipient by SME Cleveland. Her list of Cleveland favorites includes strolling the stalls at West Side Market, chowing down in Little Italy, experiencing the city’s culture at the Cleveland Museum of Art and connecting with nature along the lakefront.

Tēnā koutou. Amanda Wellgreen is a seasoned place leader and strategic communications specialist with over 20 years of experience navigating the complex intersection of business, governance, and community. As the Director of Impact(ful) Management, she is dedicated to moving local economic development beyond "survival mode" into a state of sustainable growth.

Amanda’s career is defined by her ability to professionalise organisations and lead through friction. From managing internal communications at IBM New Zealand to spearheading major community engagement for national infrastructure projects, she has a proven track record of building trust in high-stakes environments. Most recently, as a prominent Town Manager within the Auckland BID network, she led significant strategic transformations, including achieving a 75% increase in member engagement through innovative digital storytelling and podcasts.

Currently serving as the Town Manager for the Panmure Business Association, Amanda is focused on transitioning the district from a "scattergun" community model to a mature, data-driven business improvement district. A staunch advocate for the power of the "archipelago," she believes that the resilience of our main streets depends on the strength of the connections between the practitioners who lead them. Amanda holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Management Communication, accreditation in public relations from Public Relations Institute of NZ, and has served in several key governance roles, including Presiding Member at Onehunga Primary School.