Rebecca Caldwell

Rebecca founded Maytree Studios to put architecture in reach of more people. That means she’s an idealist at heart, but she works with pragmatism to bring this vision to life. She does more with fewer resources, and believes in designing homes that are clever and beautifully tailored to each client. She’s able to be fun yet sensible in her approach (and don’t be surprised if she swears when she gets excited about an idea).

To make a big idea happen, Rebecca won’t shy away from real talk. She is committed to breaking down the awkwardness around money conversations, so that clients better understand what they can do with their budget. To fully explore what is possible for a project, she is constantly investing in her professional education (particularly around sustainable architecture).

Rebecca believes the secret to a great client experience is to provide a human-first approach (rather than a design-led process). That’s why Maytree runs under a co-ownership business model and an ethos of being humans first, architects second. This warm management style creates an environment where both her team and clients feel valued.

Courtney Holm

Courtney is the Founder and CEO of Circular Sourcing - a climate-tech startup and B2B SaaS-enabled marketplace revolutionising the textile industry through circular economy innovation. The platform facilitates the selling and sourcing of surplus textiles, connecting high-quality APAC textile mills, manufacturers, and designers with SME textile end users, such as fashion labels, interior designers, and architects. With $82 billion worth of surplus textiles created annually, Circular Sourcing aims to breathe new life into these materials, reframing them as the go-to resources of the future.

A circular fashion systems designer, thought leader and entrepreneur, Courtney founded experimental circular fashion label A.BCH in 2017 and built it into a world leading example of what circular fashion could be. In early 2024, she made a strategic decision to step away from making new clothes in order to build her startup Circular Sourcing and transition A.BCH into a circular design advisory firm (A.BCH World).

With a background and expertise in circular design for clothing, material flows and circular systems, the heart of Courtney's practice is industry-powered transformation for positive ecological, economic and equitable futures.

Courtney has worked collaboratively within several sectors, including serving on the Transition Advisory Group board for Seamless, strategising with government agencies such as Creative Victoria and working on multi-stakeholder projects such as the Refashioning project funded by Sustainability Victoria and the Circular T-Shirt Design Guide with Monash Sustainable Development Institute. A natural educator passionate about future generations, she also lectures within the Sustainable Innovation degree at the school of Design and Social Context at RMIT University.

Warwick Mihaly (Panelist)

Warwick is a leader in the architecture profession. He champions positive change within the industry through Mihaly Slocombe, the practice he runs with his wife Erica Slocombe, and via his regular contributions to ArchiTeam, the Association of Consulting Architects and the Australian Institute of Architects. He is co-host of In Detail, a podcast that dives behind the scenes of creative business, and author of Panfilo, Australia’s most widely read business blog for architects.

In his spare time, Warwick practices yoga a lot and tries to read a book every week.

Mick Moloney

Kate FitzGerald

Dr Danièle Hromek

Dr Danièle Hromek is a Saltwater woman of Budawang/Dhurga/Yuin and Burrier/Dharawal heritage, with French and Czech ancestry.

Danièle is a spatial designer and Country-Centred designer. Danièle is the first Indigenous person in Australia to achieve a PhD in spatial disciplines. Her research and experience contributed to the Connecting with Country framework and Designing with Country discussion piece by Government Architect NSW. Danièle is a member of the Heritage Council of New South Wales and sits on the State Design Review Panels for both New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

As director of Djinjama, Danièle’s methodologies lead their approach to working with Country. Her work as a researcher, educator and cultural advisor brings Country, culture and community to the built environment by creating spaces to substantially affect Indigenous rights and culture. Clients include state and local government, museums and galleries, as well as industry including architects, planners, designers, heritage and engineering firms.

Ross Harding

Ross Harding is the founder of Finding Infinity, a creative and technical consultancy focused on accelerating the shift to sustainable cities. With a background in engineering and finance, Ross leads a diverse team that integrates architecture, engineering, and urban design to create self-sufficient urban environments.

Best known for his groundbreaking project, A New Normal, a $100 billion strategy to transform Melbourne into a fully sustainable city, Ross works with both private and public sectors to make sustainability profitable and engaging. His work challenges conventional thinking, aiming to turn the climate crisis into a powerful catalyst for innovation and positive change.

Mick Moloney (Panelist)

Mick Moloney director of Moloney Architects is a registered architect with degrees in both Architecture and Construction Management.

Mick is a fellow of the Australian Institute of Architects and a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He is an elected chapter councilor at the AIA, and currently sits on the AIA Regional Committee and AIA Heritage Committee.

Mick’s design work balances architectural innovation with a practical, ‘builder-like’ approach to construction detailing. His design philosophy is to maximise available resources to deliver refined and robust architecture for his clients. Mick's keen eye for design ensures that each project is unique with a clearly communicated concept.

Mick is also a super-nerd for anything to do with the Venice Architecture Biennale, and co-hosts an architectural business podcast called 'In Detail'.

Warwick Mihaly

Kate FitzGerald

Sarah Lebner

Sarah Lebner is the Director of Cooee Architecture, a young regional practice focusing on energy-efficient and low-carbon homes. Cooee practices throughout the Victorian High Country, NSW Snowy Mountains, ACT and surrounds. Prior to relocating, Sarah was the Principal Architect at Light House Architecture and Science in Canberra.

Christopher Haddad

Chris is a registered Architect and founding director of Archier. He has a particular interest in bettering quality of life through material honesty and considered design. Chris believes quality architectural design stems from a solid understanding of sustainable construction paired with ideas that are  site and culturally specific. He is passionate about how innovative technologies can be used to improve the built environment and democratise good design. This vision has led to the recent establishment of Candour, a prefabrication company that makes advanced timber manufacturing more accessible to architects.

In practice he has worked on numerous residential, multi-residential and commercial projects with a focus on providing contract administration and project management during the construction phase, working closely with builders to realise the design.

Kate FitzGerald (Panelist)

Kate FitzGerald is the Director of Perth architectural practice, Whispering Smith and sustainable developer, New Resident, and is a proud and passionate advocate for gender equality. Kate is a prolific speaker/writer and is the Vice President of the WA Committee of the ACA (Association of Consulting Architects) and co-founder of the BoSP (Business of Small Practice) with the ACA-a series designed to build a community of small practices around starting, growing and developing better, more equitable and profitable businesses. Kate is also a co-presenter of the much loved ‘InDetail’ podcast with architect friends Warwick Mihaly and Mick Moloney.

Whispering Smith is a staunchly feminist residential architecture practice and medium density housing leader in Perth. They are champions for millennial housing, sustainable design and friendly minimalist architecture, and they are renowned vocal advocates for gender equality. Frustrated with unsustainable development and tree canopy loss in their local Perth neighbourhoods, the Whispering Smith team founded sister company and sustainable developer, New Resident. With a united vision for affordable, ready-made architecture, they are defying the sameness and short cutting of traditional developers to deliver a revolution in new and architecturally renovated homes. Out with the old, in with the New!

Warwick Mihaly

Mick Moloney