Pre-Conference Workshops

The Elite EA Masterclass

09:00- 5:00 PM 

From Support Role to Strategic Partner: Your Career Transformation Starts Here!

• The most successful Executive Assistants aren’t defined by the executives they support, but by how they transform those executives’ effectiveness through strategic partnership rather than mere support.

• The Executive Assistant who masters both human connection and technological advancement doesn’t just survive disruption—they become the indispensable bridge between the efficiency of automation and the emotional intelligence that drives organisational success. The difference between a career plateau and continued advancement for Executive Assistants isn’t technical skill—it’s the courage to step beyond your assigned role and into the strategic vacuum others haven’t yet recognised

Are you ready to be recognised as the strategic asset you truly are?

The Elite EA Masterclass isn’t just another training program—it’s your career reinvention blueprint. Designed exclusively for ambitious Executive and Personal Assistants who refuse to be boxed in by outdated perceptions, this intensive experience  transforms how you work, how you’re perceived, and where your career can go.

The Reality EAs Face in 2025:

• Expected to master AI tools without proper training
• Transitioning from administrative to strategic roles with little guidance
• Navigating unclear pathways from “assistant” to “advisor”
• Managing increasing responsibilities without corresponding compensation
• Fighting to be recognised as more than “just an Assistant”

Your 4-Session Journey to Excellence:

1. Confidence, Empowerment, and Mindset breakthrough limiting beliefs and develop the executive mindset that
commands respect

2. Executive Presence and Creating Opportunities Master the subtle art of presence that turns heads and opens doors

3. Strategic Thinking and Leadership Elevate your thinking from task execution to strategic partnership

4. Effective Partnering and Career Progression Position yourself for advancement and negotiate your true value

The 5 Essential Skills Every EA Needs in 2025:

1. Insight & Decision-Making Capabilities - Move beyond executing decisions to shaping them

2. Adaptability in Rapidly Changing Environments - Thrive amid uncertainty while others merely survive it

3. Executive-Level Communication - Speak with the clarity and influence that drives organisational outcomes

4. Critical Thinking Beyond Basic Problem-Solving - Anticipate needs and develop strategic solutions before problems arise

5. Digital Literacy, Especially AI Integration - Harness technology as a force multiplier for your effectiveness
EXCLUSIVE BONUS: Receive a custom AI prompt template designed specifically for EAs to automate routine tasks and
reclaim valuable time.

Don’t just survive your workday—learn to thrive within it. Your executives (and your peace of mind) will thank you.

Through expert-led sessions, immersive exercises, and personalised guidance, you’ll emerge with both the mindset and
practical tools to transcend the traditional boundaries of your role.

Your career evolution doesn’t have to wait. The strategic partner your executive needs is already within you—we just help bring it to the surface.

Conference Day One | 27th May

09:00 Welcome to Country

09:05 Opening Remarks from Chair

Danielle Colley is an integrative life coach and founder of Your Good Life. She helps successful women in business who are dissatisfied with their lives and dealing with pressures from all angles, to reach their full potential by helping them clear the debris from their past, super charge their present and transition from where they are now to where they desire to be.

SESSION 1 9:20 AM: The Trusted Partner: What Executive-Level Influence Really Looks Like

Today’s EA is no longer defined by tasks, but by the value they create and the trust they build. The shift from support to strategic partner does not happen overnight. It is shaped through initiative, visibility and the ability to step forward and contribute in meaningful ways.

In this engaging and practical session, Michael, Executive Assistant at REA Group and internal award winner, shares how he built his reputation as a trusted partner within a fast-paced, high-performance organisation. Drawing on his own non-linear career journey, Michael will explore how to move beyond traditional expectations, earn trust with senior leaders and create impact from day one.

Discover how to take ownership of your role, build influence through action and position yourself as a proactive, valued contributor in any executive environment. Because becoming a trusted partner is not about title, it is about how you show up, every single day.

10:10 AM: LEADERSHIP NETWORKING

10:30 AM MORNING TEA

SESSION 2 11:00 AM: Executive Presence: The Key to Recognition & Career Growth Opportunities

SESSION 3 12:00 PM: The AI-Smart EA: Judgement Beyond Prompts
Session Body:

Most AI training treats Executive Assistants like data entry clerks with better tools. That misses the point entirely.

The EA sits at the most sensitive intersection in any organisation: the place where confidential information, executive judgement, and operational tempo meet. AI is reshaping every part of that role right now. The question is whether you shape it back, or get shaped by it.

This session moves past prompt libraries and productivity hacks. It looks at the real shift underway: EAs are becoming the first line of AI judgement in the business. You decide what AI sees, what it touches, what it remembers, and what it should never go near. That is not a productivity question. It is a trust question, a security question, and a strategy question.

You will leave with:

• A clearer view of where AI strengthens your executive's position, and where it quietly exposes them

• Practical frameworks for workflows that scale judgement, not just speed

• Cyber awareness habits that protect confidential information in an AI-saturated environment

• Confidence to lead AI conversations in your office, not just respond to them

But the real prize sits one level deeper. Used well, AI does not just speed up your work. It changes how you think, what you notice, and the quality of the questions you bring to your executive. Multiply that across an EA function, and something rare starts to happen: the organisation begins to compound its intelligence rather than just its output. That is the EA's hidden lever, and almost no one is pulling it yet.

SESSION 4 1:50 PM: Thinking Like an Executive: From Decision Support to Strategic Career Growth

The most influential EAs do more than manage logistics. They shape decisions, clarify priorities and think commercially alongside their executive. In this powerful session, learn how to approach challenges with an executive mindset, frame options clearly, anticipate risk and present information in ways that drive confident decision-making. At the same time, explore how mastering decision support elevates your own career trajectory. Discover how to expand your scope, strengthen your strategic credibility and position yourself for greater responsibility, influence and progression. When you think like an executive, you don’t just support leadership, you become an essential part of it.

SESSION 5 2:40 PM: From EA to Strategic Career Architect: Building Influence, Visibility and Opportunity

Career progression in today’s EA profession is rarely linear. It is shaped by resilience, visibility and the courage to step forward, even when the path is uncertain. In this inspiring and highly relatable session, Linda Bailey, Senior Executive Assistant to the Head of Recycling Victoria, shares her personal journey of navigating change, building credibility and creating opportunity within complex, high-pressure environments.

Through lived experience, Linda will explore how mindset, self-belief and strategic action can accelerate your growth and open doors you may not have thought possible. Discover how to raise your professional profile, contribute beyond your role and position yourself as a valued, forward-thinking partner. This session will leave you feeling empowered, motivated and ready to take the next step in your career with confidence.

3:30 PM AFTERNOON TEA

SESSION 6: CLOSING KEYNOTE Q&A 3:30 PM: Confidence, Courage and Not Taking Yourself Too Seriously

To close day one, Julia Morris joins us for a candid and entertaining fireside chat on confidence, courage, and the freedom that comes from not taking yourself too seriously. As one of Australia’s most loved comedians and television personalities, Julia has spent her career navigating high visibility, public pressure, and constant reinvention. In this conversation, she will share stories from behind the scenes of a very public life, reflecting on backing yourself, embracing imperfection, and finding confidence when certainty is nowhere to be found. Expect humour, honesty, and sharp insight, alongside moments that resonate long after the laughter fades.

4:30 PM REFLECTION, FROM INSIGHT TO ACTION DAY CLOSE, MEET & GREET WITH JULIA AND NETWORKING DRINKS!

Conference Day Two | 28th May

From Insight To Action – Key Take Aways From Day 1

SESSION 1 9:15 AM: The Power Behind The Power - At What Cost

High-performing executive environments demand focus, resilience and constant adaptability. But long-term influence is not built on exhaustion. In this inspiring keynote, Danielle explores how to thrive in high-pressure roles without sacrificing your wellbeing. Drawing on the principles of The Chocolate Bar Life, she will share how to structure your work, rest and renewal with intention, set boundaries that protect your energy, and redefine ambition on your own terms. Discover how sustainable success sharpens your judgement, strengthens your presence and enhances the trust placed in you. Because at the top table, true impact comes from clarity, composure and balance, not burnout.

10:15 AM MORNING TEA

SESSION 2 10:45 AM: Brave Conversations: Managing Up Without Burning Bridges

In high-performing executive environments, avoiding difficult conversations can cost credibility, trust and results. The ability to speak up with confidence, clarity and professionalism is a defining skill of a trusted partner. In this empowering session, discover how to manage up effectively, push back with diplomacy, and navigate complex personalities without damaging relationships. Learn practical communication strategies for handling unrealistic expectations, shifting priorities and high-pressure moments. Explore how thoughtful, courageous conversations strengthen your executive partnership and position you as a respected voice in the room. Because real influence is not about staying silent, it’s about knowing how and when to speak with impact.

SESSION 3: EXCLUSIVE KEYNOTE SESSION 11:50 AM: Trust, Truth and Communication in a Noisy World

On day two, Samantha Armytage joins us for a powerful session on trust, truth and communication in an age of constant noise. As one of Australia’s most respected journalists and broadcasters, Samantha has spent decades working at the centre of breaking news, public debate, and high pressure conversations. In this keynote, she will reflect on what journalism has taught her about credibility, clear communication, and staying grounded when emotions run high. Samantha will explore how leaders can build trust, ask better questions, and communicate with clarity and integrity, followed by an extended Q and A to deepen the conversation.

SESSION 4: Interactive Q&A
2:10 PM: The Power Partnership: Leading Without the Title and Shaping Culture from Within

The most effective EA–executive partnerships are not built on tasks, but on trust, alignment, and shared accountability. Working at the highest levels of an organisation requires more than strong support skills. It demands judgement, discretion, and the ability to influence without formal authority.

In this practical and insight-driven session, Simone, Executive Assistant to the CEO and CFO at Metricon Homes, shares what it really takes to operate as a true partner at the top table. Drawing on her experience supporting senior leaders in complex, fast-paced environments, Simone will explore how to build trust, manage competing priorities, and contribute meaningfully to decision-making.

Discover how to strengthen your executive relationship, influence outcomes and shape team culture through your actions, communication, and presence. Because true partnership is not defined by title, but by the value you bring and the trust you earn every day.

SESSION 5 3:00 PM: The Power Partnership: Leading Without the Title and Shaping Culture from Within

The most effective EA–executive relationships are built on trust, clarity and shared purpose. But true partnership goes beyond task management. It requires leadership, influence and the ability to shape culture from wherever you sit. In this powerful session, explore what makes a highperforming executive partnership thrive, from communication rhythms to aligned expectations and mutual trust. Discover how to lead without formal authority, influence team dynamics and model the standards that strengthen organisational culture. Learn how to elevate your impact, deepen your executive relationship and position yourself not just as support, but as a trusted partner and cultural force within your organisation.

3:50 PM AFTERNOON TEA

SESSION 6 4:10 PM: Bringing it all together - From Insight to Action

As the summit draws to a close, take a moment to reflect, reset and refocus. In this energising closing session, Danielle will guide you through the key insights of the past two days and help you turn inspiration into practical action. Identify your next steps, clarify your priorities and commit to the changes that will elevate your impact. Leave feeling focused, confident and ready to step forward as a trusted, capable and future-ready executive partner.

4:30 PM CLOSE OF CONFERENCE

Post-Conference Workshop | 30th May

9:00 AM – 4:00 PM: The Practical Leadership Playbook: Leading with Clarity & Courage

Step into the next level of leadership.

This masterclass equips you with practical tools, advanced strategies and confidence to lead with clarity, courage, and impact.

You’ll walk away with a comprehensive toolkit—including proven templates, practical techniques and conversation guides—that you can immediately apply in your workplace and return to throughout your leadership journey.

“I wish I had done this workshop two years ago when I started as a manager”
 
What You’ll Learn:

Grounded in research and tested in practice, this masterclass will help you to:

• Strengthen self-awareness and emotional regulation: 
  Understand your personal leadership style, manage emotional responses and build lasting resilience.
• Set clear expectations for behaviour, performance, and working relationships: 
  Create a culture of accountability and psychological safety through clear boundaries and shared commitments.
• Provide advanced support to your team: 
  Recognise and respond to what your team members need to succeed and grow and manage in challenging times.
• Deliver feedback that drives performance and development: 
  Learn how to give confident, constructive feedback that supports good behaviour, addresses concerns early and
  strengthens your team.
• Navigate brave conversations with clarity and care
  Use the Correction Continuum to prepare for and engage in the conversations that matter—early, effectively and with integrity.

What You’ll Take Away:

Grounded in research and tested in practice, this masterclass will help you to:

• A practical leadership workbook packed with tools, templates, conversation scripts, and frameworks you can use for years to come.
  
  

“Every time I need to have a brave conversation, I go back to the templates and scripts. They give me the support and confidence I need to prepare well"

• A peer learning experience that connects you with like-minded leaders navigating similar challenges.
• The confidence and capability to immediately apply what you’ve learned in your leadership role.
  
  

“This is the most practical workshop I’ve ever attended.”