National Families Week: Speaker Series 2025
Each year, Families Australia host a series of webinars during National Families Week. We carefully handpick and invite speakers to reflect and celebrate a diverse range of families, all with their own unique stories of resilience and strength.
Our 2025 speakers will share valuable insights and practical tips on how we can support one another to thrive in both personal and professional aspects of life. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and learn how we can all lend a hand to each other’s success.
Join us for our virtual events on Tuesday 13 May and Thursday 15 May at 12.00pm AEST as we come together for two inspiring sessions.
Tuesday 13 May, 12.00-1.00pm AEST
Oliver White
Chair of Youth Advisor Council and Youth Project Officer,National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN)
Oliver is deeply committed to preventing child abuse and domestic violence and ensuring that young people’s perspectives are meaningfully included in policy and education reform. As the National Youth Project Officer and Chairperson of NYSO at the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN), he works alongside others to advocate for stronger, more inclusive approaches to prevention.
He also serves on the board of AOK Community Outreach, contributing to grassroots initiatives that support vulnerable communities. Currently studying a major in criminology at the University of Sydney, Oliver is particularly interested in how legal and social systems impact communities and shape outcomes for those most at risk. His work is driven by a belief that real change comes from collaboration, ensuring that those with lived experience are part of the conversations that affect them. Through his roles, he hopes to help bridge the gap between policy and practice, so that prevention efforts are not only informed by evidence but by the voices and realities of those they aim to support.
Thursday 15 May, 12.00-1.00pm AEST
Sylvana Mahmic
Chief Executive OfficerPlumtree Children’s Services
Sylvana is the Chief Executive Officer of Plumtree Children’s Services and has worked for over 28 years in the early childhood intervention field, with strong expertise in whole-of-family and peer-led approaches. She is the co-creator of the peer-led program Now & Next and has incubated two peer-led organisations. Sylvana has served on over 25 advisory groups including six Ministerial appointments and has been a member of the NSW Disability Council.
She has held executive positions on the Board of Early Childhood Intervention Australia NSW/ACT and was a founding board member of Diversity Disability Alliance. She was a member of the NDIS Independent Advisory Council between 2013-2024. She is a member of the NDIS Children’s Expert Advisory Group, Access Advisory Group NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet, and the Australian Museum Access and Inclusion Advisory Panel. Currently, she is undertaking postgraduate research with a focus on individualised funding, which has been her interest since 2009, when her son commenced with self-managed funding.