My dream is to grow a community of different-minded thought leaders and bring them together to connect and share their ideas. I am inviting you to join this community of women, who are keen to explore leading edge concepts, as we grapple together with the complexity of work and life today.
As a member of this community you will be invited to thought leadership events and have access to the Serendipity Thought Leaders LinkedIn group, which will provide the opportunity to connect and share resources to spark your synapses and provoke ideas generation.
I do my best thinking in nature, walking up Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve, with the smell of eucalyptus leaves, the sound of birdsong and glimpses of koalas high up in the trees. My imagination runs free, and anything seems possible. As a result we host our retreats in the natural setting of Queensland rainforests.
As an infopreneur, my purpose in life is to engage in a journey of ongoing personal growth, wisdom and serenity, for myself and others, by playing with ideas and experiences, creating ‘ah ha’ moments and repurposing existing knowledge. As we share ideas with others, they ripple out beyond the immediate group, and we never know where they will land.
Purpose of the Serendipity Thought Leaders Community:
To create the time and space to come together to explore ideas, make connections and have interesting, thought-provoking conversations.
Guiding Principles
Stay curious
Seek a different perspective
Embrace the unexpected
Help connect the dots
Be open to possibilities
Foster connection and belonging
I am excited to announce that our first two Serendipity Thought Leaders Retreats were very successful: 3-night rainforest retreat at Mount Tamborine in March 2025 and 1-day retreat at Clear Mountain Lodge in August 2025.
Our 2026 retreat is open so book your place now!
As an infopreneur, diagnostician of underlying causes of organisational issues, and ideas challenger, I enjoy connecting people with thought leadership; new ideas, upcoming trends and different perspectives on complex issues. As the founder and director of Incisive Leaders, I encourage executives and leaders to embrace new ways of leading and make the shifts necessary to lead at their best.
As a pracademic, I am interested in how research informs practice. I am an Adjunct Research Fellow with the Work, Organisation and Wellbeing (WOW) Centre at Griffith University and have worked as Adjunct Senior Lecturer with the Griffith Business School. I completed my research PhD on follower resilience to toxic leadership and published some of my findings in Stress and Health journal and The Conversation: Toxic Boss at Work. I co-authored Destructive Leadership in the Workplace and its Consequences with Professor Paula Brough.
Your Retreat Host, Dr Vicki Webster
Retreat Host Profiles
Ideas to real application: research optimisation in the energy sector with Leigh Staines
The world talks about the need for achieving ‘net zero’ through electrification and renewable energy sources, but how do we actually scale our infrastructure to meet the needs of our energy hungry lifestyle? Copper is the most fundamental component of power generation, transmission and electrical devices, and demand is expected to double by 2050. Ironically the pathway to a more sustainable future requires a significant increase in mining and minerals processing to meet these requirements. So, after a 25-year career in the resources sector, Leigh was excited to discover a breakthrough technology at UQ, developed by Prof James Vaughan, lead of the Hydrometallurgy Lab, that holds the key to unlocking a cleaner, safer and cheaper method of refining copper. Join the conversation on how Banksia is developing a new copper refining process and building the playbook for physical technology development in Australia for taking research from the university lab to industry application. Leigh will also give an update on the work her and her husband Matt are doing on Diamond View farm. Amongst the scenic views of the Brisbane Valley, Diamond View is a demonstration farm for natural sequence farm regeneration.
Silence and voice at work with Victoria Lister
Ever stayed quiet about something important at work, knowing you should speak up but also knowing it could cost you? Victoria has spent the last six years researching, reading, thinking and talking about the problem of employee silence. Is the decision to stay silent a choice, the product of the perceived consequences of speaking up? Or is it something we have little or no control over? We’ll be diving into this fascinating topic, drawing on Victoria’s knowledge of employee silence in medicine and academia, and exploring what it means for us – at work and in life.
Victoria seeks to understand the relationship between becoming and being a medical professional and voice and silence at work. For example, she is currently Principal Investigator researching workplace coaching as a path to individual voice and team communication between doctors and nurses.
Exploring Leadership Challenges through Genred Storytelling with Andrew Rixon
Step into the creative space where leadership meets imagination. In this hands-on session, you’ll work in small groups to reimagine a leadership challenge as a story—whether a fairytale, sci-fi adventure, or western showdown—and discover how genre can unlock new insight, perspective, and wisdom for leading forward.
Andrew Rixon, PhD, is an internationally experienced leadership coach, action researcher and educator specialising in leadership and change through storytelling and narrative techniques. In 2009, Andrew founded a national story conference providing a space for those interested in the use and application of story and narrative techniques for individuals, communities, and organisations and has been the co-editor of the three books emerging from this community of practice: The Story Cookbook: Practical Recipes for Change, Making sense of stories: An Inquirers Compendium, and Facilitating with Stories: Ethics, Reflective Practice and Philosophies. Andrew is currently working on a new book titled “Narrative Leadership Development: Storytelling for Navigating Challenging Times”.
Read more about Andrew here: experts.griffith.edu.au/40423-andrew-rixon
How can women of privilege support those who find themselves disadvantaged? with Leonie Carlile
Leonie (Lee) wants to spark a grassroots movement focused on financial education for women from all walks of life. Many women over 40 have never received formal financial training and, due to life circumstances such as divorce, career breaks, or underemployment, can face serious financial challenges. With rising housing costs, some even risk homelessness. Lee invites us to consider how leadership can influence systemic change for women’s financial security. She will share insights and practical strategies to improve financial literacy and life skills—and explore how leaders can drive meaningful, lasting change.
As Group CEO of The BUSY Group, Lee leads a collective of organisations united by one purpose: creating opportunities through skills, education, and training. The BUSY Group’s vision is simple—more people in jobs, more people learning new skills, and stronger communities. Through its diverse portfolio—BUSY At Work, BUSY Ability, BUSY Health, and The BUSY School—the group delivers integrated pathways that empower individuals and transform lives. Each entity plays a vital role: from employment services and employment support for specialist cohorts to health initiatives and innovative education models, together they form a powerful network driving positive change.
The Future of Work with Dr Libby Sander
Libby is a leading thinker on understanding the future of work, and how we can reimagine work to live more meaningful and creative lives, to think differently about how traditional work and workspaces are designed and adopt a fresh, more sustainable approach. Her research has shown this is beneficial for our physical and mental wellbeing, which in turn encourages more collaboration, creativity and growth. Libby will share emerging trends in organisations around the world and facilitate an activity using her Rethink cards.
Libby is Associate Professor of Organisational Behaviour with Bond University. She hosts The Floorplan, a podcast about the future of work.
Where:
The Pavilion, Tamborine Mountain Glades, Cedar Creek Rd, Mt Tamborine, in the Gold Coast hinterland (next to Thunderbird Park)
Relax in the beautiful Vistas nestled in rainforest. Enjoy conversations in The Pavillion and delicious food and wine at the Rainforest Restaurant & Lounge Bar or the Terrace Kiosk.
When:
From lunch Thursday 14 May to lunch Saturday 16 May 2026
What’s On:
A combination of serendipitous conversations facilitated by thought leaders, bush walks, group connection activities, free time to read a book, write, have a walk or swim, have a nap, enjoy a massage or just do nothing and chill!
Retreat Host: Dr Vicki Webster
Conversation Hosts:
Ideas to real application: Research Optimisation in the energy sector with Leigh Staines
Silence and Voice at work with Victoria Lister
Exploring leadership challenges through Genred Storytelling with Andrew Rixon
How can women of privilege support those who find themselves disadvantaged? with Leonie Carlile
The future of work with Dr Libby Sander
Investment: $2195.