Who we are
The Team
Our team is comprised of genuinely gifted minds
Fabian Dattner is the founder and CEO of Dattner Group, a leadership consultancy specialising in cultural transformation, executive development, senior leadership development and working with women. Well-known as an inspiring leader, ethics commentator, and women’s leadership activist, Fabian is passionate about challenging leadership paradigms and advocates for engaged and collaborative culture. With over 36 years in a vast array of sectors, Fabian utilises her visionary skill, strategic thinking ability, and deep understanding to help leaders recognise that leadership is a key leverage point for the greater good. Creator of Compass – a leadership program unlocking courage in women, and visionary founder of Homeward Bound – a global initiative which sees women in STEMM journey to Antarctica, Fabian gives women the skills to face critical challenges and amplify their leadership role globally. Fabian has received numerous awards, contributes to media regularly and has penned three books. Read more about or book Fabian as a speaker.
Mish (as everyone knows her) has been an integral part of Dattner Group for over 14 years within a variety of key business areas including support, project, and client management. As Director of Strategic Relations, she is connected to all parts of the business, deeply understanding how it works and using her knowledge to manage and support new client acquisition, client engagement and ongoing key client relationships, project management, and business process improvement. She brings expertise, business sense, care for people and a profound understanding of clients’ intrinsic viewpoints and needs, and thoroughly enjoys building authentic and lasting relationships. Mish values fairness, courage, and integrity, grew up in Malta and cherishes her family and adorable Border Collie, Nellie, as well as a good cup of Melbourne coffee.
As someone who values courage, optimism, and fairness, I bring a pragmatic and insightful approach to coaching and facilitation with executives and leaders at all levels to help them to see what’s possible for them, their people and organisations to achieve sustainable success, personal growth and change commitment. As a Dattner Group and Homeward Bound Projects Director, I’m mindfully committed to social, economic and environmental sustainability and to the ethos that leadership for the greater good is needed now more than ever. Accredited in LSI, GSI, DiSC, MSCEIT, MBTI and GLWS, I integrate a variety of tools into my work with individuals and teams and I know what it means to lead by encouraging others and influencing using enthusiasm and enjoyment, which sometimes means I’m a workaholic. When I’m not working, I love nothing more than spending time with my family and dogs, by resetting my mind, body, and soul at the beach and, when possible, travelling.
After a long career in publishing and media, Zoë joined Dattner Group in early 2022, bringing her collaborative and innovative approach to problem solving and energising people, as well as being one of Dattner Group’s coaches and facilitators. Passionate about getting to the heart of a problem and solving it quickly, Zoë is deeply informed around the effectiveness of conveying complex notions and ideas through storytelling and personal enquiry. Zoë has lectured in digital media and publishing strategies, been the General Manager for Australia’s peak industry body for small publishers, co-founded and lead an award-winning literary publishing house and spent six years as Head of Publishing at Private Media. An accredited LSI coach, Zoë works with many of Dattner Group’s clients, and collaborates with the DG team to remove obstacles, build capacity and enable the company to grow.
Joining Dattner Group has given me an opportunity to work in a flexible environment, with a fantastic culture and a passionate team, truly committed to changing the narrative of leadership for business and people. With a finance support background, overseas and in Australia, I have a diverse, collaborative, and meticulous approach to my work. I love a challenge, but also strive to bring a sense of calm, and contribute positively in every aspect of life. As Dattner Group‘s Finance Officer I get the chance to use my skills across the business, reaching across accounts, reporting, payroll, and day-to-day finance administration. Being part-time allows me to balance my family and work life and gives me the opportunity to be there for those important moments in my children’s life.
Having moved from Perth to Melbourne at the beginning of 2022 and working from home, I found it difficult to network and build connections. When the opportunity arose to work with Dattner Group, I jumped at the chance. I love process, structure, planning and organising and I get to combine all of these in my role as Client Services Manager. Having worked in accounting and admin in various industries, mainly mining and the disability sectors, I’ve learnt fantastic decision-making skills, how to back myself and trust my instincts while bringing a high level of professionalism to all stakeholders within an organisation. When I’m not scheduling and putting newfound processes and programs into practice at DG, you’ll find me hanging out with my husband and young kids in a local café, enjoying a good cup of coffee or sitting at a table playing board games or Dungeons & Dragons with my family & friends.
Sarah is inherently curious about human behaviour and what motivates or demotivates people to act. She is passionate about amplifying the message of purpose-built organisations and building connections with like-minded people. She has a background in marketing and small business and has been an integral part of the Dattner Group team since 2017. When Sarah is not spreading the Dattner Group message she can be found chasing her two young daughters, eating delicious food and basking in the sunshine.
Building meaningful, lasting relationships with clients and and helping women become more visible and to lead with influence has always been an absolute passion of mine. Upon arriving at Dattner Group in early 2019 I rapidly realised that my own values of respect, fairness and learning were deeply aligned with those of the business, which is why I don’t just enjoy my job, I love it! With a background in business development, recruitment, and account management, I’ve been able to use my expertise and determination to deliver and grow the Compass programs nationally and globally, while getting to be a part of a transformational journey that changes women’s lives – both professionally and personally. In my spare time I love getting outdoors. From trail running, to swimming, hiking, or camping – thanks to changes in the way we work, I’m lucky enough to call the stunning mid-north Coast NSW my home and now get to do all the things I enjoy more often.
Gabby is a true global adventurer hailing from the USA. When she's not exploring the depths of the ocean as a scuba diver or diving into captivating books, you'll find Gabby experimenting with culinary creations in her kitchen or delving into the fascinating world of psychotherapy. Gabby's passions extend beyond her professional pursuits. She is a devoted feline enthusiast and has a penchant for French fashion.
Having completed her BA in psychological science at Deakin University, Gabby worked at the Florey Institute for Neuroscience and is currently extending her qualifications with a Masters Degree in psychodynamic psychotherapy. She is trilingual in French and Spanish, an expert technical and wreck scuba diver, and very good at jigsaw puzzles. She is delighted to have joined the Dattner Group, where she plans to utilise her superb organisational skills to help drive the business.
Nothing gives me more joy than creating and working through a daily to do list, which is what makes my current role at DG the perfect one for me as I get to utilise my organisational skills and connect with people every day. Over the years I’ve maintained my ability to build relationships and trust with a high level of professionalism and confidentiality. And, as a mum of two children, I’m committed to finding a balance between my home life and my work life so I can engage with my community and still find time for my personal pursuits.
Mel employs her strong logistics background to efficiently manage Dattner Group’s diagnostic tools and systems; and thrives being part of a team that facilitates positive changes in people’s lives. Mel is passionate about fostering inclusivity in the workplace by celebrating diversity and removing barriers to participation. She values people’s innate uniqueness and the infinite possibilities to learn and grow from each other. Mel is inspired by the empowering women in her life and hopes to leave that same impact on future generations, including her daughter. Mel is also an animal lover, fitness fanatic, creative arts enthusiast, and a dreamer.
For the past 30 years, I’ve either been leading people, or helping others who lead people, to do it better. I do this through individual and team Executive coaching and strengths-based leadership development. I’m also proud to have been on the leadership team of the Homeward Bound Project, a 10-year initiative to equip a 1000-strong global collaboration of women in science to lead, influence and contribute to policy as it informs the future of our planet. I find my clients are looking for three things from me: One, experience in the real world: that I have done the things I’m teaching others to do; two, a track record of achieving results for clients, and three, ensuring people apply the things they learn and create tangible outcomes in the workplace. When working with clients, I take care to ensure that the senior leader/s is personally invested in the development of leadership and culture, and my client’s leadership team are stewards for the development of their people, ensuring line managers take ownership and are accountable for ensuring leadership development is grounded in application and outcomes.
I am passionate about creating safe, engaging learning environments where individuals and teams can generate insights and bring about constructive change – in whole of life. I have been leading, coaching, and developing people for more than 20 years having both lead large teams as a HR Director and more recently, as a Consultant / Coach/ Strategist. My style is pragmatic and straightforward, bringing real industry experience across professional services, banking & finance, IT, FMCG, not for profit, construction, local council, government as well as private clients. I am a proud member of the Compass – Visionary Leadership for Women team and provide support to the Homeward Bound Executive Board and Leadership Team, a 10 year initiative to equip 1000 strong global collaboration of women with science backgrounds to lead, influence and contribute to policy as it informs the future of our planet. I hold accreditations in several diagnostic tools including Life Styles Inventory™ (LSI 1 & 2), Leadership Impact™, Management Impact™, Organisational Culture Inventory and Organisational Effectiveness Inventory™, OPQ, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator™ (MBTI), CILCA 360, as well as being a Certified Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI).
Cathy is fascinated by Positive Psychology scientific research and the use of its evidence-based applications to help individuals improve their work life and wellbeing. It is her passion to share her knowledge and watch how these strategies translate into more meaningful and positive work – and a greater sense of career wellbeing. Cathy has over two decades of career management experience, consulting to hundreds of top ASX listed, private and NFP organisations, successfully supporting over 1,000 people through group facilitation and individual coaching. Using evidence-based career wellbeing strategies and tools, Cathy focuses on supporting clients to develop positive relationships, improve engagement, and boost productivity in their private lives and in the workplace. Clients have gained insights that enable them to focus on strengths, manage emotions, improve relationships and turnaround negative cultures. This uplift in awareness and engagement is incredibly empowering and especially important in times of change and uncertainty. Cathy never tires of seeing her clients build resilience. Accredited in: CILCA 360, Birkman, MSCEIT, 4MAT.
For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by people, how they view themselves, their aspirations and motivations. As a coach I thrive on enabling others to shift mindsets, uncover strengths, recognise potential and navigate the journey forward. I love the privilege of walking alongside someone, providing them with a safe environment based on trust to do some ‘’out loud’’ thinking while helping them explore, challenge and identify where they want to be and what they want. Accredited in: Birkman, and Management Research Group: Individual Directions Inventory (IDI) and Personal Directions (Appraise Your World & World Outcomes).
Rarely does one find a powerhouse of academic insight, observational excellence, and dynamic delivery to shed new light on a topic that’s critical to us all – ourselves! Louise’s inimitable style and deep insight in her field are in demand across USA, Europe, Asia, and the Pacific, where audiences can appreciate this high level of expertise PLUS a wicked sense of humour. A foremost expert in body language, voice and human behaviour, Louise has a PhD in Business, and degrees and masters in Organisational Psychology as well as Music. Her skills as a Master Practitioner in Neuro-Linguistic Programming pull together her academic study and years of professional performance on the European opera stage (yes, that’s right – the opera stage) to put her in a league of her own. These blended skills bring powerful observation that elicits discernible, positive change to help you ‘be heard’ in hostile environments. Louise is a regular facilitator in our Compass programs.
Liv Downing has over 20 years of experience working with organisations and individuals to support them to work and live to their fullest potential. She is a Registered Psychologist, Coach and Meditation Teacher and offers consulting, coaching, and counselling to individuals, groups, and organisations. Through her business, Liv Mindfully, Liv delivers mindfulness-based workshops to schools and organisations and works with Monash University, to teach within the Medical Faculty. She counsels in private practice one day a week. She is a board member of Meditation Australia (MA) and has recently co-founded an online workplace mental health program called Mind You and offers consulting, coaching, and counselling to individuals, groups, and organisations. Through her business, Liv Mindfully, Liv delivers mindfulness-based workshops to schools and organisations and works with Monash University, to teach within the Medical Faculty. She counsels in private practice one day a week. She is a board member of Meditation Australia (MA) and has recently co-founded an online workplace mental health program called Mind You.
I have been leading, coaching, and developing people for more than 20 years. I consult in areas of culture, leadership development and change management. My passion is to work with organisations to see a shift in culture that brings the best out of their people. I consult across the public and private sector, corporates, SMEs, and not-for-profits. I am an engaging speaker, facilitator and coach who loves to create environments where people come alive. At DG, I am a culture measurement and change specialist; a speaker, trainer, facilitator, and instructional designer; and a leadership and life coach to many business leaders and executives. My specialty is finding those one or two key breakthrough points – the ‘aha moments’ that make the most difference to an organisation, team or personal performance – and then building strategies and skills to make changes in performance evident and long-lasting post-program. Accredited in: LSI, MI, CSS, OCI/OEI, MSCEIT, DiSC, CILCA 360, HILCA 360, HISCA, ISA 360, Business Acumen Gauge, PXT Select.
Melanie Haydon is a lead facilitator with Compass and combines a warm and engaging style with her extensive knowledge and experience gained over 20 years of consulting to companies on all aspects of the “human side” of business. She has developed and facilitated programs across diverse industries and company sizes, from small start-ups to multi-national enterprises. Melanie is passionate about assisting people to be the best they can be, as leaders, team members and specialists, by raising their awareness of self and others and creating true collaboration with those around them. Her focus is to support individuals to confidently choose their approach and response to situations with clarity, purpose, and their own individual style. With an academic background in Social and Behavioural Science, she is accredited in several psychometric assessment suites, including Life Styles Inventory™ (LSI 1 & 2), SHL and Saville Wave and is an accredited coach.
Michael is a highly experienced Consultant, Executive Coach and Facilitator with over 20-years’ experience in the organisational development field. He has undertaken a diverse range of engagements across State and Local Government organisations, the community sector and corporate organisations. Michael’s specialty is turning potentially complex, theoretical, culture and organisational design concepts into practical change initiatives. His approach is based on building mutual trust and respect with his clients and supporting people to be accountable for their actions and commitments. Michael has a Bachelor of Applied Science, a Graduate Diploma in Human Resources and is a leading practitioner with the suite of Human Synergistics development diagnostics. He is an accredited and highly experienced Executive Coach and also accredited with the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) and Team Management System (TMS).
Ronnie is an executive coach and coaching supervisor with a background in senior roles across various industry sectors. Commercially focused, with deep coaching experience at the executive level, she works with empathy and evidence-based methodologies to support clients to achieve their coaching goals. In coaching supervision Ronnie relies on a systemic model which identifies multiple levels of relationship – coach, supervisor, coach and client organisation. She uses this model to explore issues arising from the coaching practice for the on-going development of the executive coach. Accredited in: Myers-Briggs type indicator, The Birkman Method, Personal Directions, Leadership Effectiveness Analysis 360 tool.
I am a highly experienced coach who is passionate about empowering people to be more constructive thinkers and leaders who deliver sustainably excellent business results. My experience has been gained in senior roles in both the public and private sectors in Australia and as a consultant with a major international consulting firm. I have worked with CEOs to team leaders and frontline staff in Australia and through Asia. I am also the lead coach for the Homeward Bound program and have been a coach for participants on that program since it commenced in 2015. My private sector management roles have included the HR Director of a national manufacturing industry association and the senior manager in charge of leadership and management development in a major Australian bank. In the past five years I have provided coaching to more than 350 managers and executives. I am accredited in the Human Synergistics suite of development tools including LSI1 and 2, the Group Styles Inventory, the Organisation Culture and Effectiveness Inventories as well as Leadership Impact and Management Impact. I am also accredited in the Global Leadership Wellbeing Survey and the Team Management Profile.
Sarah brings over 27 years of professional experience delivering conflict intervention, education and mediation services across Australia and internationally. From the bush to the boardroom, her experience with complex high conflict situations enables her to bring strategic calm to complex decision making during conflict and crisis. Sarah has designed and delivered bespoke corporate training, university courses and nationally accredited workshops in some of the most complex situations across remote Australia and into the Pacific. She has delivered talks across 9 countries and is a regular contributor in the media on all things conflict, and is an Ambassador for Think Network and Mediate Guru. She is an accredited mediator from National Mediation Standards & International Mediation Institute and holds a masters in Strategic Affairs.
Jo has spent twenty years coaching and leading programs that focus on building authentic leadership capabilities. As a facilitator and coach Jo has worked with many of Australia’s top 100 companies, government agencies and not for profit organisations to develop relevant, practical and useable tools that increase leadership skills and develop positive behaviours that ensure success, harness untapped potential and promote the unique contributions of senior leaders. Jo is renowned for bringing her warm, engaging and authentic style to create trusted growth-oriented environments that enable participants to explore the edges of their leadership capability.
I am an experienced facilitator and qualified coach, with extensive experience across a broad range of portfolios, including government, higher education, not-for-profit organisations, and the creative industries. I am passionate about mindful, authentic leadership, with a particular commitment to helping women develop their leadership skills; and an affinity for working with Indigenous communities. I am an alumna of the prestigious ANZSOG Executive Fellows Program, and I’m accredited in Human Synergistics tools LSI, GSI and L/I. I hold a Certificate IV in Life Coaching, with formal experience in methodologies including narrative coaching, solutions-focused coaching and acceptance and commitment coaching and I’m a member of the International Coaching Federation.
Tamsin brings over 15 years experience at the intersection of people, strategy and culture. A trusted advisor, coach and mentor to leadership teams and executives, Tamsin has refined her leadership experience through leading people functions, general management and board-level engagements. Tamsin thrives on partnering with executive teams to quickly identify and tackle complex problems. She is known for being a highly-skilled communicator who is curious, calm, collaborative and courageous. It is this approach that enables her to uncover and realise individual, team and business performance potential.
Trevor Torrance is an experienced facilitator and coach, who has been working with individuals, corporations and communities worldwide for more than 20 years, helping them to achieve business and personal goals by developing and delivering bespoke programs. Trevor’s particular interest is in psychological safety and well-being, helping clients connect to triggers and blind spots, limiting thought-patterns, and strengthening self-awareness to deliver a more positive impact for the relationships and communities they work within. A personal interest for Trevor is working with the LGBTQI+ community, to support individuals who are finding integration and acceptance within the community a challenge. Having played professional sport in the 1980s and 90s through the AIDS epidemic, Trevor has real lived experience that he openly shares to create deeper connections. Trevor has worked in local, regional and global roles across Europe, Asia and the Middle East, and has a depth of cross-cultural experience that he brings to every relationship
As a long time researcher and writer for Dattner Group, my vision is to facilitate meaningful, accurate and relevant communications that will make a positive difference to people’s professional and personal lives. I am focussed on achieving quality outcomes. I bring a diversity of life and work experience. I value and demonstrate honesty and integrity. I am a strategic thinker, creative problem solver, fast learner and self-starter.
Ian is a uniquely commercial, organisational psychologist, Senior HR and Strategy Executive with over 30 years of experience within the fields of organisational psychology, business strategy, sales and marketing. Ian has extensive experience in the facilitation of C-suite coaching, leadership programs, team dynamics, people strategies and culture interventions. Ian has been a CHRO or Commercial Director in several notable Blue chip Companies such as Lion Nathan, Arnott’s, Commonwealth Bank, Woolworth’s and George Weston Foods and has worked in over 42 countries. He also owns and runs Cormack Consulting which specialises in expert HR advice and OD interventions in the name of human capital effectiveness, efficiency and change management. Ian is an excellent coach and has enabled many CEO’s and HR Directors to lift their capability and realise their potential. Accredited in: LSI, OCI, GSI,MBTI, Hogan Genos EQ, REACH Profiles, 360, culture & pulse, learning ecosystem, All psychometrics – abilities and temperament, Gallup Strengths, Gutman Team Effectiveness.
Chyloe Kurdas is a culture change and organisational development specialist with 15 years’ experience coaching and mentoring leaders through the gender equality evolution in the Australian sporting industry. Chyloe was one of the driving forces behind the AFL Women’s competition and led the implementation of the Australian golf industry’s national gender equality strategy, Vision 2025. She consults across a variety of national sporting organisations and industry bodies on how to lead gender inclusive organisations and outcomes, and coaches industry staff on their career development and inclusive leadership practice. Chyloe’s expertise lies in delivering leadership systems to identify, pipeline, and mentor key leadership personnel to build gender empowered organisations. In particular, she has extensive expertise in supporting male leaders as allies of gender equity.
I hold over 20 years’ global experience working in complex organisations across a variety of industries and contexts at a senior level – specialising in leadership and organisational development. What I bring to clients is an understanding of organisational systems (how things really work), curiosity, deep skills in leadership and organisational development and a passion for inclusion and sustainability. I’m a full time consultant and have the pleasure of working with some of Australia’s best companies and leaders. When needed by clients, I bring teams together to support large engagements, drawing on my network of highly-skilled leadership development professionals.
Anne is an experienced learning and development professional with a passion for helping others unleash their potential as leaders, team members, and individual contributors. Her work exists at the intersection of performance and wellbeing, focusing on creating a balance which enables delivery of positive outcomes in both spheres. With a career spanning more than three decades, Anne brings experience in the design and facilitation of bespoke transformational leadership programs and interventions for scientists and other professionals, from frontline to Director. She applied these skills over more than a decade in Australia’s premier multi-disciplinary applied science organisation, the CSIRO. She is an experienced workplace and leadership coach with accreditations in several coaching methodologies, enabling her to support clients with the approach best suited to their needs and those of their organisation. Anne holds a Diploma of Positive Psychology and Wellbeing, a Graduate Certificate of Adult Education and Training, and a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Behavioural Sciences.
Akii is an international multi award-winning disability and gender equity advocate, project manager, qualified public health nutritionist, communications professional, health promotion & policy practitioner with over 12 years of national and international experience. An experienced and enthusiastic public speaker and writer across local, national, and international forums, having shared their experiences of diversity, violence prevention, chronic illness, non-tokenistic representation, co-design and intersectionality. A proud, queer, non-binary, chronically ill and disabled person of colour from a refugee background. Akii is fierce advocate for the community, often fighting for the rights of BIPOC, people living with disability and chronic illness to live a fulfilling and stigma/discrimination-free life. A strong co-design facilitator – dedicated in ethos of ‘nothing about us, without us’
Passionate, Insightful, Authentic. Graciela brings over 25 years of expertise as an executive coach, organisational consultant, and facilitator. Her journey has been dedicated to empowering organisations and their leaders to reach their fullest potential.
Graciela is an experienced professional who specialises in mindset shifts, steering organisational change, and sparking behavioural initiatives. From strategizing to implementation and integration, she's a catalyst for transformation. She quickly builds trust, establishing enduring relationships rooted in credibility and confidence. Her strength lies in fostering conscious learning among leaders and organisations, involving mindfulness, active engagement, and intentional learning, often emphasising self-awareness, critical thinking, and reflection.
Her extensive experience spans across diverse industries and cultural landscapes. Besides her professional endeavours, Graciela also devotes her time to volunteering and supporting non-profit organisations.Graciela is accredited in a range of diagnostic instruments, including Human Synergistic (LSI, GSI, OCI), Global Leadership Wellbeing Solutions (GLWS), Korn Ferry's "The Leadership Architect," Hogan 360, The Leadership Circle (TLC), and Power Index (DPI).
Graciela is an experienced professional who specialises in mindset shifts, steering organisational change, and sparking behavioural initiatives. From strategizing to implementation and integration, she's a catalyst for transformation. She quickly builds trust, establishing enduring relationships rooted in credibility and confidence. Her strength lies in fostering conscious learning among leaders and organisations, involving mindfulness, active engagement, and intentional learning, often emphasising self-awareness, critical thinking, and reflection.
Her extensive experience spans across diverse industries and cultural landscapes. Besides her professional endeavours, Graciela also devotes her time to volunteering and supporting non-profit organisations.Graciela is accredited in a range of diagnostic instruments, including Human Synergistic (LSI, GSI, OCI), Global Leadership Wellbeing Solutions (GLWS), Korn Ferry's "The Leadership Architect," Hogan 360, The Leadership Circle (TLC), and Power Index (DPI).
