Christopher Brown AM - Executive Chairman
Christopher retired as Pro Chancellor of Western Sydney University (WSU) after eight years as a Trustee and Director, in mid-2019. He continues to serve on the boards of the WSU Academy and WSU External Affairs Committee. He is retired member of the ANZ Stadium, Moorebank Intermodal and LUCRF Super boards.
Having served on dozens of government boards over 30 years, he was a member of the Federal/State commission that chose the Badgerys Creek Airport site and then devised an advocacy campaign to secure Cabinet support. He served on the NSW Transport & Planning Blueprint Panel that first recognised Parramatta as Sydney’s second CBD and advises News Corp's 'Go West/Project Sydney' editorial campaign.
Christopher chaired the WestLine Partnership, which secured a light rail connection in the Olympic Corridor, and the Western Sydney Rail Alliance, which secured $5+ billion to build north/south rail connections to Badgerys Creek. He was founding Convenor of the Parramatta Partnership Forum and the Committee for Liverpool, and now manages the Canterbury-Bankstown Forum and Advance Blacktown civic leadership forums. He chairs the South West Sydney Local Health Advisory Board and served as an adviser to the Western Sydney Parklands.
Raised and educated in Parramatta, he was awarded Australian Honours for services to industry and community in 2014.
Faith Halliday – Executive Director, Strategy & Engagement
Faith Halliday is an experienced business manager and collaborator. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture from UNSW (Honours) and has lived and worked in Australia, North America and Asia. Appropriating the same creative process to organisational operations, Faith derives innovative business planning solutions across strategy and client management.
Prior to joining TSA, Faith was Manager Global Business Planning & Development at Australian-based, international architectural firm, Woods Bagot. In this role, Faith was responsible for the development and management of the firm’s global business plans, collaborating with Sector Leaders, Regional Chairs, Thought Leaders and key stakeholders. Prior to this, Faith worked in close partnership with the Group CEO as Manager, Strategy & New Initiatives, based in Hong Kong and acting in a chief of staff capacity.
Faith brings global perspective and strategic thinking to our management team; providing the best possible service we can to our clients and partners.
Jessica Commins - Director, Research & Finance
Jessica Commins is a seasoned property executive, with 13+ years of domestic and international experience advising retail property developers and retailers, and has also worked in Equities Analyst at Deutsche Bank.
She most recently worked for Scentre Group (formerly Westfield) as National Manager, Strategic Research, reporting directly to the Group CEO.
Jessica also supported Scentre’s operational strategies and development pipeline and established a global knowledge network in partnership with Westfield offices in USA & UK. She was originally involved in Westfield centre management and has represented Scentre Group in external industry forums and been involved with the company’s executive leadership development programs.
She has worked in property and retail businesses in both Europe and the USA, including in roles with TK Maxx and Tommy Hilfiger. She previously served as Client Relationship Manager at leading consultancy, Pitney Bowes.
Jessica holds degrees in Economics & Law from the University of Qld, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the prestigious Stephen M Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan (USA).
Adam Leto – Director, Communications
Adam has more than 15 years’ experience in media management, communications and marketing. He has worked in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and been responsible for the development and management of communications and media strategies for major initiatives, including the Western Sydney Light Rail Network and the $2b urban revitalisation project, Parramatta Square.
His broad, in-house roles with government and member-based organisations have also seen him lead communications, campaign and advocacy strategies on a diverse range of issues such as local government reform and the decentralisation of government jobs in Western Sydney. Before joining TSA, he worked as Communications & Marketing Manager at City of Parramatta and then Manager, Media & Communications at Local Government NSW.
A former Fairfax Media journalist, Adam has a wide network of media contacts and extensive experience in development of successful public relations campaigns, particularly within local government, transport, infrastructure and sport.
Additionally, Adam brings extensive experience in the delivery of high-quality communication products across multiple platforms, including the placement of opinion-editorials, executive presentations/reports, social media strategy and ghost/speech writing.
Luke Turner – Director, Policy & Analysis
Luke has a variety of experience in public policy and advocacy roles, with particular expertise in transport policy. He has extensive knowledge of the transport and planning issues facing Australian cities.
He has experience advancing the interests of leading transport organisations and is a strong advocate for the role of the private sector in delivering public infrastructure and services. More recently, Luke has been involved in consultation processes for the CBD and South East Sydney Light Rail, M9 Corridor preservation, WestConnex, Parramatta Light Rail and Newcastle Light Rail projects.
Luke joined TSA from the NRMA and previously worked for the Tourism and Transport Forum, The NSW Department of Family and Community Services and the City of Sydney. He has a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Communication from the University of Newcastle.
Brett Towers - Director, Marketing & Operations
Brett brings 15 years of sales, marketing and stakeholder management experience to Taylor Street Advisory.
In his most recent role at Business Events Sydney, Brett was dedicated to working with local and international companies to position Sydney as Australia’s premier meetings destination, and a global city home to a rich base of innovators and entrepreneurs.
Brett is able to draw on his extensive knowledge of the tourism and events sector, plus his broad industry and government networks, to provide advice and support to his stakeholders.
He recently delivered the BOOMTOWN! Summit for 400+ delegates, project managing budgets, suppliers, attendees and speakers.
Aside from his time at Business Events Sydney, Brett has also served in commercial and marketing roles with Tourism Australia and Luna Park Sydney, and as a policy manager for the Tourism & Transport Forum.
Sarah Campbell - Communications Manager
Sarah adds 20 years of positive strategic media management, news sense and stakeholder liaison, across a range of sectors, to Taylor Street Advisory.
She has worked as journalist, production manager, producer and held a range of marketing roles, where her ability to reach and interact clearly with target audiences has resulted in many successful outcomes. Sarah is experienced in government media issues management, risk reputation in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors, branding and PR and been responsible for driving positive strategic change.
With sector experience in diversity, inclusion, employment, OH&S, environment, education and consumer PR, Sarah is a strategic story-teller who helps people, businesses and communities share their message.
Jack Robertson - Special Projects
Jack Robertson is a former officer in the Royal Australian Air Force, a qualified helicopter pilot who also served as Military Aid to the Governor General of Australia.
In addition to his armed forces and government experience, he has enjoyed a wide-ranging employment history throughout Australia and overseas.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from Melbourne University (Hons. Physics & HPS) and extensive aviation, military and trade qualifications.
In fifteen years of service he conducted multiple training, civil support and emergency relief operations, domestically and across the Pacific Rim. Following his stint at Government House in Canberra and a final posting as Senior Reconnaissance Tactics Instructor at the School of Army Aviation, Jack took on a variety of technical, trade, corporate and communications jobs during half a decade of independent international travel.
Settled in Sydney’s Inner West for two decades, Jack Robertson has worked in administrative and communications roles for Sydney University, local community and transport organisations, and as a freelance journalist, corporate writer and manuscript editor. He’s a published author and contributor to various outlets, accumulating particular experience in electronic and social media as contributing editor to the SMH’s Webdiary website, Fairfax Digital’s pioneering 2001 point-of-entry into online content.
Jack has an established presence within a variety of Inner West communities through activities with sports, special interest and school organisations, as a casual and volunteer worker for local aged, disability and community transport providers, within the Inner West Writers Centre and as a working musician in various local bands.
Marushka Noronha - Conference Manager
Marushka comes to the Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue with over 8 years’ experience in the events management industry. After 6 years in the conference space, and working alongside business and marketing gurus, she moved to the digital events sector where she built her technical knowledge and client facing skills.
Now she is responsible for the delivering Western Sydney Leadership Dialogue’s program of events including BOOMTOWN! and Out There.
Marushka holds a Masters’ degree in Business Administration and Marketing from the Australian Catholic University and has a keen interest in women’s health, nutrition and fitness.
Catherine Nguyen - Events & Communications Officer
Born and raised in Bankstown, Catherine is a recent graduate from the University of Technology Sydney, joining the Taylor Street Advisory team from a range of roles in administration, marketing and event management.
Catherine joins TSA as the Events Coordinator and is responsible for delivering a range of initiatives, from the VIP Boardroom Dinner series and industry workshops, to our signature policy Summits, BOOMTOWN! and Out There.
Catherine has been involved in a range of volunteering and leadership programs, including leading the UTS chapter of international student organisation, AIESEC. Catherine holds a BA in Communications (Information & Media) and BA in International Studies from UTS, specialising in information management and Japanese.
