Humans of Purpose

AI isn't just another tool. It's intelligence becoming cheap, instant, and impossible to switch off from, and neurofuturist Joel Pearson thinks most of us haven't reckoned with what that actually means.

In this episode, Mel sits down with Joel to unpack what happens to our brains, our work, and our relationships when thinking hard stops being necessary. They talk about the tension between innovation and staying human, why "just another tool" is the wrong way to think about AI, and what leaders and individuals alike need to understand before the ground shifts further underneath them.

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My guest this week is Henry Shukman — poet, novelist, authorised Zen master in the Sanbo Zen lineage, and co-founder of The Way meditation app. His work has moved through boardrooms, retreat centres, and living rooms across the world, helping people find what lies on the other side of their suffering.

Henry's path here was anything but direct. A spontaneous awakening experience at nineteen, years of chronic illness, childhood trauma, and family rupture became not obstacles to his spiritual life — but doorways into it. His memoir, One Blade of Grass, recounts that journey with unflinching honesty, and was...

South Sudanese Australian founder and cultural intelligence consultant Adongwot Manyoul shares how her childhood experiences of racism and exclusion shaped her mission to transform education, workplaces, and communities. In this conversation, she breaks down why DEI often fails as a checkbox exercise, how cultural intelligence creates real change, and what it takes to move from awareness to action. A powerful episode about justice, resilience, and building a more inclusive Australia.

In this episode, Jan Owen reflects on her journey - from setting up illegal drop-in centres in Brisbane to pioneering Australia's first lived experience advocacy organisations. She unpacks how philanthropy evolved from government funding to innovative impact investing, revealing surprising shifts in funding models that continue to influence social change. You'll discover why informal community networks are as vital today as ever, and how the modern reliance on formal systems can sometimes undermine the profound power of grassroots care.

Jan is an esteemed social innovator with decades of experience in impact advocacy, policy reform, and community-led movements...

To premiere Season 2 of the Humans of Purpose Podcast, Mel sits down with Josh Ross from Humanitix.

Josh Ross walked away from a hedge fund partnership at 26, turned down a lucrative career, and co-founded one of Australia's most radical companies with his best friend. Humanitix is an online event ticketing platform with one extraordinary difference: 100% of profits from booking fees go directly to charity. Not some. All of it. To date, they've donated over $20 million to education programs, health initiatives, environmental causes and indigenous affairs around the world.

In this conversation, Mel sits down with...

My guest this week is Rachel Ball, CEO of the Reichstein Foundation, where she works at the forefront of social, economic, and environmental justice through collaborative philanthropy and systems-level change.

Rachel’s path into this work was shaped early. Growing up in Sydney in a family grounded in education, and later experiencing global inequality firsthand during a Rotary exchange in Brazil, she developed a deep commitment to justice and collective action. Those early experiences, combined with a strong community of peers engaged in activism continue to shape her leadership today.

In this episode of Humans of...

My guest this week is Amanda Cahill, CEO of The Next Economy, where she works with regional communities across Australia to support a rapid, responsible, and fair transition away from fossil fuels.

Amanda has spent more than 15 years working at the intersection of community, climate, and economic development. Her work focuses on helping regions navigate complex change, ensuring that as industries shift, people and communities are not left behind.

Her commitment to this work is deeply personal. Growing up in regional Queensland, and later experiencing poverty firsthand during a Rotary exchange in Brazil, shaped her...

This week Melanie Greblo and Colleague Bella Borello,

Two purpose-driven leaders at Humans of Purpose, working at the intersection of storytelling, marketing, and social impact.

In this episode, Melanie and Bella step into a different format, a shared conversation rather than a traditional interview exploring what it really means for organisations to communicate purpose in a way that is honest, credible, and impactful.

Best known for their work supporting purpose-led organisations, they unpack how storytelling can move beyond polished messaging to something far more meaningful: the creation of community.

In this...

My guest this week is Charlie Syme — a marketing strategist, founder of Pigface Marketing, and chair of the Common Ground Project, working at the intersection of marketing, creativity, and social impact.

Charlie’s work is grounded in a simple but powerful idea: marketing should be a force for good. Through Pigface Marketing, they partner with purpose-driven organisations, B Corps, and social enterprises to help them connect with the right audiences through authentic storytelling and clear strategy.

Charlie is also deeply involved in the Common Ground Project — a regenerative farming social enterprise that grows, cooks, and shares...

My guest this week is Meghal Shah — CEO of Action on Poverty, an Australian international development organisation focused on tackling global poverty through innovative, scalable solutions.

Meghal brings an unusual perspective to the social sector. Originally trained as a chartered accountant, he began his career in the corporate world at PwC and Commonwealth Bank before making a bold pivot into purpose-driven work. His hypothesis was simple but powerful: the non-profit sector often struggles to scale impact because it lacks the commercial thinking needed to build sustainable funding models.

That belief led Meghal to take a ma...

My guest this week is Bruce Maynard — a leading voice in regenerative agriculture and landscape restoration in Australia, known for pushing beyond “doing less harm” and into farming systems that actively rebuild nature while still producing food.

Bruce shares how his journey into regenerative practice wasn’t just an idealistic shift, it was forged through pressure. In the late 1980s, severe economic hardship and changing seasonal reliability made one thing clear: conventional farming often drives further displacement of natural systems, and it’s farmers (and communities) who carry the cost.

Best known for his work on regener...

My guests this week are Professor Paul Lacaze and Jane Tiller - two leading voices shaping the future of public health genetics in Australia.

Professor Lacaze is a Professor of Genetics and part of the team behind DNA Screen, a major initiative exploring how preventive DNA testing could help identify people at high genetic risk of cancer and heart disease while they’re still young and healthy. Jane Tiller is a lawyer and genetic counsellor with deep expertise in the policy and ethical frameworks needed to make genomic screening safe, trusted, and accessible at scale.

Bes...

My guest this week is Elizabeth Tyler - co-founder and CEO of good.film, a visionary platform using film and television as a catalyst for connection, empathy, and meaningful conversation in an increasingly fragmented world. Through good.film, she works at the intersection of storytelling, social impact, and community-centred engagement, helping audiences discover movies and shows that resonate with their values and spark real-world dialogue.

Best known for her leadership in building good.film — a platform that curates ambitious stories from blockbusters to indie documentaries and fosters communities around the conversations those stories ignite — Elizabeth combines deep stra...

My guest this week is Jon Yeo - a highly respected speaker coach, communication expert, and founder of Brightstar Consulting & Coaching, where he works at the intersection of strategic communication, influence, and leadership development. Jon’s work focuses on helping individuals, leaders, and organisations craft messages that resonate, build trust, and foster deeper engagement in both in-person and virtual settings.

Best known for his expertise in executive communication, public speaking, and influence, Jon combines practical coaching experience with a deep understanding of human connection and audience engagement. As the Licensee and Curator of TEDxMelbourne, one of the la...

My guests this week are Damon Gameau, Hannah Diviney, Doug Cronin, and Hani Abdile - together, they explore storytelling as a force for cultural change, unpacking who gets to speak, whose voices are amplified, and how stories shape the futures we imagine.

Damon Gameau is an actor and filmmaker known for his work mobilising audiences around climate, regeneration, and systems change. He reflects on why data alone cannot shift culture - only stories can - and why the narratives we tell about humans, nature, and society determine the outcomes we experience.

Hannah Diviney is a...

My guest this week is Dr Darren Morton - a leading health and wellbeing expert, academic, and founder of The Lift Project, where he works at the intersection of evidence-based science, mental health, and human flourishing. Darren’s work focuses on helping individuals, leaders, and organisations build resilience, energy, and sustainable wellbeing in an increasingly demanding world.

Best known for his research and teaching in lifestyle medicine and positive psychology, Darren combines academic rigour with deeply practical insights. Through The Lift Project and his work in higher education, he’s helped thousands of people improve their mental heal...

My guest this week is Kurt Gruber - Co-founder and Managing Director of Worldview Foundation and WV Technologies, where he leads a social enterprise creating meaningful employment opportunities for Indigenous youth while tackling e-waste and environmental sustainability. Kurt’s work transforms discarded technology into valuable resources, providing pathways to skills, jobs, and empowerment for young Australians.

In this conversation, we explore how Kurt combines purpose, innovation, and social impact, why social enterprise can be a powerful force for both people and planet, and how leadership, strategy, and technology come together to create jobs, reduce waste, and build st...

My guest this week is Kylea Tink - CEO of Foodbank Australia, former Independent MP, social impact leader, and one of the country’s most determined advocates for ending food insecurity. Kylea’s work goes far beyond food relief, it shines a light on the structural inequities that push Australians into hunger in the first place.

She’s best known for her leadership across politics, nonprofits and community mobilisation, and now for steering Foodbank’s nationwide mission to ensure every Australian has reliable access to nutritious, culturally appropriate food.

Kylea has also been a powerful voice fo...

My guest this week is Michael Stuart - Impact & Data Manager at Social Traders, and one of the leading voices pushing Australia’s social enterprise sector toward a more evidence-driven future.

Michael has spent more than a decade helping organisations make sense of their data, and today, he oversees how Social Traders captures, measures, and interprets impact across hundreds of enterprises. His work sits at the intersection of social purpose and hard numbers, ensuring decision-makers have the evidence they need to drive real, scalable change.

In this conversation, we unpack why the sector is “data star...

My guest this week is Kurt Avery - Founder & President of Sawyer, a global impact organisation transforming access to clean water. Kurt’s work isn’t just about providing solutions; it’s about rethinking what’s possible in humanitarian aid and public health.

He’s best known for pioneering water filtration technology that can last up to 10 years, helping entire villages gain safe, reliable drinking water, and scaling solutions across countries to create measurable social and economic impact.

In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we explore how Kurt turned innovation into action, how his team is re...

My guest this week is Sarah Clarke - Group GM, Sustainability at Mirvac, where she leads the award-winning ESG strategy This Changes Everything. Sarah also serves as Deputy Chair of Cladding Safety Victoria and formerly chaired Homes Victoria’s $5b+ social housing investment -driving impact across climate, equity, and governance.

In this conversation, we explore how Sarah embeds purpose and sustainability at scale, why ESG isn’t just policy but a pathway to real-world impact, and how leadership, strategy, and innovation come together to shape better communities and a more sustainable future.

Recorded live amidst the...

My guest this week is Cat Longshaw - Co-founder and CEO at Trace, one of Australia’s fastest-growing climate tech companies helping businesses measure, reduce and report their carbon emissions.

Cat has built trace into a trusted partner for organisations navigating the rising expectations - and increasing requirements - around climate accountability. Her work sits at the intersection of technology, behaviour change and business leadership, making decarbonisation not only achievable, but accessible.

In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we dive into Cat’s journey from startup founder to climate leader, the evolving landscape of corp...

My guest this week is Sarah Sheridan - Co‑Founder and Deputy CEO of Clothing The Gaps, the powerful Aboriginal-led social enterprise using fashion to drive social change.

Sarah has helped build a business where every t-shirt tells a story, and carries a message. Through her work, she’s redefining how brands can be platforms for policy, justice, and community.

In this conversation, we explore how Sarah blends activism and entrepreneurship, why inclusion matters so deeply to her, and how she uses design and strategy to amplify First Nations voices.

Recorded live amidst the...

My guest this week is Jess Hill - investigative journalist, award-winning author, educator and one of Australia’s leading voices on gendered violence. Jess’s deeply important work unpacks not just abuse, but the power structures that enable it.

She’s best known for her landmark book See What You Made Me Do, which explores coercive control, won the 2020 Stella Prize, and was adapted into a major SBS docuseries.

Jess has also created a powerful podcast called The Trap, and in her Quarterly Essay The Reckoning, she investigates how #MeToo has reshaped Australia’s landscape.

In...

My guest this week is Nicole Donnison - Social Procurement & Inclusion Manager at ICON Construction, a purpose‑led construction company building not only outstanding spaces but also stronger, more inclusive communities.

Nicole is deeply committed to redefining what leadership in construction looks like - where commercial success and social value go hand in hand, and where every project becomes an opportunity to create lasting impact.

In this conversation, we explore Nicole’s journey as a purpose‑driven leader, how she’s challenging industry norms, and the innovative ways ICON is integrating social procurement, inclusion, and sustainabili...

My guest this week is Lottie Dalziel - founder of Banish, and a leader redefining what sustainability looks like in everyday life.

Lottie’s journey began with one big question: how can we make it easier for Australians to live and shop more sustainably? What started as a simple idea has grown into a national movement, from shoeboxes filled with bottle tops to a micro-recycling hub transforming waste into beautiful, useful products.

In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we explore how Lottie turned curiosity and care into action, the power of community-led change, and ho...

My guest this week is Yoan Noguier - Co-founder and CEO of Yunus Sports Hub, a global initiative using sport and social enterprise to tackle poverty, unemployment, and climate challenges.

Yoan is focused on making every dollar count, ensuring resources are directed where they can generate the greatest social impact while empowering communities to thrive.

In this conversation, we dive into Yoan’s journey as a social entrepreneur, the strategies behind scaling purpose-driven initiatives, and the insights he’s gained about collaboration and creating solutions that genuinely improve lives.

This episode - recorded live...

My guest this week is Anthony Chesler - CEO of Thread Together, and a leader committed to creating real-world impact through purpose-driven innovation.

Anthony works to ensure that people in crisis are met with care, dignity, and choice, and that the systems designed to support them truly respond to human need.

In this episode of Humans of Purpose, we explore Anthony’s journey as a social entrepreneur, how he balances scaling impact with staying human-centred, and the lessons he’s learned about leadership, empathy, and creating solutions that restore both hope and dignity.

Tune...

My guest this week is Lorraine Finlay - Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner, and a leader committed to advancing human rights at every level.

Lorraine works to ensure that human rights are not just principles on paper, but lived and experienced in our communities, workplaces, and homes, while also shaping policies and practices at a national and systemic level.

This episode - recorded live amidst the hustle and bustle of Convene 2025, Social Traders’ annual conference - is the third in our Short Takes on Purpose series, created in collaboration with Social Traders, where each fortnight we e...

My guest this week is Andrew Mellody - CEO of Humble Brag, Co-Founder & Managing Director of Co-Ground, Anti-Poverty Award Winner, and a passionate social entrepreneur dedicated to creating meaningful impact.

Since launching his ventures, Andrew has built organisations that combine purpose, strategy, and social impact with real-world results. Humble Brag donates 50% of its profits to fund Indigenous youth programs and international aid, while Co-Ground supports community-led development projects in the Northern Territory, Vanuatu, and the Philippines - improving access to education, employment, health, and sanitation.

As a leader, Andrew focuses on scaling initiatives while staying...

My guest this week is Jehan Ratnatunga - VP of Strategy and Growth, and a proud co-founder of Who Gives A Crap, the purpose-driven company that makes toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels from 100% recycled or bamboo paper.

Since launching in 2012, Jehan and the team have built one of Australia’s most recognisable social enterprises - one that combines humour, creativity, and sustainability with real-world impact. Who Gives A Crap donates 50% of its profits to help fund clean water and sanitation projects, while also helping to save millions of trees through their environmentally friendly products.

As...

My guest this week is Yasmin London - CEO of The Digital Fluency Group, a leadership specialist, digital safety advocate, and former NSW Police Force officer. Yasmin has dedicated her career to empowering leaders and young people to navigate the complex digital world safely and purposefully. She has worked extensively with youth experiencing cyberbullying and mental health challenges, helping them build resilience and confidence online.

At The Digital Fluency Group, Yasmin focuses on First Movers - leaders and organisations who step boldly into new opportunities, adopt innovative strategies early, and set new standards for digital leadership and...

My guest this week is Tara Anderson - CEO of Social Traders, a leader who is helping reshape business so that purpose and profit go hand in hand.

At Social Traders, Tara works to build a thriving social enterprise sector, and supports traditional businesses to embed social value through social procurement and ESG practices. She brings international experience across social enterprise, charities, social innovation and for-purpose intermediaries in the UK, Europe and Australia.

Her career spans strategy, business development, innovation, marketing, impact, and cross-sector collaboration. She’s designed and implemented organisation-wide strategies for growth and di...

My guest this week is Danielle Mifsud - Community Director at Humans of Purpose Academy, an extraordinary coach and advocate who plays a transformative role in the lives of our members.

At the Academy, Danielle leads with compassion and vision, creating a safe and empowering space for women who have experienced domestic and family violence. She curates masterclasses with our amazing partners, equipping members with practical tools for recovery, growth, and job readiness, while also linking them with employment opportunities and networks of support.

Beyond her leadership role, Danielle is a gifted coach who provides 1...

My guest this week is Luan Lawrenson-Woods - women’s health advocate and host of the Regarding Me podcast, which helps women build the confidence and tools to self-advocate in their healthcare.

At 46, Luan received a breast cancer diagnosis that changed the course of her life. Her experience navigating the health system inspired her to create Rewritten Me, Australia’s first podcast on post-mastectomy reconstruction, and later Regarding Me, where she shares her Six Self-Advocacy Steps alongside expert interviews and lived stories.

Her story has been featured on Nine News and The Today Show, and she...

My guest this week is Claire O’Rourke - campaigner, communicator, and author of Together We Can, a book that shines a light on everyday Australians taking action on climate change.

Claire is dedicated to helping people and communities respond to the climate crisis with hope, courage, and practical solutions. She is currently the CEO at the Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network (AEGN) and has held leadership roles with Solar Citizens and the Every Australian Counts campaign, driving grassroots action and national conversations that create meaningful change.

Her work draws on more than two decades of ex...

My guest this week is Dr Hannah Tonkin - lawyer, international human rights advocate, and the inaugural NSW Women’s Safety Commissioner.

Dr Tonkin took up the role in February 2023 and now leads efforts across the NSW government to strengthen responses to domestic, family, and sexual violence. Her work focuses on fostering collaboration between government, non-government organisations, and the broader community, ensuring victim-survivors have a meaningful voice in shaping policy and programs.

Prior to this appointment, she worked as an international human rights lawyer with the United Nations, served as Director of Disability Rights at th...

My guest this week is Laura O’Reilly – entrepreneur, disability sector innovator, and co-founder of Hireup, Fighting Chance, and Avenue, three groundbreaking ventures transforming opportunities for people with disability across Australia.

Laura has dedicated her career to creating solutions inspired by the experiences of her brother Shane – building the kinds of services and opportunities that would benefit him, and in turn, countless others. Her work is fuelled by a family united in purpose, each contributing their strengths to create positive, lasting change for people with disability.

Drawing on her background in law, advocacy, and social enterp...

My guest this week is Dr Dionne Payn – social entrepreneur, impact investment specialist, and Founder of Women4Homes, a groundbreaking initiative working to end homelessness for women by 2030 through values-aligned property investment.

Dionne has spent her career designing ethical investment solutions that prioritise both social and financial returns. With a background in chemistry, property development, and social enterprise, she brings a rare interdisciplinary lens to one of Australia’s most urgent challenges: housing justice.

At the heart of Dionne’s work is a bold vision – to empower a million women to invest in homes for other wo...

My guest this week is Mike Davis – social entrepreneur, systems thinker, and Head of Social Innovation and Impact at Good Shepherd, one of Australia’s leading organisations supporting women, girls and families.

Mike is best known as the founder of Humans of Purpose and has spent the past decade working across sectors to embed strategy, storytelling, and systems change in the heart of purpose-led organisations. Now at Good Shepherd, he’s focused on harnessing innovation – including the emerging role of AI – to drive scalable, sustainable outcomes for communities.

With deep roots in the for-purpose ecosystem, Mike bring...