Professor John Cairney, PhD, PGDipOL (Oxford), MBA (Sport Management) is a globally recognized leader in sport, health, and higher education. He is Head of School at the University of Queensland and Deputy Executive Director of the Office of Games Engagement, where he co-leads UQ’s strategic involvement in Brisbane 2032. With over 25 years’ experience, he has published 320+ peer-reviewed papers, secured over $55 million in research funding, and built international partnerships across academia, government, and sport. He also directs UQ’s IOC-sanctioned Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies. Professor Cairney blends executive leadership with deep research impact, holding advanced qualifications from Oxford and an MBA in Sport Management from the Escuela Universitaria Real Madrid–Universidad Europea.

Kristen Clark is the lead for the development of the 4th edition of the Blueprint for an Active Australia at the Heart Foundation. With over 15 years’ experience in public health and health promotion, Kristen has held senior roles across government and not-for-profit sectors, including Health and Wellbeing Queensland, Diabetes Queensland, and the Department of Justice and Attorney General. She has led the design of state-wide prevention strategies, co-designed large-scale health programs, and developed cross-sectoral governance and evaluation frameworks. Kristen brings expertise in strategic planning, implementation, and system-wide collaboration, with a strong focus on physical activity, chronic disease prevention and workplace wellbeing.