THE COURAGE TO LEAD INTERVIEW SERIES

This week on The Courage to Lead Interview Series, Allan Sicard sits down with one of Manly's quiet legends. At 82 years of age, Bob Herring still swims almost every day in the waters he has called home since childhood. A lifelong surfer, surf lifesaver, rugby player, coach, mentor and former President of Manly Surf Life Saving Club , Bob reflects on a lifetime built around community rather than s...

Police officer. Survivor. Author. Advocate. Lana Boland author of Aftershot , joins The Courage to Lead for one of the most honest and deeply personal conversations ever recorded on the podcast. Lana speaks openly about childhood trauma, policing, PTSD, leadership, ADHD, organisational culture and the long journey towards accepting herself exactly as she is. Her message is simple but powerful: "Le...

In one of the most personal episodes ever recorded on The Courage to Lead Interview Series, Allan Sicard sits down with his father-in-law, Peter Cook, a man who has lived an extraordinary life filled with adventure, friendship, sport, success, hardship, addiction, recovery and service to others. Just one week before this interview, Peter was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer that had sprea...

In this powerful episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard sits down with former NSW Police Sergeant and current Principal Investigator with the NSW Rural Fire Service, Scott Horwood . Just weeks after undergoing major brain surgery to remove a large tumour, Scott shares his remarkable story of resilience, vulnerability and leadership. The conversation explores: ✅ Discovering...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard speaks with Mike Wassing , Commissioner of the NSW State Emergency Service . Mike leads an organisation of more than 11,100 volunteers across 262 units, supported by over 600 staff, with responsibility for floods, storms and tsunamis across New South Wales. This conversation explores Mike’s leadership journey from under-16 cric...

In this deeply reflective episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard speaks with Reverend Dr Mark Layson — researcher, disaster recovery chaplain, former NSW Police officer, Anglican pastor and author of The Unexpected Poison: Betrayal and Moral Injury in Your Workplace . Mark shares his remarkable journey through policing, emergency services, ministry and academia, exploring h...

In this compelling episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard sits down with returning guest Alex Greenwich MP to explore leadership under pressure. Alex shares his deeply personal journey over the past three years, including the impact of public attacks, mental health challenges, and the turning point that came from asking for help. They discuss the importance of stability in...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead, Allan Sicard sits down with former NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Rob Rogers . Rob reflects on 45 years of service, including leading through Australia’s most devastating bushfire season. He shares insights into crisis leadership, organisational transformation, and the complexity of decision-making in high-stakes environments. From managing 100+ simulta...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard speaks with former NSW Police sergeant Kate Baker , founder of The Kind Rebellion and author of Staying Kind in an Unkind World . Kate shares her journey from hospitality to policing, her mission to improve relationships between police and the queer community, and the leadership lessons shaped by exceptional mentors and challen...

In this powerful episode of the Courage to Lead interview series, Allan Sicard speaks with Kylee Dennis , Director of Two Face Investigations , forensic romance scam investigator, author, and winner of Micro Business of the Year 2025 at the Women Changing the World Awards in London. Kylee shares her remarkable leadership journey — from growing up in a policing family, to serving as a detective and...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard speaks with Professor Amanda Davies, PhD — currently based in Dubai, leading research acceleration with Dubai Police and supporting policing curriculum at their academy. Amanda shares how a single opportunity (sparked by supportive leaders and family) led her from Charles Sturt University and the NSW Police Academy in Goulburn...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series, Allan Sicard speaks with Ben Pronk DSC — former Commanding Officer of the Australian SAS, co-author of The Resilient Shield , and co-host of the Unforgiving 60 podcast. Ben shares his earliest experience of leadership (surprisingly, in junior cricket), the influence of his father’s belief that “everything is figure-outable,” and why leadersh...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series, Allan Sicard speaks with Professor Anthony Burke —architect, educator, broadcaster and TV presenter—about leadership, purpose, and human connection. Anthony shares his philosophy of “leading from the middle,” lessons from studying at Columbia University in New York, and how great leaders hold opposing ideas in balance. He reflects on setback...

In this deeply powerful episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard speaks with Deborah Wallace APM — one of Australia’s most respected policing leaders. From frontline policing to organised crime, from tragedy to reform, Deb shares extraordinary insights on leadership, integrity, community safety, and resilience. This conversation explores authentic leadership beyond rank, the...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Allan Sicard speaks with Debbie Lee , owner and publisher of Ginninderra Press and Festival Director of Melbourne Jewish Book Week. From her childhood instinct to protect the kid being left out, to her early days as a book rep, to inheriting Ginninderra Press from its founder Stephen Matthews, Debbie’s story is all about connection. She sha...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series , I sit down with Matt LaHood , founder and real estate CEO of The Agency . Matt shares how his leadership was shaped by his parents — a father who brought thongs to Australia and a mother who backed him to take courageous risks — and by giants like John McGrath and John Symond . We explore how he built an “attraction business” where people q...

Captain Michelle Huntington — pilot, author of Lady MacGyver , and breast-cancer survivor — shares how curiosity, preparation, and mentoring forged her leadership. From conquering air-sickness by teaching the lesson to ferrying a Beechcraft across the Pacific with a 750-kg fuel bladder and a syringe-fed oil hack, she shows why you must “fly one hour in a thousand different ways.” As a 737 Captain...

The Humanity of Hugh Brasher: Leading the World’s Greatest Marathon with Heart In this episode, on The Courage to Lead Interview Series , Hugh Brasher — CEO of the TCS London Marathon — shares his deeply human approach to leadership. From growing up as the son of Olympic and tennis champions to leading one of the world’s most inspiring events, Hugh reveals the values that guide him: curiosity, hum...

In this powerful episode of The Courage to Lead, Allan Sicard sits down with Ally Kelly , Founder and CEO of MindBlank, to explore how early intervention and prevention can transform mental health outcomes. Ally shares her personal journey from carer to changemaker and explains how MindBlank’s innovative interactive theatre empowers people to “Spot, Share, and Refer” before crisis strikes. Through...

From a shy 14-year-old questioning how newspapers were delivered to leading Australia’s largest digital youth mental health platform, Gary Groves ’ story is a masterclass in courage, curiosity, and compassion. In this episode, Gary reveals how vulnerability became his greatest strength — transforming command-and-control leadership into collaborative, evidence-based change. From the frontline of po...

The Courage to Lead: From Ten Pound Pom to Triple G — The Extraordinary Life of Gillian Whan OAM In this warm and inspiring episode, Allan Sicard sits down with Gillian Whan OAM — nurse, migrant, political campaigner, radio announcer, theatre stage manager, historian, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Gillian’s story spans a wartime childhood in rural England (including the day she saw Winston C...

Leading with Empathy, Humanity, and Competence: Erin Longbottom on Healthcare for the Homeless.  In this powerful episode of The Courage to Lead, Allan Sicard reconnects with Erin Longbottom, Nurse Unit Manager of the Homeless Health Service at St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney . Erin shares her transformative leadership journey since stepping into the role in 2016, building a comprehensive street-base...

“From Redfern to Reform: Belinda Hughes on Courageous, Compassionate Leadership” 📄 Episode Summary: In this powerful episode of The Courage to Lead Interview Series, Allan Sicard sits down with Belinda Hughes—current Executive Director Legal for the Papua New Guinea Independent Commission Against Corruption—for a raw, inspiring, and deeply human conversation about leadership, resilience, and inte...

  A Life of Service and Leadership: Danny Doherty’s Courage to Lead In the latest Courage to Lead Interview Series , I spoke with recently retired Detective Superintendent Danny “Dasha” Doherty, whose remarkable 40-year career in the NSW Police culminated in commanding the Homicide Squad. Reflecting on his journey, Danny shared how his formative years, shaped by a caring teacher and challenging fa...

In this episode of The Courage to Lead , Belinda Sinclair , National Sales Director at Domain Australia , shares her journey of values-based leadership in a high-performance, highly competitive industry. From being promoted two weeks before maternity leave to leading with gratefulness, Belinda explores the power of trust, feedback, and building diverse teams. She opens up about setbacks, strategic...