USCMA Connect

Many coaches work really hard at learning their craft, understanding all aspects of psychology and human behaviour, learn to decipher what is evidence based versus personal opinions – and then struggle to get clients who are willing to pay for their services. Our guest, Ellie Scarf, understands this dilemma perfectly. She joins us to discuss all things commercialisation of coaching and services.

Naomi Connell spent over two decades as a Finance Director and CFO on major corporate and public-sector boards before making a deliberate move into executive coaching and coaching research. She now holds an MSc in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology with Distinction, is a doctoral researcher at Oxford Brookes University, and has recently published original research exploring how co...

Dr Louise Kovacs is an executive coach, coaching supervisor, practitioner-researcher and now published author with more than 20 years of coaching practice. Originally from the UK, she completed a Master of Organisational Coaching and HRM at the University of Sydney in 2004 and a Doctor of Professional Studies in Executive Coaching at Middlesex University, London in 2016. Her doctoral research was...

Dr Ruth Simpson is an executive coach, researcher, and founder of Animi, with over 20 years of experience coaching senior, executive, and board-level leaders. Before moving into coaching, Ruth spent her corporate career as a management consultant at PwC, and in sales, marketing, and distribution roles at Mobil Oil and Esso Petroleum.  She holds a PhD and an MSc in Coaching and Development and is a...

Zeena Hicks is a positive psychologist, executive coach, and doctoral researcher whose work explores how people build inner psychological capacity when pressure doesn’t let up. Known by many of her clients as The Positivity Doctor , Zeena bridges rigorous science with lived experience, translating positive psychology, neuroscience, and coaching psychology into grounded, self-directed practices. He...

Oscar Trimboli is an executive coach, author, speaker, and creator of the Deep Listening podcast and framework. With a career spanning senior leadership roles at global tech companies such as Microsoft and Vodafone, Oscar has dedicated his later career to helping people become deeply attentive and impactful listeners. He is the author of several books including How to Listen: Discover the Hidden K...

Tracy is a renowned Master Certified Coach, International Speaker, Mentor, Facilitator and Author, and has been at the forefront of the coaching field since 2001. She has worked with leaders in for-profit and non-profit organisations in fields from healthcare, finance, aged care, government, academia, technology, construction, retail, travel and hospitality.  She has also worked in Parenting based...

Dr. Laura Hefer is a researcher, consultant, and speaker whose PhD from the University of Sydney Business School focuses on the organisational use of AI meeting assistants. Her work uniquely blends information systems, organisational psychology, and identity theory to explore how AI technologies are shaping workplace dynamics. Originally trained in coaching psychology, Dr. Hefer later became fasci...

Erin Buttermore is a Hobart-based strategy consultant and executive coach with a rich 20+ year career spanning export trade, climate change, tourism, education, international relations, and skilled migration. She’s held senior roles across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Erin is particularly passionate about leadership, organisational behaviour, decision-making, and behavioural economi...

Dr. Travis Kemp is recognised by both industry and professional peers and clients internationally as being amongst Australia's leading practitioners and thought leaders in the fields of executive coaching, strategic leadership, peak performance, and organisational psychology. His work focusses on identifying, developing, and optimising performance and impact of enterprise leaders, their teams,...

Dr. Martin Richardson is a highly decorated Orthopaedic Surgeon with over three decades of clinical, educational, and military service. His roles have ranged from Director of Orthopaedic Trauma at Royal Melbourne Hospital to Co-Director of the Fundamentals of Clinical Coaching at Monash University. As a Surgeon Commander in the Royal Australian Navy, he’s served in Afghanistan, participated in hum...

Clive Leach had an extensive background in teaching, youth services and University education in the UK. Then, while teaching in Bangkok, he discovered he was spending more time on assisting students with life choice points and decisions than in their education, but he enjoyed it. That led to a search to find a degree that would support his personal education and in 2008 Clive graduated from Univer...

Dr Ingo Susing is a former investment and private equity banker turned Executive coach and leadership succession specialist. During the GFC he decided to study the Masters of Coaching Psychology rather than do an MBA. He says this changed his life. In fact he loved the degree so much he continued on and completed a PhD with Gordon Spence as his supervisor at UOW. He shares his findings on leadersh...

Katie Hasson is the Global Lead for Team Ignite at Standard Chartered Bank. She built a world-class internal coaching culture — scaling from just 9 coaches to more than 240 across 35 countries, saving millions in coaching investment, and delivering measurable, lasting impact for thousands of employees and leaders. In this conversation, we'll dive into the reasons the bank started on this journ...

Dr Suzy Green is the CEO & Founder of The Positivity Institute, a positively deviant organisation dedicated to the research and application of Positive Psychology in workplaces and schools. Whilst she is best known to students of Sydney University for setting up and teaching the Positive Psychology subject in the Masters degree, she is also an Honorary Professor in the School of Psychology at...

Rebecca is a leadership coach who specialises in supporting neurodivergent professionals and fostering neuro-inclusivity. She helps organisations achieve both wellbeing and performance objectives, for example by creating the right conditions to attract and empower neurodivergent talent.  Rebecca has over 20 years of experience in professional services as a coach and consultant. She currently manag...

Cat Drury is a graduate from Sydney University and an agile coach with Roche Pharmaceuticals, one of the most successful and largest healthcare organisations globally. In this fascinating conversation Cat shares the recent business transformation Roche has undertaken and the impact this has had internally and for patients.

Dr. Paul Lawrence  is an executive coach of international renown, author, presenter, facilitator and teacher. He has written/ co-written six books that chart how to navigate change, including Leading Change , the results of a 18 month study, The Tao of Dialogue , Coaching in Three Dimensions, Coaching Systemically – Five Ways of Thinking About Systems  and The Wise Leader with Dr Suzy Skinner. His...

Dr. Suzy Skinner is an executive coach of international renown, author, presenter, facilitator and teacher. She has written/ co-written books such as The Wise Leader and Leader Identity as well as several academic papers. Her PhD investigated the optimal reflection methods of highly effective leaders. Her business – Roar People – has worked with the ‘who’s who’s of silicon valley’ all over the wor...

The University of Sydney established the world’s first Masters of coaching psychology degree in 2001. USCMA (University of Sydney Coaching and Mentoring Association) was set up a year later as the place for students of the degree to meet up, share ideas, organise guest speakers, establish peer supervision groups and conferences. Almost 25 years later the degree has close to 1000 graduates and USCM...

In this episode, we dive into the ever-evolving field of well-being and positive education with Associate Professor Aaron Jarden and Dr. Gordon Spence. From the foundations of coaching psychology to the latest innovations in whole-being frameworks, we explore how schools and organizations can foster resilience, optimal functioning, and meaningful social connections. Aaron shares insights from his...

Pod O'Sullivan chats with Dr. Michael Cavanagh and Dr. Gordon Spence from the Coaching Psychology Unity at Sydney University. Together, they explore the history of the University of Sydney’s coaching psychology program, its global influence, and the evolution of the USCMA (University of Sydney Coaching and Mentoring Association). Michael and Gordon share insights on the foundation of the coach...