AHRI ACT
State President Quarterly Message
Q3 2026 Message
Dear AHRI ACT members,
Welcome to the latest update from the AHRI ACT State Council. We hope you have had a rewarding few months and found opportunities to connect, learn and grow within our profession.
Firstly, congratulations to our newly certified HR practitioners from the past quarter!
As we move into the second half of the year, I am delighted to announce Anna Calder FCPHR as our new ACT Vice President and Tim Abrahams CPHR as our new ACT Secretary. I would also like to acknowledge Paula Goodwin FCPHR for her outstanding leadership as ACT State President over the past two years. Paula has contributed enormously to our Council, our members and the broader profession, and I am pleased that she will continue serving on the ACT State Council.
As an elected group of ACT members, the State Council exists to represent our local HR community, help shape AHRI’s future direction and ensure the perspectives of ACT members are heard. A key part of that role is understanding the opportunities, challenges and emerging issues affecting you. Whether you have feedback on a recent event, suggestions for future topics, insights from your workplace, or an interest in volunteering, speaking, or becoming more involved with AHRI, I encourage you to reach out. Your ideas and experiences help us shape the events, programs and conversations that are most relevant to HR professionals in the ACT.
Empowering delegates to ROAR at AHRI's National Convention & Exhibition 2026
Earlier this month, more than 1,700 HR professionals, valued partners, sponsors, speakers and volunteers gathered in Brisbane for three days of learning, connecting and inspiration at AHRI’s National Convention & Exhibition 2026. We were pleased to see 242 delegates from the ACT attend the event. A special thank you to the ACT members who took the time to introduce themselves to me and other members of the ACT State Council. It was wonderful to connect with you and hear more about your experiences and perspectives.
At Convention, AHRI also announced a new product, the HR Team Capability Assessment, set to launch in September 2026. Designed to support HR leaders in building high-performing teams, the assessment enables organisations to benchmark team capability against the Australian HR profession, helping leaders prioritise development efforts and build capability where it matters most.
IHRD & Volunteer of the Year winner
International HR Day was celebrated on 20 May this year, and it was wonderful to see so many of you join events to mark the occasion. It also provided the perfect opportunity to celebrate and congratulate Jackson Oliver MAHRI on being named the 2025 Volunteer of the Year for the ACT.
Those of you who attended the event held in partnership with APS HR Professional Stream would have seen how delighted Jackson was to receive this well-deserved recognition. Jackson’s contribution to AHRI and the broader ACT HR community continues to make a meaningful difference, and we are grateful for the energy and commitment he brings.
Looking ahead
While it may seem a little way off, planning for the 2027 AHRI ACT State Conference will soon begin, and we’re keen to hear from members who may be interested in getting involved. If you’d like to contribute to the planning and delivery of one of our flagship events, we’d love to hear from you.
Please get in touch by emailing me at [email protected] to express your interest or learn more about what is involved.
We still have several exciting events planned for the remainder of 2026, and I encourage you to keep an eye on the AHRI calendar to see what is coming up – we would love to see you at an upcoming event. If you have not been receiving event notifications, now is a great time to log in and check your communication preferences here.
Thank you for your continued support of AHRI and the HR profession.
Erin Prothero FCPHR
AHRI ACT State President
ACT Newly Certified Members - Q3 2026
Congratulations to all newly certified AHRI members! We’re proud to celebrate your achievement.
Interested in becoming certified? Visit AHRI Certification to find out more.
Sam Tolley, CPHR
Ben Miller, CPHR
Rebecca Vincent, CPHR
Amy Young, CPHR
Rohan Chesney, CPHR
Elizabeth Fox, CPHR
Katherine Jeffries, CPHR
Emily Backhouse, CPHR
Jessica Hardy, CPHR
Tanja Cummings, CPHR
David Nel, CPHR
Adam Hasler, CPHR
Arina Sheptitskaya, CPHR
