Emerging Leaders Forum 2026
Inspiring the next generation of healthcare leaders
Co-convenor Ian Incoll presenting at the 2025 ELF in Cairns.
About the forum
The Emerging Leaders Forum supports the development of future leaders in the health sector and nurtures relationships with early-career members of AOA and other invited delegates.
Delegates are inspired by guest speakers from a variety of diverse backgrounds and network with colleagues and experts from the broader health sector.
Dates and timings
- When: 18–20 June 2026
- Location: Manly, Sydney
What's on?
- A two-day forum with a mix of presentations, guest interviews, panel discussions, and debate-style sessions
- Welcome reception prior to the forum
- Networking dinner on day one
- Team building opportunities
- Wellbeing activities
Forum themes
Day one
- Foundational principals and essential skills of leadership in healthcare.
- Healthcare leadership journeys.
Day two
- Healthcare Leadership – future focused.
- Practical an applied leadership – a first nations, healthcare advocacy and wellness lens.
Program
View the preliminary program (PDF) for more information on the sessions, social events, wellness activities, speakers and sponsors.
This Forum aligns with the Every Doctor, Every Setting National Framework.
2026 Preliminary Program available soon.
View as full screen
Mr Adrian Cosenza
AOA CEO
Dr Ian Incoll
University of Newcastle
School of Medicine and Public Health
Conjoint Professor
Co-convenor bios
Professor Ian Incoll is an Australian surgeon educator and orthopaedic surgeon. He is conjoint professor in the faculty of health and medicine at the University of Newcastle, and a subject coordinator for the graduate programs in surgical education at the University of Melbourne. In this masters program, he leads subjects on professionalism, leadership, assessment, and selection.
He is a past president, chair of training and dean of education for the Australian Orthopaedic Association and helped develop their new curriculum for orthopaedic surgery training, AOA 21. He has worked as district director of surgery for Central Coast Local Health District.
Professor Incoll has published on surgical education and diversity within surgery and is an international speaker on curriculum design and implementation, and diversity. He was awarded the RACS Sir Alan Newton Medal for Surgical Education in 2021, and the AOA Leadership Award in 2010 and Services to Education award in 2021.
Adrian is an experienced chief executive officer and seasoned director, having served in an executive capacity in three industries including medical education, technology, and banking and finance and in a director capacity on over 15 boards across five industry sectors in four country jurisdictions.
Adrian is the chief executive officer and company secretary of the Australian Orthopaedic Association (AOA), having joined AOA in July 2010 and is also the chief executive officer and company secretary of AOA Research Foundation, chair of the Australia and New Zealand Sarcoma Association and chair of the Australian Ethical Health Alliance (AEHA). Since 2016 Adrian has served as the Australasian ambassador for the International Medical Education Leaders Forum convened by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Adrian is also the first national CEO CookOff Brand Ambassador for OzHarvest.
Over the past ten years, Adrian has led the modernisation of AOA into a vibrant and respected leader in the field of orthopaedics while also leading the establishment of AEHA, Australia’s consensus framework group with over 70 signatories representing over 200,000 healthcare professionals and over 3.2m patients/consumers.
Adrian has three degrees, a Bachelor Commerce and Masters of Commerce from the University of New South Wales and a MBA from IMD Lausanne Switzerland. Adrian is a fellow of three professional bodies Australian Institute of Company Directors, Financial Services Institute, and CPA Australia.
Speakers
Ms Corinne Archer (NSW)
AOA Chief Information Officer
Mr Timmy Duggan (NT)
Hoops 4 Health Founder
Ms Zipporah French (QLD)
Prescribe Practice Management CEO
Mr Matthew Hanrahan (NSW)
Healthe Care Chief Executive Officer
Dr Omar Khorshid (WA)
Fremantle Hospital Head of Department;
Past AMA President
Dr Catherine McDougall (QLD)
Queensland Health Chief Medical Officer
Dr Mark Moroney (QLD)
AOA President
Dr Kate Stannage (WA)
AOA OWL Committee Chair and Board Member
Ms Michelle White (VIC)
AOA Chief Member Experience Officer
Dr Andrew Wines (NSW)
AOA First Vice-President
Sponsors
AOA values the contribution of our sponsors of the Emerging Leaders Forum which makes it all possible.
Major industry sponsors:
Welcome reception sponsor:
Dinner sponsor:
Forum trade exhibition sponsors:
NFP Forum trade exhibition sponsor:
Delegate attendance sponsors:
Interested in sponsorship?
Please refer the 2026 AOA ELF Prospectus for full details.
To book or talk through options, contact Chief Member Experience Officer Michelle White at michelle.white@aoa.org.au or 0400 337 515.
Questions?