Dr Caroline Butler‐Bowdon - State Librarian, State Library New South Wales

Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon is the State Librarian for the State Library of NSW. She is a published author in architecture and urban history and has 20 years of leadership experience in public institutions, including Sydney Living Museums (the Historic Houses Trust) and the Art Gallery of NSW. Her career has been dedicated to leadership that connects citizens and visitors to special places, culture and heritage through a broad range of statewide public engagement programs.

Before starting here at the Library, she was a Deputy Secretary for Cities and Active Transport for NSW Government, where her work focused on major policy and program of investment in NSW addressing the wellbeing, walkability and activation in our streets, and civic places. She also serves on a range of juries, committees and boards to promote the power of place, culture, community and public space in Australia.

Jonathan Jones - Artist

Jonathan Jones is a Sydney-based artist and researcher from the Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi nations of south-east Australia.

His projects are grounded in research and work with local Aboriginal elders and community. Jones is a researcher at Jumbunna Institute for Indigenous Education and Research, University of Technology Sydney.

Image credit , Mark Pokorny

Kylie Legge, BArch, MSSC (Env & PI) - Founding Director, Place Partners & Place Score

Kylie Legge is a leading voice in the evolving profession of placemaking. She is an architecture graduate, planner, place maker, author, facilitator, curator and entrepreneur. She is the founding Director of Place Partners, a multidisciplinary placemaking consultancy based in Sydney Australia as well as the newly launched Place Score - the world's first place experience measurement tool, and Kylie’s response to the challenge “You can’t measure place”.

Her interests lie in the relationship between people and their urban environments and how we can work better collaboratively to create the kinds of places people want to spend time in. Her commitment to understanding the trends and external factors influencing decision-making ensures that projects she works on are fit for the future.

Anita Mitchell - CEO, Placemaking NSW, Department of Planning, Industry & Environment, NSW Government

Anita Mitchell has over 25 years’ experience in executive management, sustainability, social impact and corporate assurance spanning energy, water, waste, property and construction in both the public and private sectors.

In January 2021, Anita joined the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment as the inaugural Chief Executive of Placemaking NSW. She now leads the teams responsible for managing and developing some of Sydney’s most treasured places, including The Rocks, Darling Harbour and Sydney Olympic Park, as well as key locations in the Hunter and Central Coast regions of New South Wales.

Prior to this Anita worked at Lendlease for a decade in a range of roles. Initially, Anita led the environmental and social sustainability strategy for Australia’s first certified carbon neutral precinct – Lendlease’s $6 billion Barangaroo South development in Sydney. Here she delivered world’s best practice sustainable design and health and wellness initiatives.

In 2016, she was appointed Lendlease’s Head of Sustainability - Europe. From London, she steered the development of sustainability strategies for over A$50 billion of development, investment and construction activity in the United Kingdom and Italy.

Anita returned to Australia in 2019, to lead the corporate assurance team developing Lendlease’s Risk Appetite Framework.

Before Lendlease Anita managed sustainability and environmental programs for one of Australia’s largest energy distributors, as well as the country’s largest water authority and waste management operator.

She holds a Bachelor of Environmental Science, a Master of Environmental Management and an MBA – completed under full scholarship as “Australia’s top emerging leader and MBA scholar” selected by The University of Sydney and AFR BOSS magazine in 2012.