NovoCon26 will feature a range of industry leaders and innovators who are driving the future of educational technology.
Nayrie Mekerchian is a Microsoft Windows Device Enablement Specialist focused on Copilot+ PC devices. She works closely with partners and customers to showcase how the latest Windows innovations deliver enhanced performance, intelligent experiences, and built-in security—helping organisations unlock real business value from modern PCs.
Nayrie Mekerchian is a Microsoft Windows Device Enablement Specialist focused on Copilot+ PC devices
Ray Fleming lives at the intersection between education, technology and AI. He’s an industry expert who covers topics around AI, organisational adoption and change. He has over 30 years’ industry experience including as Global Education Solutions Lead at Google Cloud, Higher Education Lead at Microsoft Australia and Chief AI Officer at InnovateGPT.
Ray co-hosts the AI in Education podcast, and each week discusses AI’s impact on the education system and interviews leaders of AI strategies and initiatives.
Having spoken on a global stage for both Microsoft and Google, Ray brings a rich knowledge and a vast selection of case studies to educate and challenge any audience. In the last two years he has also spoken with over 300 Australian companies from many industries, from startups to 50,000 employee businesses, about the impact AI will have on their employees and their future skills.
He is on the Large Employer’s Taskforce for the Commonwealth Future Skills Organisation, and their Technical Advisory Committee for AI Skills.
Ray’s been a columnist for the Times, an award-winning blogger, and has featured on BBC TV.
Ray Fleming lives at the intersection between education, technology and AI.
Brett is a highly respected and accomplished professional in IT and security. With over 30 years of experience, he is known for his deep understanding of the security landscape and his ability to help clients operationalise security operations and intelligence and build robust security and threat intelligence programs.
He has a wealth of experience across various domains in Cybersecurity, including insider threats, security operations, incident response, fraud, cybercrime, and cryptocurrency. He has extensive experience working and advising at some of the industry’s most well-known and
respected security and intelligence companies, including SentinelOne, Fortra, Chainalysis, Flashpoint, Carbon Black, Cydarm, Cybermerc, and RSA.
Brett is a passionate and dedicated professional who is deeply committed to the cybersecurity community. He is actively involved as one of the organisers of BSides Melbourne and participates in special interest groups at the Australian Institute of Professional Intelligence Officers. He is also a regular mentor to new people entering the industry and is dedicated to helping them develop the skills and knowledge they need to be successful.
In addition to his mentoring activities, he has spoken at numerous industry events such as the AISA Conference, RSA Conference, AIPIO Intelligence Conference, and various meetups. Attendees highly value his insights and expertise, and he is known for his ability to provide practical and actionable advice on a wide range of cybersecurity topics.
Overall, Brett is an asset to the cybersecurity community and is dedicated to helping organisations and individuals better understand and navigate the constantly changing security landscape.
Brett is a highly respected and accomplished professional in IT and security.
Divya is currently a Security Specialist at Microsoft, where she supports Education K‑12 customers across Australia, helping schools strengthen their security posture and protect students, staff, and learning environments in an increasingly complex digital world. With a career spanning enterprise security, cloud, networking, and cyber strategy, Divya brings deep technical expertise combined with a strong passion for customer impact.
Her professional journey spans global and local roles across Microsoft and multiple IT and Telecommunication companies gaining experience in Cloud Computing, Cyber Security, Networking and Datacentre.
Beyond her professional role, Divya is the Vice President of the Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) Australia Affiliate, where she is deeply passionate about supporting and advocating for women entering, growing, and thriving in technology and cybersecurity careers. She actively champions diversity, mentorship, and inclusive pathways into tech, particularly for under‑represented communities.
Divya’s journey reflects the power of resilience, continuous learning, and giving back and she remains a strong advocate for empowering the next generation of technology and cybersecurity leaders.
Divya is currently a Security Specialist at Microsoft, where she supports Education K‑12 customers across Australia
Founder and CEO of Using Technology Better, is a leading expert in helping organisations unlock the full potential of technology. With years of experience in digital transformation and productivity strategies, Mike guides businesses and educational institutions to maximise their technology ROI and boost productivity.
Mike Reading is the founder and CEO of Using Technology Better
Angus Evans is a Senior Systems Engineer at Arctic Wolf. Angus will run the Arctic Wolf deep dive session on Friday morning.
Angus Evans is a Senior Systems Engineer at Arctic Wolf
Tony Li is the Manager, Concierge Security, ANZ for Arctic Wolf.
During this presentation session he will share a day in the life of the SOC.
Get deeper insight on:
• Why security organisations need to focus on operations more than new tools
• How leading organisations improve security operations
• Real-world examples of expert security engineers stepping in to protect customers, 24×7
Tony Li is the Manager, Concierge Security, ANZ for Arctic Wolf
Sam is the National Private Education Lead for Microsoft Australia.
After finishing an internship and deciding a legal career was not for him, Sam pivoted to the IT industry in 2014, joining a global consultancy where he worked on complex digital transformation initiatives for organisations including Fonterra, ANZ Bank, Ausgrid and the South Australian Government.
Sam joined Microsoft on the eve of lockdowns in early 2020, leading the partner ecosystem supporting the Education sector across Australia and New Zealand—working closely with technology partners delivering solutions to schools, universities and Departments of Education.
Today, Sam is responsible for Microsoft’s engagement with the independent school sector across Australia. He collaborates with school leaders on a wide range of strategic initiatives, from developing AI adoption roadmaps and strengthening data governance frameworks, to uplifting cyber security posture across teaching and learning environments.
Sam has a particular interest in compliance and governance, and is passionate about helping schools adopt AI safely, responsibly and securely.
Sam is the National Private Education Lead for Microsoft Australia
Rob Flavell is President of VINE and Director of Digital Transformation at Loreto Toorak. He is a passionate leader with more than 25 years’ experience combining education and systems thinking principles to achieve innovative outcomes. In his role as President of VINE he passionately advocates for those supporting and empowering the use of technology in education. His day job at Loreto Toorak extends beyond technology use and seeks to critically evaluate and implement change on both the education and business sides of the school. He has a particular passion for systems and processes which reduce the logistics of education and ensure students and teachers focus on learning.
Rob Flavell is President of VINE and Director of Digital Transformation at Loreto Toorak.
Andrew Pearson is a technology strategist at Snapdragon, working closely with education partners to shape the future of Windows PCs in schools. His focus spans performance, long battery life, and on‑device AI – helping educators and students benefit from reliable, all‑day learning devices, including the next generation of Copilot+ PCs.
https://www.qualcomm.com/snapdragon/overview
Andrew Pearson is a technology strategist at Snapdragon