Advertise on podcast: Edge with Dr. Stephen Brown

Hailing from Rockhampton in Central Qld, Rod ‘Rocket’ Reddy is one of the legends of Australian and International rugby league. ‘Rocket’ at age 18 left his hometown to join the famous, St George rugby league team in Sydney. Reddy is a member of the club’s team of the century, a premiership winning player, and a representative of Queensland’s first State of Origin team. He played 17 times for Australia. In this episode, ‘Rocket’ discusses his formative years, career highlights, and his perspective on leadership.

A wisdom woman - a person of deep faith, commitment, compassion and care, Philomena (‘Phil’) Billington is one of this country’s finest leaders in education. Phil provides perceptive insights and authentic reflections on leadership, legacy, and her lived experience as a Catholic and a female within the Church.  She beautifully articulates her formative experiences that have shaped her as a person and a leader.  Phil’s life has found her at the edge-providing voice for others, taking on the uncomfortable issues and leading initiatives that create sustainable change.

A champion person who continues to produce champions. Leading Australian horse trainer, Tony McEvoy shares his rich life story from his early days in South Australia growing up on a farm. He left home as an eleven-year-old to work in a racing stable before becoming a jockey and then champion trainer of some of the super stars of the Australian turf. McEvoy is a genuine, warm, and authentic person who shares candidly his thoughts on leadership, the importance of family and life in general.

Kieran McCarthy is a Brisbane lawyer who has been recognised by Doyle’s Guide as a leading practitioner both in Queensland and nationally. Kieran’s abiding out-of-hours interest is military history, and since 2009 he has led seven pilgrimages, with his wife, former journalist and PR Executive Kristin Devitt, to the Australian battlefields of the First World War in France and Belgium, and other tours to the Second World War sites at Dunkirk, Monte Cassino, Anzio, Normandy and Arnhem. He has been a regular speaker on the after-dinner circuit for some years, and co-authored a publication commissioned by the Supreme Court of Queensland Library to mark the centenary of the First World War, “In Freedom’s Cause”. Kieran’s current project is researching for publication the lives of the men of Brisbane’s inner-west, commemorated on the Ithaca War Memorial in Paddington.

Rick retired as Chief of the Australian Army in 2022, capping a distinguished military career in diverse leadership appointments.    He is an authentic and visionary leader with unique experience and insight from leading complex organisations through transformational change, and from building partnerships and strengthening relationships throughout Australia and the Indo-Pacific. He is passionate about investing in people, leadership, and organisational culture. He remains committed to advancing Australia’s national interest and competitive edge through The Burr Initiative.

This episode of Edge features the multi-talented Paul Mecurio, AM, best known for his starring role in the iconic Australian movie, Strictly Ballroom and as a judge on the celebrated Australian television program, Dancing with the Stars. In 2022, Paul was elected to the Victorian State Parliament as the member for Hastings. Mercurio is the son of legendary Australian Gus Mercurio, and provides an authentic, insightful, candid and reflective commentary on his life and the much-celebrated achievements in his diverse career.

Country Victorian born and bred,  Michael Winkler's novel Grimmish was shortlisted for the 2022 Miles Franklin Literary Award, the first and only time that a self-published novel has achieved this honour. Grimmish was subsequently published by Puncher & Wattmann in Australia, Peninsula Press in the United Kingdom and Coach House Books in North America. Winkler won the Calibre Essay Prize in 2016. He has self-published three books and released others through commercial publishers. His non-fiction books have been on topics as disparate as sport, outback history and film. He regularly reviews books and judges writing awards. Website: michaelwinkler.com.au

Former Sergeant, Paul Cale has been described as one of Australia’s toughest soldiers. His Special Forces Commando regiment saw more violence and casualties than any other Australian military outfit, with Paul now developing combat strategies for special forces units around the world. Sergeant Cale made headlines in 2013 when it was revealed he had stormed an enemy compound and strangled a Taliban leader during a combat tour of Afghanistan in 2007. In this episode Paul discusses his time in the Australian army and his work around the world in leadership, combat training and self-defence.

Mention the wine Prosecco and typically, it will relate to the family name of Dal Zotto. Otto Dal Zotto is the king of Prosecco in Australia, and along with his wife and sons has pioneered and powered the brand from the family vineyard in the King Valley, Northeast Victoria. In this episode of EDGE, Otto provides fascinating insights into his formative years, the events that shaped his decision to become a wine maker, perspectives on leadership and his involvement in political advocacy around the restricted use of the Prosecco name.

While simultaneously pursuing a career in education as a school leader, Kirby also had a long and distinguished career spanning 16 years as an elite athlete with the Queensland Fire and Brisbane Heat cricket teams. As a school leader, Kirby has led in large and complex secondary school environments. Her educational leadership has been recognised internationally with the design and development of a unique framework for learning, enabled by her expertise in understanding people and culture through the promotion of agency. Through her engagement with corporate organisations, elite sporting teams and individuals, Kirby also delivers masterclasses in high performance culture, personal and team leadership. Recently, she has made the transition to broadcasting with ABC Radio, Channel 7 and Fox Cricket. Her unique and diverse experiences as an elite athlete, board member, sports commentator and two-time WBBL Premiership Captain of the Brisbane Heat, is evident in her success in leading individuals and teams, within and beyond education, to enact strategies that are focussed on identity, values and progress.

After growing up in Hervey Bay, Qld Wayne Zschech first moved to Ukraine in April, 1993, just a week before his 18th birthday. His plan was to give God a year of his life before returning home to become a fighter pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force. God, however, had a better idea! Wayne has lived in Ukraine for 28 years, working as a Pastor, social entrepreneur and building sustainable enterprises. Dr Stephen Brown spoke to Wayne on his most recent visit back to Australia about his life and his first hand experiences of living and working in a war zone. Join us to hear Wayne share his story.

In this episode Stephen talks to rising star, 22 year old Queensland Reds and Australian Wallaby rugby player Harry Wilson, exploring the nature of leadership and the influence of family in his career to date along with his aspirations for the future.

Darshak Mehta is one of the most well-known and well-liked Indians in Australia. His name pops up when you mention cricket or charity down under and has a long association with Australian cricket. He has been an SCG member for almost 30 years. He served as Chairman of The LBW (Learning for a Better World) Trust which he co- founded in 2006 with journalists Peter Roebuck and Mike Coward and solicitor Peter Strain. He is currently its President. He is also a Patron of the education charity, Pratham Australia. Pratham (in India) is the largest children’s education charity, helping millions of Indian children realise their potential. He has also been on the Advisory Panel of the Sydney Big Bash League (T20) team Sydney Thunder  since 2013. From a very young age, Darshak has been actively involved in public life. He was the President of the Bombay Industries Association at 27 (youngest ever). He was also the youngest member of the Managing Committee of the venerable Indian Merchants Chamber, when 26. So, heading an NGO 25 years later, albeit in another country, did not faze him in the slightest. The LBW Trust is a charity which tertiary-educates over 1500 students in eight developing countries including India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, South Africa, Uganda, Afghanistan and Jamaica.

By any stretch and by his own admissions, Kieran Plasto has lived and continues to live an extraordinary life. From a self-proclaimed very ordinary childhood, a series of decisions and opportunities has led him down a path to Psychologist, Appointed Detective in the Qld Police Service, Police Negotiator and Counter Terrorist Qualified Negotiator. Since leaving the police in 2007 he studied Negotiation at Harvard, worked in Human Resources and Safety Leadership roles for global Mining Houses and now works in the people and performance space specialising in workplace conflict and dispute resolution, mediation, investigations and conflict coaching. Along the way he has learnt some lessons about people and leadership which he continues to share through storytelling and coaching.  This is his story.

Listed in the Who’s Who of Women in Australia in 2007, awarded the Prime Minister’s Centennial Medal in 2000 and an OAM for service to the community in 2016,  Bev Brock has devoted her life to others. She is a former teacher and life counsellor, and an author and public speaker. She was born and raised in Western Australia. Her life changed pace in the almost three decades she spent with motor racing legend Peter Brock. She raised their young family while being an integral part of Peter’s racing career, helping to steer him through life in the spotlight. She is patron of the Lighthouse Foundation, co-founder of the Peter Brock Foundation, and sits on the board of the Skyline Education Foundation. Bev has been teaching life skills for the past 20 years and speaks to many varied groups, helping people in crisis to change their lives, encouraging them to take charge of their own destinies and to live their dreams. In imparting her knowledge and experience in the pursuit of fulfilment, Bev relates to her own journey through past relationships, her life education, her experience in caring for elderly and terminally ill family and friends and her highly visible life. Bev is the author of Peter Brock – Living with a Legend, published in 2004 which went straight to the best seller list and the main author and editor of Brock at Bathurst. Her own story, Life to the Limit was published in 2014.