Southern Gold Coast
Chamber of Commerce

The Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce is excited to present the 2026 Masterclass Series, a collaborative offering in conjunction with Southern Cross University, designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of our members. This series aims to address the key challenges faced by businesses today and provide practical solutions through expert-led sessions.

Program Overview:

There will be 4 sessions held on campus at Southern Cross University, with networking opportunities at the start of each session to foster connections among participants.

These free sessions are open to all Chamber members and their teams and will be delivered on campus at SCU, with time built in for connection and shared learning.

Session 1 | Wednesday 25 February 2026
People Power: Building Resilience in the Modern Workplace
Led by Professor Yvonne Brunetto
Focused on attracting and retaining talent, addressing skills shortages and building workforce capability.

Professor Yvonne Brunetto is a leading authority in Human Resource Management and Organisational Performance. She has over two decades of experience researching the impact of workplace relationships and leadership practices on employee wellbeing, resilience, and productivity. Beyond academia, Professor Brunetto delivers executive training in resilience and change management, helping organisations strengthen performance during transformation.

Join Gold Coast SUNS CEO Mark Evans for a candid, high-energy conversation on leadership, resilience, and team culture. Experience how they build teams that thrive under pressure, presented through a creative PechaKucha-style format, blending the arts with insight,  live ‘on the couch’.

MC: Brooke Hanson OLY OAM

Mark Evans – Chief Executive Officer, Gold Coast SUNS

Originating from a teaching background, Mark has held executive leadership positions in the AFL for more than 25 years, with a track record of creating a high-performance culture and building partnerships to deliver results to strategy.

With experience in executive roles in Communications, Player Development and Football Operations, Mark’s leadership as General Manager Football Operations at Hawthorn Football Club delivered on football strategies to take the club into a golden era of premiership success.

Mark joined the AFL’s Executive as General Manager Football Operations from 2013 to 2017, and was responsible for all aspects of the game, Laws, officiating, player welfare, talent pathways and venues. He played a key role in CBA negotiations, the implementation of the Football Soft Cap and delivered the Future Directions of Football strategy which resulted in the formation of the AFLW competition.

In 2017 Mark was appointed as Chief Executive of the Gold Coast SUNS and led the successful campaign for an AFL Women’s license to enter the competition in 2020, reset the club’s football and business strategies -including a major re-brand – that has delivered extraordinary growth in participation, membership, attendance, corporate and non-football revenues.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Education and complemented MBA studies by completing executive programs in strategy, strategic leadership, negotiation and innovation at the Harvard Business School.

Since 2017, Mark has been a Director of Fight MND, a foundation which raises funds from activities including the annual Big Freeze and has invested more than $120m to finding a treatment or cure for MND. He was also appointed as a Director at Experience Gold Coast in June 2025 and is committed to driving visitation growth and economic investment for the Gold Coast.

Standard Tickets: $75
Members Tickets: $65
Gold Member (2 Free Tickets)
Silver Member (1 Free Ticket)
Platinum Member (4 Free Tickets)
NOTE: Members please login to purchase tickets

The Southern Gold Coast Chamber of Commerce is excited to present the 2026 Masterclass Series, a collaborative offering in conjunction with Southern Cross University, designed to enhance the skills and knowledge of our members. This series aims to address the key challenges faced by businesses today and provide practical solutions through expert-led sessions.

Program Overview:

There will be 4 sessions held on campus at Southern Cross University, with networking opportunities at the start of each session to foster connections among participants.

These free sessions are open to all Chamber members and their teams and will be delivered on campus at SCU, with time built in for connection and shared learning.

Session 2 | Wednesday 25 March 2026
From Strain to Strength: Managing Business Costs with Confidence
Delivered by Dr Jennifer Harrison
Focused on financial wellbeing, performance metrics, budgeting and decision-making confidence.

Dr Jennifer Harrison is a Senior Lecturer who teaches and designs industry-relevant curricula in business finance and accounting. Her recent work includes teaching across units such as Financial Literacy for Business, Finance for Business, and Financial Management for Small Business, ensuring that concepts translate directly to managerial decision-making. Jennifer’s teaching bridges academic rigor and practical insight, supporting organisations to improve financial capability, interpret performance metrics, and make better budgeting and investment decisions.