Our Team

ACT Australia|NZ prides itself on the expertise of our team. From highly creative and accomplished performance professionals to executive leaders in the fields of safety culture and regulation, organisational psychology and leadership; we deliver corporate best practice.

How We Can Help

Our benchmark is excellence at what we do. Our proof is the number of repeat programs we are entrusted to deliver.

The highlights of 2024 included work in rail, aviation Safeskies  2024 and Virgin Safety Day – and a special commission for the WA State Government MARS (Mental Awareness, Respect and Safety) Program called ‘The Slip: What Good Looks Like’; featuring amazing opportunities for WA-based creatives – writer, director, cast, crew, editor, graphic designers, cinematographers, and our production team.

Your engagement furthers the careers of writers, directors, camera teams, sound teams, lighting teams, editors, and production assistants and of course we wouldn’t be where we are without our amazing actors and coaches.

We welcome you to be part of the creative community that is part of education and training innovation and building the cultural capital of Australia.

Customised

Behind the Scenes

Here’s a snapshot of behind the scenes work that goes into all the productions – from our focus groups to make sure we fit your needs, to writing the scripts, to mapping the design, preparing the production, rehearsals, costumes and props, the shoots and of course production days – workshop days.

Explore Productions

Our team is comprised of genuinely gifted minds

Founder, Managing Director

Susan Fleming

B. Ed, Advanced Diploma in Leadership and Management, GAICD, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management 2012, Member of the National Speakers Association, Chair, The Child Safety Foundation CCCSF and Chair, Theatre 180.

Susan’s comprehensive stakeholder engagement experience with the major organisations in Australia and overseas over the past 25 years and across a wide range of industries mean that she is able to offer a valuable contribution to the service of clients. ACT holds the exclusive licence for the AKT Productions UK suite of plays outside the UK.

Ms Fleming applies high-level strategy, consulting and problem-solving at all levels. She draws on her experiences from Risk Management in the IT industry, Executive Producer and Risk challenges in the film industry, and CEO experience as the State Director of CEDA, the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (WA). At the Australian Institute of Management for 7 years leading significant bespoke leadership training design and delivery for the top 50 organisations in WA, Fleming was highly regarded for her contribution to innovation and for managing the entrée of AIM into China.

Advisory Committee: Barrister, Director, Public Speaker and recipient of Cavaliere (Order of the Star of the Italian Republic, conferred June 2017)

Maria Saraceni

BA, B Ed (Hons), BJuris, LLB Maria was admitted to the Bar in 1992, Maria practises in regulatory and compliance law and advises on corporate governance matters. Her experience across all facets of employment law, industrial relations and workplace health and safety is well recognised.

Maria is a strategic thinker who is as comfortable finding solutions to issues without resorting to legal action as she is in representing parties in the course of legal proceedings. This approach results in a commercially responsible outcome for the instructing solicitor and their client.

In addition to her legal work, Maria gives back to the community via her work as a non-executive director on various statutory and not-for-profit boards. She also appears in public speaking engagements and mentors legal practitioners and others who seek career guidance.

Maria’s direct, down-to-earth communication style together with her language skills in Italian and French have proved valuable in assisting those whose first language is other than English and those who are reluctantly involved in legal matters.

Advisory Committee: Strategy and Coaching (BBUS GDipBus)

Ron Kemp

Ron has built a reputation as a highly engaging facilitator, coach and trainer and has had the privilege of delivering these services to a diverse range of clients in different parts of the Australian and South East Asian region.

Ron has been engaged in the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator (ONRSR) project team and was the lead on the Public Transport Authority (PTA) Trackworker Safety initiative in 2019. Ron specialises in facilitation, strategic and business planning, organisational learning and coaching. He has relied heavily on word of mouth recommendations which have resulted in varying contexts for facilitation such as strategic planning, change management, leader development, conferences, staff meetings, joint venture health checks, mediation and community dialogue. An entrepreneur for over 20 years combined with a Bachelor of Business and a Graduate Diploma of Business; Ron’s exceptional experience in many industries makes him a sought after facilitator.

Ron is a Certified Professional Facilitator (IAF) and NLP Practitioner, as well as a qualified coach (Diploma in Coaching) and is accredited in LSI (Human Synergistics) and the Myer Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Ron has worked as a coach and facilitator for many well-known Australian, as well as international corporations such has BHP Billiton Iron Ore, Woodside, Westrac, Australia Post, Mirvac Fini, Wesfarmers, PTA, INPEX, Water Corporation and Western Power.

Advisory Committee: Executive Director Digital Health, Department of Health, WA

Lucy Cordone

Master of Health and Medical Law (2007), University of Melbourne
Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws (2001), University of Melbourne
Barrister and Solicitor (Admitted to Practice in Victoria 2002)
Mediator, Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria, Department of Justice (2008)
GAICD (2005)

Lucy brings her successful background in senior leadership and strategic management with substantial executive level experience in large, complex and highly regulated organisations.

Ventia is providing essential services to support defence capability requirements across navy, army and air force base community in Western Australia and South Australia. This covers a workforce of 700 personnel delivering estate upkeep, hospitality and catering, environmental services, range and training area management, aircraft refuelling and airfield support, firefighting and emergency response, warehousing and store distribution and fuel services, among others.

Lucy has held senior executive roles as General Counsel, Company Secretary, Chief Risk Officer, State Operations Manager and General Manager in broad and highly regulated industries including health care, oil and gas, public housing, and the defence sector.

Production Manager

Elliahn Blenkinsop

Elliahn graduated with a BA Majoring in Screen Arts and Journalism in 2023 from Curtin University. During her 2 week placement at WA Today in 2022, 7 of her stories were published. She also worked for two years as an editor and junior producer for Meyer Productions in Perth during her degree, specialising in corporate film for the mining and health industries.

Elliahn graduated with a BA Majoring in Screen Arts and Journalism in 2023 from Curtin University. She excels in writing, producing and directing in both narrative and non-fiction. During her 2 week placement at WA Today in 2022, 7 of her stories were published. She also worked for two years as an editor and junior producer for Meyer Productions in Perth during her degree, specialising in corporate film for the mining and health industries. Her passion for story telling has been recognised during her short career with an audio piece from her radio unit entered into the JERAA Ossie Awards, and the short film ‘Leila’, which she wrote and produced, winning 3 film festivals overseas.
Writer and Director

Andy Harmsen

Dr. Andrew F. Harmsen has significantly impacted literature, theatre, and education. He holds a BA in Literary and Cultural Studies (2008) and a BA (Hons.) in Media, Culture, and Creative Arts (2009) from Curtin, as well as an MA (2014) and Ph.D. (2018) from the University of Melbourne. He directed acclaimed productions like "Romeo & Juliet" and was Co-Artistic Director at Sly Rat Theatre (2012-2019). Dr. Harmsen has received awards including the APA Ph.D. Scholarship and the Grace Marion Wilson Playwriting Fellowship. He has also held roles at Go2Cup and Fraser’s Medical.

Dr. Andrew F. Harmsen has built a distinguished career in literature, theatre, and education. He earned a BA in Literary and Cultural Studies from Curtin in 2008, followed by a BA (Hons.) in Media, Culture, and Creative Arts in 2009. He completed an MA in Literature and a Ph.D. in Literature and Theatre Studies at the University of Melbourne by 2018.

As a producer and director, Dr. Harmsen has worked on notable theatre productions like "Romeo & Juliet" and "The Tempest." He was Co-Artistic Director at Sly Rat Theatre & Education Company from 2012 to 2019. His work has received various awards, including the APA Ph.D. Scholarship and the Grace Marion Wilson Playwriting Fellowship.

Dr. Harmsen has also contributed significantly to academia and community service, holding roles such as Casual Community Event Officer at Go2Cup and National Academic Coordinator at Fraser’s Medical. His career is marked by numerous accolades, including the University of Melbourne & The Australian Centre Research Prize and the Curtin Research Scholarship. Dr. Harmsen’s diverse roles and achievements highlight his ongoing contributions to literature, theatre, and education.

Advisory Committee Member, Lead Facilitator, Director, Consultant

Jack Finsterer

Jack Finsterer has the ability to create an open and supportive learning atmosphere, inclusive of all people no matter what their level of experience or education.

Jack is comfortable equally with CEO / General Manager of Division level to front line ( operator and has had over 10 years’ experience effectively engaging front line and management levels 1 to 4. He has experience with all levels in commercial organisations – from graduate to Senior Partner. Jack’s Industry experience includes transport, heavy manufacturing, financial, legal and health services. Programs include safety leadership, flexibility and diversity, crucial conversations, presentation skills and sales. Workshop sizes vary but generally numbers range up to 30 or 40 and for conferences up to 500. Jack with his own considerable and varied experience, always brings a practical, real world application to the material and theory behind the concepts being applied in each workshop. Drawing from outstanding contributions as a film and theatre actor and director, his presentation style challenges and engages, and continually looks to leverage off the groups experience to achieve the desired learning outcomes.
International Advisory Committee Member, Writer and Director

Andy Powrie

BA Hons, BSc Hons
Andy creates interactive, drama-based programmes for AKT. Much of his work over the last 20 years has focused on the challenges of behavioural and process safety and security.

BA Hons, BSc Hons
Andy creates interactive, drama-based programmes for AKT. Much of his work over the last 20 years has focused on the challenges of behavioural and process safety and security. He has created programmes as diverse as Security for the Nuclear Industry and Brand Stewardship for the advertising world. His work in Behavioural Safety has been adopted by clients in aviation, construction, nuclear, manufacturing, national and local government, oil & gas and utilities.

Audiences for his work range from Director General and CEO level, through management to operational and frontline staff. He creates pieces of theatre and film that accurately mirror the complexities of organisational cultures and immediately engage and challenge workshop participants, and his safety and security programmes have been run all over the world.

He studied Drama at Goldsmiths, London University, and Psychology at the Open University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Director, Actor

Todd Levi

Todd Levi has narrated and presented hundreds if not thousands of workplace health and safety training pieces. He has been performing in, producing and directing theatre based WH&S pieces for ACT Australia since 2014.

Todd Levi has narrated and presented hundreds if not thousands of workplace health and safety training pieces. He has been performing in, producing and directing theatre based WH&S pieces for ACT Australia since 2014.
He began his working life creating advertising for clients including Telstra, Carlton and United Breweries, Peters Ice Creams, Supercheap Auto and more, collecting dozens of industry awards before becoming one of Australia’s most heard commercial voice over artists and a screen and theatre actor. (Blacklight, Clickbait, Daybreakers, Wanted, Miss Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries and many more).
A highly experienced professional communicator, he now brings his passion and talent for motivating an audience to the workplace health and safety space.