Weaving Conditions for Prosperous and Regenerative Regional Economies

About this webinar

Regional Australia is facing a decade of profound transition. Communities are navigating climate disruption, economic restructuring, housing pressures, fragile supply chains and externally driven development that too often extracts value rather than growing local prosperity. Yet across the country, communities, enterprises and local leaders are already prototyping alternatives - strengthening local food systems, building community wealth, creating community-owned infrastructure, regenerating landscapes and developing new forms of collaboration rooted in place.

Over the past 12 months, the WEAVE Regen Economy Systems Lab, convened by Regen Labs with place-based practitioners and learning partners, has been exploring a central question: What are the conditions needed for communities and community-centric enterprises to lead the transition toward inclusive, prosperous and regenerative regional economies? 

Join Regen Labs and learning partners to explore an emerging framework for weaving these conditions together. They will share elements of the framework, informed by lessons and insights from practice. They will also share stories, insights and practical examples to illustrate elements of the framework. 

Participants will gain an appreciation of the roles of regenerative enterprise, convenors, collaborative infrastructure, community wealth building systems, capability building, stewardship and transition convening in creating economies of care, resilience and shared prosperity. And you’ll leave with a sense of what becomes possible when we stop funding disconnected projects and start incubating whole systems.

About the convenor

This Open Learning session is part of the WEAVE Regen Economy Systems Lab, a 12-month place-based innovation collaboration learning community, convened by Regen Labs and funded by the Australian Government through the Social Enterprise Development Initiative. WEAVE has been  designed to support and learn how to enable regional social enterprises to play a catalytic role in accelerating the shift to regenerative, inclusive, and climate-resilient economies.

Regen Labs sincerely appreciates the generosity and collaboration of learning partners including: WinZero, Northern Rivers Food Coalition, Highlands Homegrown Economy, The Food Embassy, Regen Hills and Coasts, Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation, Regen Melbourne, and Ready Communities. Thank you also to critical friends: Dr Joanne McNeill - The Good Shift, Dr Katherine Trebeck - The Next Economy, and Dr Jarrod Ormiston - University of Sydney. 

Read more about WEAVE here: https://www.regenlabs.au/weave-1

Dr Dimity Podger

Co-founder

 

Regen Labs

WebsiteLinkedIn

Dr Dimity Podger is Co-founder of Regen Labs, a social enterprise on a mission to catalyse local inclusive, regenerative economies across regional Australia that create wellbeing for communities and the planet. Dimity works closely with place partners to co-design and deliver capability building programs for ecosystems of regenerative enterprises to grow and have an impact, such as the Regen Economy Activator Program launched in South Australia. She convenes the innovation collaboration learning community, WEAVE Regen Economy Systems Lab, and the accompanying peer action learning journey with place convenors. She also undertakes practice-informed research for philanthropic organisations to inform their investment strategies, such as how to enable community wealth building and place-based community-led regeneration. Dimity is passionate about sharing learning and contributes regularly to panels, open learning sessions, and conferences for organisations such as Social Impact in the Regions, ChangeFest, Philanthropy Australia, and Social Enterprise Australia. Her work builds on her role as Regenerative Communities portfolio lead with WWF-Australia’s Innovate to Regenerate program, supporting action across 30 communities, 65+ regenerative enterprises, and 22 places. She lives and works on Dharawal Country, with her family.

Nicole Barling Luke

Director of Earthshots

 

Regen Melbourne

WebsiteLinkedIn

Nicole Barling Luke is a strategic designer, systems practitioner and facilitator. As Director of Earthshots at Regen Melbourne she develops place-based methodologies for systems transitions. She began her career at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, spent five years working alongside the public sector at Nesta (UK) developing programs for innovation teams to become more participatory and experimental. An anthropologist by background from the University of Melbourne, Nicole has recently worked with Paper Giant, States of Change, Regen Melbourne, and Nesta and has a Masters of Design Futures from RMIT.

Reece Proudfoot

Co-Founder

 

Regen Labs

WebsiteLinkedIn

Reece Proudfoot is an experienced leader in regenerative innovation and systems change, and the Co-Founder of Regen Labs, supporting business model and finance innovation for vibrant, regenerative local economies. His work focuses on supporting regenerative enterprises—businesses that deliver positive social, environmental, and economic impact—across sectors such as energy, food and fibre, health, education, tourism, finance, manufacturing, and FMCG. With a background in innovation and impact investment, Reece was previously Head of Innovation and Impact Investment at WWF-Australia, where he co-founded Panda Labs, WWF-Australia's innovation accelerator which scaled into 12 countries across the WWF global network. Under his leadership, WWF-Australia was named the AFR 'Most Innovative Company' in 2018, and he led the post-bushfire Innovate to Regenerate Challenge, deploying $2 million in seed funding to regenerative enterprises across Australia. Reece’s work at Regen Labs is driven by a commitment to building resilient communities that benefit from the shift to a regenerative economy.

Liam Flanagan

Chief Executive Officer

 

Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (YAC)

WebsiteLinkedIn

Liam Flanagan joined Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC (YAC) as Chief Executive Officer in early 2025. As CEO of Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation, he leads the operations of an organisation dedicated to advancing the rights, interests, and aspirations of Yinhawangka people. His role focuses on driving economic development, cultural preservation, and community empowerment through strong governance, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable business initiatives. Liam works closely with the Board of Directors, Traditional Owners, and key partners to ensure YAC delivers meaningful outcomes in land management, social programs, and economic opportunities. With a commitment to self-determination and long-term prosperity, he strives to position Yinhawangka Aboriginal Corporation as a leader in Indigenous governance and enterprise. Liam participated in WEAVE as a critical friend and as a co-learner in the place-based convenor action learning journey.

Paula Williams

Communications and Projects Manager

 

Santos Organics

WebsiteLinkedIn

Paula Williams is a project manager, governance specialist, and community facilitator based in Mullumbimby, NSW, with more than 20 years’ experience across regenerative food systems, not-for-profit and social enterprise, education, and the arts. Her work through Santos Organics focuses on strengthening regional food resilience through collaboration, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, governance, and community-led initiatives. As a founding member of the Northern Rivers Food Coalition, she has convened system-level stakeholders across the Northern Rivers food system, delivered an FRRR-funded regional food systems project, and co-secured a $1 million NSW Government grant to increase First Nations employment across the regional food sector.