Reesville Summit 2027

Sheridan Joy Austin – Nutritionist

The Truth About Nutrition: Debunking the Biggest Food and Supplement Myths of Our Time

Sheridan Joy Austin is a qualified holistic nutritionist, certified Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) practitioner, speaker, recipe creator, writer, and founder of Foraged For You. Passionate about using food as medicine, Sheridan helps individuals and families support their health through nutrient-dense, whole-food nutrition and a holistic approach to wellbeing. 

After overcoming her own long-term health challenges, including digestive issues, chronic infections, fatigue, and allergies, Sheridan developed a deep interest in the relationship between nutrition and vitality. Her personal journey led her to study nutrition and become a certified GAPS practitioner, empowering her to support hundreds of clients worldwide in addressing the root causes of their health concerns. 

Sheridan is also the creator of a range of certified organic, fermented, food-based nutritional products designed to nourish mothers, children, and families. Through her educational work, speaking engagements, and product development, she continues to advocate for real food, gut health, and a deeper understanding of human nourishment. 

Dr Jim Parker

PCOS: Beyond Hormones – The Role of Nutrition, Insulin Resistance and Modern Lifestyle in Women’s Health

Dr Jim Parker, FRANZCOG is an obstetrician, gynaecologist, endoscopic surgeon, researcher, and Clinical Associate Professor with the Graduate School of Medicine at the University of Wollongong. Over a distinguished career spanning clinical practice, surgery, teaching, and research, he has developed particular expertise in women’s reproductive health, pregnancy complications, and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). 

Dr Parker’s research focuses on the complex interplay between genetics, nutrition, metabolism, inflammation, environmental factors, and lifestyle in the development of PCOS and other chronic health conditions. His work has contributed to evolving understandings of insulin resistance, gut health, developmental origins of disease, and preventative approaches to improving maternal and reproductive health outcomes.

A passionate advocate for evidence-based and preventative medicine, Dr Parker is widely recognised for translating complex scientific concepts into practical strategies that empower women and healthcare professionals alike. His publications and presentations explore how nutrition, lifestyle, environmental influences, and modern health challenges intersect with reproductive and metabolic health. (ResearchGate)

As a clinician, educator, and researcher, Dr Parker continues to contribute to advancing women’s health through a multidisciplinary approach that bridges obstetrics, gynaecology, endocrinology, nutrition, and lifestyle medicine.

Toby Morrison 

Stuck in Survival Mode: How to Support Real Recovery from Chronic Fatigue

Toby Morrison is a chronic fatigue recovery coach, author, speaker, and founder of CFS Health, Australia’s first health centre dedicated solely to supporting people with ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia. After developing Chronic Fatigue Syndrome as a teenager and spending four years navigating his own recovery journey, Toby committed his life to helping others regain their health and quality of life. and is recognised internationally for his work in chronic illness education and patient empowerment. His presentations combine personal experience, practical insights, and an optimistic message of hope for those living with chronic health challenges. 

Nick Dugmore

From Vineyard to Cell: Farming, Chemicals, and the Human Cost of Wine

Nick Dugmore is the co-founder, director, and winemaker behind Stoke Wines, based on Kangaroo Island and mainland South Australia.

He and his wife Bec Dugmore established Stoke Wines in 2017 after working vintages and winemaking roles across Australia and overseas. Nick’s background is a mix of wine marketing and hands-on winemaking—he originally studied wine marketing at the University of Adelaide before realising he wanted to be in the cellar, so he returned to study oenology and worked vintages in regions including the Barossa, McLaren Vale, Adelaide Hills, Central Otago (New Zealand), Canada, and Bordeaux. 

Before launching Stoke, he worked in commercial winemaking and later as assistant winemaker at well-known South Australian producers, including roles in the Adelaide Hills and McLaren Vale. 

At Stoke Wines, Nick focuses on making minimal-intervention, cool-climate wines that express Kangaroo Island fruit, often with a regenerative or organic farming approach. The project also includes vineyard management (including the Cassini Vineyard) and a strong focus on site expression and experimentation with blends, pét-nat, and lighter mid-weight styles. 

Beyond winemaking, he’s also known for storytelling and advocacy work in the wine community. In recent years he launched a podcast and public conversations around resilience and health after a personal bowel cancer diagnosis, which has influenced both his outlook and how he approaches life and work. 

Melissa Kovacevic

Eat, Sync, Thrive: Understanding Your Body’s Natural Rhythms

Melissa Kovacevic is the founder of The Seed Cycle, an Australian wellness company focused on simplifying seed cycling for women’s hormonal health. Based in Canberra, she is a functional nutrition practitioner, Certified Clinical EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) practitioner, and author.

Melissa created The Seed Cycle after working with women in her wellness clinic who were seeking natural, food-based approaches to support menstrual health, but struggled to maintain complex seed cycling routines. She developed a pre-blended, ready-to-use system designed to make the practice simple, consistent, and accessible in everyday life.

Her work combines functional nutrition, emotional wellbeing tools such as EFT tapping, and a strong focus on body awareness and cyclical health. She is also the author of Seeds of Sisterhood, which explores hormonal health, seed cycling, and reconnecting with the body’s natural rhythms.

Through her brand and educational work, Melissa’s broader mission is to help women feel more connected to their bodies and supported in their hormonal health using practical, whole-food-based rituals.

Jake Chandler

Defining Crossroads from Diagnosis to Direction

Jake Chandler is a farmer, soil health coach, and founder of Catalyst Soils, whose philosophy is simple: every farm, and every human, holds unrealised potential. Diagnosed with stage 3B melanoma in March 2023 — when his daughter was just six months old — Jake faced a defining crossroads. Making his why stronger than his why not, he chose holistic lifestyle therapy over conventional immunotherapy, guided by one clear principle: grow life, don’t poison it.

Jake’s recovery journey has been as rigorous as it has been transformative. Recognising that alcohol had become a form of escapism rather than a genuine response to stress, sobriety became a foundational pillar of his healing. Understanding the liver’s central role in immune function, Jake committed to supporting his body’s own intelligence — tracking progress through comprehensive blood testing and building a diverse team of practitioners to guide his protocol. As he puts it, he is the captain, coach, and sole selector of his team.

Three years on, that diagnosis has been reframed as the best thing that ever happened to him and he’s never felt healthier. Drawing on his ecological worldview and background in natural resource management, Jake is a passionate storyteller who believes in the transformative power of working with nature — in the soil, and in ourselves. His lived experience is a testament to what becomes possible when we stop fighting the body and start growing it.