Orientation and Launch

SELP Orientation and Launch

Orientation

The SELP Orientation will take you through the program structure and will provide you with the program materials required for the workshops and team projects.

Launch

Marion Grasby will be our engaging SELP presenter for the evening.

Marion Grasby

Marion Grasby started life in the tropical city of Darwin, where the papaya salads are spicy and the mangoes are sweet and sticky. Marion is a little bit Thai (courtesy of her Mum) and a little bit Australian (courtesy of her Dad). Her love of food and travel became ingrained at an early age as her globe-trotting parents lived and travelled in Papua New Guinea, Thailand and Australia.
Marion eventually settled in Brisbane long enough to complete bachelor degrees in Law and Journalism. Straight after university she was snapped up by the ABC and bundled off to Adelaide, South Australia where she worked for 3 years as an ABC TV and radio reporter, before deciding to leave it all behind to follow her passion for food.

In 2008 Marion left her journalism career and went back to university to study for a Masters of Gastronomy. Marion’s studies allowed her to indulge her fascination with the historical, political and social aspects of food and wine.

In 2010 Marion took a break from her Masters to compete in the second series of MasterChef. She made it through a rigorous audition process to get into the Top 24. Her creative flair with Asian flavours mixed with her penchant for classic European technique and a calm kitchen presence impressed the judges and celebrity chef guests alike.

Marion’s sense of fun, generous smiles and talent in the kitchen made her a favourite to win the 2010 MasterChef competition. Her elimination before the finals week of the show made front page news across the country.

Since leaving the MasterChef competition Marion has been inundated with opportunities to cook, write and present. Marion has published her first cookbook, launched her own product range, Marion’s Kitchen, and happily divides the rest of her time between personal appearances, cooking demonstrations, private catering and various media activities.
Marion counts her successful product range as one of her biggest achievements to date.  Marion’s Kitchen is now stocked in the Asian section of about 3000 stores across Australia as well as selected supermarkets in South Africa.

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Past presenters

2012 - Todd Sampson

In 2012, SELP was launched by Professor Kerri-Lee Krause, UWS Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education). Todd Sampson, CEO of Leo Burnett was our engaging SELP presenter for the evening.

 
Todd Sampson
CEO, Leo Burnett

The rich and varied life of advertising executive Todd Sampson began on Cape Breton Island, off the north east coast of Canada. Todd is now the CEO of Leo Burnett, one of Australia’s top creative advertising agencies and is one of the few CEOs in advertising to come from a strategy background - having spent 10 years as Head of Strategy.

Todd is also the breakout star of the hit ABC television show The Gruen Transfer and features regularly on channels Ten’s 7pm Project. 

He is the co-creator of the Earth Hour initiative, which has been recognised as one the best ideas in the world and awarded the Yahoo Chair for Innovation. In 2009, 1 billion people participated in Earth Hour making it the biggest environment movement in history.

In 2008 Todd won the coveted Titanium Lion at Cannes and B&T's Creative Campaign of the Year in Australia. Amongst his other awards he has also been ranked as the most influential advertising executive in Australia by the Financial Review, the most influential men under 45 by Men’s Style, and was nominated for GQ Man of the Year.

He grew up in modest circumstances. His father was a factory worker for Coca-Cola and his mother a checkout girl for KFC. Todd entered university at 16 on a full scholarship and by age 24 had completed an MBA. Todd came to Australia 11 years ago, following a circuitous route that included North America, Germany and South Africa. He is now a proud Australian living with his family in Bondi.

Outside of that he enjoys mountain climbing, and has completed an unguided ascent to the top of Mount Everest.