SA State Conference Leaders' Dinner

This is an excellent dinner event for all school leadership teams to connect, network and continue to build strong relationships across our association of schools.

You are invited to join us for an excellent time of networking and fellowship with members from other school leadership teams over a 3-course meal. The dinner will include its own keynote speaker to encourage and inspire us in our leadership.

Event Information

Our CSA State Conference Leaders’ Dinner returns to the Adelaide Zoo (Fig Tree Function Centre) in 2023. It is an excellent opportunity to bring along your school leadership team for a time of networking, inspiration, and encouragement.

It will include a three-course meal and drinks. Payment for this event will not be accepted on the day. Invoices for school payments will be prepared and emailed in due course upon completion of your registration

This year's dinner keynote will be delivered by Henry Olonga. Henry’s bio is both fascinating and extensive (as you’ll read below), but he is also a parent at one of our CSA schools right here in South Australia!

We hope that you and your team can join us on the night.

Program Outline

A brief overview of the program is provided below, however please note this program is subject to change:

6:00pm - Arrive & Mingle
6:30pm - Welcome: Mark Ryan
6:35pm - Three course dinner served
8.00pm - Keynote presentation: Henry Olonga
9:30pm - Close

Speakers

Your Speaker, Henry Olonga

Henry was born in Zambia in 1976 to a Kenyan father (John) and a Zimbabwean mother (Sabina). He spent the first few years of his life growing up in Zambia and Kenya before moving to Zimbabwe in 1981 just after independence was attained. He made his international cricket debut in 1995, becoming the youngest player and first black cricketer to play for Zimbabwe. Henry went on to represent Zimbabwe in 80 Test and ODI matches, and achieved international recognition (along with teammate Andy Flower) in 2003 by wearing a black armband in a Cricket World Cup match to protest the policies of Zimbabwe's government. In 2010 Henry published his autobiography, Blood Sweat and Treason, detailing his extraordinary story of a childhood against a backdrop of revolution, independence and a country that gradually spiralled out of control. He talks of his growing realisation that Mugabe headed up a murderous regime and how he sacrificed his comfortable position as an international sportsman to try to make a difference. In recent years, Henry has been a contestant on 'The Voice', and has rediscovered his passion for live music performance and public speaking. He has performed with the likes of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra and the SAPOL band. Henry is a committed Christian after converting at a youth camp in 1992, and travels the world sharing the incredible story of his survival and subsequent career changes.

Your Host, Mark Ryan

Mark Ryan has been part of the CSA team since 2019 in the role of Executive Officer, SA. Mark has previous experience in leadership roles at Temple Christian College and, with degrees in both education and theology, held pastoral roles in a number of churches. Mark serves as a Director on the Board of Compass and with such an excellent grasp of biblical literacy, worldview and its application to culture, learning and vocation, is well-placed to lead CSA's national portfolio of, Christian Formation.

Event Sponsors

We are so grateful to our dinner sponsor who have helped to make this event possible.

Fleetwood

Fleetwood Australia is a market leader in the design, manufacture, supply and installation of modular buildings with manufacturing operations in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.

Offering a national footprint and 55 years’ experience operating in Australia, they deliver quality building solutions for local government, not-for-profit organisations, global mining companies, the Federal Government and every organisation in between. With in-house designs, Fleetwood Australia pride themselves on providing fast, safe and reliable relocatable and permanent modular solutions to meet challenging projects and timelines, using the advantages of off-site construction and wealth of experience gathered over more than five decades.