TOPIC IN BRIEF:
Burnout does not announce itself. It builds across three degrees, from manageable overload to a mind and body that start to shut down, and by the time most people recognise it they are already deep in the second.
This session uses physiological data, HRV science, and current burnout research to show participants what is actually happening in their bodies under sustained stress, how to read the warning signs early, and what effective recovery actually requires. Participants identify their personal overload tells, map their power sources and drains, and leave with a set of practical tools, including breathing techniques, microbreak strategies, and stress self-awareness practices, that work within the realities of a high-demand working week.
SPEAKER: Dr Erin Quinane, Managing Director, Erin Quinane Performance
Erin is a recognised authority in sustainable high performance, cognitive health, and executive wellbeing. With over 21 years of experience in management consulting, she has worked at the
forefront of leadership performance, mental health, and organisational strategy - helping senior leaders and Boards navigate the intersection of high performance and leadership effectiveness.
Most recently, Erin served as the Head of Cognitive Endurance and High Performance at Ashurst, where she led the development of the firm's groundbreaking Cognitive Endurance program - the first of its kind globally. This innovative program integrates neuroscience, occupational health, high performance and leadership development, as well as data analytics to enhance the cognitive endurance and leadership impact of senior executives. Under Erin's leadership, the program became a benchmark for evidence-based, high-impact executive performance solutions.
Her career spans some of the most respected institutions in the public and private sectors, including Ashurst, Deloitte, Ernst & Young, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and
Services Australia. Across these roles, Erin has consistently brought a unique blend of strategic
insight, scientific rigour, and human-centred design to complex organisational challenges. Now
operating her own private practice, Erin partners with leaders and organisations to embed
sustainable high performance into the fabric of their culture - ensuring that wellbeing and meeting
the demands of the job are not competing priorities but mutually reinforcing pillars of success.
In parallel with her consulting work, Erin is an Adjunct Fellow at RMIT University, where she is
leading a global research initiative in partnership with Columbia University. This pioneering study
explores the evolving role of Boards in governing organisational mental health, drawing insights
from 75 international Board members to develop practical, scalable governance frameworks for
psychosocial risk and performance.
Erin's work is reshaping how organisations think about leadership, wellbeing, and performance - placing cognitive endurance and high performance at the heart of strategic advantage. Her mission
is clear: to help leaders and organisations thrive, not just survive, in an increasingly complex and
demanding world.
CHAIR: Aparna Watal, Partner, Halfords IP - Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys
CPD: 1 CPD Point in Substantive Law
TIME: 12:30pm in-person for lunch; 1pm to 2pm AEST for presentation (in-person and virtual)
Presentation start time (in-person and virtual):
- 11am AWST – WA
- 12:30pm ACST – South Australia
- 1pm AEST – VIC, NSW, QLD, TAS and ACT
- 3pm NZST – New Zealand
RSVP: Please register by 3pm AEST on Monday 27 July 2026
IPSANZ event registration fees are as follows:
In-Person Registration
- A$55.00 IPSANZ members; A$99.00 non-members (fees include 10% GST)
Virtual Registration
- A$27.50 AU IPSANZ members; A$55.00 AU non-members (fees include 10% GST)
- A$25.00 NZ and International IPSANZ members; A$50.00 NZ and International non-members (note, NZ and International registrations exclude 10% GST)