About Synact

Understanding “us”.
Acting together.

Synact brings social and organisational psychology into practice. We connect research with the questions leaders and groups face about who they are, what matters and how to act together. Our name reflects that purpose: Synact means “to act together”.

Discuss your context

OUR TEAM

Research and practice,
brought together.

Our team connects social and organisational psychology with the practical questions leaders and groups face. We bring research, facilitation, leadership development and coaching into work shaped around your context, supported by project and programme coordination.

Dr Blake McMillan

Dr Blake McMillan

Founder and Director

Applied researcher and leadership development practitioner specialising in translating social identity research into evidence-informed organisational practice.

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Experience and focus

  • Contributes to the implementation and evaluation of leadership development, including the 5R Leadership Programme.
  • Works across leadership development, organisational diagnostics, facilitation, implementation and applied research.
  • Experience across government, higher education and industry in Australia and internationally.

Qualifications

  • PhD (Organisational Psychology), The University of Queensland
  • BSc (Hons) (Psychology)
  • BA/BBus (Psychology & HRM)
  • Certificate IV in Training and Assessment
  • IECL Organisational Coaching Level 1
Dr Tarli Young

Dr Tarli Young

Associate · Facilitator and Leadership Coach

Workplace wellbeing specialist, researcher, facilitator and coach who applies social identity science to wellbeing, engagement and performance.

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Experience and focus

  • Designs and delivers research-informed interventions focused on wellbeing, engagement and performance.
  • Experience across sport, veteran, workplace and university contexts.
  • Combines research, facilitation, coaching and reflective practice in practical learning experiences.

Qualifications

  • PhD (Clinical and Organisational Psychology)
  • Master of Applied Positive Psychology
  • Graduate Certificate of Applied Law
  • Bachelor of Arts (BA)
  • Diploma of Business
  • IECL Organisational Coaching Level 1
Rozaine Cooray

Rozaine Cooray

Associate · Facilitator and Leadership Coach

Organisational psychology practitioner and leadership coach specialising in identity-based coaching, leadership transitions and team alignment.

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Experience and focus

  • Works across executive coaching, leadership transitions, culture transformation, team alignment and capability building.
  • Leads Synact’s coaching function, connecting reflection on individual practice with the groups leaders work with.
  • Undertaking doctoral research at The University of Queensland on social identification in the coaching relationship.

Qualifications

  • MSc (Occupational Psychology)
  • Graduate Diploma (Psychology)
  • Bachelor of Applied Science (Psychology)
  • ICF coaching credential
Judy Schnitzerling

Judy Schnitzerling

Office Manager · Project and Programme Coordination

Experienced programme coordinator and human resources practitioner who supports planning, communication and delivery across Synact engagements.

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Experience and focus

  • Background supporting organisational development, human resources and workforce initiatives.
  • Coordinates programme scheduling, participant communication, materials and delivery logistics.
  • Supports organised, consistent implementation across project engagements.

Qualifications

  • Diploma of Local Government (Administration)
  • Certificate IV in Project Management
  • Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment

A wider network of expertise

Alongside our core team, we draw on an international network of researchers and practitioners in social and organisational psychology. Where an engagement calls for additional expertise or delivery capacity, we work with collaborators to assemble a team suited to its scope and context.

Who we work with

Different settings. A focus on working together.

We work with organisations large and small, individual leaders, leadership teams and groups working across organisational boundaries.

You might lead a team, be responsible for people and organisational development, or bring people together around a shared challenge. The sectors and settings here illustrate where our support can fit.

Explore how we can help

  • Education and research

    Leadership development, shared direction and collaboration across schools, universities and research groups.

  • Government and public services

    Leading change, connecting shared priorities with everyday work and working across departmental or organisational boundaries.

  • Health and community services

    Leadership and working together across professions, teams and services, including through changes in how services are organised.

  • Business and industry

    Bringing groups together, putting leadership development into practice and responding to growth, restructuring or new ways of working.

  • High-reliability organisations

    Leadership, shared understanding and coordination in settings where safety and reliability are critical. These settings span several sectors.

Let’s discuss your context.

Whether you have a specific brief or an emerging question, get in touch to explore how our team could help. We welcome enquiries about organisational work, leadership development, speaking and research collaboration.

Start a conversation