Our Story
The future is human.
Don’t just adapt to change — drive it!
Bounce Global is a dynamic training, mentoring and coaching hub for workplaces and their leaders and teams.
We build the essential human skills that AI can’t replicate — resilience, empathy, self-awareness, and critical thinking. We’re proud to be recognised as leaders in wellbeing and experts in engagement. Creating high-impact programs that turn potential into performance is our specialty.
Putting wellbeing first since 2006
Back in 2006, Maria Smith joined the New Enterprise Incentive Scheme (NEIS). Her goal? To launch the Bounce Global pilot training program in her hometown of Maryborough, Victoria.
Maria was determined to give folks in her community a real shot at finding meaningful employment. Not through updated resumes or a fresh outfit. But through wellbeing and firm community connections.
It was a radical approach. One that Maria wholeheartedly believed in. And one that could only succeed with her unique skills, experience and qualifications.
Unsurprisingly to anyone, it worked.
Following the pilot program’s success, Maria trained others and developed Bounce Global’s first transformational core skills course – The Bounce Program™.
The Bounce Program™ is built on positive psychology, social science, behavioural nudging and emotional intelligence. It has improved the lives of more than 30,000 people across Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. Some could say that makes us an international phenomenon.
But that’s just the beginning.
In 2022, Maria and the team created Bounce Global’s unique wraparound approach – establishing two more programs to service every stage of the employment service ecosystem.
Enriching lives around the world
Empowering wellbeing worldwide, Bounce Global ignites hope for transformative change.
Is that an ambitious vision?
Absolutely. But we thrive on ambition!
Tech might power the future, but human skills will shape it.
It’s tempting to think AI can do it all — faster, cheaper, smarter.
But here’s the truth…AI doesn’t engage a team. It doesn’t spark innovation. It doesn’t build culture.
Humans do.
And human skills are more critical now than ever.
Don’t automate away your greatest asset. Invest in your people and their personal and professional development and watch them thrive! We call this our wraparound approach
to workforce engagement.
Because meaningful change sticks when it’s collective.
Our Values
Do the right thing
Integrity isn’t just a word for us, it’s our guiding star. Earning your trust, acting with integrity and upholding fairness is our commitment.
Do it together
Collaboration is our secret sauce. We’re a team that’s ready to work hard and have a laugh along the way.
Do it well
Perfection isn't our claim, but excellence is our game. We're all about going the extra mile to wow our clients with top-notch outcomes.
Meet Maria Smith
Maria Smith is not just a founder. She’s a force of nature.
A qualified wellbeing, communications and behaviour change expert – with over 20 years of experience in workforce engagement. Maria brings a depth of knowledge unmatched across the industry.
But Maria’s true superpowers? Her vision, enthusiasm and can-do attitude. No matter the challenge, Maria excels. In other words, she’s the person you want on your team. And we’re stoked she’s leading ours.
Say hi to the rest of the crew
Kelly Mason
CEO
As the CEO of Bounce Global, Kelly is a highly experienced people manager and excels in strategy development, planning and project management. She is a trusted expert in career development and business relations and effectively manages the industry partnerships Bounce has with RTO’s, employment service providers and corporate companies.
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Kelly is also a skilled human resources manager, taking a pro-active and meaningful approach to building relationships and leading people to see potential, explore ideas and innovate for solutions.
Kelly has an extensive background in working with the long term unemployed and employers to build strong relationships and sustainable employment solutions, with 12 years working in employment services in frontline and senior management roles.
Kelly’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce (BAComm), Master of Business Administration (MBA), Accredited Strengths Profile Practitioner, and a Cert IV in Employment Services.
When she’s not CEO-ing at Bounce, Kelly is with her family, at the gym or indulging her love of 90’s music (New Kids on the Block on repeat!)
Chris Young
Client Engagement Manager
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As a past participant of the Bounce Program, Chris has developed a warm and empathetic coaching approach to his work and passionately believes in the power of a positive mindset. His life experience has shaped him into a highly-knowledgeable coach with a diverse skills set and his caring nature makes him a valuable member of the Bounce team.
Outside his coaching world, Chris loves to spend time with his family and practising to be the next Master Chef or Channel 7 Weather Reporter.
Donna Wardlaw
Marketing & Comms Manager
Donna is the content creator here at Bounce Global. She’s the person responsible for the words you read and the images you see when you’re on our website, scrolling our social media pages, or flicking through our brochures and flyers. With an eye for detail and a passion for colour expression, Donna helps bring our content to life.
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Previously working in marketing and communications across the not-for-profit space and in government agencies, Donna has a diverse set of skills that make her a valuable member of the Bounce team.
Outside of Bounce, Donna loves to be at home on her family farm, umpiring netball on Saturdays and volunteering with community groups.
Annette Pollard
Customer Experience Designer
Annette (but you can call her Nettie!) is the tech wizard at Bounce Global. As our Customer Experience Designer, she uses technology to create an exceptional training experience for all our clients. Nettie is part of the furniture at Bounce, being with the company for 18 years.
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Her skills and experience in website development and design, course creation, and CRM and email management is second-to-none. There’s nothing she won’t attempt when it comes to improving our technological systems and processes. If you ever need support or assistance with any of our programs – Nettie is your go-to person!
And when she’s not creating here at Bounce, she’s creating at home – using her love of art and design to draw, sculpt, knit and sew!
Jimmy Black
Growth & Engagement Lead
Jimmy brings a wealth of knowledge and skills to the team (especially after he finished our Job Coach Certification program in a previous role at AXIS Employment!). As our Growth and Engagement Lead, Jimmy works to expand our reach across Australia and globally. He’s the person you speak to when you want to bring one (or many) of our programs into your organisation.
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Jimmy is a rock god and nothing more than getting together with his rock band, The Dreadful Tides, and putting on a show!
Lisa Stone
Executive Assistant
As executive assistant, Lisa provides outstanding administrative support to the Bounce Global team. Her strengths in organisation and detail are highly valued at Bounce, as she keeps a handle on scheduling and supporting the delivery of our training programs and workshops, making sure our trainers have every thing they need.
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Lisa is passionately dedicated to self-care and loves to spend time with her family and her beautiful staffy Frankie.
Belinda Iatrou
Lead Trainer
Belinda has extensive HR, recruitment/training and workplace coaching experience, across the federal and state government, and the corporate sector. Her roles include people management, project management, lead facilitation as a workplace coach, talent acquisition and training. Couple all of this with years of assessment centre facilitation, interviewing, testing and team development. Belinda is experienced in all facets of recruitment and people management.
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Belinda super passionate about health and wellbeing, spending time with family and friends and is a dedicated volunteer for charities and causes that are important to her.
Amanda Simpson
Trainer
Amanda’s first experience with Bounce was as a participant in a Bounce Program. She loved her experience so much, she decided she wanted to help others in the same way. Working as a certified Bounce Trainer, Amanda delivers The Bounce Program across Victoria to providers, schools and not-for-profit organisations. Her passion and energy are infectious, and her relatability makes her an incredibly authentic trainer.
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Amanda loves to explore her spiritual side and believes deeply in the power of connection of the mind, body and soul. She loves to practise Reiki and charging her crystals to promote health, healing and hope.
Linda Pierson
Coach & Trainer
Linda is a highly skilled and well-regarded coach & trainer in employment services. Her coaching, training, management and leadership experience includes seven years as a Bounce trainer. She also has ten years in project management and senior management roles. Linda’s strengths as a coach come from her diverse lived-experiences and professional qualifications and training.
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Her passion for helping people and unique skills have seen her deliver the Bounce Program within employment services across the country in face-to-face training rooms and online through virtual classrooms for many years. She is a dynamic change-agent, with a talent for leading people through change with positivity and courage. Linda’s ability to effortlessly and elegantly influence and motivate people to achieve peak performance makes her highly sort-after as a coach.
She is a member of the International Coaches Guild. She has several qualifications, including Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, NLP, Human Behaviour Profiling (EDISC), and Mental Health First Aid, and she also speaks fluent French.
Our licensed trainers
Noula Patrarca
Connie Raniola
Codee Newman-Pagett
Evete Dawood
Sariah Rickel Davina Poulgrain
Nardine Ataera
Sariah Poulgrain
Jeremiah Te Ariki Schaumkel
Acknowledging Country
Bounce Global respectfully acknowledges the Dja Dja Wurrung, Wadawurrung and Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we operate our business.
We recognise their continued connection to land, water and community and pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
We express our gratitude in the sharing of this land, our sorrow for the personal, spiritual and cultural costs of that sharing and our hope that we may walk forward together in harmony and in the spirit of healing.
