Dara Simkin is Australia's leading voice in play at work and the founder of Culture Hero, a learning experience design consultancy specialising in evidence‑based play interventions that strengthen adaptability, collaboration and human capability in an era defined by rapid technological change.

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She is an expert facilitator and keynote speaker with more than a decade of experience designing experiential learning for organisations across technology, finance, healthcare, retail and the public sector.

 

Through applied research with RMIT University’s Behavioural Business Lab on Playful Work Design, she has demonstrated measurable gains in engagement, belonging and learning adaptability in enterprise settings.

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Her work has been shaped by collaborations with pioneers such as Dr Stuart Brown of the National Institute for Play, IDEO’s Play Lab, and a global toy foundation—helping advance recognition that play is not frivolous but a core mechanism for resilience, creativity, and adaptive thinking.

 

Grounded in neuroscience, behavioural psychology and applied improvisation, Dara helps teams navigate escalating technological pressure by building cultures rooted in curiosity, experimentation and psychological safety.

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Now based in Melbourne, after moving from the United States at 25, she brings humour, clarity and rigorous science to the work of building cultures where humans can actually be human.