Bio
Emeli Paulo
Transformational Experience Designer | Master Facilitator | Executive ProducerEmeli Paulo is a powerhouse behind some of Australia’s most impactful events, conferences, and culture-shifting experiences. With 25+ years of experience, she has designed and delivered over 10,000 workshops, 1,200+ programs, and reached more than 1 million people through her work at the intersection of leadership, wellbeing, and social impact.
As a former executive producer / co-creator of the Make Poverty History concert campaign series, Emeli has brought together thousands for movements that matter—proving that systemic change and inspiring storytelling go hand in hand. She has led large-scale experiences to intimate featuring global icons like Oprah Winfrey, Sir Richard Branson, and the Dalai Lama, while always staying grounded in her mission to elevate marginalised voices.
Co-founder of Collective Potential and Soco Collective, Emeli builds transformational spaces where communities, organisations, and individuals can thrive. She has supported 500+ brands and social change initiatives—designing events that bridge emotional intelligence with practical systems change.
Whether coaching executives, facilitating cultural transformation, or producing intersectional leadership gatherings, Emeli brings fierce empathy, strategic insight, and a spark of creative brilliance to every room she enters. A master of turning complexity into connection, she believes in the power of storytelling, co-design, and lived experience to reimagine what inclusive leadership looks and feels like.
Emeli brings her deep expertise in event design, facilitation, and human-centered leadership to help shape bold, brave conversations that ignite action.
🚀 Emeli Paulo: 30 Years of Impact-Driven Culture Transformation
Age 17 – Chosen to Lead. Trained to Transform.
Handpicked to inspire youth across Australia. Co-led and scaled Reach Foundation’s national leadership programs. Mentored by Jim Stynes and Paul Currie—a 15-year masterclass in purpose-led entrepreneurship.
2000+ Facilitators Trained.
Developed and mentored the next generation of facilitators, coaches, and learning designers—setting the national standard for experiential education.
Age 24 – National Impact. Global Icons.
Co-created the Make Poverty History Concert Series.
👉 15,000+ people at Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl.
👉 7 concerts. 7 states. 7 days.
👉 Featured global legends: Bono, Pearl Jam, Jet.
Age 28 – Built a Movement for Mental Wellbeing.
Founded Collective Potential, a social enterprise that delivered coaching and training to 10,000+ Australians—changing lives through personal growth, inclusion, and community healing.
Now – Co-Founder, SoCo Collective.
An intersectional design agency and network of consultants transforming how business does diversity, inclusion, and impact.
👉 ESG and inclusive leadership programs for values-led organisations.
👉 Culture change rooted in equity and emotional intelligence.
👉 www.sococollective.com.au
30 Years. 500+ Brands. 1M+ People Impacted.
From Fortune 500s to frontline changemakers—Emeli designs bold, human-first learning experiences that drive real-world results.
2022 – Masters of Design Futures (RMIT).
Specialised in intersectional and inclusive education, embedding cultural intelligence into learning design and strategy for systemic change.
“Repeat after me:
I’m Allowed”