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Welcome to
The Huddle

Where leaders are empowered, teams are strengthened, and challenges become catalysts for growth.

We believe that work should feel good — and that begins with creating spaces where collaboration thrives, every voice is valued, and conflict sparks opportunity. Let’s huddle and build a workplace everyone loves.

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Our approach is human-first, personalised, and rooted in deep transformation — not surface-level fixes.

We Turn Conflict into Growth

Conflict isn’t the enemy — it’s the starting line.


We go beneath the surface to shift friction into fuel for trust, creativity, and collaboration. Because when teams learn to navigate tension, they unlock their true potential.

We Personalise Every Step

No cookie-cutters here.

Every program we deliver is tailored to your people, your challenges, and your culture. Leadership development is only powerful when it’s personal — and that’s exactly what we bring to the table.

We Build Workplaces That Feel Good

Because when people feel good, they do great work.

We help teams create cultures where connection, communication and purpose thrive — so every Monday feels like an opportunity, not a grind.

Hi, I'm Kate!

Thank you for being here. I'm the Founder of The Huddle—a business built on deep listening, emotional safety, and the belief that conflict can be transformative, not destructive.

 

I’m not a lawyer. I don’t have a master’s degree in conflict resolution. What I do have is over 30 years of lived, professional experience navigating some of the most emotionally complex and high-stakes environments you can imagine—from child support and family services to workplace conflict and leadership breakdowns.

 

I’ve worked with people in crisis, in silence, in fury, in heartbreak—and I’ve walked beside them without flinching. Not to fix them. But to hear them. To reflect them. To help them find their way back to themselves and each other.

 

I created The Huddle for leaders and teams who are ready to have real conversations—the kind that heal fractures, build trust, and reshape culture from the inside out. I work best with people who are open to change, who want to lead with more awareness, and who understand that true leadership isn’t just about strategy—it’s about relationship.

 

My approach blends conflict transformation, trauma-informed practice, emotional intelligence, and good old-fashioned human decency. I’m not here to tell people what to do. I’m here to help them listen better, lead better, and live better—at work and beyond.

 

If you’re looking for someone to hold space for the hard stuff, to walk with you through complexity, and to help you build a workplace that actually works—you’re in the right place.

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The Huddle Difference

At The Huddle, we don’t just patch problems — we transform workplaces from the inside out. Here's what makes us different:

We Transform Conflict Into Growth

We don’t manage conflict — we harness it.

Through our conflict transformation approach, we help teams move beyond tension, rebuilding trust and unlocking deeper collaboration, creativity, and momentum.

We Go Deep, Not Wide

No generic workshops. No surface-level fixes.

We dive beneath the symptoms to uncover root causes, creating lasting shifts that ripple through your leadership, culture, and team dynamics.

We Stick Around

Real change takes time — and we’re in it with you.

We’re not here for quick wins or one-off workshops. We walk alongside your team to embed resilience, foster connection, and sustain meaningful progress.

Because conflict isn’t the end of the story.
At The Huddle, it’s just the beginning.

The Huddle Team

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Kate Russell

Founder & CEO

Kate brings over 30 years of experience in mediation and conflict resolution, specialising in child support decisions and workplace disputes. With a proven track record of guiding parties to amicable solutions, she has effectively managed a Community Legal Centre and the Child Support Unit at the Legal Services Commission. Additionally, Kate has served on various tribunals, enhancing her expertise in adjudication. Her creative skills shine through her work in the arts, where she has produced training videos and contributed to pro-am theatre. Kate’s combination of community-focused work and innovative problem-solving makes her a valuable asset in any conflict resolution scenario.

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Julie Thorne
Relationship Manager

Julie brings over 30 years' experience in relationship management, sales and marketing, with notable contributions across radio, real estate and local government sectors. She excels in delivering outstanding customer experiences and building trust-based relationships that foster loyalty and growth. A natural networker, Julie's enthusiastic and fun approach, coupled with her caring nature, sets her apart in her field.

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Lorrie Beattie
Operations Manager

Lorrie is a dedicated leader at The Huddle, where she brings people and projects together to achieve successful outcomes and create happier workplaces. With over 25 years of experience in leadership roles within Corporate ICT in the US and Australia, she founded LBEC Executive Coaching, where she has worked for over seven years. Lorrie also has 15 years of experience in the social services sector, specialising in education and training for those caring for individuals living with dementia. Her diverse background enables her to make a meaningful impact in any environment.

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Cris Rudnik
Finance Manager

Cris is a seasoned Freelance Virtual Assistant with 20+ years of experience in office administration and finance. With a diploma in Office Management, Cris provides expert bookkeeping and administrative support, including accounts management, payroll, data entry, scheduling, correspondence, and event planning. Cris's efficient handling of these tasks allows you to focus on core business activities.

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Becchara Palmer
Marketing Manager

Becchara is a passionate marketing manager with over 12 years of experience in online marketing, social media, content marketing, and branding. She leads and executes marketing strategies for multiple clients, leveraging HubSpot and other tools to generate leads and enhance engagement. A former professional athlete and Olympian, Becchara competed in beach volleyball at the 2012 London Olympics and has experience in the AFLW with the Adelaide Crows and Sturt FC. She combines her leadership and teamwork skills with insights from the sports sector to create effective marketing solutions that help clients achieve their goals.

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David Watts
Associate

With over 30-years’ experience in sales, strategy, and leadership, David empowers businesses to drive growth, challenges leaders to become their best selves, and aides in developing strong, positive cultures. Certified as a workplace Mediator and accredited in Human Synergistics LSI and GSI tools, as well as DISC, David brings his unique blend of skills and leadership expertise to his clients. His approach focuses on introspection, strategic insights, and actionable plans, making a profound impact across diverse industries. Engage with David to help transform your organisation, your leaders and your sales team.

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Tom Russell
Social Media & Podcast Producer

Tom is the Huddle's 'Jack of all trades'. From producing and managing The Huddle Leadership Podcast, to crafting all of The Huddle's advertisements, Tom uses his creative background to see The Huddle through different eyes. Based in Melbourne and with over 16 years of experience in the Arts industry, Tom works closely with marketing to ensure the Huddle truly captures it's fundamentals in all forms of media.

The service provided through The Huddle is dynamic and has made long term, sustainable change within our organisation. I would recommend their services to anyone looking to strengthen team dynamics!
Alexandra Ingleton,
Regional Leader
Mission Australia
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In business you always need help with the team to encourage, to grow and to find solutions to problems that exist. I am so thrilled to have been lucky enough to find Kate and The Huddle.
Maggie Beer
Founder of Maggie Beer
Kate and her teams knowledge and insights into people, their behaviour and how to capitalise on people's natural abilities are incredible. We now have a well-balanced, harmonious and high functioning team, where people are able to uitilise their natural abilities to foster a culture of growth and continuous improvement.  
Nick Noack,
Operations Business Manager
District Council of Yankalilla
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Want to see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Think of this Strategy Call as our first point of contact, where we can understand you and your business – the challenges you face and what resolution looks like.

 

We're here to listen and offer a way forward, drawing on years of experience with people and teams. We want to make you leave the call feeling heard, and with a plan of attack.

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Perfect for leaders, executives, HR professionals, and team managers.

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45mins | $99 

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