Practical | Immersive | Proven
A world-class keynote for the people who carry a school: assistant principals, principals, and leadership teams. Not a talk about adventure. A structured session on grit, change, and leading people through a hard year.
Two world records and a former Deloitte management consultant, James “Cas” Castrission turns what the Tasman Sea and the South Pole taught him into practical tools for the leaders who run the school day, look after their staff, and hold it all together for the whole school year.
EDUCATION CLIENTS:
CASE STUDY · CAPAWA 2026
WE DIDN’T JUST GIVE A KEYNOTE. WE RAN THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE.
Catholic Assistant Principals’ Association of Western Australia · Day Two, Friday 28 August 2026
Assistant principals from across Western Australia spent five hours with James on leading with purpose. Instead of a one-hour talk, CAPAWA got Uncharted Ice, MAG’s immersive expedition experience, plus a structured Grit Scale self-assessment. Every leader walked out with a measure of their own resilience and a way to use it back at school.
“He was able to link that back to school context, to assistant principals, and our roles at school… It was a Friday afternoon, but the level of engagement was still outstanding, and you could hear a pin drop in the room.”Geoff Clarke, Vice President, Catholic Assistant Principals’ Association of Western Australia
5 HOURS
Hands-on delivery, not a one-hour slot
130+
Assistant principals in the room
1 SCORE
Every leader left with their own Grit Scale result
DAY TWO
On the main conference program
THREE WAYS TO BRING JAMES TO YOUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY
You’re choosing the format that fits your needs.
CONFERENCE KEYNOTE
For association conferences & system-wide events
James’ signature keynote, tailored to your conference theme. The Tasman crossing and the South Pole become a practical way into resilience, change, and high-performing teams, for a full ballroom of leaders or a whole-of-system gathering.
LEADERSHIP WORKSHOP
For school executive & leadership teams
A hands-on workshop for your leadership team, drawn from Cas’ workshop program and shaped around your school. Your team works through real challenges, from leading through change to keeping staff together when the pressure builds, and walks out with tools and an action plan they can use from Monday. Built for leadership PD, pupil-free days, and executive team planning days.
VIRTUAL KEYNOTE
For regional schools & dispersed networks
The keynote delivered live to screen. Ideal for regional and remote schools, diocese-wide staff briefings, or when the travel budget is tight. Three production levels, starting with a complimentary Home Delivery session.
WHICH ONE IS RIGHT FOR YOUR EVENT?
| KEYNOTE | WORKSHOP | VIRTUAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Association conferences | School leadership teams | Regional and dispersed schools |
| Format | Keynote, tailored to your theme | Interactive workshop, tailored to your team | Live keynote to screen |
| Length | 30 minutes or more | Half or whole day | 30 minutes or more |
| Where | Your venue, anywhere in Australia | Your school or retreat venue | Any screen |
| Staff leave with | A shared language for resilience | Practical tools and a team action plan | The same keynote content |
| Book | Up to a year ahead | A term or more ahead | Shortest lead time |
Not sure which fits? That’s what the call is for. Most leadership teams start with the workshop. Most associations start with the keynote.
BUILT FOR WHAT SCHOOLS ARE CARRYING NOW
For assistant principals, principals, leadership teams, and the associations that bring them together.
STAFF WELLBEING & BURNOUT
What a two-person crew does when everyone is exhausted and the finish line is still weeks away, and how school leaders can use the same rhythm with their staff.
LEADING THROUGH A HARD YEAR
Making decisions when the plan stops working. A practical way to lead through change without losing your people along the way.
GRIT STAFF CAN MODEL
Resilience that isn’t a poster on the staffroom wall. A measurable starting point, with the Grit Scale, that staff can build on and model for their students.
HEAR FROM CLIENT EXPERIENCE
“Cas has led two amazing sessions for One Ventures over the last couple of years, using his real-world experiences to help show how a team can become a high-performing team.”
Michelle Deaker, Managing Partner, One Ventures
HOW IT WORKS
1
TALK IT THROUGH WITH JAMES
20 minutes. No pitch, no deck. Tell him about your staff, your year and the day you’re planning.
2
WE SHAPE IT TO YOUR DAY
Your conference theme, your term dates, your audience. We recommend the format and send a quote.
3
JAMES DELIVERS
In the room or on screen, built around the people who keep your school running.
FAQ
The keynote is for a large audience, such as a conference, staff day, or association event. It shares James’s expedition stories and turns them into lessons on grit, resilience, and leading under pressure. The Leadership Workshop is a hands-on session for a smaller group, usually an executive or leadership team. Your team works through real challenges and leaves with tools and an action plan. Many schools book the keynote for all staff and the workshop for their leadership team.
James draws on two world-record expeditions, crossing the Tasman Sea by kayak and walking to the South Pole and back. He uses them to show what keeps people going when the pressure builds. For school leaders, that means grit and resilience, decision-making under pressure, and how high-performing teams stay together through a demanding year. Each session includes practical tools, such as the Grit Scale self-assessment, so staff take away more than a story.
It’s built for the people who run schools day to day: principals, assistant principals, deputy principals, and school leadership teams. It also suits principals’ and assistant principals’ associations, Catholic and independent school networks, and whole-staff days. James has spoken to state associations such as CAPAWA as well as individual schools across Australia.
Yes. Every session is shaped around your theme, your audience, and what you want people to do differently afterwards. Before the event, James talks with your organising team about the challenges your leaders and staff are facing, then builds his stories and tools around them.
Yes. Pupil-free days, staff PD days, and start-of-term planning days are some of the most popular times to book. Many schools pair a keynote for all staff with a Leadership Workshop for the executive team on the same day.
No. The expeditions are the way in, not the point. Sessions are built around practical tools that leaders can use the following week: the Grit Scale self-assessment, making decisions under pressure, and how teams stay together when things get hard.
Yes. James presents in person across Australia, and virtually for regional and remote schools, diocese-wide briefings, or dispersed networks. Virtual delivery comes in three production levels, starting with a complimentary Home Delivery option.
Associations usually confirm conference speakers 6–12 months ahead, so now is a good time to talk about 2027 conferences. For pupil-free days and workshops, a term’s notice is ideal, but get in touch even if your date is closer. James’ availability changes quickly.
PLANNING YOUR NEXT WORKSHOP OR CONFERENCE?
Talk it through with James. 20 minutes is all you need.
