Tess Palmyre

Founder of Brandable and DEI Lead for WAMA, Tess helps businesses cut through the fluff and build brands that actually connect – with purpose, with people, and with integrity. She shows teams how to show up in a polarised world without faking it, fusing cultural knowledge, inclusive strategy, and honest storytelling to create connection that genuinely lands.

A former teacher and proud Seychelles-born foster mum to two Noongar girls, Tess brings lived experience, sharp strategy, and no tolerance for performative nonsense. She was named on the 2025 AdNews Champions of Change Power List for driving real impact in the DEI space.

This is her fourth time speaking at State of Social. Her 2026 session will have you hooked – and sitting in the kind of friction most people avoid. Not for the sake of discomfort, but because that’s where the real work happens. The kind of friction that challenges assumptions, sharpens thinking, and pushes you to build something better.

It’s a call to action for marketers and leaders who say they care about inclusion, but still expect it to feel easy.