Team DCA
Our Team
DCA has an experienced and dedicated team passionate about diversity and inclusion (D&I) in Australia. Our team is also representative of many diversity dimensions. Get to know our team below.
With a career spanning more than 30 years, Catherine is a purpose-driven leader who combines strategic business expertise with a passionate commitment to diversity, social justice and impact.
Catherine joins DCA from Woolworths Group Limited where she served as Group General Manager Inclusion and Belonging from 2021. During her tenure, Catherine championed Woolworths Group’s design of the world’s first accessible checkout, embedded anti-racism in key policy, including the inaugural group anti-racism policy and Refugee Digital Cadetship program.
Prior to this, Catherine spent over 16 years at KPMG Australia, most recently as Partner, Corporate Citizenship. Key achievements include the establishment of KPMG’s social and environmental framework, KPMG Indigenous Services, and the acquisition of Bannara, KPMG’s Human Rights and Social Impact consulting practice.
A pioneer in the social sustainability landscape within corporate Australia, Catherine’s work in reconciliation was awarded the 2014 Business Human Rights Award, for her rights based approach in the development of KPMG’s Reconciliation Action Plans.
Catherine has significant governance experience, having served as Chairperson of the Board of the UN Global Compact Network Australia from 2011-2017. During this time, she was a member of the global expert group that developed the UNGC Business Reference Guide for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
A graduate of the AICD, Catherine currently serves as a non-executive director on the Board of Studio Schools Australia, an innovative ‘on country’ education initiative that aims to increase education and life outcomes for young Indigenous children in remote regions.
Catherine lives on Wangal land with her husband and daughter.
Chris (he/him) is the interim CEO at Diversity Council Australia and has been DCA’s Deputy Chair since 2021. He recently completed a four-year term as Deputy Commissioner at the NSW Public Service Commission which included leadership of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging for the Commission which oversees the largest workforce in Australia.
Prior to this, Chris spent 12 years at Lendlease and served at different times as the Chief People Officer (Australia), Global Head of Organisational Development and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. During his career, Chris has held HR Executive roles across Asia Pacific, the UK and Europe and driven inclusion programs across the globe.
Chris previously served on DCA’s board from 2010 – 2019 and in 2015 he received AHRI’s Diversity Champion Award. Chris is also a Non-Executive Director of Netball NSW and a registered, practicing psychotherapist.
Jacqueline (Jac, she/her) has recently come from Aboriginal Affairs NSW in the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Directorate and, prior to this role, worked at NSW Police as a senior LGBTIQA+ Policy and Projects Officer. She has spent most of her career in the public sector although has worked in NGOs such as ACON (formerly AIDS Council of NSW) and a peak body for co-operative housing. She has an Honours Degree in Psychology and a Master of Social Policy.
Jac’s role as Senior Advocacy and Government Relations Manager is to assist DCA to identify opportunities to contribute to government strategies, inquiries and programs based on evidence-based research and DCA membership experience. She will be working across all teams in DCA to utilise the breadth of knowledge and skills held by teams to ensure that governments are well informed of the latest research and practice to create more inclusive and supportive workplace environments across Australia.
Jac’s parents survived the Holocaust in Europe, arriving by ship to Australia with practically nothing (their bags were stolen at the dock) and no English language. This background, and her experience as a same-sex parenting activist, adds to her professional D&I experience, motivating her to help create a more inclusive Australia.
Research Team
Dr Jane O’Leary (she/her) is our Research Director at DCA. She is responsible for generating groundbreaking D&I research that enables Australian organisations to fully leverage the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce.
In her current and previous roles, Jane has spent over 25 years advising Australian employers about leading practice in workplace diversity and inclusion.
Jane established DCA’s research function in 2008. Since then, she has overseen the release of over 50 DCA research reports and tools, which provide employers with evidence-based guidance on how to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Jane has a PhD, which focused on how leaders can create diverse and inclusive workplaces. She also has a Master of Education degree, which investigated women in leadership.
Jane has published in peer reviewed journals and academic conferences and her research with colleagues featured in Harvard Business Review’s 10 Must Reads on Diversity.
Prior to joining DCA, Jane held the most senior policy position in the Workplace Gender Equality Agency assisting employers on issues relating to workplace gender equity. On the basis of her work in this role, she was awarded a Medal for Significant Contribution to the Australian Public Service.
Rose (she/her) has been with DCA since 2017, working in the role of Research Manager. In this role, Rose works in the development, planning, and writing of research projects, as well as engaging in a number of key research activities.
Rose has a Bachelor of Business (Hons) in Management and Human Resources from the University of Newcastle. She comes from a background of academic research and teaching and has a PhD in religious diversity, inclusion, and expression in the workplace. Rose has a keen interest in all things surveys and how organisations can explore their data to support diversity and inclusion in their workplaces.
As a Research Manager, Annika (she/her) supports DCA’s Research team in the development and planning of cutting-edge D&I research projects. Her expertise lies in cultural and linguistic diversity, and as an immigrant to Australia herself she keeps a keen eye on migration and integration matters.
Annika comes to DCA from an academic background having most recently been employed as a researcher and lecturer at the University of Sydney Business School, Macquarie University, and Estonian Business School.
Annika holds a doctoral degree in Political Science from Kiel University in Germany, where she studied labour market integration of newly arrived refugees, and a master’s degree from Uppsala University, where her thesis dealt with the question of national identity.
Farhana (she/her) joined the DCA team in 2024 as a Research Manager. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science, and postgraduate qualifications in development studies, Indigenous studies, and educational research from the University of New South Wales.
Prior to joining DCA, Farhana worked in the education and nonprofit sectors – most recently in a senior diversity and inclusion role at a university, focusing on anti-racism, embedding lived expertise, and research into student equity. As a former D&I practitioner, Farhana is passionate about translating research into practice, and ensuring this is accessible and impactful for workplaces.
In her role as Research & Projects Manager, Emily (she/her) supports DCA’s research projects and manages the website resources content.
Emily holds a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Queensland, and a Graduate Certificate in Workforce Diversity and Inclusion from the University of Southern Queensland. Emily has a background in human resources and in the higher education sector.
Emily has a particular interest in gender equality, and one of her favourite pastimes is dispelling myths and misconceptions about the gender pay gap at parties.
As Research & Content Manager at DCA, Helary Ngo (she/her) supports the Research team in the development and planning of D&I research projects.
Helary has worked in the tertiary, government, and community sectors. She has taught and lectured social science at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and does research and writing in areas of migrant studies for UTS and Macquarie University.
She has worked in social impact program management and youth public health initiatives for the Centre for Social Justice and Inclusion (UTS) and the NSW Department of Education. She has led programs that advocate and support cultural reform and inclusive practices for community engagement.
She holds a PhD on strengths-based approaches to understanding migrant communities in Australia from UTS.
Deborah Wu (she/her) specialises in intersectional gender equality and is Diversity & Inclusion Research and Content Manager at DCA.
Her last role was Gender Equality Advisor at Women’s Health East (WHE), supporting public sector organisations, universities and councils to realise the transformative opportunities of the Victorian Gender Equality Act 2020. Prior to this, Deborah was Inclusion & Diversity Lead at the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA), where she led the organisation’s efforts to address the underrepresentation of women, people from emerging and migrant backgrounds and young people in local government decision-making. In this role, she also worked with councillors and council officers on building capacity and capability in gender equality, prevention of violence against women and intersectionality across the Victorian local government sector. Her professional experience also includes roles in state and federal government.
Deborah holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics & International Studies (minor Media & Communications) from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Certificate in Family Violence from the Chisholm Institute. She was an inaugural fellow of the Trawalla Foundation/University of Melbourne’s Pathways to Politics for Women program in 2016.
Deborah is based in Narrm/Melbourne and is kept busy by her dogs, Ruffie and Charley.
Member Relations Team
Based in Naarm (Melbourne), Fiona (she/her) joined the DCA team in 2019.
As Director of Member Relations, she leads a dedicated team focused on providing support and guidance to DCA member organisations. Their mission: to ensure that every member fully leverages DCA’s extensive range of best practice resources, thereby maximising their D&I success.
The key focus of Fiona’s role is the continuous improvement of the member value proposition and steering its strategic direction, to deepen member engagement and ultimately empower and inspire DCA’s member community in raising their D&I capability and creating more inclusive workplaces.
With professional experience spanning both not-for-profit and corporate sectors across Europe and Australia, Fiona brings expertise in learning and development, recruitment, project management, and consulting.
Her extensive career path continues to be underpinned by an enduring commitment to workplace fairness and ensuring equitable access to meaningful employment for all.
She is particularly passionate about championing and leveraging the strengths and skills of neurodivergent employees in the workplace.
Yvette (she/her) started with DCA in 2009 as Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the then CEO, Nareen Young. She then left DCA to pursue other opportunities, returning to the DCA family in 2015 as Member Services Assistant.
In 2018 Yvette moved into the Events Coordinator role where she managed the CEO Roundtables hosted by DCA Chair, David Morrison and DCA CEO, Lisa Annese. She assisted DCA’s Events Manager, Sue Flockart in delivering a full calendar of cutting-edge diversity and inclusion events and was the point of contact for Sydney-based events.
Towards the end of 2019, Yvette returned to the Memberships Team where she is responsible for maintaining the integrity of the membership database and working with her colleagues to build and strengthen relationships with DCA members.
Yvette has a Bachelor of Arts majoring in philosophy and psychology from The University of Sydney. She shares her life with her husband, two teenage daughters and her newest addition to the family, Diesel the black lab. She enjoys all things netball and her new Kindle.
Playing an active part in cultivating great relationships and providing valuable and timely support for our DCA members, is our Member Relations Manager, Kath (they/them).
Kath comes to us with vast experience in Customer Service, Quality Assurance, Training/Education and Community Engagement within various industries – including essential roles in the D&I space. They are passionate in embedding practices, strategies, policy improvement and celebration initiatives in the workplace and outside their dedicated D&I role. Their career has been about making an impact, building strong relationships, and advocating and driving awareness of D&I practices.
Proudly non-binary and queer, raising awareness for the LGBTQIA+ community is both a professional and personal passion of theirs. Prior to joining DCA, their advocacy efforts saw them featured as a panel speaker for events for Non-Binary People’s Day, Wear it Purple Day and a Pride in Practice conference. They also had a blog entry featured on the Wear It Purple website during IDAHOBIT.
Fuelled by their belief in the power of allies, Kath has also championed and facilitated LGBTQIA+ ally training in a past workplace. Through telling their story, their goal has always been and continues to be connecting with individuals to open minds and to start conversations for education and growth. They acknowledge the privilege these opportunities have given them, and, on every occasion, they make sure to wear their rainbow heart on their sleeve to try and inspire hope and spark joy for other LGBTQIA+ people, especially the youth.
Kath’s dedication and commitment to Diversity and Inclusion, see them going above and beyond every time. They will always strive for your experience to be exceptional and for the support, you receive to be personalised and positive.
Kath can be found here on LinkedIn and welcomes every connection.
In her role as New Memberships Manager at DCA, Michelle (she/her) is pivotal in driving DCA’s member acquisition function to support DCA’s membership growth. She enjoys building relationships and connecting with organisations about the wide-ranging benefits of joining DCA. So that more workplaces can improve their D&I capability, and create more diverse and inclusive workplaces.
Michelle joins us with a background in Psychology and a diverse experience in leadership, relationship management and project management across various industries. With a track record of establishing and leading employee resource groups, she comes with insight and experience about the barriers in the corporate landscape that people from across diversity dimensions face and intuit the support organisations need to enable change. She is dedicated to empowering each individual as drivers of their own growth and well-being by actively engaging in creating an equitable, diverse and inclusive work environment and society.
Michelle comes from Filipino and Sri Lankan ancestry and is devoted to deepening her pre-colonial roots through community engagement and contribution. Her lived experience as a migrant, fuels her passion for leading change through collaboration to improve outcomes for First Nations communities and ultimately, for all.
In her free time, Michelle enjoys reading, gardening and practises meditation and Pilates. She volunteers as a facilitator to support people with their emotional well-being through integrated approaches. She is currently completing her training in Trauma Informed Care and Craniosacral Therapy.
Michelle (she/her) is the Member Relations Administrator at DCA and plays a crucial role in membership administration, communication, and support within the Member Relations Team.
With a career in administration, operations, and customer service in and out of the NFP sector, she brings to DCA her expertise in maintaining strong connections and providing exceptional service. In the past, she has run her own businesses as a qualified Remedial Massage therapist and candle maker.
Michelle was born in Wales and later migrated to Australia with her family at the age of five. She lives with her husband, who is of Czech American ancestry, and her three rescue cats, Thunder, Misty and Salem, in Bundjalung country (Northern NSW).
She is a strong advocate for mental health and enjoys reading, walking, and meditation.
Education Team
Sheetal (she/her) is the Education Director at Diversity Council Australia (DCA). Prior to this role, she project managed the groundbreaking RISE project and facilitated their Racism at Work training. Sheetal has a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and political science from the University of the Fraser Valley (Canada) and a Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from Bond University (Australia).
Outside of DCA, Sheetal is the Principal and Founder of Shakti Legal Solutions; an award winning innovative low-bono law firm designed specifically to improve access to legal assistance for everyday people through a unique ‘pay what you can’ model. She is a professional speaker, independent DEI consultant and volunteers her time on various not-for-profit organisations and boards, including the Queensland Law Society and Happy Tails Animal Rescue.
Joel has a background in designing and coordinating programs in the not-for-profit sector, working with Jewish and First Nations organisations. He has a Bachelor of Arts (Social Justice) from Macquarie University.
As Education Programs Coordinator, Joel (he/him) is responsible for the administration and management of the Knowledge Programs and is committed to assisting in delivering high quality and evidence-based D&I training programs to member and non-member organisations.
Joel’s Jewish upbringing has imprinted on him strong values and interests in social justice, First Nations justice and a desire to help create a more equitable world around him.
Purnima (she/her) is a first-generation migrant Indian-Bengali woman from the land of Rabindranath Tagore. As a program manager with DCA, Purnima is responsible for all matters related to Member Education programs management and delivery.
Prior to joining DCA, Purnima worked as a learning and development professional specialising in leadership, behavioural and cultural development programs for diverse individuals and organisations across Australia and India. She is particularly interested in storytelling and narratives and believes in the power of voice and the difference it can make. She has also worked as a trainer and educator in the field of leadership and management and enjoys designing and facilitating learning programs.
Her postgraduate degrees are in management and communication studies and she is currently pursuing her PhD in migrant women, career and identity in Australian workplaces. Her work and research is driven by her own lived experiences and her passion in this field.
Outside of work, she also volunteers her time with UN Women Australia as a chapter member. Purnima lives in beautiful and sunny Meanjin lands with her daughter and husband.
Special Projects
Dr Virginia Mapedzahama (PhD, Sociology) is the Scholar in Residence and Director, Special Projects at Diversity Council Australia (DCA). She leads the RISE Project at DCA. Virginia is an accomplished academic and researcher specialising in racial equity, intersectionality, gender, migration and workplace diversity. Her work combines critical race theory, Black feminist thought, and migration studies to advance social justice in Australian workplaces. As a first-generation Black African migrant woman, her expertise is informed by lived experience, critical theories and extensive engagement with African-Australian and migrant communities. She has published widely on racial equity, migrant experiences, and gender studies, and continues to advocate for systemic change in Australian workplaces.
Shalani (she/her) brings a diverse range of experiences to the RISE project management team. Her experience includes six years of crafting state-of-the-art industrial telecommunication solutions which include network design, router configuration, and data center design for global clients. Through the Teach for Australia Leadership Development Program, Shalani championed for equity in education in low-socioeconomic communities as a STEM educator for three years. She is fiercely passionate about diversity and inclusion, and in particular, initiatives that support culturally and racially marginalised (CARM) communities.
In addition to this, she volunteers as a teacher to support communities from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and champions girls in STEM pathways. She is a recipient of numerous Best Executive Awards and a CEO Merit Award by Telekom Malaysia.
In her free time, Shalani enjoys bushwalking and gardening. She is a flower enthusiast and enjoys identifying native flowers.
Saumya (she/her) joined DCA in 2024 as a Project Assistant for the RISE Project. Currently she is a Juris Doctor (JD) candidate at the University of Sydney, in her final year, working towards the completion of her degree. Prior to pursuing her JD and commencing work at DCA, Saumya gained over six years’ experience in volunteer work at legal centers and face-to-face fundraising.
She has had the privilege to reside in multiple parts of the world and this contributes greatly to her lived experience as an Indian queer woman of colour. This experience has urged her to remain an advocate for others who are of a similar background, and she enjoys developing communities with like-minded individuals.
It is her hope to use her legal education in the future to work in spaces that allow for advocacy work around social justice, human rights, inclusivity and maximising opportunities for immigrants and people of color and creating of safe spaces for marginalised folk.
In her time outside of work and study, she loves to strength train and cook. Currently she is learning some Spanish too and accepting applications for conversation buddies!
Communications Team
Jenny (she/her) is our Communications Director at DCA, responsible for leading external communications. Her background includes over 30 years’ experience in corporate affairs, change communication, issues management, media and brand strategy, and sustainability communications.
Jenny has worked at a senior management level across corporate, government, consulting and non-profit sectors. Prior to joining DCA, she led communications for Ambulance Victoria’s Equality and Workplace Reform program. In the years prior, she managed consulting practice with a strong focus on sustainability and corporate social responsibility for a range of corporates including Bega, Bunnings, ANZ and NAB.
In the not-for-profit sector, Jenny has managed Communication and Business Development for Launch Housing to support their mission to end homelessness, served as Communications Manager for SANDS Australia, and managed marketing and communications for the Parenting Research Centre and their flagship project the Raising Children Network. She has also managed communications departments in local government. Earlier in her career Jenny was a senior communications manager in the airline industry with Ansett, and worked with the consultancy Porter Novelli with a focus on government and public education campaigns.
She is passionate about using her skills to make a positive difference and has served as a sessional lecturer in Strategic Communications for the Master of Communication at RMIT University, and guest-lectured in undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
Jenny holds a Master of Marketing from Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne and a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations, RMIT University.
She lives on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people with her husband and has two adult daughters. Jenny enjoys photography and hiking, spending time in the great outdoors on the land of the Wadawurrung people, in Anglesea.
As Social Media and Content Specialist at DCA, Naomi (she/her) is responsible for developing content across DCA’s social media channels, ensuring our message of workplace inclusion reaches and resonates with our members and broader audience.
Naomi comes to DCA with a background in digital communications and advocacy, having worked in both UK media and the not-for-profit sector. After starting her career in journalism and spending four years managing digital content for a UK radio station, she moved into the not-for-profit sector as Digital Content and Campaign Manager for a charity which supports people who have been displaced.
Through her professional and personal experience, Naomi is passionate about refugee and asylum seeker rights and using digital platforms to amplify marginalised voices. She believes in the power of storytelling to create meaningful conversations about diversity and inclusion.
As Media Advisor, Ali (she/her) is responsible for platforming DCA as a leading voice in the D&I space by creating and maintaining media relationships, developing and executing media plans, producing media content and response, and ensuring all media and comms activity is grounded in DCA’s ground-breaking research.
Prior to joining DCA, Ali has worked primarily as a journalist across print, digital, TV and radio platforms such as The Hoopla, The ABC and, most recently as the editor of leading travel trade publication Travel Weekly.
Ali has undergraduate degrees in Communication and Media Studies and International Studies. She lives on Gadigal land with her giant orange cat named Melon.
As the Social Media Content Strategist at DCA, Veronica (she/they) is responsible for creating and curating content across DCA’s social media platforms, ensuring that content is relevant, valuable and engaging for DCA’s members and audience.
Veronica comes to DCA with a background working in health policy and planning, with a focus on HIV and other health issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities. Previously employed at ACON, Australia’s leading health promotion organisation specialising in HIV prevention, HIV support and LGBTI health, she specialised in strategic planning and evaluation, programs and systems planning and reporting, research support and coordination and held a policy portfolio focused on the inclusion of lesbian, bisexual and queer women in health policy frameworks.
Through professional and personal experience, Veronica is passionate about sexuality and gender diversity and utilising the power of digital technology, such as social media, to elevate the unheard stories of visibility and inclusion of minority voices.
Hailing from Washington D.C. with Bolivian roots, Veronica holds an academic background in Communications and Social Policy.
Rebecca (she/her) forms part of the Communications team at DCA, focusing on research project communications, website management, analytics and providing support to the broader DCA team.
A true language enthusiast, Rebecca holds a bachelor’s degree in Applied Foreign Languages and International Economic Affairs from the University of Toulouse. She has a background in translation and communication in education and sustainable business and is passionate about sustainable development.
Originally from Stockholm, Sweden, Rebecca now lives in Sydney and is an active member of her local community.
Daniel Keyzer (he/him) is part of the Communications team at DCA, focusing on creating, curating, and sharing impactful social media content across DCA’s platforms. Daniel brings to the DCA the diverse perspective of living with a disability. Daniel has also been working at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation since 2012 and is currently a part of the ABC’s Factual division, where he is part of a team supporting its development producers and content makers to make a diverse range of programming and content, including programs highlighting the unique stories of Australians living with disabilities. Daniel is very passionate about advocacy and politics, having previously worked with and/or campaigned for various members of state and federal parliament.
Nicole (she/her) forms part of the Communications team at DCA, focusing on project communications, EDM and website management, analytics and providing support to the broader DCA team.
Nicole brings over 15 years of experience working in communications for non-profit and advocacy organisations.
Before joining DCA, Nicole worked with the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI) managing the coordination of communication and marketing activities across the organisation. Prior to moving to Melbourne in 2019, Nicole lived in New York and Vancouver working and volunteering with a variety of non-profit, government and social and environmental advocacy organisations.
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from Boston University, and a Master of International Development and Environmental Analysis from Monash University. She lives in Wurundjeri Country Melbourne with her partner and two children.
Lydia (she/her) leads some of DCA’s large-scale, external-facing communications projects, working across the broader DCA team. Before joining DCA, Lydia worked as a communications consultant, collaborating with businesses across the Asia Pacific region. Her diverse client portfolio included industries such as disability services, private healthcare, wellness, and tourism.
Some of Lydia’s career highlights include leading impactful communication and community engagement programs for national social infrastructure projects at Plenary Group, overseeing the change communications strategy for Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre’s landmark relocation to the $1 billion Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre in Parkville (Victoria), and launching 14 new vehicle models in the Australian market at Mazda Australia.
Lydia holds a bachelor’s degree in media studies (journalism) from La Trobe University in Naarm. She lives on the land of the Boonwurrung people with her family and enjoys guiding weekly yoga and meditation classes at a local studio, where she has been a teacher for over six years.
Operations Team
Catherine (she/her) is Operations Director responsible for developing and implementing the systems and platforms to ensure DCA can deliver services effectively, build its capabilities, and grow its membership base. She works to improve systems, policies, processes and governance, that includes being responsible for the IT and HR functions as well as overseeing DCA’s comprehensive event program. In particular, she will be working to enhance DCA’s digital platforms and capabilities to enable it to deliver on its future strategy.
Prior to this new role that commenced in July 2021, Catherine was also Communications Director overseeing all DCA’s communications to strengthen the DCA brand and position it as the leader on D&I. She was responsible for creating and developing the Communications function and collaborating across all the other functions to inform and promote the work of DCA. She also acted in the role of CEO prior to the appointment of Lisa Annese in 2014.
Catherine has a strong background in corporate communications and her expertise spans communicating to a broad range of audiences from business through to consumers, employees, investors, shareholders and the media. Prior to DCA, she worked at public relations firm Hinton & Associates where she provided strategic financial and corporate communications advice to listed companies. She also had a long stint at ANZ Bank in a variety of senior communications roles including in corporate affairs, internal communications, investor relations and major project communications. During her time at ANZ, Catherine was awarded a Silver Serif Award from the Society of Business Communicators for publication of ANZ’s internal magazine ‘Scope’.
From 2018 to 2020, Catherine has been a judge for the Gender-wise Philanthropy Award in the Australian Philanthropy Awards. She has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Arts degree in Communications from Monash University. She lives in Melbourne with her partner, two children and two furry friends.
Laiba (she/her) joined DCA in 2023 as an Events Administrator, collaborating with the events team. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Humanitarian and Development Studies alongside a Bachelor of Applied Data Science. Laiba has accumulated diverse experience in health promotion advocacy, community-based volunteering, disaster management, and project monitoring and evaluation within various NGOs and not-for-profit organizations.
In her role at DCA, Laiba contributes to the organisation and management of online and face-to-face events, as well as data management for monitoring and evaluating events, utilising feedback from attendees to inform future improvements in event management.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Laiba identifies as a Muslim Pakistani young woman, aspiring to advocate for the inclusion of her community in the workplace and society. Her goal is to contribute to positive change and serve as a representative for diversity and inclusion.
Simone (she/her) joined DCA in 2013 as the Office Manager and Executive Assistant to the CEO and has now moved over to work in the Events team. Simone has a pertinent understanding of event coordination, bringing over fifteen years of experience to DCA and has an advanced Diploma in Business Marketing and Events.
As a proud Awabakal woman, she was appointed DCA’s first Aboriginal Liaison in 2018 and provides guidance to the DCA team and DCA members on all Indigenous matters. In 2019 Simone lead the DCA Reconciliation Action working group to successfully create and launch the first Reflect RAP for DCA and continues in this role as the Chair of the RAP working group. She also leads the planning of DCA’s First Nations Insights series of events. Simone has completed a Diploma of Aboriginal Studies for Professional and Community Practice, a Certificate in Aboriginal Culture and a Certificate in Aboriginal knowledge for the workplace.
Simone’s career has spanned the entertainment, government, banking & finance and FMCG industries. She has also worked with the NSW Attorney General & Justice Department on a contract basis within their adult and juvenile restorative justice conference programs.
In her spare time, she is committed to teaching her Aboriginal culture with local schools and is currently learning about foraging bush tucker for eating and medicinal purposes. She also volunteers with various Sydney and regional community groups.
Sue (she/her) joined DCA in 2012 and is the Senior Events and Sponsorship Manager, leading the events team to plan and deliver DCA’s D&I events calendar.
Drawing from the experience of member practitioners, individuals with lived experience and in collaboration with the broader teams in DCA Sue is responsible for the delivery of DCA’s research launches, member networking events and CEO roundtables as well as DCA’s signature events. All events are designed to ensure that members have access to cutting-edge D&I thinking with a focus on commercial applications for member businesses within the workplace to drive best practices.
In her role, Sue liaises with academics, industry peak bodies, and DCA Key Contacts to engage speakers and coordinate the timely delivery of a robust calendar of events. She is also responsible for securing event sponsorship and major partners across the DCA events program.
Prior to joining DCA Sue worked within the broader exhibition and events industry. Her 28 years working in the events field includes major corporate events, sporting and tourism events, and trade exhibitions, working as a senior events manager, with privately owned trade event companies, Groupe Grand Sud and LifeInStyle, along with global sports marketing company, International Management Group (IMG) to deliver iconic Melbourne public events. She started her career as Membership Coordinator, for peak tourism industry Victorian Tourism Operators Association (VTOA), now Tourism Alliance Victoria, a non-profit association advocating for and supporting the development of professional and sustainable tourism industry.
Sue has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). She lives in Melbourne, with her family.
Anja is our Digital Operations Administrator, overseeing digital systems, managing vendor relationships and providing essential support for the CRM.
Originally from Slovenia and of Slovenian-Bosnian heritage, Anja’s journey reflects the intersectionality of multiple identities. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, a neurodivergent individual, and someone with lived experience of being disabled by society, she brings valuable insights into how these overlapping identities shape and inform her unique perspective. They are a passionate advocate for invisible disabilities and for making spaces more accessible.
Anja holds a diploma in Creative Technology, alongside qualifications in UX/UI from RMIT Melbourne and the Media Design School in New Zealand.
Her career began in the hospitality industry as a qualified chef in fine dining establishments. After a few years as a Head Chef, she transitioned into management and small business ownership, co-founding a women-led, LGBTQIA+ friendly, and environmentally-conscious hospitality business, where she championed diverse talent and an inclusive workplace culture.
Their dedication to inclusion led them to join a national pan-disability organisation in New Zealand, where they worked to increase equity in the employment of disabled people. They also managed the organisation’s website transformation project, honing their digital skills and deepening their passion for digital accessibility and user-centered design.
Anja lives in Melbourne, where she enjoys expressing herself through photography and co-owns a sustainable gender-neutral clothing brand with her partner, Gina. Together they share their home with their two rescues, Mr. Darcey, the cat and Moxie – Rae, the dog.
Clea (she/her) is a People and Culture Specialist with over 15 years’ experience being a part of and leading HR teams in technology, advertising, logistics, communication, and NFP industries, both in Australia and overseas.
She has qualifications in Journalism, English Literature and Human Resources, and is accredited in psychometric tools (Certified Gallup Strengths Coach and DISC – Thomas International) that elevate coaching, change management and development.
Over the years, Clea has worked as a HR Generalist, Organisational Development Specialist, Coach and Facilitator, both in the capacity of an employee and as a consultant. She is passionate about fostering an engaged, psychological safe and inclusive culture of learning, innovation, and excellence.
Clea has experience building and delivering learning programs. With a focus on leadership training, DEI and coaching programs.
Clea is very passionate about the work DCA does and loved working with them so much that she decided to join them full time as their Head of People and Culture in 2024. This role involves thinking about how to implement our research internally, in partnership with our leaders and our employee D&I groups.
Todd (he/him) is Diversity Council Australia’s Business Analyst and is responsible for defining business problems and outlining data-driven solutions. He also assists with the management of DCA’s online assets and IT infrastructure.
He brings with him over ten years’ experience in the end-to-end management of web, software application and digital transformation projects.
He has been involved in projects from a range of NFP and government organisations including the Australian Quadriplegic Association (AQA), Center of Perinatal Excellence (COPE), Victoria Police and Murdoch University, managing website, custom software and mental health mobile apps.
Todd holds a Masters of Business Administration through La Trobe University and a Bachelor of Media & Communication from QUT.
He lives in Melbourne with his wife and two rescue animals, Benny the cat and Rosie the dog.
Our Board
DCA has a prestigious Board of Directors with extensive experience in the fields of business, HR, law, information technology, management and accounting.
Please see below the individual profiles of DCA Board members.
Sunita (she/her) is an experienced Non Executive Director, CEO and C-suite leader with over 30 years’ experience in the professional services sector with expertise in customer and brand strategy, digital platforms, customer technology, corporate reputation, and sustainability.
Sunita serves as a Non-Executive Director for Maurice Blackburn Lawyers and the UN Global Compact Network Australia, the principal sustainability initiative for business in Australia. Additionally, she is a Senior Advisor for Accenture and co-chairs the Tech Council of Australia’s media and marketing committee. She has also served as an advisor to UN Women Australia.
In 2023, Sunita was recognised as a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the media and marketing industry and gender equality. Sunita is a globally acknowledged leader in her field. She has held a consistent position in Australia’s B&T Women in Media Power List for nine years and is currently ranked third.
Sunita is an active member of Chief Executive Women and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Beyond her Board and Advisory work, she is a sought-after keynote speaker, commentator, and guest panellist on ABCTV Gruen.
Chris (he/him) is Deputy Commissioner at the NSW Public Service Commission. His role includes leadership of Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging for the Commission which oversees the largest workforce in Australia.
Prior to this, Chris spent 12 years at Lendlease and served at different times as the HR Director – Australia, Global Head of Organisational Development and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. During his career, Chris has held HR Executive roles across Asia Pacific, the UK and Europe and driven inclusion programs across the globe.
Chris previously served on DCA’s board from 2010 – 2019 and was a foundation member of the Pride in Diversity (PiD) Advisory Board in 2010, serving until 2020. In 2015 Chris received AHRI’s Diversity Champion Award and in 2018 he completed further postgraduate education in Aboriginal Studies. Chris is also a Non-Executive Director of Netball NSW.
Chris is a registered psychotherapist and sees clients in private practice several evenings each week to play his part in increasing access to mental health support services.
Chris lives in Sydney with his wife of more than 25 years, and they have two adult children.
Julie Canepa (she/her) leads Cisco’s Digital Transformation and customer experience strategy across the Asia Pacific, Japan, and China region. Julie is a seasoned business partner for Cisco’s customers, bringing her extensive experience as a chief information officer across eight years to help businesses unlock their technology to drive desired business outcomes and strategy.
Working as a CIO Advisor, Julie draws on her 28 years of industry experience to help organisations drive, and thrive, with their digital transformation initiatives – focusing on technology, process, and people. Currently, Julie counts many companies in the ASX as part of her remit, along with strategic regional customers across a diverse range of industries including finance, public sector, service provider, retail and more.
Prior to this, Julie was the Chief Information Officer for Cisco across Asia Pacific, Japan, and China. Her strong commitment to operational excellence and aptitude for partnering cross-functionally resulted in great synergies between business and IT. Julie is proud to be named as one of the top 50 CIOs in Australia by CIO Magazine for five years running in recognition of the large-scale transformations she has led in the areas of Commerce, CRM, cloud, hybrid work and data/analytics.
With a special interest in promoting STEM education and championing diversity, equity, and inclusion, Julie is executive sponsor for ’Women of Cisco’ Australia and New Zealand. She has supported key programs during her tenure, including ‘Mentor Me’, an annual program which provides over 1,100+ university women with access to mentors through a structured program, and she has championed Cisco’s top talent program which has accelerated women in the organisation into leadership roles. She established, and is executive sponsor of, Cisco’s Cancer Support Network for Asia Pacific, and is active with Cisco’s First Nations Allies Network and ANZ Sustainability.
Julie mentors many young professionals in the IT industry, including women looking for practical guidance and support, and has served as a member of the Industry Advisory Board at the University of Sydney’s School of Computer Science. Julie is a mother to three children and lives in Sydney.
Julie is Chair of the IT Committee of the DCA Board.
Peter (he/him) joined UniSuper as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in September 2021. As CEO, Peter is responsible for developing, leading, and implementing corporate strategy and culture, and is accountable for the overall services and operational management of UniSuper nationally.
With over 30 years’ experience in financial services across the retail and industry fund sectors, his leadership is helping to shape the future for one of Australia’s largest super funds. UniSuper now has more than 634,000 members and over $130 billion in funds under management (at 31 December 2023).
Migrating from Hong Kong to Australia in 1978 at the age of eight and not speaking English, the requirement to assimilate and learn to be part of the “Australian” culture was deeply ingrained in Peter as to how to adjust to this new life. Experiencing life in Australia, Peter is deeply passionate about diversity and inclusion and actively engages in opportunities to address equity and belonging in business and in the community.
At UniSuper, he’s driving a culture of equity by sponsoring the gender strategy and initiatives that involve; investing in training programs targeted for women, regular remuneration review by role, employing a balance of genders at all levels and actively promoting women in leadership roles. He is personally committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and delivering on a diversity, equity, and inclusion strategy for UniSuper employees and members, and asks that those he leads make the same commitments to diversity and inclusion.
Prior to joining UniSuper, Peter held senior executive roles at Aware Super, Colonial First State and Credit Suisse.
Peter is a qualified Actuary and holds a Bachelor of Economics from Macquarie University. He also holds Graduate Diplomas in Applied Finance and Investments and Financial Planning from the Securities Institute of Australia; and has undertaken the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School (Boston, USA). Peter is a Member of the Investment Magazine Advisory Board, the ASFA Fund Advisory Panel and the Australian Chamber Orchestra Finance Audit & Risk Committee.
Ian (he/him) is the Global Head of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at Telstra, Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company operating in 30 countries. He works with leaders to ensure equitable practices and outcomes, increase diverse representation, and create an environment where everyone is valued and respected. Prior to this current role, he served as the Regional Head of DEI at Macquarie Group for Australia & New Zealand.
Before embarking on his DEI career, Ian had a tenured career in management consulting specialising in change management, IT and HR transformation, and employee experience. Ian worked with globally clients in retail, telecom, tech, oil and gas, and mining. He started his career in recruitment, initially in executive search at Odgers Berndtson and then in talent acquisition at Deloitte.
Ian received an Honours in Business Administration (HBA) from the Ivey Business School in London, Canada and is a Certified HR Leader (CHRL) with the Canadian HR Professionals Association. In his spare time, Ian volunteers with Out for Australia and the Canadian Australian Chamber of Commerce (CACC), and sits on the Board of Queer Screen. He also enjoys spending time with family, traveling, and playing tennis.
Liz (she/her) is a director in Ashurst’s Risk Advisory practice and has extensive experience in risk management, culture, strategy, conduct, compliance, regulation and supervision. Committed to improving organisational and sectoral capability in a way that is aligned with good practice and stakeholder expectations, Liz delivers transformation programs that effect change sustainably, leveraging diversity of thought to inform decision-making.
Across banking, superannuation and wealth management sectors, Liz has shaped major law reform and guidance, and assessed operational readiness and implementation, through a range of previous roles with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, including on secondment with the Macquarie Group.
Most recently, she played a pivotal role as a Lead Supervisor in establishing ASIC’s enhanced supervisory approach, Close and Continuous Monitoring (now Institutional Supervision), where she had responsibility for driving uplift in breach reporting in the context of incident management, internal dispute resolution, and internal audit within two of Australia’s Big Four banks, and another major institution.
Liz was also an Associate to the Honourable Justice Neville Owen at the HIH Royal Commission. She has more than ten years of applied governance practice, and is currently a Director of KU Children’s Services and Chair of the KU Marcia Burgess Foundation Committee. She is a former Board Chair of Shopfront Arts Coop and Ensemble Offspring. She holds a Master of Laws and Management, Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Liz is on the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee of the DCA Board.
Louise Monger’s (she/her) leadership credentials and diverse experience characterise her passion for advancing how people and technology perform in the rapidly changing environments in which we live today.
Louise’s expertise comes from 20 years spent working in diverse sectors; including energy management, technology, real estate, and facilities management.
She began her career as an electrician in the mining industry, which is where her interest in advocating for diversity and inclusion began. Today, she proudly continues this work as a board member of the Diversity Council of Australia.
Louise joined Schneider Electric in November 2020 and leads a 350-person team delivering energy management and automation solutions across all industries.
Previously, Louise was Program Director for Technology and Innovation at AMP Capital. Here she led the real estate division’s digital and innovation team to ensure maximum client and business value was derived from technology investment. Louise has also held senior roles in property management, operations, and facilities management.
Louise is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a member of Chief Executive Women, holds a Masters of Facilities Management, and remains a qualified electrician.
Craig (he/him) is Chief Digital Officer and Vice President Digital at the University of Canberra. He is a member of the University executive, and is responsible for championing digital and innovation capability uplift, technology and engineering delivery, and ultimately reimagining the student and staff digital experience.
Craig’s career spans more than 25 years across the private, public and higher education sectors. Possessing deep skills in business, corporate and digital strategy, digital and information technology, enterprise transformation, cyber security, data analytics and data science, as well as service design and enterprise agility.
Craig has held previous non-executive director roles at Hepburn Health Service (2016-2019) and Castlemaine Art Museum (2016-2023). At Hepburn Health he was Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee, as well as a member of the Clinical Governance and Credentialing Committee. At Castlemaine Art Museum, Craig was Chair (2018-2022), and member of the Audit and Risk Committee. Craig is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Craig holds a Bachelor of Computing(CompSc) from Monash University, a Masters of Project Management from RMIT University and a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from Melbourne Business School. Craig lives in Canberra with his husband, Adrian.
Annie (she/her) is currently the Acting Director of NSW Treasury’s Women’s Economic Outcomes Team, where she is responsible for providing specialist advice, developing strategic policy initiatives, and collaborating across government to improve women’s economic outcomes.
In 2022, Annie led the drafting of New South Wales’ inaugural gender budget statement, the Women’s Opportunity Statement, which followed the NSW Government’s Women’s Economic Opportunities Review. Annie also oversaw NSW Treasury’s First Nations Expenditure and Outcomes Budgeting reports, and has been Co-Chair of NSW Treasury’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Network since 2021.
Prior to joining NSW Treasury, Annie held executive leadership roles in the non-government and public sectors and led her own consulting practice supporting Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to improve their diversity and inclusion and employee wellbeing policies. Annie worked for seven years in senior leadership roles at the Australian Human Rights Commission, where her work focused on integrating human rights and diversity and inclusion into school curricula, and public service, vocational training and business sector policies and processes.
Annie previously served as a board member of the Women’s Rights Action Network Australia for five years, during which time she was also Co-Convenor of the Women’s Rights (CEDAW) Report Card to the United Nations.
Annie holds a PhD in Criminology (human rights and policing), which she completed at Monash University in 2009. Annie lives in Sydney with her wife and their two young children.
Laura Raymer (she/her) is the Managing Director and Founder of CFO Strategic, a specialist chartered accounting firm comprising of experienced Chief Financial Officers and Company Secretaries.
Laura began her career in corporate evaluation and business turnaround working for Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Australia), and PricewaterhouseCoopers (UK). Following that she worked in senior finance executive roles including Finance Director and Operations Director of AOL|7, and CFO of IGT (Australia) Pty Limited.
Since founding CFO Strategic in 2004 Laura has been engaged as CFO, company secretary and operations director and committee chair and governance consultant by clients including ASX listed companies, private companies, start-ups, and not for profit organisations.
Laura has also volunteered as a non-executive director, and committee chair, for not-for-profit organisations including Discovery Australia, Artspace, Relationships Australia NSW and the War Widows Guild NSW.
Laura holds a Bachelor of Business from Queensland University of Technology. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Knowledge Program Facilitators
DCA is proud to work with a team of experienced facilitators to deliver our research-based Knowledge Program workshops.
Dr Susan Oguro is an expert facilitator, consultant and coach in the areas of intercultural communication, diversity, language use and inclusive cultural practices. She is principal of Susan Oguro Consulting.
Susan has had an extensive career as an academic in the field of International Studies and Education and as a senior manager in the higher education sector. Her work locally and globally with corporate, government, NGO and educational institutions has successfully established and delivered effective training programs and supported diverse and inclusive workplace practices. Her expertise has been formally acknowledged with awards from the European Association for International Education and the University of Technology Sydney. She has formal qualifications in Workplace Training and Assessment, in Education and in the Humanities.
Loren is a lawyer who has worked in the public, private and NGO sectors. She has extensive experience in policy, human rights, legal and regulatory reform. Her specialist areas have included working with a range of organisations to embed an intersectional approach, and consulting with a diverse range of communities to work towards achievable reform.
Sheetal Deo (she/her) is passionate about leveraging platforms and privilege to connect ideas, people and opportunities that amplify and empower underrepresented experiences. Sheetal has a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and political science from the University of the Fraser Valley (Canada), and a Juris Doctor, Master of Laws and Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice from Bond University (Australia).
Sheetal incorporates her political and social science training in her advocacy for equity & accessibility. She is the Principal and Founder of Shakti Legal Solutions; an award winning innovative low-bono law firm designed specifically to improve access to legal assistance for everyday people through a unique, ‘pay what you can’ model.
In addition to her work with the Diversity Council of Australia, Sheetal works with the College of Law as an adjunct lecturer, offers private and bespoke trainings and keynotes with her own diversity and inclusion consultancy (The Diversity Collective) and volunteers her time on various not-for-profit organisations and boards, including the Centre of Legal Innovations Emerging Leaders Advisory Board and the Queensland Law Society where Sheetal is the first woman of colour to serve on its Council in its 150 year history.
Sheetal was awarded the 2022 Multicultural Queensland Awards for her outstanding contribution as a new Queenslander.
Clea (she/her) is a People and Culture Specialist with over 15 years’ experience being a part of and leading HR teams in technology, advertising, logistics, communication, and NFP industries, both in Australia and overseas.
She has qualifications in Journalism, English Literature and Human Resources, and is accredited in psychometric tools (Certified Gallup Strengths Coach and DISC – Thomas International) that elevate coaching, change management and development.
Over the years, Clea has worked as a HR Generalist, Organisational Development Specialist, Coach and Facilitator, both in the capacity of an employee and as a consultant. She is passionate about fostering an engaged, psychological safe and inclusive culture of learning, innovation, and excellence.
Clea has experience building and delivering learning programs. With a focus on leadership training, DEI and coaching programs.
Clea is very passionate about the work DCA does and loved working with them so much that she decided to join them full time as their Head of People and Culture in 2024. This role involves thinking about how to implement our research internally, in partnership with our leaders and our employee D&I groups.
Eva is a Certified Diversity Professional with broad experience in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). She develops and implements DEI strategies, guides and coaches leaders and HR professionals in DEI related matters, and provides expertise about various diversity dimensions including gender equity, disability, First Nations peoples, LGBTQIA+ and age diversity. Eva also has an extensive background in group facilitation and workshop development and delivery.
Eva has a Master’s degree in organisational psychology and a PhD in leadership and DEI. She is involved in research and teaches DEI and leadership at Edith Cowan University.
Prior to embarking on a career in DEI, Eva worked as an organisational development professional with a key focus on leadership development, team coaching, outplacement and career development, and behavioural assessments.
Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander External Advisory Panel
DCA supports the proper recognition of the unique status of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in our country’s history and of ensuring Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander voices are central in any discussions around recognition and reconciliation.
DCA’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander External Advisory Panel is an external group that provides guidance and advice on DCA’s Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Constitutional Recognition and Reconciliation activities.
Our Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander External Advisory Panel is made up of respected Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander community members across country, with representatives throughout Australian states and territories.
The Panel meets regularly throughout the year to assist DCA promote and facilitate, on behalf of its members, reconciliation between the wider Australian community and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, specifically with respect to better labour market engagement and recognition of the talents and untapped potential of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Panel members provide expertise, cultural knowledge and lived experience to DCA about our direction and activities in the Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander employment, community engagement and supplier diversity space.
Kate Russell is a proud Awabakal woman from Lake Macquarie and is committed to empowering her community. Kate draws on her extensive experience working across public and community sectors and is driven by a desire to promote opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples – making sure to approach all programs, policies and initiatives through an intersectional lens. Kate is passionate about engaging Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities to co-design programs and services using international best practices to make tangible changes in policy.
As a consultant, Kate has worked across multiple policy areas to support the delivery of outcomes and community benefits, with a focus on people and culture programs. Prior to this, she held senior roles at the Department of Planning and Environment, where she oversaw the design and delivery of programs across a portfolio of agencies and over 15,000 staff.
Additionally, Kate has spent time working at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Sydney and Canberra and for the Catalan Department of Education in Spain. Kate returned to Australia to work in the community sector to focus on Aboriginal employment and leadership development, and eventually joined the NSW State Government in 2016. Kate’s broad expertise and experience in diversity and inclusion, organisational culture, leadership, human resources and knowledge, and project management enables her to develop programs that recognise the intersectionality of diverse experiences.
Kate has previously served as a Director for Yilabara Solutions and Interrelate and in July 2023, she commenced her role as Chief Executive Officer at Supply Nation, the Australian leader in supplier diversity. Kate holds a Bachelor of International Studies (Distinction), an MBA and an Executive Masters of Public Administration.
Peter Anderson is from the Walpiri and Murinpatha nations in the Northern Territory. He researches in the area of Indigenous education and educational systems and its relationship with indigenous peoples globally within the Australian context the protocols of engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in educational settings. A member of the ARC College of experts, he also holds research advisory positions to the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the Diversity Council of Australia and the Australian Education Research Association.
As a proud Ngarrindjeri/Narungga woman, Lauren is committed to promoting cultural diversity, respect and equity within the South Australian community. Drawing on her extensive experience within the public sector and educational institutions, she campaigns for equality for Aboriginal peoples.
In 2009, Lauren commenced her career with the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure (DPTI) in Adelaide, South Australia. There, she worked across all tiers of government to promoted cultural diversity and equality within the workplace. Lauren was a member of DPTI’s Reconciliation Committee, a cultural representative and was awarded Campbelltown City Council’s NAIDOC award for services to the community.
In her current role as a Planning & Audit Officer, Lauren provides professional support in the areas of business planning, audit and risk management, policies and procedures. Lauren is responsible for the coordination of Parliamentary Estimate briefings, Service planning and audit requirements, undertaking reviews (including Freedom of Information Act Internal Reviews) and projects, preparation of/and reviewing Service policies and other significant proposals and matters.
In 2018, Lauren graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Written and Creative Communication) from the University of South Australia, where she developed skills as a professional, technical and creative writer, editor and publisher. Lauren is currently completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with the University of South Australia.
Abbey is a proud Kamilaroi woman who grew up on Wiradjuri Country and now resides on Awabakal land. She is passionate about governance and empowering youth to begin their own governance journeys. Abbey is currently Project Officer in the Aboriginal Strategy, Policy, and Engagement team at the NSW Department of Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure, which focuses on advancing Aboriginal outcomes through strategic coordination across the department. Abbey is a board director of the Orange Aboriginal Medical Service, contributing to the health and wellbeing of her community. She is dedicated to ensuring that culture remains central to governance and that organisations are effective for generations to come. Abbey holds a Bachelor of Communications and Public Relations from Charles Sturt University.
Nareen Young is Associate Dean, Indigenous Leadership and Engagement at the University of Technology Sydney Business School and Industry Professor, Indigenous Policy (Indigenous Workforce Diversity) at Jumbunna Institute of Indigenous Education and Research at UTS where she is Director of the Indigenous People and Work Research and Practice Hub. The Hub is a community of scholars and practitioners that aims to enhance and advance the standing of Indigenous people in the Australian employment market via robust diversity research, practice and law reform. The Hub leads in Indigenous employment practice and produces, with DCA, the landmark Gari Yala report and collaborates across the employment industry
Prior to this, Nareen spent over twenty years developing her standing as one of Australia’s leading and most respected employment diversity practitioners, leading two peak diversity employment organisations (NSW Working Women’s Centre and Diversity Council Australia) to enormous impact and success. She has led diversity thinking and practice in Australia, and most recently as employment lead for PwC’s Indigenous Consulting where she developed many concepts for Indigenous employment diversity practice. Nareen is influenced by her own Indigenous and culturally diverse heritages in this regard and has received many citations, awards and accolades for her work. She has commentated widely and published and presented nationally and internationally.
Nareen also has significant governance experience. She spent a three-year term as a Director of Indigenous Business Australia and currently serves as Director of Per Capita and the PACT Theatre.
Research External Advisory Panel
DCA’s Research External Advisory Panel is a group that oversees DCA’s research. Members include leading academics and researchers with knowledge of D&I theory and practice.
The panel meets approximately four times a year to provide strategic direction to DCA’s Research function. It assists DCA to deliver on its research vision to work in partnership with members to generate groundbreaking diversity research that enables Australian organisations to leverage the benefits of D&I fully. Panel members provide expert guidance to DCA about our direction and collaborations with the industry. More specifically, this involves:
- Reviewing DCA research vision, research priorities and research projects
- Identifying ‘ahead of the curve’ research topics and emerging issues for possible future research projects
- Assisting in identifying appropriate research partnership and sponsorship opportunities
Annie (she/her) is currently the Acting Director of NSW Treasury’s Women’s Economic Outcomes Team, where she is responsible for providing specialist advice, developing strategic policy initiatives, and collaborating across government to improve women’s economic outcomes.
In 2022, Annie led the drafting of New South Wales’ inaugural gender budget statement, the Women’s Opportunity Statement, which followed the NSW Government’s Women’s Economic Opportunities Review. Annie also oversaw NSW Treasury’s First Nations Expenditure and Outcomes Budgeting reports, and has been Co-Chair of NSW Treasury’s Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Network since 2021.
Prior to joining NSW Treasury, Annie held executive leadership roles in the non-government and public sectors and led her own consulting practice supporting Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) to improve their diversity and inclusion and employee wellbeing policies. Annie worked for seven years in senior leadership roles at the Australian Human Rights Commission, where her work focused on integrating human rights and diversity and inclusion into school curricula, and public service, vocational training and business sector policies and processes.
Annie previously served as a board member of the Women’s Rights Action Network Australia for five years, during which time she was also Co-Convenor of the Women’s Rights (CEDAW) Report Card to the United Nations.
Annie holds a PhD in Criminology (human rights and policing), which she completed at Monash University in 2009. Annie lives in Sydney with her wife and their two young children.
Raymond Trau is senior lecturer at Macquarie Business School in Macquarie University. Raymond’s research focuses on diversity and inclusion. The most notable contribution of his research is on theory and practice of LGBTIQ inclusion
Raymond’s research has been published in a number of international journals including Journal of Applied Psychology, Human Resource Management and British Journal of Management. His research has received research mentions and interviews by major international and domestic media outlets including the Financial Times, Bloomberg, CBS News, Globe and Mail, Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, ABC TV, ABC News, SBS News, ABC Radio, HRM AM, HRM Monthly and HR Daily. Raymond also has contributed opinion pieces to the Harvard Business Review, HRM AM, The Conversation and Work180.
Raymond’s work has a strong link with industry via research collaboration, consultation and co-authorship with profit, non-profit and government organisations including Diversity Council of Australia, Pride in Diversity, Deloitte, QBE, Department of Premier and Cabinet of Victoria, Queensland Health and BHP Billiton.
Dr Dimitria Groutsis is the Program Director of the Dalyell Scholars Stream and Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies at the University of Sydney Business School.
Dimitria is a leading scholar in the field of migration, labour mobility and cultural diversity in the business context. Her work has appeared in leading national and international peer review journals, book chapters and she has co-edited and co-authored several books. Her consulting role sees her working with the Diversity Council Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Australian Institute of Company Directors, large corporate sector partners and key stakeholders in the government and non-government sectors. Dr Groutsis has received a number of competitive external research grants, with total funding in excess of 1.5 million dollars. Along with Professors Collins and Reid, she is the recipient of an ARC Linkage grant, examining Syrian-Conflict refugees: settlement, employment and education outcomes.
She currently serves as the Associate Editor of the European Journal of Management, and is an Advisory board member of the Journal of Immigrant and Refugee Studies. She has served on the advisory board of the Diversity Council of Australia (DCA), consulting on their cultural diversity in leadership project and is on the DCA’s Research Committee. She has also been working closely with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on preserving a large migration archive.
Dimitria is the Convenor of the Migration, Ethno-Racial, Cultural and Intersectionality@Work Research Group at the University of Sydney Business School. Established in 2011, the Research Group provides an important platform for researchers and policy makers to present, discuss and debate research on migration and diversity management in the business context, bringing together a broad audience including: academics, the business community, and representatives from government.
Professor Peter Anderson is from the Walpiri and Murinpatha peoples of the Northern Territory and is Professor and Director Indigenous Research Unit at Griffith University. Professor Anderson’s research spans the area of Australian Indigenous education, educational systems, curriculum and pedagogical interventions and the intersecting relationships with indigenous peoples both globally and domestically. A member of the ARC College of Experts, a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, a Fellow of the Queensland Academy of Arts and Science and member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies and a Lifelong Fellow of the Atlantic Institute at Oxford University. He also holds research advisory positions for the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies, the Diversity Council of Australia and the Australian Education Research Association.
Over 400,000 educated Greeks left their country between 2008-2017, looking permanently for more advanced economies due to the Greek financial crisis; Sophia was one of them.
Her experience as a mature professional and a carer of a disabled child seeking better employment, better pay, and better social and economic prospects in a new country defined her professional identity. She is passionate about access to jobs, inclusive workplaces, job quality and businesses that care for local communities.
Sophia holds an MA in Mass Communications from the University of Leicester, a Bachelor of Communications and Mass Media from the University of Athens and undertook the MA of Social Impact by Research from the Swinburne University of Technology in 2016. She focuses on impact frameworks, impact measurement and ways of using media and communications to enable projects with a distinct social purpose.
She is currently the Communications, Marketing and Evaluation Manager at Jobsbank, a for-purpose, not-for-profit independent organisation helping businesses navigate social procurement, diversity and inclusion.
With over 40 years of experience working with both corporate and government sectors, Tammy brings a wealth of knowledge of diversity and inclusion and how to influence organisational structures and cultures to be inclusive, flexible and equitorious (Tammy’s term for equitable meritocracies).
Tammy has a Masters of Indigenous Social Policy from the University of Technology, Sydney and a Bachelor of Arts (double major Political Science) from the University of Queensland. With a social justice bent and a penchant for delving deep into data and analytics, she is that weird mix of persuasiveness and evidence-based analytics. This brings her to the quandary of how do you base programs on evidence-based best practice when the evidence base is tainted by an ability to get the funding and/or have the time to write up the evidence or chase the awards? Those delivering on the ground to the people do not have time to write up the evidence or follow the prescriptive requirements of becoming known best practice.
Tammy has particular expertise and experience in building cultural competencies, negotiating and brokering win/win solutions for both First Nations peoples and non-Indigenous. Tammy works with a keen eye on ensuring Aboriginal integrity in all she does. She currently works within the local government arena, with a strong focus on innovation, collaboration and building resonate relationships.
Disability and Accessibility External Advisory Panel
DCA’s Disability and Accessibility External Advisory Panel (EAP) is an external group that provides guidance and advice on DCA’s accessibility and disability-related direction and activities.
The EAP was established as part of DCA’s commitment to ensuring that people with disabilities’ voices are centred in any discussion or work related to accessibility and inclusion.
The EAP is made up of respected leaders in the disability and accessibility community, representing a wide range of lived experiences.
The EAP meets regularly throughout the year to assist DCA, through its members, promote and facilitate accessible inclusive workplaces, including better labour market engagement and recognition of the talents and untapped potential of people with disability.
Manisha (she/they) has worked in innovation, design, environmental advocacy, and with not-for-profits for the past 30 years. She is passionate about social justice and human rights and has skills in the areas of strategy, policy, program design, co-design, and inclusion. She is also the host of With, Not For, a podcast helping companies with practical insights into inclusion by design.
As a neurodivergent, CARM woman, Manisha was the CEO of the Centre for Inclusive Design (CfID) creating Australia’s fist world class Centre for Inclusive Design. She is now the Founder and CEO of the Inclusive Design Collective, a social enterprise leading the conversation in the power of thinking from the edge and Founder of the Inclusive Design Collective. Manisha brings a wealth of experience in the understanding and implementation of inclusive design and human-centred strategy and facilitation. She also has the demonstrated ability to build strategic partnerships and manage complex stakeholder relationships.
Manisha currently sits on the Boards of Bambuddah Group, and Nautunki Theatre Company, as well as the SBS Community Advisory Panel. She was a former Board member and Deputy Chair of ADHD Australia.
Christina (she/her) is the CEO and Founder of the Disability Leadership Institute; a governance and strategy specialist who has now turned her expertise towards disability leadership diversity.
As an active leader in the Australian disability community for over 20 years, Christina worked at an international, national and local level to change the diversity agenda, while mentoring and supporting numerous people with disabilities to their own leadership success. She pioneered the use of mainstream forums by disabled women at the United Nations.
After 20 years working in community sector management, Christina realised that the levels of violence and marginalisation experienced by disabled people were the direct outcome of inequality, and that to address this we need a growth in disability leadership across the public domain.
So in 2016, Christina established the Disability Leadership Institute as a professional hub to build & support our disability leaders. It is the first organisation of its kind globally, run by and for disability leaders. The DLI aims to grow the presence and recognition of disability leaders across all sections of our community while providing specialist leadership development. It is now Australia’s largest professional network of disability leaders. Christina is a regular keynote speaker and commentator, a respected leadership coach, and regularly writes about disability leadership.
In 2013 Christina was acknowledged as one of 100 women of the Canberra Centenary. She was a finalist in the 2014 ACT Telstra Businesswomen’s Awards, and was awarded the Lifetime Achievement in Inclusion at the 2015 ACT Chief Minister’s Inclusion Awards. Christina was a 2017 Westpac Social Change Fellow.
The Disability Leadership Institute was a finalist in the 2018 Telstra Business Awards emerging and energised (start-up) category.
Darren (he/him) has a passion for inclusion and diversity, not just because it is the right thing to do (which it is), but because it is essential for organisations (both commercial and not-for-profit) to succeed and thrive. Organisations which do not genuinely embrace inclusion and belonging as part of their DNA will be left behind.
Darren is blind and has a lived experience of the diversity and inclusion barriers experienced because of impairment. He knows first-hand how important universal design, positive attitudes and open minds are when it comes to ensuring disabled people are treated with the value and dignity they deserve, but unfortunately also knows first hand how rare these things are in our workplaces and society more generally.
Darren looks forward to the day when impairment is no longer a barrier to obtaining, maintaining and succeeding in employment, when the physical, environmental, technological and most importantly attitudinal barriers which prevent people with impairment from participating in society are removed permanently.
Tahlia-Rose (she/her) is a proud Woppaburra woman with a disability, a carer for her mum and Traditional Owner of the Keppel Islands. Tahlia-Rose is dedicated to making visible the institutional and systemic discrimination that perpetrates cycles of violence, exploitation, and disadvantage against her people. She has worked across government, private and community sectors to improve services for First Nations women, girls, and mob with disability. She has expertise in Indigenous feminisms, governance, intersectional analysis, policy, government, family safety, education, and social justice.
Following 10 years in the Australian Public Service Tahlia-Rose has recently taken up the role of National Policy & Systemic Advocacy Manager of the First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN), a position that has enabled her appointment to the CTG Justice and Housing Policy Partnership. Tahlia-Rose is the Chair of the ACT Government’s Ministerial Advisory Council on Women and is the inaugural Chairperson of Sisters in Spirit Aboriginal Corporation, the ACT’s only all-female governed Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisation.
Tahlia-Rose is also passionate about the empowerment of her peoples through education, serving as a Board Director at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) the ACT’s public and largest vocational education provider and as a Board Director of CIT’s wholly own subsidiary, CIT Solutions. In her spare time Tahlia-Rose is undertaking a Master of Applied Anthropology and Development (Advanced) at the Australian National University (ANU). She also holds tertiary qualifications in government, business, leadership, and human resources management and a Bachelor of Criminology from the ANU.
Kenny (he/him) is a passionate AI and Cyber Security Leader with extensive experience in building diverse, purposeful teams that help customers and partners Digitally Transform with AI and Security front and centre. he is currently the Director of Modern Work & Cyber Security in the Partner division for Microsoft Asia.
Over the last 12 years at Microsoft, Kenny has served customers and partners in a number of roles including Lead Architect in Microsoft Consulting Services, Cyber Security Lead in the Microsoft partner division, National Cyber Security GTM strategy lead and Director of Cyber Security & Privacy Customer Success at Microsoft ANZ.
For over 20 years, Kenny has been heavily involved in all aspects of the Accessibility software standards development and delivery lifecycle. He worked on the Accessibility of Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) standard in the W3c, the epub standard in IDPF, and has been working closely with several engineering teams at Microsoft to make our products and services more accessible to all.
Kenny is the co-chair of the Microsoft global Disability Employee Resource Group (ERG), leads Accessibility for ANZ and also leads Inclusive Hiring in region.
Catherina (she/her) is an out and proud queer, neurodivergent, chronically ill and disabled woman living on unceded Gadigal country. She has worked in Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) for over 20 years in Europe and Australia, in both public & private sectors.
Currently, Catherina leads the D&I portfolio for Suncorp across Australia & Aotearoa (New Zealand), responsible for building a diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace where all employees can thrive. Delivering an intersectional and sustainable approach, Catherina shifts strategic focus to the policies, processes and practices that marginalise employees.
Inclusion is more than a ‘day job’ for Catherina, it is core to her identity and lived experience. Acknowledging her privilege as a white woman, Catherina is committed to creating space for all diverse stories, increasing corporate knowledge of intersectionality, and addressing systemic barriers to full and equal workforce participation.
Alex (she/her) is the Chief Change Officer at Amaze—Australia’s peak autism body—where she’s all about making autism inclusion the norm in every aspect of life. With over 20 years of experience spanning three continents in higher education, organisational learning, and leadership development, she’s passionate about making work more human for every neurotype.
Before joining Amaze, Alex started a PhD exploring how team climate and leadership behaviour impact neurodivergent inclusion in mixed neurotype teams—and she jokes that she’s not sure if she’ll ever finish it! In her previous role as the Strategic Learning Advisor at Melbourne Business School, she led initiatives that tackled evolving leadership challenges in our rapidly changing world.
Being Autistic and ADHD herself—and a parent of two neurodivergent children—Alex is dedicated to crafting innovative, high-impact solutions that mobilise organisations, spark positive change, and empower Autistic people to thrive.