2025 Alumni Networking Event - Meet our Mentors

Alumni Networking Event 2025

Dear Pymble Alumni

You are warmly invited to attend our 2025 Alumni Networking Event at the Qantas Head Office in Mascot from 6.00pm to 9.00pm on Thursday 22 May.

In our ever-changing world, amidst the rush of daily life, the power of community has never been more valuable. Coming together is where the true magic happens, so please join us for an evening where the focus is all about connections – professional, personal, Pymble and beyond.

Expect thought-provoking presentations, engaging workshops, oneon-one mentoring sessions and insights on developing and optimising your network.

Our keynote speakers Fiona Ellis-Jones (2001), Head of News and Information, Australian Radio Network (ARN) and Li-Enn Koo (1991), Founding Partner and Head of People and Culture, Barrenjoey Capital Partners and Pymble Board Member, will deliver an insightful keynote presentation about the importance of connections.

Thank you to the 82 experienced professionals and industry leaders who are attending as Mentors. All Mentors are available for 12-minute, one-on-one sessions which can be booked after registration via our event app.

We are also offering two professional development workshops hosted by Claire Braund OAM from Women on Boards and Isabel Duffy, Business Development Lead at Northrop and Co-Founder of Tomorrow’s Women in Construction.

The ongoing care and connections our Pymble family extend to each other during school years and throughout life is one of our greatest strengths and assets.

Please note that Pymble is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for our community, at all times. For this reason, we ask you to refer to the Mentor/Mentee guidelines on page 41 to ensure this event and any ongoing mentoring connections are positive and respectful experiences for all involved.

We look forward to seeing you there.

MR CHRIS FYDLER, OAM DR KATE HADWEN CHAIR OF THE BOARD PRINCIPAL

6.00pm to 6.25pm

Arrival and registration

6.30pm to 7.25pm The 2025 Alumni Networking Event will commence with a keynote presentation.

6.30pm to 7.25pm

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

7.30pm to 9.00pm

7.30pm to 8.00pm

Welcome

Dr Rowena Ditzell , Lecturer, University of Technology Sydney; ESU President

Keynote presentation

Fiona Ellis-Jones , Head of News and Information, Australian Radio Network (ARN)

Li-Enn Koo , Founding Partner and Head of People and Culture, Barrenjoey Capital Partners and Pymble Board Member

Thank you

Chris Fydler OAM , Chair of the Board, Pymble Ladies’ College

Customise your experience at the 2025 Alumni Networking Event by pre-booking any of the sessions outlined below.

WORKSHOPS: CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS

Workshop: Building your network in early career

Join this interactive session with Isabel Duffy to learn how to grow and strengthen your network and successfully navigate the unique opportunities which come from face-toface interactions.

8.00pm to 9.00pm

Workshop: Positioning and preparing for board roles

At this workshop, Anne Hatton and Jane Neale from board search advisory company Hattonneale will share everything you need to know when making this important career move.

Networking

Join your fellow Mentees and Mentors for relaxed conversation.

MENTORING: CHOOSE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS

Up to four (4) x one-on-one mentoring sessions

Book up to four 12-minute sessions with your preferred mentors.

Networking

Join your fellow Mentees and Mentors for relaxed conversation.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

Fiona Ellis-Jones

Head of News and Information at Australian Radio Network (ARN) Pymble Alumni (2001)

Fiona Ellis-Jones is an experienced newsreader, journalist and media executive. She currently leads a large team of journalists as the Head of News and Information at ARN, the country’s number one audio network (KIIS, Gold, Mix, CADA, ARN Regional, and iHeartRadio).

Fiona spent 15 years as a national newsreader for ABC TV and Radio, and later ran the ABC’s Radio/Audio News division with overarching responsibility for news on Local Radio, NewsRadio, RN, Triple J and all digital audio platforms. Prior to this, she worked for Nine News Sydney as a producer and reporter. Fiona is passionate about local storytelling and transforming traditional broadcast news to on-demand formats to better serve and remain relevant to audiences.

Fiona regularly appears on other media as an ambassador for the Red Nose Foundation. As a mother of four young children and a daughter, Elizabeth, who was stillborn, she is committed to supporting bereaved parents and advocating to reduce stillbirth in Australia.

Fiona has received both local and international recognition for her work, including the prestigious B&T Women in Media – Journalist award. She was also honoured with the Chief Executive Women Maureen Kerridge Scholarship, granting her the opportunity to study Executive Leadership at Stanford University.

Fiona is a committee member of Women in Media. She splits her time between Sydney and Hobart.

Li-Enn Koo

Head of People and Culture, Barrenjoey Capital Partners

Pymble Ladies’ College Board Member

Pymble Alumni (1991)

Li-Enn Koo is a founding partner and Head of People and Culture at Barrenjoey Capital Partners. She has extensive experience in the areas of people and culture, strategy and finance, having worked at global firms such as Barclays Bank, Morgan Stanley, The Boston Consulting Group and Macquarie Bank. She has an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM), where she was an AGSM and Chief Executive Women’s Scholar, and was awarded an exchange to The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, USA. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney.

Li-Enn is a Pymble ex-student (1991) and was the President of Pymble’s ExStudent Union for three years. She worked in Hong Kong for 11 years and speaks conversational Cantonese. She has a son and daughter (Pymble, 2022), both studying at university.

WORKSHOP: POSITIONING AND PREPARING FOR BOARD ROLES

Are you wondering if a board portfolio might be suitable for you? Do you know what boards are really looking for? This workshop will help you develop the skills necessary to make a contribution at board level and clarify the qualifications and experience that are expected. Our presenters will share how to define your board ‘Value Proposition’ and how to leverage your networks to establish board connections.

Anne Hatton Jane Neale

Managing Director and Co-founder, Hattonneale

Anne Hatton has over 30 years’ experience in Board and Executive Search, Recruitment and the HR industry. Prior to establishing Hattonneale in 2008, Anne was Chief Executive Officer of one of the sector’s largest organisations in Australia, Hudson (formerly Morgan & Banks) and led the business through a period of significant change and growth.

Anne began her career in financial services working with a large domestic bank as well as a global investment banking group, servicing a diverse domestic and international customer group. With significant client acquisition and development experience across a broad range of organisations including ASX listed and private companies, multinational corporations, member based and not for profit organisations. Anne has deep experience working with boards, chief executive officers and c-suite executives.

Since establishing Hattonneale, Anne’s primary focus has been on working with Boards and Senior Executives across the Financial Services, Property and Infrastructure, Healthcare and Aged Care sectors. Anne is passionate about helping businesses identify and build board and governance capability, and in working with experienced and emerging chairs and non-executive directors to meet her clients’ needs.

Managing Director and Co-founder, Hattonneale

Jane Neale is a co-founder of Hattonneale and has over 20 years of experience as a Managing Director and trusted advisor for Chief Executive Officer, C-Suite and Board level appointments across ASX listed and private companies.

Prior to Hattonneale, Jane spent 20 years in the advertising industry at George Patterson, (Australia’s largest agency), including three years as Managing Director, consulting on a vast range of blue chip, multi-national and local clients across Retail, FMCG, Media and major sporting events including the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and the Rugby World Cup.

Jane’s primary focus at Hattonneale has been working with Boards and Senior Executives across Retail, FMCG and the Digital, Technology and Media sectors. She is passionate about helping businesses build Board capability to tackle digital disruption and achieve greater diversity.

Jane is a member of the 30% Club Australia Steering Committee and leads the Executive Search SubCommittee. Jane has served on a number of Boards throughout her career and was previously a Non-Executive Director of Sydney University Football Club and the Shore Foundation. Earlier in her career Jane served on the Boards of the Australian Association of National Advertisers [AANA] and the Advertising Federation of Australia.

WORKSHOP: BUILDING YOUR NETWORK IN EARLY CAREER

A practical guide to highlight the importance of building a network, strengthening your community and learning how to step outside the wonderful world of LinkedIn and successfully navigate the unique opportunities which come from face-to-face interactions.

Building a useful network as you move through the early years of your career be just as important as hitting those critical work deadlines. To discover more, join this interactive session featuring real-life examples, insights into why networking matters and guidance on how to do it effectively.

Isabel Duffy

Business Development Lead, Northrop Co-Founder, Tomorrow’s Women in Construction

Isabel is a business owner and the National Brand and Marketing lead at Northrop, an Australian engineering company of 600 people. Starting her professional career as a structural engineer, Isabel found a passion for business development, building and leveraging a network to help her own career, as well as creating a community for other women in the construction industry.

Through this community, Isabel also co-founded Tomorrow’s Women in Construction, a not-for-profit online platform that aims to inspire girls to choose careers in construction by sharing stories from women who love what they do.

Tomorrow’s Women in Construction’s (TWIC) mission is simple: inspire school girls to understand their career options in construction through stories of real women who love working in our industry.

TWIC was founded by a group of women in Sydney, Australia, working in architecture, engineering, building and project management. Together, these women have created the platform they wish they’d had in high school – helping girls make informed choices about their careers by sharing over 100 real stories.

TWIC believes that the construction industry has had a makeover, and we want to help do the big reveal. The stories come from a huge range of relatable women from diverse backgroundsfrom crane operators through to CFOs - who are passionate about what they do, and are making an impact.

TWIC is made by the industry, for the industry, leveraging technology to shift the dial on the number of girls choosing careers in construction.

Meet our Mentors

From health to hospitality, commerce to the creative arts, our 2025 Mentors bring a wealth of knowledge and insight from a variety of industries.

Mentors by Industry

Mentors by Industry

Kirsten

Mentors by Industry

Hannah Grimble

Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Universal Music Australia

PHARMACEUTICALS

Richard Hutchinson

Associate Director, Biostatistics, Parexel International

PROPERTY, ARCHITECTURE OR CONSTRUCTION

Margot Brassil

(Acting) Executive Director, Strategy, Infrastructure NSW Summer Harrison

Senior Project Officer, NSW Government - Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure RENEWABLE

Lina Caccamo

General Manager Strategy and Innovation, Rugby League Players Association

Carmen Bolton

Director, Dive Spear and Sport

Ava Agnew Kate Andrews Juliette Anich

Operations Manager, Optipark

Australia Pty Ltd

HUMAN RESOURCES

Ava Agnew is the operations manager at her family owned electrical and mechanical engineering company based in Sydney.

Ava’s diverse career begun in a leading chartered accounting firm where she worked as a chartered accountant in both the audit and insolvency divisions. It was here Ava discovered her passion for liaising with people and problem solving, which lead her into the world of recruitment for the next 15 years.

Ava was a highly successful recruiter, working in both Sydney and London, who assisted candidates in finding a great position that suited them in the accounting and finance sector.

Ava has three children and currently loves working for the family’s engineering business where she has flexible working conditions and be part of all aspects of an entrepreneurial workplace.

Ava is key to the operations of the finance, human resources and business development side of their electrical and mechanical engineering business based in Roseville.

Senior Legal Counsel, Qantas LAW

Kate started as Senior Legal Counsel at Qantas in November 2023.

Previous to this role, she was Senior Legal Counsel at Citibank and then eBay Australia – September 2013 to 2023; Senior Associate then Special Counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright –2002 to 2013; Lawyer at Hunt & Hunt Lawyers 2000 to 2002.

Kate has travelled and worked in London at Ministry of Defence and London Fire Brigade from 1998 to 2000 and was Paralegal and Lawyer at Hunt & Hunt from 1996 to 1998.

Education Manager, Manufacturing Centres of Excellence, TAFE NSW EDUCATION

Juliette is an industrial designer with over 15 years of experience in tertiary education, specialising in designing and delivering transformational learning experiences. She was an academic at RMIT University in Melbourne – ranked in the top ten design schools in the world –where she led the industrial design undergraduate program. Under her leadership, the program was awarded Best Design Graduate in Australia (2020), with graduates receiving recognition from all major international awards. This made RMIT’s industrial design program the most awarded in the Southern Hemisphere.

Her research focuses on sustainability, with a particular emphasis on the circular economy and product-service systems. She has led major research projects for Sustainability Victoria, the NSW Environmental Protection Authority, and the United Nations Environment Programme. Most recently, she authored a landmark study evaluating all materials entering or being produced in the Australian economy for their environmental impact and designing mechanisms to facilitate the transition to a circular economy, funded by the Australian Government.

Juliette is now working at TAFE NSW within the Manufacturing Centres of Excellence, designing curricula to upskill NSW and Australia’s workforce for the transition to a net zero economy.

linkedin.com/in/juliette-anich-5696b227

Ira Asthana Sophia Bai Edwina Beveridge

Director,

Ignite Wave

MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Ira has been in product development and management for over a decade and in product leadership roles for a major part of that. She has a proven track record of driving product strategies that align with business objectives and user needs.

She is a hands-on product leader having led cross-functional teams in development, scaling and management of customer-centric, commercially viable products, starting with proof of concept and gradually scaling them based on customer/ user feedback. Her experience has been marked by a keen focus on product vision, client value proposition, strategy, and a successful commercialisation (go-to-market, GTM) implementation.

One of her key strengths lies in leveraging design thinking principles to create user-centric products - whilst understanding the buying centre and addressing their problems during the process.

Her communication skills, both technical and non-technical, coupled with her ability to motivate and inspire teams, have been instrumental in achieving success in previous leadership positions.

linkedin.com/in/ira-asthana

Senior Associate, A&O Shearman LAW

Sophia is a senior associate in the corporate team at A&O Shearman. Sophia has broad experience in international and cross-border M&A. She has previously worked at Fangda Partners, Hong Kong and MinterEllison, Sydney.

linkedin.com/in/sophia-bai-240a7128

Owner,

Blantyre

Farms AGRICULTURE

Edwina and her husband run Blantyre Farms, a 2,200-sow pig farm and a mixed farm with sheep, cattle and crops near Young, employing 45 staff.

In operation for 12 years, a methane digestion system captures methane gas from pig manure and converts it into electricity. Blantyre also utilises food waste products for pig feed and saves 13,500 of tonnes of landfill each year. The NSW EPA has awarded Blantyre a Green Globe Award for Resource Efficiency.

Edwina is also the Chair of the NSW Farmers’ Pork Committee and is a past director of Australian Pork Limited.

Pallavi Bhagavatula Janet Boey Carmen Bolton

Managing Director, Accenture MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Pallavi is a managing director at Accenture, a global consulting firm, where she serves as a trusted adviser to clients both locally and globally. She specialises in cloud transformation, data and analytics, generative AI, automation and large-scale, complex technology implementations across the financial and telecommunications industries. With expertise in digital strategy, operational excellence,and innovation-led growth, she helps organisations navigate technology disruptions and drive business value. Her passion for building high-performing teams has been instrumental in delivering impactful outcomes throughout her 20-year career

Founder - MD, Impetus Media MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Janet’s dynamic expertise in strategic planning and execution distinguishes her as an exceptional media communications partner. With over 35 years of experience across B2B and B2C sectors, including medical, pharmaceutical, home improvement and lifestyle, animal health and finance, she delivers invaluable insights. Leveraging her keen analytical skills and passion for business science, she develops meticulous campaigns, excelling in strategy and execution.

Her unwavering commitment to understanding client intricacies and fostering strategic partnerships ensures unparalleled outcomes for her clients.

Director, Dive Spear and Sport TOURISM

Carmen Bolton is the owner of Dive Spear and Sport 1770, a high-standard tourism operator and ecotourismcertified dive operation based on the Southern Great Barrier Reef. With ten years in the dive industry, Carmen has worked extensively in both Sydney and on the Great Barrier Reef, working in partnership with the Reef Authority as part of the Tourism Reef Protection Initiative.

Carmen is an appointed master reef guide and with her team by her side, is actively monitoring and reporting on reef health weekly in locations such as Heron Island Reef, Llewellyn Reef and Lady Musgrave Reef.

Margot Brassil

(Acting) Executive Director, Strategy, Infrastructure NSW

PROPERTY, ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION

Margot is an experienced strategic leader with global experience in project delivery and stakeholder engagement across complex projects and strategic innovation programs for the government and the private sector.

At Infrastructure NSW, Margot leads engagement with the construction sector for the $119 billion NSW infrastructure pipeline, working closely with government infrastructure delivery agencies and industry stakeholders. Margot also leads the $20 million NSW Government Women in Construction Program, represents the NSW Government on the Construction Industry Culture Taskforce and is secretariat for the Construction Industry Leadership Forum.

Prior to joining the NSW Government, she spent over seven years in New York working in legal and corporate strategy roles, advising major global corporations including Procter & Gamble, General Mills and Anheuser Busch. She also spent one year in San Francisco working with global venture capital and private equity firms.

Margot graduated from the University of Sydney with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Political Science (International Relations).

linkedin.com/in/margot-brassil

Clare Brodie Vanessa Brunker

Artist

ARTS

Clare Brodie’s paintings have a calming beauty with quiet strength.

Clare fuses her emotional internal landscape with nature, deciphering complexities into deceptively simple compositions with a uniform finish that belies all effort and process.

Working in conceptual series, Brodie explores and discovers a unique visual language for each series. Her work is continually evolving and reflecting her current state of being.

Sydney based, Clare has been represented by galleries in Australia, New Zealand and the United States. Her collectors extend to Asia and England. She has been a multiple finalist in the Mosman, Raw and Waverley art prizes.

Gallery Representation: Australia - Gallery Smith

Recent solo exhibitions include: 2023 – Moon In Waiting, Studio Gallery Group, Brisbane 2022 – Illuminating Moments, Studio Gallery Group, Sydney 2022 – Elusive Forms, Scott Lawrie, Auckland 2021 – Pause - Breathe, Studio Gallery Group, Melbourne

instagram.com/clare.brodie

Mortgage Broker, Mortgage Belt FINANCE

Owner of Mortgage Belt, Vanessa is an expert mortgage broker working hand-in-hand with clients to ensure they procure the best finance solutions when buying their first home, upgrading their family home, downsizing or building an investment portfolio. Negotiating directly with the banks ensures her clients can focus on what they do best. With an advanced diploma in finance and mortgage broking, as well as a degree in psychology, Vanessa has experience working in finance and human resources for over 25 years whilst raising three children.

linkedin.com/in/vanessabrunker-89682326

Lina Caccamo Cheryl Chan

General Manager Strategy and Innovation, Rugby League Players Association

SPORT AND RECREATION

Lina Caccamo is General Manager of Strategy and Innovation at the Rugby League Players Association (RLPA), where she plays a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the organisation as it propels toward a new future. A highly respected leader in the industry, Lina was instrumental in driving the first-ever collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for female rugby league players in Australia, a landmark achievement that set a new standard for the women’s game. Previously serving as the RLPA’s General Manager of Elite Women and International Relations, Lina has been a fierce advocate for player rights, ensuring improved conditions and greater respect for female athletes. Her expertise in industrial relations, strategic development, and innovation continues to influence the broader rugby league landscape, solidifying her as a key figure in the ongoing evolution of the sport.

linkedin.com/in/lina-caccamo-a8bba1114

Legal Counsel, Stockland LAW

Cheryl has broad in-house experience gained from government and private practice. She specialises in corporate and real estate matters, including transactional practice, due diligence, commercial negotiations, project finance, construction, procurement, asset management, IT and corporate governance.

linkedin.com/in/cherylwychan

Sarah Cheney (Caldwell)

General Manager, Care for Family HEALTH

Sarah is an experienced business leader with a strong background in strategic operations, particularly within the disability and aged care sectors. With an executive MBA from UNSW and extensive leadership roles, including Chief Operating Officer at Lorraine Poulos and Associates and General Manager at Care for Family, Sarah has a proven track record of driving growth and operational efficiency.

Sarah specialises in leading teams through complex challenges, including navigating change during the COVID-19 pandemic and implementing innovative solutions to improve service delivery. Her focus is on creating sustainable outcomes while fostering team engagement and enhancing client satisfaction.

linkedin.com/in/sarah-cheney-ab078390

Benson Cheung

Co-founder, Capture Limited CONSUMER SERVICES

Benson is a hands-on leader of teams who has worked in consumer goods, manufacturing, marketing and startup industries, in addition to giving back to the community through NGO volunteering.

He is experienced in strategy, operations, commuting internationally for work, and mentoring/coaching colleagues, alumni of other schools, organisations and companies.

Benson is a father to two girls currently at Pymble

linkedin.com/in/bensoncheung

Amanda Choularton Erin Christie

Director, Organic Food Markets EVENT MANAGEMENT

Amanda is a seasoned professional dedicated to promoting growth and sustainability in the tourism, culture, and night-time economy industries. She has a background in working in major events at SXSW Sydney and within the New South Wales Government, as Senior Policy Advisor to Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres MP.

During her tenure, Amanda played a pivotal role in guiding industries affected by the global pandemic, collaborating with stakeholders to strike the right balance in COVID-19 restrictions. Additionally, Amanda led the creation of the ‘Great Southern Nights’ music event, aimed at revitalising local economies and providing opportunities for musicians during the pandemic. Her efforts also focused on deregulation initiatives, such as streamlining alfresco dining, live entertainment licensing, and the removal of Sydney’s contentious lockout laws. Notably, she oversaw the development of Australia’s first 24 Hour Economy Strategy and the establishment of the Office of the 24 Hour Economy Commissioner.

Currently, Amanda oversees business development at Organic Food Markets, dedicated to creating weekly farmers markets, night markets and special events that bring together people to shop, socialise and create a sense of community. Amanda is also the founder of Angel Place Consulting, providing an array of government and stakeholder relations services.

Assistant Product Manager, Centurion, American Express FINANCE

Erin has over 12 years of professional experience. After university she began working in the events industry (wedding, corporate and travel). When the events industry was shut down due to the pandemic, she found herself using her skill set to transition into another area.

Erin is now working as a product manager at American Express on their bespoke, by-invitation-only black card.

linkedin.com/in/erin-christie-60669450

Melissa Cullen

Managing Director, Hotwire

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Mel has over 25 years of experience in public relations and communications, leading teams to deliver outstanding campaigns for some of the world’s best-known brands and organisations.

For 15 years, she led the awardwinning agency Res Publica, which she co-founded in 2003. Since then, she has worked with some of Australia’s top agencies.

Today, as Managing Director of Hotwire Australia, Mel and her team focus on telling tech stories through creative, integrated campaigns.

A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, she is also the former Chair of the PR Council.

inkedin.com/in/melissa-cullen-gaicd29abb3b

Dr Angela Cummine Dr Kylie de Boer

Principal, Deloitte MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Dr Angela Cummine is a principal in the climate and sustainability practice at global consulting firm Deloitte, book author and board member. Angela has a distinguished background in public wealth management with over 15 years experience advising financial institutions on governance.

She helped lead the establishment of the $14 billion NSW Generations Fund, and co-designed the role of Director of Sustainable Finance at NSW Treasury, focusing on managing climate-related risks on the State’s Balance Sheet. As Senior Policy Fellow at the James Martin Institute for Public Policy, she advocated for government ESG impact disclosures. Academically distinguished, her research is globally recognised and published in academic journals.

Her book on SWFs, Citizens Wealth, (2016) was reviewed by the Financial Times, and The Times Higher Education Supplement described her as a ‘rising academic star’. Angela holds a PhD in political theory from Oxford where she studied on a Rhodes Scholarship. She has served as a selector for the Rhodes Scholarship in Zimbabwe and Australia.

linkedin.com/in/angela-cummine0a559213

Chair, Board of Directors, Westmead Fertiltiy Centre HEALTH

Dr Kylie de Boer is an experienced CEO and non-executive director with a robust scientific background, specialising in the implementation and commercialisation of disruptive technology and innovation, particularly within the medical and digital service sectors. She currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at Westmead Fertility Centre, owned by the University of Sydney. Holding a PhD in Medicine from the University of Sydney, Dr de Boer has a commitment to evidence-based outcomes and operational excellence, and a deep understanding of clinical governance, emphasising patient safety and quality assurance. Having completed advanced studies in management, corporate governance, and risk at Harvard Business School, Dr de Boer has applied her extensive expertise across a range of diverse commercial models and brings this commercial lens and hands-on experience in operationalising cyber security and data protection, having developed cloud-based AI solutions for regulated environments required to adhere to stringent regulatory standards.

Beyond her professional achievements, Dr de Boer is a dedicated mentor and advocate for women in STEM, offering coaching and guidance to individuals across various industries. Her educational credentials include a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Agriculture.

linkedin.com/in/kylieadeboer

Sasha Degen

Owner, General Manager, Vice President, Hunter Valley Stays Australia, Degen Wines, Vice President Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Sasha is a seasoned advertising, marketing and media professional with over 20 years of experience with enviable luxury, lifestyle and digital brands specialising the joyous worlds of fashion, interiors, food and travel.

Educated in fashion and interior design, communications and international marketing with diplomas in government policy and classical opera she parlayed from big brands to the colourful world of Sydney Festival as a director and continues to be a creator, explorer and agent of experiences.

Wine country’s call was answered 24 years ago when her family established their petite vineyard, cellar door and accommodation in Pokolbin. This connection to country continues today through her company, viticulture adventures and as VicePresident of Hunter Valley Wine & Tourism and Committee Member of Broke Fordwich Wine & Tourism.

Away from travel and wine, Sasha is obsessed with her miniature horses Truffles & Caviar, renovating and finding architectural gems at auctions. linkedin.com/in/sasha-degen-a005a91a

Emma Dowsett

Head of Policy and Government Relations, Australia and New Zealand, DoorDash GOVERNMENT

Emma is Head of Policy and Government Relations for Australia and New Zealand at DoorDash, a leading on-demand delivery platform.

Previously, she worked as a senior adviser to Senator the Honourable Jane Hume, Australia’s former Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy, and Minister for Women’s Economic Security. She has also worked as a senior adviser within the NSW Government, and interned in the United States House of Representatives. She started her career as a commercial lawyer, and recently completed her MBA with distinction.

linkedin.com/in/emma-dowsetta1a586139

Camilla Drover

Deputy Secretary, Infrastructure, Projects and Engineering, Transport for NSW GOVERNMENT

As Deputy Secretary, Infrastructure Projects and Engineering (IPE) at Transport for NSW, Camilla leads the division responsible for delivering public transport, road, rail fleet, active transport, property development and urban development projects across NSW.

IPE works with industry partners to deliver a dynamic project pipeline while supporting the priorities of the NSW Government including housing, local manufacturing and procurement objectives.

A civil engineer, Camilla has over 25 years of experience in the development, delivery, structuring and financing of roads, public transport and other large infrastructure and property development projects.

Prior to joining the NSW Government, Camilla led the development of some of the largest Public Private Partnerships in Australia and New Zealand.

Sue Everingham Eric Feng

Non-Executive Director, Equity Trustees Superannuation Limited FINANCE

Sue has enjoyed a career as an executive and non executive of the financial services industry in Australia and the US for more than 30 years. She has worked in house, in law firms and with the Australian Taxation Office in Sydney and Canberra.

linkedin.com/in/sueeveringham

Head of Finance, Metcash FMCG

With a strong finance background in chartered accountancy, sustainability, IT and FMCG, Eric has built a career leading financial strategy, business growth and operational excellence.

Beyond finance, he is passionate about mentoring and coaching young professionals, helping them navigate career challenges, build confidence, and achieve their professional goals. Having coached many undergrads from Macquarie University CoOp programs and early-career professionals, Eric understands the realities of navigating the corporate world and provides practical, honest advice to help young professionals build confidence and take the next step in their careers.

Whether you are looking to refine your skills, explore new opportunities, or gain clarity on career path, Eric is here to help.

linkedin.com/in/eric-sq-feng-ca54b375115

Graham Ford

CFO, FUJIFILM FINANCE

Graham is a chief financial officer and qualified accountant. He qualified with Ernst & Young in London, and then worked for Vodafone for a number of years. Since joining FUJIFILM he has worked in Singapore, New Zealand and now Sydney.

linkedin.com/in/grahamford

Alex Goddard

External Relations, NSW State Office Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade

GOVERNMENT

Alex is a career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and formerly AusAID. She currently works at the DFAT NSW State Office which engages with foreign missions, the business sector, NSW Government and universities across Sydney and NSW on Australia’s foreign, trade and development policy. Her previous role at DFAT was with the Australian Volunteers Program, including leading on the government campaign to discourage orphanage voluntourism.

From 2001 to 2009, she co-ordinated international health projects with the Albion Street Centre, a multidisciplinary care and treatment service for people living with HIV/AIDS. Alex first joined the public service with the AusAID graduate program, working on gender and development policies and programs, multilateral banks and development assistance to the Pacific Islands region.

Alex holds a Master of International Studies and Bachelor of Arts from the University of Sydney and a Graduate Certificate of Public Relations from the University of Technology Sydney.

linkedin.com/in/alexandra-goddard7ab42b10a

Maria Guo Hannah Grimble

Senior Human Resources Business Partner, Universal Music Australia

MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT

From a candy factory, to developing sustainable infrastructure and now, music, Hannah has spent the past ten years developing her HR toolkit across a number of industries. Hannah is passionate about cultivating high performing cultures and partnering with leaders to align culture to strategy. Over her ten years working as a HR professional, Hannah has worked closely with early career talent and been involved in graduate recruitment and programs.

linkedin.com/in/hannah-grimble

Director - Unlisted Infrastructure and Timberland, Future Fund

FINANCE

Maria is a director in Future Fund’s infrastructure and timberland team. Future Fund is Australia’s sovereign wealth fund whose purpose is to invest for the benefit of future generations of Australians. Maria joined Future Fund in 2023 and was previously a senior portfolio manager in the infrastructure team at Australian Retirement Trust. Maria is also a non-executive director at Amplitel and the alternate director at Perth Airport.

Maria has over 20 years of experience in public and private markets. Prior to ART, Maria was an investment director at AP Capital, and previously held various roles at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Asia Pacific Arbitrage Partnership, and AMP Capital. Maria has a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours in Finance) from the University of New South Wales, and a Master of Applied Finance & Investment from FINSIA. Maria is also a CFA Charterholder, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

linkedin.com/in/mariaguo

Michelle Hardie Summer Harrison

Head of Professional Services, Australia and New Zealand, Amazon Web Service

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Michelle has been with Amazon Web Services for eight years. In her current role as Head of Professional Services for Australia and New Zealand (ANZ), Michelle leads the ANZ team of experts who help customers achieve their desired business outcomes when using the AWS Cloud, providing specialist consulting expertise, prescriptive guidance and offerings to help customers achieve business outcomes.

Michelle has worked extensively in Australia and New Zealand, as well as holding Asia-Pacific and global roles. Prior to AWS, she enjoyed a 23-year career in management consulting at Accenture, working with large enterprises on SAP transformation programs, project and program management; quality and risk roles; and sales effectiveness and enablement.

Michelle is passionate about inclusion and diversity, leading the Women at Amazon ANZ affinity group and numerous community initiatives.

linkedin.com/in/michelle-hardie8643258a

Senior Project Officer, NSW Government - Department of Planning Housing and Infrastructure

PROPERTY, ARCHITECTURE OR CONSTRUCTION

As an urban planner, Summer has worked across both private consultancy and government, contributing to the delivery of development and infrastructure that shapes the cities we see today. Her experience spans strategic and statutory planning, from leading largescale projects to influencing policies that guide urban growth.

Summer is passionate about how cities evolve and the intersection of planning, design, and infrastructure in creating sustainable, liveable places. Understanding the complexities of urban development and the role of planners in shaping the built environment has been a key part of her career.

linkedin.com/in/summer-harrisona7979b133

Doug Henderson

Executive General Manager, AMLR Telstra

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Douglas is an internationally experienced senior sales leader with a passion for people, customers and distribution channels. He has over 25 years experience in IT & T including mergers, restructures, B2C, B2B & corporate sales, distribution channel development and account management.

He is known for a calm, pragmatic and values-based leadership style, which creates an achievementfocused culture and inspires sales professionals to consistently exceed sales targets. Renowned for his public speaking, Douglas is a compelling communicator and strategic thinker providing clear direction, motivation and coaching to enable all who work with him to succeed.

linkedin.com/in/douglashenderson1

Annabelle Honner

Senior Associate Commodity Sales, Commonwealth Bank of Australia FINANCE

Annabelle began her career in 2016 after she graduated university working in grain logistics at a small agricultural trader in Sydney call Agfarm. She built on her skills in the three years she was with that business and moved on to Brahman Commodities in 2019 to manage their national grain logistics book, and also began trading grain while at Brahman.

She relocated from Sydney to Tamworth in country NSW in 2022 and took a grain merchandiser role with a grain trader called Agracom. She moved back to Sydney in the middle of 2023 to be closer to her partner and took a role in commodity operations at Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

Annabelle used this role as a foot in the door at the bank to move into the front office agricultural commodities sales role, which she achieved in August 2024.

Jennifer Hopcroft

General Purpose Hand, Transdev Sydney Ferries

GOVERNMENT

Jennifer’s career in the maritime and aviation industries reflects not only her dedication and passion for delivering exceptional service but also embodies the traits of a happy,hard-working, enthusiastic and energetic individual. She enjoyed a 20-year career with Qantas International and upheld the values of being reliable, respectful and responsible, ensuring the safety comfort and satisfaction of crew and passengers alike as an Onboard Manager.

Her transition into yacht and marina operation serving as a crewmember, concierge stewardess, marina operations assistant and tender driver highlights her dedication and enthusiasm for guest services vessel management and safety. These roles have contributed to her understanding of the world, and recently her maritime passion met her leadership expertise when she joined Transdev Sydney Ferries as a General Purpose Hand.

Tiffany Hutcheson

Director of Master of Finance University of Technology, Sydney EDUCATION

Tiffany is a lecturer in the finance department of UTS Business School, with research and teaching interests in financial markets, portfolio investments, banking and superannuation. Her publications include studies on the trading behaviour of foreign exchange dealers and real estate investing by superannuation schemes (pension funds). Tiffany has lectured subjects in the areas of Australian financial markets, international finance, microeconomics, macroeconomics and investment analysis. Her teaching excellence has been recognised through a university-wide individual teaching award at UTS.

linkedin.com/in/tiffany-hutcheson-phdcfa-158a6b7

Richard Hutchinson Dr Kishani Kannangara Ankita Kapoor

Associate Director, Biostatistics, Parexel International PHARMACEUTICALS

Richard is Associate Director of Biostatistics at Parexel Australia, with responsibility for leading the Australia and India biostatistics teams. Parexel is a large contract research organisation providing R&D services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors, whose core business is running clinical trials to test the safety and efficacy of new drugs under development. Biostatistics is integral to clinical trials as it’s statistics which answers the questions of “is the drug efficacious?” and “is the drug safe?”. He started in the industry as a graduate statistician after completing my MSc and progressed in technical and managerial roles over the years to the point of being a regional manager. He holds an MSc in medical statistics and an MBA which he completed part-time during his career. He has lived and worked in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

linkedin.com/in/richard-hutchinson576bb59

Endocrinologist, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead HEALTH

Dr Kishani Kannangara, MBBS, BSc (Hons), FRACP, is a reproductive endocrinologist and andrologist. After completing high school, she completed a biochemistry degree at the University of Otago New Zealand and then pursued clinical research in diabetes at Concord Hospital. She then applied for post graduate medicine and graduated with an MBBS from the University of Sydney in 2004.

Further training involved advanced training and an andrology fellowship at the Prince Henry Institute (now Hudson Institute) and Monash Medical Centre. Admitted as a consultant endocrinologist in 2011, she continues to work in private practice in two locations in Sydney, hospitalbased clinics and research, with a commitment to rural medicine. She also teaches medical students and supervises training fellows.

Senior Reward Consultant, Transgrid HUMAN RESOURCES

Ankita Kapoor is an accomplished reward consultant, legal adviser and business strategist with extensive experience advising ASX100 companies, private enterprises, and government agencies. As a Pymble Ladies’ College alumna, Ankita brings a unique blend of legal expertise and business acumen, specialising in executive remuneration strategies, employee benefits programs, and navigating complex regulatory landscapes. Currently, she is a Senior Reward Consultant at Transgrid. Ankita is passionate about continuous learning and fostering positive change within organisations, and also the exciting new landscape of renewable energy and power. She is excited to share her experiences and insights with both current and ex-students of the College.

www.linkedin.com/in/ankita-kapoor9a8484203

Maggie Kerr

Public Relations Manager - Patient Advocacy & Corporate Affairs

Montu

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Michaela Laurie

Director/Artist, Michaela Laurie

ARTS

Maggie works in Australia’s emerging medicinal cannabis industry, a highly regulated sector at the intersection of healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and public policy. As part of one of the country’s largest pharmaceutical groups, she helps shape national conversations on patient access, telehealth and medical innovation, advocating for Australians who rely on cannabis-based treatments for chronic pain, PTSD, epilepsy and other serious conditions.

Her role involves government relations, corporate affairs and strategic communications, ensuring that policymakers, healthcare professionals and the public understand the role of evidencebased, clinically prescribed cannabis medicines in modern healthcare. This industry is constantly evolving, and her work requires strong leadership, strategic thinking,and a commitment to public education, advocacy and ethical business practices.

linkedin.com/in/maggiekerr

Michaela has been a self-employed artist for the past 35 years. Studying fine arts at University of Sydney, she went on to work at Macquarie Bank before taking the position of gallery manager at Bridge Street Gallery in Sydney.

Michaela exhibits her work throughout Australia and internationally and has won numerous awards, particularly for miniature art. She currently works from her studio outside Canberra where she creates her whimsical images of antique porcelain and Australian birds in mixed media. She has a range of greeting cards and yearly calendars which are published and distributed throughout Australia and New Zealand with publisher Blue Island Press.

Julia Leinmore

Senior Engineering Manager, Canva INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Julia has worked in the technology industry for over ten years, in a variety of different companies across Sydney, London and Paris. She is currently an Engineering Lead at Canva, where she heads up a team of senior engineers at the core of the Canva Editor.

Julia is passionate about empowering women in technology, and has organised mentorship programs and many community events through the Canva Women Engineers group, as well as mentoring numerous software engineers at various stages of their careers.

Wendy Li

AI & Data Science - Senior Manager, Commonwealth Bank of Australia FINANCE

Wendy is an AI tech lead at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, driving innovation in predictive modelling and AI-powered banking solutions. With a strong foundation in statistics and actuarial science, she leads a team of data scientists to enhance home loan profitability while ensuring alignment with the bank’s credit risk strategy. Passionate about leveraging machine learning and advanced analytics, Wendy works at the intersection of AI and finance to create smarter, data-driven decisionmaking frameworks that shape the future of banking.

Jasmine Logaraj Joanna MacKenzie

Head of Cyber Security Consulting, Capgemini

MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Jasmine heads up the cyber security projects and consulting practice for Australia and New Zealand at a leading global technology consulting firm. With a focus on cyber security governance, risk and compliance (GRC), and strategy advisory, she is a strong advocate for aligning cyber security requirements with business needs. She has led globally diverse cyber security teams, and has advised on cyber security best practice for the largest technology integration for government in the world.

Her interest in white-collar crime has led her to obtain degrees in neuroscience, law and cyber security, equipping her with a unique perspective on the challenges organisations face today.

Before her current role, Jasmine excelled as a senior cyber specialist in Big Four consulting firms, boutique practices and within the Australian Government, in addition to practising as a commercial and insurance lawyer for both international and boutique law firms. Passionate about shaping the next generation, she dedicates her spare time to mentoring rising professionals in cyber security and teaching postgraduate courses at universities around the globe.

linkedin.com/in/jasminejl

Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright LAW

Joanna is an employment and labour lawyer working in private practice. She has over 13 years of experience and has worked both in Australia and internationally. Joanna specialises in employment, discrimination and HR advice, with experience in employment litigation, advisory and corporate support work for clients in both the public and private sectors.

Maona Matanda

Special Counsel, K&L Gates LAW

Maona is an infrastructure and major projects specialist:

• in legal advice and structuring of complex infrastructure, energy and resources projects

• expertise in various delivery models, including Public Private Partnerships (PPPs)/ P3/ PFIs

• extensive experience advising public and private sector clients

Maona has considerable knowledge and experience spanning the full project lifecycle and a reputation for navigating the key risks in the various stages of major projects.

She is a lateral thinker who understands the commercial drivers and legal issues from multiple perspectives and brings insights from advising a broad range of projects, sectors and a variety of clients.

Maona consistently provides strategic, commercial and innovative solutions using insights gained working in private practice and in-house with five key clients.

Her practice areas are:

• major infrastructure projects

• construction - Various delivery models including Public Private Partnership (PPPs/P3/PFI)

• commercial developments

• energy, including renewable energy zones (REZ)

linkedin.com/in/maona

Anna McCreery

Company Director, Guild Group Holdings

FINANCE

Anna has over 20 years of executive experience in investment and private banking, both onshore and offshore. After a successful career in investment banking dealing with Australian corporates and then international hedge funds on behalf of Citibank, Anna moved into private banking. While working for UBS, Anna ran the Australian team in Singapore, building that part of the business from a oneperson operation to a successful team of 40 people. From here Anna moved back to Australia into a senior executive role at Credit Suisse, before becoming Head of Private Clients for NAB and her final executive role at Macquarie Bank where she was Head of Strategic Client Coverage.

Throughout her career, Anna was well known in the market, both onshore and offshore, for transforming businesses and their culture, leading to both short term and sustainable growth and profitability. She has a wealth of experience dealing with multinationals, investment banks, IPOs, corporate strategy, family boards, venture capital and private equity investments.

Anna holds the position of Non Executive Director at Guild Group Holdings Limited and Guild Insurance Limited.

Sheridan McMahon

Principal Solicitor, Sheridan McMahon Legal LAW

Sheridan is an accredited family law specialist and nationally accredited mediator, who has been helping clients navigate pathways to resolution of complex financial and parenting matters for over 19 years.

Prior to her legal career, Sheridan worked in the advertising industry as a copywriter and creative director.

Sheridan holds a Masters Degree in Applied Law (Family Law), a Bachelor of Laws, Diploma in Legal Practice, a Bachelor of Arts (Communication Studies), a Certificate III Marketing with Distinction and a Certificate III Public Relations with Distinction.

During COVID, Sheridan studied a Bachelor of Paramedicine for 12 months, then came to her senses when the borders reopened and abandoned study for more travel!

linkedin.com/in/sheridan-mcmahon2305823b

Kate McQuestin

CEO, Advance Global Australians

MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Kate is a public and private sector executive with more than 20 years experience in leadership, government, media, communications, public affairs and stakeholder engagement. She has worked and lived in the United States of America, United Kingdom, Europe, Japan and Australia. Kate’s professional experience includes leadership roles, running her own businesses and serving on other boards in the education, arts, health and not-for-profit sectors in Australia and overseas. She has worked with a range of global companies, industry groups and organisations - collaborating with a wide variety of stakeholders on complex issues across diverse cultures and markets. Her experience includes working for a variety of state and federal government ministers, as well as the Prime Minister of Australia, including serving as Chief of Staff for the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, the Arts, Tourism and Regional Youth in New South Wales. She is the CEO of Advance Global Australians Group overseeing its entities in APAC, AMER and EMEA. Kate also serves as a nonexecutive director of Rare Cancers Australia and a non-executive director of Crohns and Colitis Australia.

linkedin.com/in/kate-mcquestin

Annabelle Milosavljevic

Consultant, Various

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Annabelle is a management professional with over 10 years of experience in asset management, holding strategic and operational roles at some of Australia’s leading property management companies including QIC, Scentre Group, AMP Capital and Dexus. Her experience spans strategic planning and budgeting, marketing, communications, operational excellence, transformation, system implementation, product management and process optimisation, as well as project and change management. Annabelle holds a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications), with a major in government and international relations, from the University of Sydney, and a double master’s degree in diplomacy and international affairs from the Australian National University.

linkedin.com/in/annabelle-milosavljevic

Alissa Moen

Barrister, Sir Owen Dixon Chambers LAW

Alissa was called to the bar in 1996. The majority of her practice is criminal law. She won her first jury trial in 1999 and has advised and appeared as defence counsel in many homicide proceedings, including seven homicide trials without a leader. Three of those seven trials resulted in her clients being acquitted of all charges. She has appeared as defence counsel in district court trial matters involving allegations of a wide range of criminal offences. She has appeared as defence counsel in criminal proceedings in the ACT and Western Australia. In the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal, she has appeared in severity, interlocutory and conviction appeals.

Throughout her career, Alissa has appeared for clients from socially and economically disadvantaged families and communities. Early in her career she gained extensive experience in communicating with clients suffering from mental illness. From 1996 to 2002 she appeared many times as duty lawyer representing patients brought before the Mental Health Review Tribunal or Magistrate pursuant to the Mental Health Act. From 1999 until 2007, she appeared for various parties to proceedings in the care and protection jurisdiction, including as separate representative for the subject children.

Alissa’s practice was based in Newcastle from 1996-2002. In 2002 she returned to Sydney and joined Sir Owen Dixon Chambers.

Joanne Moss

Partner, Gadens LAW

Joanne is a partner of a national law firm working across three practice groups: corporate and commercial litigation, IP/tech advisory and corporate governance.

Previously, she was a chief legal officer and chief corporate affairs officer within a Fortune 500 brand.

Joanne is an experienced board director for public, listed and fast track companies. She serves digitally disruptive companies with operations in multiple jurisdictions including Australia, North America, EU and Asia.

Joanne is a media-trained corporate spokesperson, keynote speaker and round table facilitator on leadership, deal strategy, digital disruption, transformation, social impact and sustainability.

linkedin.com/in/joanne-moss-559475124

Rebecca Nash

Chief People, Sustainability & Community Officer, AMP FINANCE

Rebecca was appointed Chief People Officer at AMP in November 2021 and is responsible for leading human capital strategy, employee experience, talent and succession, leadership, performance, remuneration, recruitment, diversity and inclusion, cultural transformation and employee development. Rebecca is also accountable for corporate communications and sustainability, the AMP Foundation and Customer Dispute Resolution. Rebecca joined AMP in April 2020 as Group Director People.

linkedin.com/in/rebecca-nash-35427939

Stephanie Nelson

Partnership Marketing Lead, Tourism Australia GOVERNMENT

Stephanie is a collaborative leader and strategic thinker with a deep passion for leveraging modern marketing technology to drive innovative solutions. With over 15 years of experience in professional services sales, marketing, branding, and partnerships, she is dedicated to maximising customer success and delivering transformative business outcomes.

As a results-driven commercial executive, she has experience in building and maintaining C-level relationships to develop high-impact programs that drive strategic growth. Her expertise lies in crafting tailored solutions that align with clients’ long-term objectives, ensuring they receive maximum value from their investments.

Stephanie excels at leading crossfunctional teams and fostering meaningful partnerships across the APAC region, where she has successfully navigated complex, highimpact projects in various sectors. Her experience spans in-house and agency roles across Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, equipping her with a diverse perspective and the ability to build strong relationships at every organisational level.

linkedin.com/in/stephanie-js-nelson

Dr Ada Ng

Surgeon, Sydney Adventist Hospital

HEALTH

Dr Ada Ng studied at the University of New South Wales from 20002005. She undertook her internship and residency at Royal North Shore Hospital. She was then appointed as an advanced trainee in general surgery at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney. Dr Ng obtained her FRACS in 2013. She subsequently undertook two years of subspecialty training in colorectal surgery with the CSSANZ program.

She was appointed Clinical Fellow at Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney in 2014, and at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne in 2015.

Dr Ng completed a Master of Surgery at University of Sydney, with her thesis on translational research into cancer proteomics.

Dr Ng is a clinical lecturer affiliated with the Australian National University and has presented at local and international surgical meetings.

Alicia Norman

Research Fellow, Macquarie University EDUCATION

Alicia is a research fellow at the Centre for the Health Economy (MUCHE), focusing on evaluating the cost effectiveness of medicines and medical services.

Prior to joining MUCHE, Alicia worked in pharmaceutical consulting as a health economist and the medical devices industry as a healthcare economics and reimbursement analyst and regulatory operations specialist. Alicia has nine years of experience in presenting and evaluating clinical and economic evidence for medicines, medical services, and medical devices.

In addition to her economic evaluation work, Alicia is conducting applied health economic research on mental health interventions, hospital models of care, and precision medicine.

Alicia is currently completing her PhD, exploring the role of patient preferences and outcome risks when seeking to allocate patients into, and pay for, value-based psychological care.

linkedin.com/in/alicia-norman-19633a142

Dr Emma Partridge (nee Green)

GP, Hills Family General Practice HEALTH

Dr Emma Partridge completed her medical degree at the University of Sydney in 1998. She had completed a BSc (Hons1 - Genetics), also at the University of Sydney, in 1993. She worked at Royal North Shore Hospital from 2000 to 2008, mainly in accident and emergency. She has worked in general practice since 2009 and has been working with Hills Family General Practice since 2011.

She also worked at Pymble Family Doctors in 2012 and 2013, did clinical editing with HealthPathways, Wentwest from 2014 to 2018 and has done GP examining since 2014 (both OSCE/CCE).

linkedin.com/in/emma-green-43421236

Lillian Patterson

Director of Renewables, WSP ENGINEERING

Lillian is Director of Renewables at WSP, one of the world’s leading professional engineering and advisory services firms. She leads WSP’s Australian renewable energy team, which provides engineering services for large-scale solar, onshore wind, offshore wind and battery energy storage systems (BESS) projects across the Australian market.

Lillian is a recognised energy industry leader and trusted industry advisor. She is a fellow of the Climate Council and the energy and climate representative on Swinburne University’s Industry Research Advisory Board. From 2021 to 2024, she was a non-executive director of the Clean Energy Council. She was recognised in The Australian’s List of the Top 100 Green Power Players in 2023, the only non-CEO amongst the 14 individuals in the renewables category and one of only two women in that category.

Lillian previously worked at AusNet, the Clean Energy Council, the International Energy Agency, Origin Energy and in the federal government.

linkedin.com/in/lillian-patterson

Kate Peper

National Business Manager, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners FMCG

Kate has spent the last seven years in the fast-moving consumer goods industry, working at Coca-Cola in sales.

linkedin.com/in/kate-peper-7b09b913b

Nelda Petschack

Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Principal, Core Concepts Physiotherapy HEALTH

Nelda is a titled musculoskeletal physiotherapist and tertiary educator with over 30 years experience.

She is Principal of Core Concepts Physiotherapy and an oncology and Australasian-accredited lymphoedema practitioner.

linkedin.com/in/nelda-petschack8a0b9791/

Kirsten Pilgrim (Wakefield)

State Manager, Bloom Healthcare HEALTH

Kirsten Pilgrim is NSW State Manager at Bloom Healthcare, bringing extensive leadership experience in allied health services. Prior to this role, she served as regional manager at ORS, where she played a key role in service development and team growth. In recognition of her dedication to the field, she was awarded ORS Speech Pathologist of the Year in 2023.

Kirsten has a strong background in speech pathology and operational management, having held leadership roles at Aspect, where she managed teams in South West Sydney and the Hunter/Newcastle regions. She also led the speech team at Mater Dei School as a senior speech pathologist and worked in the same capacity at Southern Highlands Speech Pathology.

Earlier in her career, Kirsten founded Talk-Time Speech Pathology, successfully building a thriving multidisciplinary clinic of both speech pathologists and cccupational therapists.

With a passion for high-quality allied health services, she continues to drive positive change and innovation in healthcare management.

linkedin.com/in/kirsten-pilgrim-41a41592

Tom Quarmby

Senior Investment Manager, Drummond Knight Asset Management

FINANCE

Tom has worked in financial services since 1997, working in Australia, Asia and the United States in various roles with Deutsche Bank, Macquarie Group, Barclays Capital and Fidelity Management and Research.

He specialises in equity markets and currently works at Drummond Knight Asset Management as an investment manager on the long-short Australia equity fund. Tom holds a Bachelor of Commerce from ANU and a Sloan Fellows MBA from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

linkedin.com/in/tomquarmby

Dr Nikki Raftopulos

Doctor, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital HEALTH

Nikki is a doctor at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She has a master’s degree in international public health, has worked in healthcare in New South Wales and the Northern Territory and has presented at multiple international conferences.

Dr Aparna Raniga

Ophthalmologist, Macquarie University Hospital and Clinics

HEALTH

Aparna is an ophthalmologist, cataract and glaucoma surgeon. She has been very fortunate to have rich and varied medical training, starting with medical school in New Zealand and then being selected into the highly coveted field of ophthalmology as a trainee with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists. She was the only female trainee selected in New Zealand in 2010.

Rachel Russell

Councillor, Wingecarribee Shire Council

GOVERNMENT

Councillor Rachel Russell was elected as an independent councillor to Wingecarribee Shire Council in 2024, second past the post. Her campaign ran on the back of a role as spokesperson for the Moss Vale Matters winning community campaign against Plasrefine, what would have been Australia’s largest plastic recycling factory built in Sydney and Goulburn’s water catchment, and co-ordinating an integrated transport conference for Sydney.

Dr Ali Savage

Dermatology Research Fellow, NSW Health

HEALTH

Dr Alexandra Savage is a dermatology research fellow at North Shore Private Hospital and Drummoyne Dermatology, with an honorary contract at Prince of Wales Hospital. She holds a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Sydney and a Bachelor of Arts in Neuroscience from Dartmouth College. Dr Savage has also excelled in leadership roles, combining her expertise in dermatology with a strong commitment to research, education and community engagement.

Amongst other roles, Rachel spent the large part of 20 years of marriage as a full-time carer for her former husband, a Vietnam veteran, and doing advocacy on veteran issues.

Rachel has a BA (Aboriginal Studies) from Macquarie University and is undertaking a Masters in Teaching (Primary) through Curtin University.

linkedin.com/in/alexandrasavage

Dr Miranda Say

Clinical Neuropsychologist, Gordon Eye Surgery HEALTH

Dr Miranda Say is a clinical neuropsychologist with specialist interest in dementia, neuroimmunology and movement disorders. She graduated from Macquarie University and completed her doctoral training in movement disorders at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London. Dr Say has held a public appointment at Concord Hospital, working in general neurology with a special involvement in dementia, including young onset/genetic dementias.

Dr Say is highly skilled in neuropsychological assessment for the purposes of diagnosis, and also in guiding rehabilitation. She has a special interest in the assessment of mental capacity from a legal perspective. She is trained to offer psychological and cognitive therapies including family therapy for those with chronic illness.

Dr Say has published widely in peerreviewed journals, and has coauthored an internationally-renowned cognitive rehabilitation manual. She is a reviewer for scientific reports. Her research has won awards both locally and internationally.

uk.linkedin.com/in/miranda-say6b696023

Tara Taubenschlag

Managing Director, CMAX Advisory MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Tara Taubenschlag has worked in consulting, government relations, PR and journalism for more than 20 years. Prior to her career with CMAX Advisory, Tara worked as a print and television journalist both nationally and internationally, producing and presenting news and current affairs programs for Sky News and Channel Ten. During her time at CMAX Advisory, Tara counselled clients from a range of sectors including national security, defence, agriculture and education in government relations, reputation management, corporate communications, issue management and corporate social responsibility. Tara is a passionate maternal health advocate and works with charities including Every Mother Counts and The Hands of Rescue to raise funds and awareness for maternal health programs in developing countries. Tara holds a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Queensland.

linkedin.com/in/tara-taubenschlag

Sally Taylor

Senior Communications Consultant, Bastion Reputation

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Sally is a communications professional with experience in government relations, strategy and media. She’s held senior positions for the NSW Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Early Childhood Education and Education and the Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW. She’s also worked in the office of the deputy premier on two election campaigns.

Throughout her career, Sally has developed media strategies for complex issues in Aboriginal affairs, early childhood, education, agriculture, forestry, fisheries, minerals and regional NSW spaces.

She has a strong passion for the ever-changing media and political landscape in Australia and has cultivated networks and relationships across business, media, government agencies and politics, at both state and Commonwealth levels.

linkedin.com/in/sally-taylor-0b867784

Julie Toma

Non-Executive Director, Barbara May Foundation

HEALTH

Julie is passionate about improving the health and wellbeing of people and society. As an executive leader, she provides deep insights into business strategy, customer experience, communications, brand, digital transformation and stakeholder engagement.

Her career encompasses roles with global corporations and the NFP sector, supported by biomedical science, MBA and GAICD qualifications.

Julie is currently a board director for the Western NSW Primary Health Network, Combined Dispensaries Friendly Society, Barbara May Foundation and the RACGP’s Australian General Practice Research Foundation committee, whilse holding previous board roles at Jannawi Connections, ADA Dental Health Foundation, LiveBetter and Asthma Australia ACT.

She’s also an Australian Marketing Institute awards judge and a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.

linkedin.com/in/julietoma

Samantha Trenoweth

News and Features Editor

Australian Women’s Weekly, Are Media

MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Victoria Turner

General Manager, Woolworths

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Samantha Trenoweth is News and Features Editor at The Australian Women’s Weekly. For more than 30 years, she has written books and contributed to newspapers, magazines and anthologies on everything from politics, food and feminism to pop culture and the arts. She has written for most of the major newspapers in Australia, including the Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian and The Saturday Paper, and worked at the ABC. At The Weekly, she’s walked dusty backroads and the corridors of power to share stories of the most inspiring women in Australia and to investigate the issues that affect women’s lives. She has navigated a career through the transition of print publishing to omnichannel media and believes that accurate, ethical, independent journalism has never been more important.

Over the last 25 years, Victoria has had the opportunity to contribute to the growth and transformation of some of Australia’s leading organisations in the retail, media and financial services industries. Currently at Woolworths, she leads a practice of loyalty and retail professionals in proposition, partnerships and member marketing. Prior to that, she delivered growth and digital transformation as a consultant and in senior roles at News Corp Australia, Macquarie, Perpetual and AMP.

Over the years, Victoria has developed expertise in many aspects of business with a focus on business strategy, strategic marketing, digital transformation and operations. She has travelled and worked internationally, spoken at global conferences and industry events, and had the opportunity to work alongside some amazing business minds in complex and fast-paced businesses.

Whether in the role as a senior executive, board member, mentor or mother, she is driven knowing that what she does will help an individual or an organisation and its people adapt and thrive in an ever-changing digital world.

linkedin.com/in/victoria1turner

Donya Vahdani

Project Manager in Manufacturing, Cochlear ENGINEERING

Donya graduated from the University of Sydney with a double degree in engineering and commerce. She entered Cochlear as a graduate engineer and has held multiple positions during her time there, working within Australia and abroad.

In her current position, she manages the build and expansion of their factories as Cochlear continues to grow. Alongside her day job, she’s also a passionate yoga teacher which allows her to think in a different way.

linkedin.com/in/donyavahdani

Sue Vercoe

Managing Partner, SEC Newgate MEDIA AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Sue is Managing Partner of SEC Newgate, one of Australia’s leading integrated strategic communications advisory firms. They help organisations manage their reputation, deal with crises and identify the best ways to communicate and engage with governments, regulators, customers, local communities and employees.

She’s passionate about using research to understand how best to influence people’s knowledge, attitudes and behaviour.

linkedin.com/in/suevercoe

Nikhil Viswanathan

Head of Regulatory Compliance Testing and Controls Assurance

Barrenjoey Capital Partners FINANCE

Nikhil has expertise in corporate governance, risk, technology and regulatory compliance SME with 20 years of experience working with global investment banks, asset managers and fintechs across Sydney, New York, London, Singapore and Hong Kong.

au.linkedin.com/in/nikhilviswanathan

Jane Walters

Financial Adviser, Minchin Moore Private Wealth FINANCE

Jane is an experienced financial adviser at Minchin Moore Private Wealth. She has spent over 20 years in various financial services roles, both in Australia and the UK. Having previously run her own financial coaching business, Jane combines her expert financial knowledge with a people-first, values-driven approach to serving her clients and has a passion for helping women, particularly, thrive financially.

She holds a Bachelor of International Finance, a graduate diploma in financial planning and is currently undertaking a Master of Financial Planning.

linkedin.com/in/janekwalters

Zoe Wang

Manager, Health & Recovery, Insurance Australia Group FINANCE

Zoe is a senior manager with 25 years of experience in personal injury insurance (workers compensation and motor accident insurance). She has particular experience and strength in leading operational claims teams, service model design and implementation, change management and technology implementation.

linkedin.com/in/zoelouisewang

Megan Wee

Associate Director, SW Corporate MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Megan has eight years of experience in the remuneration consulting space advising ASX150 boards and senior executives. Her focus is on designing equity incentive plans which support the company’s strategy and assist in attracting and retaining senior management, as well as meeting ASX listing rules and Corporations Act requirements. She has previously worked at KPMG and ASX50 Utilities company, APA Group.

linkedin.com/in/meganwee6

Clara Wilson Toranz Wildie-McDaid

Students’ Futures Advisor, PLC Sydney EDUCATION

Toranz is Students’ Futures Advisor at Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Sydney having completed a qualification in career development through Australian Catholic University in 2021. She has experience working in the corporate sector with KPMG as a chartered accountant, as a senior recruiter with recruitment firms in both London and Sydney, and deepened her knowledge of the private school sector working in student administration with Riverview College.

Toranz is passionate about guiding and advising young people with respect to their future career options, drawing upon the knowledge and skills gained throughout her career journey.

Head of Government Relations and Project Director, Stromlo Energy RENEWABLE ENERGY

Clara is Head of Government Relations and Project Director at Stromlo Energy, where she develops large-scale wind projects. Clara has over 10 years of renewable energy development, legal and advisory experience. Her previous roles include CEO of SolarShare, Assistant Manager at the Climate Change Authority, Business Development Manager at ITP Renewables, and Project Manager at Neoen Australia. She has secured land agreements and planning approvals for a range of wind, solar and battery projects, from community to largescale developments.

Clara holds a Bachelor of Arts/ Laws and a Master of Legal Practice (Hons) from the Australian National University. She is a board member at the Australian Marine Conservation Society and an admitted solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

linkedin.com/in/clara-wilson-293258b2

Tanya Wong Ada Wu

Senior Manager - Social Finance, Social Enterprise Finance Australia (Sefa)

FINANCE

After starting her career in the corporate world, Tanya now works at Social Enterprise Finance Australia (Sefa), a small firm that works with purpose-driven organisations to unlock greater social impact. She helps social enterprises, charities and non-profits across Australia strengthen their financial resilience and get funding to grow. Prior to Sefa, Tanya worked at Macquarie Group in their Sydney and New York offices.

Tanya completed her undergraduate Commerce (Finance)/Law studies at UNSW, then returned over a decade later for a MBA (Social Impact) degree as she transitioned away from the mainstream investment industry. Outside of work she has volunteered with more than ten community organisations since leaving high school, and attributes her passion for giving back to the culture at Pymble

linkedin.com/in/wongtanya

Tax Director, Ernst & Young (EY) MANAGEMENT/CONSULTING

Ada is an experienced corporate tax director with a demonstrated history of working in the accounting and tax industry.

Ada is a capital allowances tax subject matter expert and trusted advisor on all matters relating to the tax treatment of fixed assets. She has a strong focus and expertise in the use of technology, data analytics and other emerging AI and automation digital solutions to assist clients with managing various aspects of their tax compliance processes, including their tax fixed asset registers and identifying issues and suboptimal positions in relation to their asset base.

Ada has over 15 years of experience in both professional services and commerce, advising and assisting ASX-listed and leading Australian corporates, emerging startups, small/ mid caps, multinational companies and government entities on their income tax obligations and providing tax advisory services on all aspects of corporate income tax and international tax.

linkedin.com/in/ada-wu-14364140

Dr Catherine Yang

Principal Dentist, Chats Dental HEALTH

Dr Catherine Yang is a speaker, an author and a dentist, practicing general dentistry in Australia since 1999. Catherine graduated from Pymble Ladies’ College with a Merit Prize, and studied at the University of Sydney with an alumni scholarship then graduated with a bachelor’s degree in dental surgery and a first prize GC Australia Research Award.

Dr Yang is an Align Faculty in Invisalign clinical education, a faculty of the International College Of Dental Practitioners, and a fellow of the International College of Continuing Dental Education. She is regularly called upon as a speaker and has presented at the Australian Dental Congress, FDI World Dental Congress, and global dental conferences. She has also written an Amazon bestseller book, Step on Fear, to inspire people to go beyond what they think is possible for themselves.

linkedin.com/in/catherineyang-203781182

Mentor/Mentee Guidelines

The purpose of Pymble’s Alumni Networking evening is to connect Alumni and professionals from the Pymble community with the aim to support our Alumni in professional contribution, leadership and as active global citizens.

In attending the Pymble Alumni Networking Event, and in any subsequent interactions, Mentors and Mentees are expected to behave in a professional, lawful, ethical, and responsible manner at all times.

Should Mentors and Mentees chose to continue in a professional mentoring arrangement, all participants are expected to adhere to the following code of conduct:

• Treat others with courtesy, be respectful and non-judgmental; and;

• Maintain professional standards of behaviour and safety; and

• Observe confidentiality at all times, including all contact details.

Relevant Australian Legislation

Mentors and Mentees are expected to abide by Australian laws preventing individuals from participating in the discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment or bullying or another individual or group:

• Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Act 1986

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth)

• Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth)

• Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth)

Anyone who experiences any uncertainty or discomfort with a mentoring relationship should contact Courtney Stanley at Pymble Ladies’ College at cstanley@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au or 02 9855 7799 immediately.

QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION TOPICS

What professional experiences did you have that led you to your current position?

How should I discuss a potential promotion with my manager?

What skills have been most beneficial for you?

What is the most meaningful part of your job?

How and where do you find inspiration?

What values are you committed to? How have they changed since you started your career?

What is your strongest character trait? What is your weakest?

Which leadership skills were the most difficult for you to develop?

Where or what do you turn to for continuous learning or skill development?

What habits have you found help you to be more productive?

What career accomplishments – whether it’s working through challenges to earning promotions – are you most proud of?

QUESTIONS AND DISCUSSION TOPICS

Are there certain things I should be doing so that I can learn skills that will help me prepare for my own career?

How do you establish work/life harmony?

Why did you decide to go into this field?

Do you have any networking advice?

Did you experience impostor syndrome? How did you learn to overcome it?

What methods do you use for effective communication?

How would you describe your leadership style?

If you could learn another professional skill unrelated to your current role, what would it be?

What are some hard choices that you made to get where you are in your career?

Did you experience any major setbacks in your business/career path? How did you bounce back?

What are some mistakes you wish you could have avoided?