Policy & Advocacy Advisory Committee

Micaela Drieberg is the Chief Executive Officer of Gender Equity Victoria (GEN VIC), the only independent member association of its kind in Australia that represents organisations and individuals across Victoria who are dedicated to achieving intersectional gender equality. Micaela has over 20 years across purpose sectors including NFPs, public health, local government, peak bodies and tertiary education settings in advocacy, education, engagement and governance roles. She has previously served as Mayor and Ministerial Adviser where she championed gender equity initiatives and health policy reform.

Dr Sarah Duffy is a Senior Lecturer at Western Sydney University who researches gender equity in institutional contexts. Dr Duffy is a qualitative researcher whose work focuses on the intersection between policy, practice and lived experience. Her key ongoing research projects relate to how fathers juggle work and parenting, how parents negotiate return to work after parental leave and the impact of menstruation of work and education. Dr Duffy is an Associate Editor of Gender, Work & Organisation. Sarah publishes in high impact, international scholarly journals, has over 400k reads on The Conversation and regularly engages with the media to advocate for social change.

Dr Briony Lipton is a researcher at UNSW Canberra with a PhD in sociology from the Australian National University. Her work focuses on gendered inequalities in care, work, and leadership, with particular expertise in feminist analysis, intersectional leadership, and the affective experiences of the motherhood penalty. She brings a deep understanding of the structural barriers that limit women’s economic and leadership opportunities, as well as a commitment to policy change that values both paid and unpaid contributions to society. As a member of NWEA’s Policy & Advocacy Advisory Committee, she is dedicated to advancing policies that dismantle systemic inequalities, ensuring that equity is not a privilege for a few but a foundation for all.

Dr. Lubna Alam is an Associate Professor of Information Systems at Deakin University, co-founder of the award-winning volunteer-run, not-for-profit ALO Enlightened Women Inc., and a member of the ACT Advisory Council on Multiculturalism. As an interdisciplinary researcher, she specializes in socio-technical studies with a focus on how digital technologies empower/disempower vulnerable communities including women. Her recent research interest is on facilitating and constraining role of technology for online abuse. She is highly skilled in qualitative methodologies, including focus groups, interviews, co-design, and action design research, to capture user stories, identify needs, and foster value co-creation aimed at enhancing wellbeing. ALO empowers culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) women and broader multicultural communities. For her advocacy and significant contributions to community, she was honoured with the 2023 ACT Government Outstanding Excellence Award and was a finalist for the 2024 ACT Woman of the Year.

Kit is CEO of Women’s Health in the South East – a Women’s Health Service in Southern Metropolitan Melbourne that, through primary prevention, health promotion and gender equity, works to improve the health and wellbeing of women – and Convenor of Women in Adult and Vocational Education (WAVE) the only national organisation dedicated to advancing equality in Australia’s Skills, VET and Adult Education system. Kit has implemented gender equality plans in TAFE, local government, tourism, and skills policy. She has over 20 years’ experience in not for profits and has a background in skills and training policy.  Currently Kit is also, Chair of Tradeswomen Australia and, Co-Chair of ICOS the Independent Collective of Survivor Advocates. She has also been, the Deputy Chair of Volunteering Australia and Deputy and Chair of the Women’s Spirit Project. Kit was also the founding Chair of Victoria’s Peak organisation for Gender Equality – Gender Equity Victoria. With qualifications in Arts (Hons), Master of Adult Education, an MBA and the AICD Company Directors Course, Kit also sits on a range of committees for primary health prevention and community development in the South East region ranging from the prevention of elder abuse, family violence, equality in labour and skills, and women’s health. 

Amanda Nicholson is a proud Erubian (Darnley Islander) from the Torres Strait Islands who was born in Gimuy (Cairns) and grew up here. She is the granddaughter of Ettie Pau (OAM) (dec), a former advocate for Torres Strait Islander people. She is a mother of 4 beautiful children from the Kaurareg nation and a proud grandmother. Amanda is a Chef/Business owner of Feasty Foodz™ Torres Strait Islander Cuisine and operates from her own commercial kitchen and employs local Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people. Additionally, she works as the Community Development Officer at an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO), engaging directly with stakeholders in Cape York. She is halfway and on track to complete a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) with RMIT (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology) by April 2026. She is also working towards completing a Graduate Certificate in Organisational Coaching & Leadership with Charles Sturt University. She teaches economic empowerment, educates on equality & fairness, advocates for victims of domestic & family violence and works towards transformational change in people and business organisations.

Megan Elias (she/her) is the Secretary of the Australian Women’s Health Alliance. She is a women’s and sexual health professional with a background in health promotion, comprehensive relationships and sexuality education, and sexual violence prevention. She has worked across government, peak body, and community NGO roles for the last 10 years, with a growing focus on structural change.  Megan relishes opportunities to collaborate and partner with others who share a strong commitment to gender equity, social and health justice, and positive change.

Bianca Tini Brunozzi is a policy, advocacy and campaigns specialist and a human rights lawyer. Bianca contributes to the national advocacy and external affairs program of YWCA Australia – a leading national provider of gender-responsive housing solutions in Australia. She takes pride in amplifying the voices of women and gender-diverse people with lived experience of housing insecurity, homelessness, and domestic and family violence in her work. Bianca has experience representing survivors of institutional abuse; and advocating for the rights of victim-survivors of domestic, family, and sexual violence; migrant communities; people with disability; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women; and women and gender-diverse people experiencing housing insecurity. In addition to Bianca’s professional experience and qualifications, she is driven by her lived experience and expertise. Bianca’s strength is walking between the worlds of community and policymaking to ensure that the voices of women and gender-diverse people inform decision-making.

Debbie Kilroy OAM was first criminalised at the age of 13 and spent over two decades in and out of women’s and children’s prisons. Driven to end the criminalisation and imprisonment of girls and women, Debbie established Sisters Inside, as well as her law firm, Kilroy & Callaghan Lawyers. An unapologetic abolitionist, Debbie’s activism work centres on dismantling the Prison Industrial Complex and all forms of carceral control and exile. With a firm belief that there should be ‘nothing about us without us’, Debbie established the National Network of Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls to centre the voices, experiences and aspirations of criminalisation and imprisonment women and girls in order to change the face of justice in Australia.

Beverly is currently the President of the National Older Women’s Network and Chair of the NSW Older Women’s Network. The network is charged with promoting the rights, dignity and wellbeing of women as the age. She is also the CEO of the Aboriginal Education Council, the oldest charity established to support Aboriginal people of all ages change their lives through access and success in mainstream education. Beverly believes that every member of society should be able to live with dignity no matter their personal circumstances. That dignity is tied to access to housing, financial security and personal safety. Beverly has been a long-term advocate for living sustainably on a finite planet by caring for the people, animals, the land, waterways and air.

Since 2009, Terese Edwards has emerged as a powerful advocate for single-mother families in Australia. She has played a crucial role in transforming social security policies that have already benefited over 100,000 families in just the first year. Her tireless campaigning against the ParentsNext program led to a significant shift from a punitive approach to one that offers genuine support. Terese is a relentless champion for financial assistance, fighting for the critical resources that empower women to escape the grips of gender-based violence. Her efforts to improve childcare access for single mothers knowing that it will make a tangible difference. Currently, her spotlight is on the staggering $1.8 billion owed in child support through her Fix Child Support campaign, where she underscores the urgent need to view child support not just as a financial obligation but also as a mechanism that can perpetuate economic abuse. By transforming the narrative around single motherhood, Terese has also taken her mission onto the global stage, collaborating with Glasglow University and making bold appeals to the United Nations to assess Australia’s treatment of single-mother families. Beyond these initiatives, Terese is pioneering a national effort to acknowledge and value the vital unpaid care work performed by women, particularly single mothers. Her voice has influenced high-level political inquiries, where she frequently provides testimonials and is a respected source for the media. As a Child Support Consultative Forum member and the Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, Terese has been recognised for her contributions, earning a place in the South Australian Women’s Honour Roll in 2023 and the Hesta Unsung Hero award in 2019. Her accolades include the Iren Bell Award, which was awarded on International Women’s Day in 2018 as a testament to her long-term gender focus. With a master’s degree and a PhD in progress, Terese connects daily with women, especially those facing safety and economic challenges, and this connection fuels her unwavering passion. Elected to various leadership roles by her peers, she continues to push for change, breaking down barriers and ensuring that the voices of single mothers across Australia are front and centre in critical national debates.

Ronnie has a unique blend of commercial acumen, coaching ability, stakeholder engagement and in-depth knowledge of ISO Management Systems and compliance requirements. She has honed her various skills over the years working for FMCG, Management System consulting and Certification industries. She has also worked as an independent consultant during this period and now successfully runs her own training and advisory business. She is a much sought-after training facilitator and currently provides her services to two of the world’s leading management system certification bodies. Her skill set cuts across diverse international standards such as Quality, Environmental management systems, Risk management, Food Safety, Business Excellence Models and social compliance requirements such as Modern Slavery. Ronnie is driven to motivate and inspire staff to challenge current thinking and achieve better assurance outcomes. She believes in the power of empowered individuals to achieve business and societal transformation. She has consulting and training experience across a wide range of business operations from small businesses, Multinational brands, Health care sectors, Government and Defence establishments and multilateral organisations such as the United Nations. Being a multi passionate and multiskilled entrepreneur she is also actively engaged with advocacy around SDG’s and sustainability practices. In her spare time, she volunteers as National Director Policy and Advocacy for BPW Australia – an organisation affiliated to UN. BPW Australia is affiliated to BPW International, which has consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and has expert and experienced representatives accredited to most United Nations agencies. BPW Australia recommends actions in line with UN Global Compact Sustainable Development Goal 5: To Achieve Gender Equality and Empower all Women and Girls. Being a passionate advocate for climate action and Environmental protection, Ronnie also volunteers for Wilderness society and Climate for Change.

Lara is the Executive Officer of Women’s Legal Services Australia, the national peak for specialist Women’s Legal Services dedicated to achieving justice, safety, and equality for women through legal assistance, support, and advocacy. Lara is passionate about increasing gender equality and has led national advocacy to improve laws and policies affecting women, with a particular focus on addressing economic disadvantage and gendered violence. She has previously held a range of policy and advocacy roles across the legal assistance sector, including at Women’s Legal Service Queensland, Women’s Legal Service Victoria, Victoria Legal Aid, the Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria, and the Law Institute of Victoria. Prior to this, she was a Ministerial Adviser in the Victorian Government focused on improving supports for victim-survivors of crime and advised Federal Members of Parliament on law reform and policy. Lara also sits on the Board of Flat Out, an organisation dedicated to supporting women, trans and gender diverse people in Victoria who have been criminalised.

Since 2015, Mary has been working to empower young mothers to achieve their educational and long-term employment goals, advocating for change to systems and policy. Mary has a robust background featuring innovation, inclusivity, partnerships, youth voice and engagement, project management and organizational growth. A committed advocate for women’s equality, she is the current President of the Australian Young Pregnant and Parenting Network (AYPPN). Her impactful work was recognized when she became a finalist in the 2022 Westpac Local Heroes awards. In 2021, she founded a social purpose venture that creates unique events fostering connection among women. Mary served as a member of the National Youth Careers and Transitions Advisory Group (NYCTAG) for three years, advising the Hon Brendan Nelson MP and the Hon Julie Bishop MP, Minister for Education, Science, and Training. With over twenty-five years across state government, NFP, tertiary education and community sectors, Mary has expertise in creating solutions to complex problems, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, and program development. Her tertiary qualifications include business leadership, management, action learning, career development, and adolescent counseling. She is also an IAP2-certified facilitator.

Associate Professor Myra Hamilton is an ARC Mid-Career Industry Fellow in the Discipline of Work and Organisational Studies and a member of the leadership team at the Australian Centre for Gender Equality and Inclusion @ Work at the University of Sydney. She is a sociologist and social policy scholar whose research focus is on gender, work and care over the lifecourse. Myra’s research explores how workplace and public policies and programs can build wellbeing and economic security in work and in care over the life course. She combines traditional academic research with applied policy research for government, industry and non-government organisations, including evaluations of policies and programs. She makes regular contributions to public debate on issues such as care services, balancing work and care, young carers, care in later life, leave policies including parental leave, grandparent care and inequities in retirement incomes. She has close working relationships with the community sector including peak bodies in the areas of parents, carers and seniors, is Reviews Editor of the International Journal of Care and Caring and sits on the NSW Carers Advisory Council and the Board of Council on the Ageing NSW. In her previous two roles she was Principal Research Fellow at the ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research at the University of Sydney, and prior to that Senior Research Fellow at the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales.