Photo of Katie Allen smiling wearing an electric blue short sleeved top. she has short blonde hair.
2017 Alum (Victoria)

Dr Katie Allen

Former Federal Member for Higgins (Liberal Party)

Dr Katie Allen was the Federal Member for Higgins in the Coalition Government from 2019-2022.

Prior to that she was Division Head of Population Head at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Professor at both the University of Melbourne and the University of Manchester, UK and a consultant paediatrician. Katie has been on the Board of Cabrini Health, was Chair of Melbourne Girls Grammar School Council and on the advisory board of several MedTech start-ups.

She is a member of the Victorian Pathways program’s Advisory Committee.

Photo of Susan Benedyka, a white woman with short blonde hair, wearing glasses and a pale yellow blazer, standing in front of a Victorian stone building
2021 Alum (Victoria)

Susan Benedyka

Susan Benedyka is a founding member of Voices of Indi, the grassroots movement that helped launch the political career of Independent MP Cathy McGowan in 2013. Susan ran as an Independent Senate candidate for Victoria in the 2022 Federal election.

Photo of Wesa Chau, a woman of Asian appearance with dark bobbed hair, wearing a white blazer over a red blouse
2016 Alum (Victoria)

Wesa Chau

Wesa Chau is Director of Public Policy at the Multicultural Leadership Initiative. She founded the initiative Poliversity, a national movement that promotes culturally diverse representation, leadership and engagement within the ALP. Wesa ran as the Labor candidate for Prahran in the 2022 Victorian state election.

Photo of Soëlily Consen-Lynch, a black woman wearing glasses and a black blazer, smiling, trees in the background
2023 Alum (Australian Capital Territory)

Soëlily Consen-Lynch

Greens Candidate for Yerrabi

Soëlily Consen-Lynch is the ACT Greens Candidate for Yerrabi in the 2024 ACT general election. She is a passionate volunteer and community advocate, a Dutch trained solicitor, and a public servant. Soëlily was born in Suriname and raised in the Netherlands. She moved to Australia in 2013.

Photo of councillor Moo D'Ath smiling against a background of green foliage. She has curly dark hair and is wearing a lightly patterned shirt.
2021 Alum (New South Wales)

Cr Moo D’Ath

Councillor, Shoalhaven City Council

Cr Moo D’Ath was elected to Shoalhaven City Council in 2021.

Through her professional life, Moo has taught yoga, breathing, meditation, fitness and circus. She has also run mental health workshops, and worked for TAFE NSW in their At Risk Youth Program.  

Photo of Jenna Davey-Burns smiling wearing a bright yellow summer dress, historical building and palm tree in the background
2019 Alum (Victoria)

Cr Jenna Davey-Burns

Mayor, City of Kingston

Cr Jenna Davey-Burns is Mayor of the City of Kingston, where she also served as Deputy Mayor between November 2021-November 2022. Jenna was a mentee in the inaugural Pathways Alum Mentoring program in 2020, where she was mentored by Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Sally Capp.

Photo of a smiling black woman with grey hair, wearing a patterned top and necklace
2021 Alum (New South Wales)

Cr Emelda Davis

Councillor, City of Sydney

(Waskam) Emelda Davis is a Councillor at the City of Sydney, the first Black woman elected to council in 180 years. Emelda is a second generation born Australian South Sea Islander (ASSI), a passionate volunteer community builder and long-term resident of Pyrmont for over two decades. She has worked effectively across corporate and grassroots sectors including advisor to State, Federal and Commonwealth Government agencies on culturally specific indigenous knowledges. Emelda is an advisor to Politics in Colour, various state ASSI leaders and organisations, has worked with Vanuatu Government officials, and is advisor to the International Coalition Sites of Conscience Board of Trustees

Photo of Mary Doyle, curly auburn hair wearing a short sleeved red dress, greenery in the background
2021 Alum (Victoria)

Mary Doyle MP

Federal Member for Aston (Australian Labor Party)

Mary Doyle MP is the Federal Labor MP for Aston. She was elected to Parliament in the historic Aston by-election in April 2023, which marked the first time that the government has won a seat from the Opposition in a by-election in more than a century. Mary is also the first woman to hold the seat of Aston since its creation in 1984.

Smiling photo of Donisha Duff wearing a red blazer, green foliage behind her.
2021 Alum (Queensland)

Donisha Duff OAM

Senior Manager, OCHRe Network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Researchers

Donisha Duff

Donisha Duff OAM is an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman from Thursday Island, Torres Strait.  Her family are Aboriginal (Wuthathi) traditional owners of Eastern Cape York and she also has familial links to Badu, Moa & Mabuiag Islands in the Torres Strait. Donisha is the inaugural CEO of Queensland Indigenous Business Network, an independent representative body created to provide a strong and unified voice for Queensland’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses. She is also Chair of Stars Foundation Ltd.

Donisha ran as the ALP Candidate for Bowman in the 2022 Federal election. In 2024 she received the Order of Australia Medal for service to the community.

Photo of a smiling white woman with long, light brown hair, against a plain grey background
2022 Alum (Queensland)

Cr Amy Eden

Mayor, Cairns Regional Council

Cr Amy Eden was elected as Mayor of Cairns Regional Council in March 2024, and was a Councillor from 2020-2024. Amy’s experience as a social practitioner and program director in some of the region’s most far-reaching and impactful public sector and NGO organisations has seen her foster opportunities for local youth, families, those with mental health issues, and Indigenous people.

Photo of Takesa Frank, a young woman wearing a plain black shirt, outdoors next to a post with indigenous artwork painted on it
2021 Alum (New South Wales)

Takesa Frank

Indigenous Officer, NSW Young Greens

Takesa Frank ran as a candidate for Shoalhaven City Council in the 2021 NSW local government elections.

Photo of Sue-Anne Hunter speaking in parliament, wearing large round earings and a cream blazer
2023 Alum (Victoria)

Sue-Anne Hunter

Deputy Chair and Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission

Sue-Anne Hunter is a proud Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman and the Deputy Chair and Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission.

She is an Adjunct Professor of Global and Engagement at Federation University and a member of the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice Advisory Board.

Photo of Karen Kim, a woman of Asian appearance with long black hair, wearing a white blazer, standing in front of a Victorian stone building
2021 Alum (Victoria)

Karen Kim

Karen Kim is the founder and director of Hello Music Studios and Hello Music World, and is president of KOWINVIC, an international network of women leaders of Korean descent. Karen ran as a Senate candidate for Victoria with the Australian Federation Party in the 2022 Federal election.

Photo of Sarah Mansfield, long auburn hair, wearing a tral blazer, greenery behind her
2016 Alum (Victoria)

Dr Sarah Mansfield MP

Member of the Legislative Council for Western Victoria (Greens)

Dr Sarah Mansfield MP was elected as the Greens Member of the Legislative Council for Western Victoria in 2022. She was formerly a GP, and served two terms as Councillor on Greater Geelong City Council after to completing Pathways to Politics in 2017.

Head and shoulder photo of Charlotte Mortlock. She has long dark blonde hair sunlit and is wearing a green shirt and gold hoop earrings.
2022 Alum (New South Wales)

Charlotte Mortlock

Founder, Hilma's Network

Charlotte Mortlock is the founder of Hilma’s Network, a community designed to connect and empower liberal-minded women, and raise money for female Coalition candidates. She is a former journalist and Sky News political reporter.

Smiling photo of Angelica Panopoulos. She is wearing a green blouse and has long dark hair and red lipstick. There are stone columns behind her.
2022 Alum (Victoria)

Cr Angelica Panopoulos

Councillor, Merri-bek City Council

Cr Angelica Panopoulos is a Councillor and former Mayor of the Merri-bek City Council in Victoria.

She was the youngest ever mayor of Merri-bek City Council. She first became involved in local government through her activism for refugee rights.

Photo of Heidi Prowse, a white woman with short bleached blond hair. She is smiling and wearing a black shirt.
2023 Alum (Australian Capital Territory)

Heidi Prowse OAM

Labor Candidate for Ginninderra

Heidi Prowse is the ACT Labor Candidate for Ginninderra in the 2024 ACT general election. She was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2023 for her services to community health. Heidi is a passionate advocate for those with cystic fibrosis, and has been a community leader for the past 15 years working with Camp Quality, Cystic Fibrosis ACT and MIEACT.

2020 Alum (Victoria)

Georgie Purcell MP

Member of the Victorian Legislative Council (Animal Justice Party)

Georgie Purcell MP was elected as a member of the Victorian Legislative Council representing Northern Victoria in November 2022. She was a mentee in the Pathways Alum Mentoring program in 2022, where she was mentored by Cr Jenna Davey-Burns.

Photo of Tina smiling. She is wearing a bright pink blazer and has blonde hair tied back.
2019 Alum (Victoria)

Cr Tina Samardzija

Councillor, City of Monash

Cr Tina Samardzija is a Councillor and former Mayor of City of Monash. She has served on the council since 2020.

Tina was a commercial lawyer before moving to work in state and federal government on major legal, economic and social policy reforms including workplace relations, the NDIS and housing. She is the first-born child of parents who migrated from Europe

Photo of Sally Sitou MP smiling, suburban shopping strip in the background
2020 Alum (New South Wales)

Sally Sitou MP

Federal Member for Reid (Australian Labor Party)

Sally Sitou MP was part of our inaugural NSW Pathways to Politics program based at UNSW Sydney in 2021. She was elected as the ALP Member for Reid in the 2022 Federal election.

Photo of Dr Judy Tang smiling, wearing a blue blazer
2021 Alum (Victoria)

Dr Judy Tang

Victorian Multicultural Commissioner

Dr Judy Tang is a current Board Director for the Victorian Pride Centre and is one of Victoria’s 12 Multicultural Commissioners at the Victorian Multicultural Commission. Judy participated in the Pathways Alum Mentoring program in 2022, where she was mentored by Greens Senator for Victoria Janet Rice MP.

Photo of Laurie Zio, a white woman with straight dark hair, wearing a pale purple blouse. There is tropical greenery in the background.
2023 Alum (Northern Territory)

Laurie Zio

Member for Fannie Bay (Country Liberal Party)

Laurie Zio was elected as the Country Liberal Party Member for Fannie Bay in the 2024 Northern Territory Election.

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