The Pathways to Politics alum community is now more than 750 women strong.
This incredible network of women is committed to changing the face of politics in Australia and supporting each other across political lines.
Here are just a few of our alums who are making significant impact in their communities, and in Parliaments and councils across Australia.
Dr Katie Allen AO (1966-2025) 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 was on the Board of Cabrini Health, Chair of Melbourne Girls Grammar School Council and on the advisory board of several MedTech start-ups.
She was a member of the Victorian program’s Advisory Committee for many years, was a mentor to many of our alums, and was a tireless contributor to Pathways to Politics workshops, panels and events.
Give to the Dr Katie Allen Memorial Fund – designed to support Pathways to Politics for Women graduates to accelerate their journeys into political life.
Pamela Anderson is a proud First Nations woman with connection to the Yorta Yorta and GunnaiKurnai Mobs. She has 20 years’ experience in the Financial Services Sector. Pamela was appointed CEO of EMILY’s List Australia in April 2022.
Gaelle Broad was elected to the Victorian Legislative Council in 2022. She has lived and worked in the Northern Victoria Region for over 20 years and has extensive experience working in government, business, and the media. Gaelle grew up on a third-generation farm in the Yarra Valley.
Anne-Marie Cade is an award-winning Lawyer, Nationally Accredited Mediator, Conflict Resolution Specialist, Speaker, Trainer, and Lecturer in law. She has won numerous awards for her work in dispute resolution and was named Mediator of the Year in 2023 and Conflict Coach of the Year in 2024. She is a former Councillor and Mayor of Glen Eira City Council
Neane is a proud Aboriginal woman with multi-clan connections across Victoria – Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta on her father’s side, and Wamba Wamba on her mother’s. She is a lawyer with the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria and was named Indigenous Lawyer of the Year at the 2024 Women in Law Awards. Nominated by Pathways to Politics, Neane was awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Leadership Excellence in Politics (LEiP) training program in Geneva in 2025.
Wesa Chau is Executive Director of Per Capita. 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. She is a member of the Victorian program’s Advisory Committee.
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.
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.
Jenna Davey-Burns is former 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. She was a mentor herself to Pathways to Politics alum Georgie Purcell MP.
(Waskam) Emelda Davis is a former 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 who has worked across corporate and grassroots sectors including advisor to State, Federal and Commonwealth Government agencies on culturally specific indigenous knowledges.
Amanda Dorn MP is a Member of the Legislative Council for Western Australia and the first Animal Justice Party MP in the Western Australian Parliament. Prior to entering Parliament, Amanda served for one year as a City of Swan Councillor (WA).
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.
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.
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.
Sue-Anne Hunter is a proud Wurundjeri and Ngurai Illum Wurrung woman, and National Commissioner for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People.
She is the former Deputy Chair and Commissioner of the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Australia’s first truth telling process, and has had a long career in community, policy and social work.
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.
Cr Catherine Lezer has been a City of Perth Councillor since 2020, and is Candidate for Lord Mayor in the 2025 WA local government elections. She is on the board of the Heritage Council of WA and was previously on the National Board of the Strata Community Association.
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 completing Pathways to Politics in 2017.
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.
Angelica Panopoulos is former Mayor of the Merri-bek City Council in Victoria, and the Greens Candidate for Pascoe Vale in the 2026 Victorian state election.
She was the youngest ever mayor of Merri-bek City Council. She first became involved in local government through her activism for refugee rights.
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.
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.
Cr Ivonne Rodriguez is a Councillor in the City of Canning (Western Australia) and works in TAFE Student Services. Originally from Colombia, Ivonne migrated to Australia in 2009 to undertake studies in Political Science and Project Management. Prior to moving to Australia, she completed a traineeship with the Colombian Mission to the United Nations.
Tina Samardzija is a former Councillor and 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.
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.
Sarah Thompson is a strategic fundraising and philanthropy specialist. Her fundraising experience includes work with the Voices for Indi movement, where she supported the re-election of Dr Helen Haines MP at the 2022 Federal election.
Hayley van Loon is CEO of Crime Stoppers International, working with partners around the world to strengthen public trust, improve reporting pathways and support safer communities. She also runs Magnolia Intelligence, her own independent intelligence and security consultancy.
Cr Penny Wolff is a Councillor for Walter Taylor Ward in Brisbane City Council. She is Deputy Chair of the City Planning and Suburban Renewal Committee and is a member of the Community and the Arts Committee. She supports many grassroots charities, including Women’s Legal Services Queensland, Oz Harvest, Beyond Blue and Cancer Council.
