Your 2020 WiT Board

Dr Claudia Giurgiuman - President

Claudia has more than 16 years’ experience in medical research, research management and grants scheme development and management and holds a PhD in the field of Medicine, a Bachelor of Science degree with First Class Honours and a Postgraduate Certificate in Project Management. She also is a Portfolio, Program and Project Office Practitioner and currently studying Master of Business Administration.

Marie Howarth - Vice-President

Marie has a passion for organisational culture and performance and a deep commitment to the role of women in Australia’s digital economy. An award-winning communications and marketing professional, and trained journalist, Marie has worked across digital communication, ehealth, ICT, GIS, engineering and infrastructure. Her commercial acumen is underpinned by 30 years in business and 25 years in consulting, supporting government agencies, corporations, community groups and not-for-profits.

Marie specialises in strategic communication, advocacy, stakeholder engagement and contentious issues management. Her leadership, creativity and flair for storytelling has delivered complex and challenging projects, with award-winning results. She is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Australia and joined the WiT Board in 2018.

Gunjan Allen - Director and Board Secretary

Gunjan's passion is making the world a better place, by helping organisations design their services around the humans that experience and use them. As a Masters-qualified, senior customer experience and marketing specialist, Gunjan has driven organisational transformation by putting the customer at the heart of everything.

She is a CX and Marketing leader with senior experience developing and implementing research-based strategic plans that have driven customer centricity into organisational DNA, changed consumer behaviour, boosted sales, brand presence and operational wins in Government (eHealth & Transport), Travel & Tourism, Fresh Produce, FMCG and Franchising. Gunjan is known for using data, insights and relationships to inform strategies and guide teams to achieve results.

In addition to her 15+ years in corporate life, Gunjan is also involved in her successful family business in fresh produce that has a $70mil dollars in turnover. The business was a disruptor in the industry and began operations in 2012 from a home office which quickly grew to be one of the four largest avocado marketers in Australia. They market domestically and internationally 20% of Australia’s avocado production.

Simon Smith - Director and Board Treasurer

Simon is a highly experienced executive who has held roles as Chief Finance Officer in health and education across profit and not-for-profit organisations and in both the private and public sector. Simon has also held non-executive director roles. He is highly experienced in philanthropic financial accounting and financial management, has had oversight of the ICT function and Project Management Office in previous roles.

He is a CPA with a Masters in Commerce and a Bachelor of Economics from The University of Queensland.

Melissa Sykes - Director and Chair of the Sciences Committee

Melissa is a Research Fellow in Discovery Biology at the Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University and has over 16 years experience developing and establishing in vitro high throughput assays for application in early drug discovery.

Her current research utilises image-based technology to identify the activity of new compounds against the protozoan parasite that causes Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. Melissa is involved in early career research committees in addition to outreach and mentoring roles and is particularly interested in supporting and encouraging professional development for careers in science and technology.

Genevieve Alder - Director and Chair of the Technology Committee

Genevieve is a passionate and pragmatic ICT leader and communicator with over twenty years’ experience. Genevieve quickly builds trust through strong relationship building skills with an emphasis on integrity and accountability. She has a proven track record in medium and large-scale program and project management with demonstratable success in complex business and ICT transformational change initiatives including; digitization, systems implementation and integration, infrastructure, cyber security and compliance.

Experience in e-commerce, cloud and digital environments across a wide range of industries including Banking & Financial Services, Insurance, Software Development, Adult Education (Corporate and Not for Profit). Genevieve is currently Workplace Program Manager for Core Technology Transformation at Tabcorp and is actively involved with their Women in Technology group and working committee for their Inclusion & Diversity Strategy.

A strong believer that organisational culture and the user experience are the keys to success, Genevieve is enthusiastic about leading, inspiring and empowering teams to collaborate, embrace new mindsets and ignite the passion in people to deliver extraordinary results.

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Bec Langdon - Director and Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee

Working collaboratively with partners, colleagues and clients, Bec creates partnerships built on trust and value. With enthusiasm to achieve great outcomes, Bec searches for mutually beneficial solutions by not taking no for an answer. For 18 years, Bec has been building a successful reputation as an ICT specialist and skilled account manager through creating supportive networks, education and a persistent attitude. Achieving an MBA majoring in Project Management and a Master of Business and Innovation, Bec has the technical business knowledge to support her vast experience. Experienced and comfortable in leadership, Bec is currently President Elect with the Rotary Club of South Brisbane and valued member of the Community Plus+ Management Committee. Her commitment to community is demonstrated by active involvement as a Pyjama Angel (Pyjama Foundation), Boarders Breakfast volunteer (West End Community House), ABCN Mentor to students and Habitat for Humanity building homes (India 2010 and Vietnam 2011).

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Angela Jones - Director

Angela is a leader and technology enthusiast with more than 15 years’ experience in the ICT industry spanning both public and private sectors. She has a proven track record in digital and ICT transformations. Angela's career began as a technical specialist and programmer before moving into strategic business advisory roles in enterprise architecture, consulting, change management, scaled agile delivery and portfolio management. She has demonstrated excellence in adapting to rapid changes that occur in the ICT industry and constant evolution of business needs in highly competitive marketplaces.

Angela is passionate about the ICT industry and unlocking the potential of her people, her technology, and her business to showcase how disruptive technology can drive transformation that exceeds expectations. Angela's technical background, combined with broader business acumen, enables her to build and deliver technology strategies that are understood by the business and deliver tangible results.

Indi Tansey - Director

Indi is a creative connector who builds tribes of people around purpose-led organisations.

She is a company director and community leader with strong strategy, marketing and people skills. Channeling more than 10 years experience as a creative strategist in global advertising agencies in Europe, Latin America and Australia, she has co-founded and launched two technology businesses.

A proven community leader in high growth technology companies and a champion of people, culture and values, Indi uses purposeful brand storytelling and datacentric insights to connect business strategy to early adopter technology communities.

Indi’s passion topics are: Values and purpose-led organisations; community as a lever for growth and; the future of work.

Lisa Cawthorne - General Manager (non-board)

Lisa has been Operations Manager and then General Manager for WiT since 2012 and is a strong advocate for WiT's mission, to Advance, Connect and Empower women in technology industries. In her role Lisa is responsible for project management of programs and events including developing & managing events calendar, budget preparation, speaker recruitment, sponsorship raising and management, event promotions (both web and social media). Lisa is also responsible for operational project management of membership and support resources including database management, sponsorships and strategic relationship management. Lisa has excellent oral and written communication skills, organizational and problem solving capability and budget management as well as marketing skills. She is highly disciplined self starter and autonomous in her role without detailed supervision. Lisa has an excellent ability to build and maintain trusted relationships and a high level capability of building a public and corporate profile to support development of the organization.