Aline Tanner is a qualified journalist and experienced content & communications specialist with over 20 years' experience working for private and non-profit and NGO organisations in both the UK and Australia.As a talented storyteller, she has an extensive portfolio of news, feature and long-form (print and digital) work, and high-level editorial, reporting and strategic communications skills.

She's passionate about sharing authentic, compelling stories, solutions-based journalism, and is drawn to working with organisations dedicated to bringing about sustainable, positive change in the world, particularly those focused on international development and gender equality. Prior to joining Women Leading and Influencing, Aline has worked at Australian Volunteers International (AVI), supporting the Australian Volunteers Program as an Editor & Content Producer. She's also held roles at CARE Australia, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and Beyond Blue.

Aline develops strategies and content to support the Women Leading and Influencing program, working closely with WLI's wider team, alumni and DFAT.

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Bebe Beckerman is an experienced development professional, having worked for a number of Australian and international NGOs in philanthropy, project management and communications roles. She has excellent skills in stakeholder engagement, managing relationships with government and institutional beneficiaries, as well as individuals in a range of development contexts.

She enjoys translating complex industry-specific terminology into easy-to-understand language for reporting and communications purposes — with the occasional statistic thrown in. Bebe holds a Master of International Development (RMIT University) and a Bachelor of Media & Communication (Melbourne University).

Dorrin Irvin has extensive experience working in programming (including design, implementation and facilitation, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting), human resource management, logistics, and administration within both government and non-government organisation in Fiji.

Dorrin graduated from the University of the South Pacific (USP) with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Human Resource Management, Employment Relations, and Tourism Management. She also holds a certificate in Gender and Feminism from Sangat Feminist Network and is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies in Gender and Feminism at USP.

Dr Elisabeth (Lis) Jackson has over 20 years’ experience conducting research and managing development programs in a range of areas, including disability inclusion, gender and women's leadership, civil society development, public policy reform, governance, and education.

As the Research and Learning Specialist for Women Leading and Influencing, Lis contributes research and analysis that helps inform the program’s approach and activities, evaluate impact, and improve understanding of women’s developmental leadership and how it can be effectively supported. She also supports the sharing of this knowledge with the wider development community.

In her broader work at the Centre for Human Security and Social Change (CHSSC) at La Trobe University, Lis works with researchers across Asia and the Pacific to explore how local leadership, power and politics shape social change.

Before she joined the Centre in 2019, Lis spent 10 years living and working in Indonesia. She has a PhD in Southeast Asian Studies/Linguistics and a Master of Applied Anthropology and Development from the Australian National University in Canberra, and a Graduate Certificate in Evaluation from the University of Melbourne.

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Dr Mercy Masta is a GEDSI and safeguards specialist responsible for leading the Women Leading and Influencing program's work on gender, disability and social inclusion. She is also a Learning and Research Associate with Conciliation Resources Australia, a peace-building organisation that works in the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Mercy has worked on a range of DFAT programs in the Pacific, including in the areas of health and HIV, gender equality, women’s empowerment, and youth development.

Mercy holds a Master of Gender and Development from the University of Melbourne and a PhD from RMIT University, where she investigated Pacific Island masculinities, advocating for the meaningful involvement of men and boys in endeavours related to violence and conflict prevention.

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Georgina Cope is a versatile and highly skilled program leader and manager with two decades of experience supporting Australian aid initiatives in the Pacific and Asia, and specialist expertise in evidence-based leadership development. She was instrumental in designing the first and second phases of the Women Leading and Influencing (WLI) program (formerly the Women's Leadership Initiative) and guides the international program team through implementation in Australia and the Pacific.

Prior to leading the WLI program, Georgina was Team Leader of the DFAT-funded Pacific Leadership Program (PLP) in Fiji, where she oversaw a large portfolio of partnerships and activities engaging Pacific leaders, organisations and coalitions at a regional level, and nationally in Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu. In this role she also led the design and delivery of the five-year Pacific Regional Leadership Initiative, an adaptive leadership training program for established and emerging leaders across the region. She has previously worked on the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) Law and Justice Program, and was involved in the design of the first phase of the PNG Law and Justice Sector Program and the mobilisation and management of the Australian Government funded Learning Assistance Program for Islamic Schools (LAPIS) in Indonesia.

Georgina is passionate about working with Pacific leaders to take action on the changes they want to see in their organisations, communities and countries, and helping to find creative solutions to support them in their leadership journeys. In addition to a Master of Public Administration (Management), she has extensive practical skills in research management, communications, mentoring, partnership brokering, and adaptive leadership.

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Based in Fiji, Lorissa Hazelman has over 20 years’ experience working in the development sector and specialist expertise in higher education in the Australia-Pacific region. A highly skilled program manager, Lorissa brings a wealth of knowledge in Australia Awards scholarships management and alumni, skills development, stakeholder engagement, including monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL).  

She has held a range of roles within the development sector, including as the former Senior Program Manager for Australia Awards Fiji and Pacific programs. Prior to joining WLI, Lorissa worked as a consultant and MEL Adviser for international development firm, Alinea International. In this capacity, she worked on range of Pacific projects, including peace-building, violence prevention, and community development initiatives.

She holds a Master of Commerce in Tourism and Hospitality Management, a Bachelor of Arts (Tourism/Management and Public Administration), and a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Teaching (among other qualifications) from The University of the South Pacific in Fiji. In 2011, she was a recipient of the Australian Government’s Endeavour Executive Award.  

Mardi is a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) practitioner with over 15 years’ experience in community and international development. She has worked with and alongside non-governmental, multilateral, academic, public, and private sector organisations in Australia and the Pacific, including Balance of Power and the Pacific Research Program.

As a Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist for Women Leading and Influencing, Mardi contributes to MERL activities that explore impact and inform program approaches and understandings of women’s developmental leadership in the Pacific.

In her broader work as a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Human Security and Social Change, Mardi prioritises people, context, and pragmatism. Prior to joining the Centre in 2024, Mardi spent a decade leading evaluations of the Australian Federal Police’s international project portfolio and became a trusted advisor on international development.

Mardi holds both a Master of International Studies (International Development) and a Bachelor of Arts (Community and Environment) from the University of Wollongong, among other qualifications.

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Melkie Anton is committed to engaging men as allies for women’s leadership and preventing violence against women and girls. He specialises in primary prevention, education, men’s behaviour change, and culturally responsive approaches to gender equality.

Melkie has worked with PNG’s Department of Personnel Management on GESI policy implementation, contributed to the Urban Youth Employment Project, and worked as a counsellor and trainer with Anglicare’s StopAIDS. His experience spans Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea. As WLI’s Men’s Engagement Specialist, he oversees delivery of the new Men’s Group program and provides advice engaging men across other program activities.

Melkie holds a Master of Development Studies (University of Melbourne), a Postgraduate Diploma in Children and Youth Studies (ISS, Netherlands), and a Diploma in Project Management (Divine Word University). He is currently based in Melbourne with his family while studying for a PhD examining the issue of masculinity in the Pacific

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Roshni Chand is a driven and energetic professional who brings several years of work experience in the international development sector. She maintains a professional focus on financial management, project management, operational expertise, administration, human resource management, procurement and logistics, grant management, resource development, and delivery of financial literacy and financial management training to various grantee organisations.

Roshni has worked on various DFAT-funded projects, including Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development, Fiji Women’s Fund, Balance of Power, Pacific Leadership Program, Multinational Observer Group, and Fiji Education Sector Program. Roshni holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Management, Public Administration and Human Resource Management from The University of the South Pacific.

Currently based in Melbourne, Siobhan Greene is an experienced project manager, communications professional, and researcher from Boston passionate about using her skills to drive lasting change and promote global health and gender equity.

Prior to joining Women Leading and Influencing, Siobhan held a range of engagement and program management roles in Australia and the United States. She oversaw digital promotional activity for almost three years as a Digital Communications Specialist for Australian Volunteers International (AVI) and was previously selected to intern at the Massachusetts State House and with the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

Deeply interested in social justice and women’s and development issues, Siobhan completed a Master of International Development (RMIT) with a thesis on applying an international development lens to rising maternal mortality in Alabama.

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Tony Liston is a highly experienced executive coach, facilitator and adviser, and Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University Department of Pacific Affairs. He has a deep understanding of the public service and business contexts, having coached clients and held senior positions in Australian and PNG governments.

Tony brings a wealth of experience in training, coaching and mentoring clients from NGOs, regional organisations and governments in Australia and across Asia-Pacific, including with the Australian departments of Defence and Prime Minister and Cabinet.