Board Members
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Patricia Kelly PSM GAICD
Chair
Patricia is Deputy Chancellor at the University of Canberra and a Council Member at the Australian Institute of Marine Science. She chairs the Australian Square Kilometre Array Regional Centre and Co-operative Research Australia (formerly the CRC Association). She is a Director of DMTC Ltd. Prior to her current roles, Patricia had a public sector career spanning over thirty years. Between 2013 and 2018 Patricia was Director-General of IP Australia (the Australian patent and trade mark office). Before joining IP Australia, Patricia was a Deputy Secretary in Commonwealth departments responsible for industry, science and innovation from 2004 -2013.
Patricia has a Bachelor of Arts degree, with a major in communication and is a graduate (and current member) of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. -
The Hon Kate Lundy
Deputy Chair
Kate Lundy served as Senator in the Australian Federal Parliament for nearly 20 years; she resigned in 2015. She continues to focus her energy on technology and innovation. In 2017, the Australian National University awarded her a Doctor of Letters (honorary doctorate) for her “exceptional contributions to advocacy and policy for information communications and technology, for the ACT and nationally.”
During her time in Parliament in both Government and Opposition, Kate held several front bench portfolios, including IT, Innovation, Digital Economy, Manufacturing, Sport and Multicultural Affairs.
Kate now holds a number of company directorships including the Cyber Security Cooperative Research Centre, the Canberra Institute of Technology, Electro Optic Systems, the National Roads and Motoring Association, the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, the ACT Defence Industry Advisory Board and has been appointed to the Space Industry Leaders Forum of the Australian Space Agency. Kate also has her own consulting company, Technology Innovation Partners Pty Ltd. -
Dr Subho Banerjee
Secretary
Dr Subho Banerjee is the Deputy Commissioner, Head of APS Academy and Capability at the Australian Public Service Commission. He has previously held Deputy Secretary roles in the Education, Industry and Climate Change portfolios, focusing on vocational education and skills, science and climate change adaptation and negotiations. He has also been responsible for finance, human resources and governance functions in a number of departments, as well as contributing to whole-of-APS efforts on public service reform and Indigenous employment.
Subho has also worked in the private and not-for-profit sectors. Prior to his current role, he worked at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government on public sector reform issues at the intersection of practice and academia. He has also worked for a private sector management consultancy and an Indigenous policy think tank.
Subho’s initial disciplinary background was in physics, which he studied as an undergraduate and postgraduate at the ANU. He also holds qualifications in economic and social history, and environmental change and management, from the University of Oxford, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. -
Sally Vardy GAICD
Finance Director
Sally Vardy has been the Principal of Beyond Your Numbers Pty Limited for over 23 years. The organisation provides governance and financial consultancy services to a range of organisations. Sally has a range of current and former appointments as Company Secretary/Public Officer and/or CFO with Cooperative Research Centres, membership organisation and many private sector businesses. Sally’s background in accounting services was established in an international accounting firm, and then a Canberra-based boutique business services firm, where she spent over three years as a partner, and ten years in the practice.
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Loren Atkins
Ordinary Director
Loren Atkins is an Alumna of the NYSF program, attending in 2005. She returned to the program through the Student Staff Leadership Program (SSLP) to work as student staff and then as the Chief of Staff. Loren completed a double degree at the University of Tasmania where she earned a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and a Bachelor of Science in Geography and Environmental Science. Loren started out working as a lawyer in Melbourne, and then moved on to work as an Environmental Lawyer for the Yap State Environmental Protection Agency in Micronesia. Loren currently works as a Legal Counsel for the World Bank, working remotely from Tasmania. She joined the NYSF Board in July 2016 as an ordinary director.
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Vaishnavi Muddam
Alumni Director
Vaishnavi Muddam is a Physics Honours student at The Australian National
University, specialising in Nuclear Physics as part of the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) – Science degree.Vaishnavi is an alumna of the National Youth Science Forum (2021) and returned as a Student Staff Leader in 2022 and 2023. Vaishnavi is deeply committed to advancing gender equity in STEM, having served as the executive Director of Fifty50, a student-led organisation based at the ANU that promotes gender equity in STEM through mentoring, outreach and advocacy.
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Dr Melanie Bagg GAICD
Chief Executive Officer
Dr Melanie Bagg has an extensive background in scientific research, with a BSc, a BHSc (Hons) and a PhD in Medicine from the University of Adelaide. A graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, Melanie also has more than 15 years of experience in STEM management, business development and fundraising, communication, outreach, international relations, publishing and media across not-for-profit, higher education, mainstream media, government, and industry sectors.
In 2016, Melanie was awarded the Unsung Hero of SA Science Communication for her voluntary contributions to translating complex science into something we can all understand as ABC Adelaide’s regular Medical Science Myth Buster. As Director of Communications at the Australian Academy of Science, Melanie established a STEM video production unit, led her team to unprecedented publishing success globally and was awarded two Public Relations Institute of Australia’s (PRIA) Golden Target Awards for Not-for-Profit In-House Team of the Year in 2018.
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Veronica Lawrance
Rotary Liaison Officer
Veronica Lawrance is the Rotary Liaison Officer for NYSF. Rotary roles include President (2022-2023; 2023-2024) and PR Officer (2019-current), Director of Youth Services (2019-2021) and Club Services (2021-2022) at the Mill Point Rotary Club in South Perth.
Veronica’s passion is in communications and has extensive experience in PR/Communications in the non-profit, private, corporate and government sectors. She has worked for such organisations as HBF, WA Football Commission, the local community (Perth Ramble) and Presbyterian Ladies’ College.
Veronica is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD); the Public Relations Institute of Western Australia (PRIA); the Chartered Institute of Public Relations UK (CIPR), and Women on Boards.
Patrons
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Her Excellency the Honourable Ms Sam Mostyn AC Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia
Patron
Ms Sam Mostyn AC was sworn in as Australia’s 28th Governor-General on 1 July 2024.
A businesswoman and community leader, Ms Mostyn is known for her exceptional service to the Australian community. She has a long history in executive and governance roles across diverse sectors, including business, sport, climate change, the arts, policy and not-for-profit.
In 2024, Ms Mostyn was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for eminent service in the social justice, gender equity, sporting, cultural and business sectors, to reconciliation, and to environmental sustainability. She had previously been appointed an Officer of the Order in 2021.
For her continued contribution as an advocate for gender inclusion and equality, sustainability, and climate change action, Ms Mostyn was awarded the 2020 United Nations Day Honour Award and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the Australian National University in 2018.
Most recently, Ms Mostyn chaired the boards of Aware Super, Centre for Policy Development, Beyond Blue, Australians Investing in Women, Foundation for Young Australians, Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce, Australian National Research Organisation for Women’s Safety (ANROWS) and The Climate Council.
She has also served on the boards of some of Australia’s leading companies including Mirvac, Citi Australia, Transurban and Virgin Australia.
She dedicated more than a decade to the boards of the GO Foundation and Climateworks Australia, during this time she also served on the boards of Tonic Media and Global Business & Sustainable Development Commission.
Ms Mostyn was a Commissioner with the Australian Football League for over a decade until 2017.
She has also been a strong supporter of women in sport, and was an advocate for the creation of the AFL Women’s league and co-founded the Minerva Network, Australia’s only mentorship and development program dedicated to professional female athletes.
From 2013–2017, she was President of the Australian Council for International Development.
Ms Mostyn became an inaugural commissioner with the National Mental Health Commission in 2012 and Deputy Chair of the Diversity Council of Australia in 2010. She served on the Australian faculty of the Cambridge University Business & Sustainability Leadership Program from 2010–2024.
She has contributed to independent reviews for the betterment of the community as a member of the panel of the Crawford Sports Funding Review (2009), and Review of the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force (2012). She chaired the NSW Government Women’s Economic Opportunities Review (2022), and Women’s Economic Equality Taskforce report (2023).
She also held membership to the boards of Reconciliation Australia and Australia Council for the Arts.
Before taking on non-executive roles, she held senior executive roles at Insurance Australia Group, Optus, and Cable & Wireless plc.
Ms Mostyn is married to Mr Simeon Beckett SC and they have an adult daughter, Lotte Beckett. Ms Mostyn is an avid Sydney Swans fan, and served on the board from 2017–2024.
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Professor Tanya Monro AC FAA FTSE FOSA FAIP GAICD
Science Patron
Professor Tanya Monro attended the NYSF in 1990 (then known as the National Science Summer School (NSSS)). Tanya is now an award-winning Australian Physicist, known internationally for her work in photonics. In March 2019, Tanya was appointed to the role of Chief Defence Scientist of Australia. Prior to this, she was Vice President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Research and Innovation at the University of South Australia. Tanya is an Emeritus Professor at the University of South Australia and Adjunct Professor at the University of Adelaide. She is also an Australian Research Council (ARC) Georgina Sweet Laureate Fellow. Professor Monro is a Fellow of a number of professional associations including the Australian Academy of Science (AAS), the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) and the Australian Institute of Physics. She is a member of the Board of the South Australian Economic Advisory Council, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the AAS National Committee for Physics. Before becoming the Science Patron to the NYSF, Tanya was Chair of the Board from 2014 to 2016.
Council Members
Professor Joseph Hope - Australian National University
Professor Jenny Graves, AO FAA - Australian Academy of Science
Veronica Lawrance - Rotary
Ruth Carr - CSIRO
A/Professor Alison Shield - University of Canberra (NYSF Alumna)
Emeritus Professor Robin Stanton - Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering
Current Student Chiefs of Staff