Board

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 Research Integrity Committee and the Australian Square Kilometre Array Regional Centre and is a Director of Co-operative Research Australia (formerly the CRC Association) and of DMTC. She also serves on the Audit Committee of the Australian Department of Finance. 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.

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  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.

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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, based in New York. She joined the NYSF Board in July 2016 as an ordinary director.

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  Associate Professor Bradley Moggridge

  Ordinary Director

  Associate Professor Bradley Moggridge is a proud Murri from the Kamilaroi Nation living on Ngunnawal Land in Canberra. He is a researcher in Indigenous water science at the University of Canberra, with other qualifications in hydrogeology (UTS) and environmental science (ACU). Until 2021 he was the Indigenous Liaison Officer for the Threatened Species Recovery Hub under the National Environmental Science Program. Associate Professor Moggridge is a Board member with the NSW EPA and Biodiversity Council and a member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists, a Governor of WWF Australia and President of the Australian Freshwater Science Society. He is a Fellow of the Peter Cullen Trust and Alumni of the International Water Centre. Associate Professor Moggridge has won several awards, has presented widely, published in his area of expertise (Indigenous Water) and finds himself on many committees, all ranging from local, national to international adding to his 25years in water and environmental science, cultural science, regulation, water planning and management, including policy development, legislative reviews, applied research and project management. He hopes to encourage future generations to pursue interests in STEM, promote his ancestors' knowledge of water and mentor emerging Indigenous scientists.

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  Dr Subho Banerjee

  NYSF Alumni Director

  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.

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  Bruce Hunter

  Financial Director

  Bruce Hunter is a Partner at McKinsey & Company, and leader of the firm’s Canberra practice and Public and Social Sector Practice. Prior to joining McKinsey, Bruce was a Partner at EY for 7 years and was their Oceania Advisory Government and Public Sector leader with a focus on Central Agencies, Transport, and Defence for Australia and New Zealand, as well as State and Territory Governments for Australia. Before EY, Bruce was a Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer of the then Department of Families Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) and over his APS career held a number of senior executive positions across Government. Bruce is a Fellow CPA and completed the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD in Fontainebleau France. Bruce is passionate about solving challenging societal issues and making a positive contribution to the lives of citizens, whilst building the individual leadership capabilities of others. Bruce currently mentors 40+ leaders across the Australian Public Service. Bruce enjoys spending time with his family and friends, all types of fishing, golf and working on his acreage outside of Canberra.

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  Sally Vardy GAICD

  Secretary

  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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  Dr Melanie Bagg GAICD

  Chief Executive Officer

  Dr Melanie Bagg GAICD, is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National
  Youth Science Forum (NYSF). The NYSF is a not-for-profit charity that has been
  connecting young people across Australia with their science, technology,
  engineering, and maths (STEM) futures for over 39 years.
  Melanie 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 while working at the Australian Science Media Centre, 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.
  Melanie is passionate about helping young people understand what sorts of
  STEM jobs they can pursue and loves to connect the wider community with the
  latest research stories on social media and as a regular STEM commentator on
  ABC Radio National.

Patrons

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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

• Vacant - Rotary

• Ruth Carr - CSIRO

• A/Professor Alison Shield - University of Canberra (NYSF Alumna)

• Emeritus Professor Robin Stanton - Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering

• Issac Kozlovskis- Student Chief of Staff – 2023 NYSF (NYSF Alum)

• Elizabeth (Libby) Kells - Student Chief of Staff – 2023 NYSF (NYSF Alum)

• Aadya Mishra - Student Chief of Staff – 2023 NYSF (NYSF Alumn)