Our Team

Taylor is an Advisor to the Our Future Agenda team of the United Nations Foundation and is the Founder of Future Frontiers, a boutique consultancy working to support leaders in meeting their full potential and increasing their impact.

Taylor is also an experienced speaker and facilitator, represented by Saxton Speakers Bureau, and has worked with organisations including Google, Salesforce and Adidas. Taylor’s work has been recognised through the Smart Company’s 30 under 30, the NSW Young Achiever Awards, YAIIA’s Young Women to Watch in International Affairs, the MBAus Awards Social Impact Awards, the NSW Young Australian of the Year Awards and was selected as one of the 12 Kofi Annan Changemakers for 2023.

Taylor Hawkins

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Over the last decade, Lorena has collaborated with leaders in multilateral, private, and social impact organizations, as well as governments across Latin America, Qatar, and Australia. Her work has focused on delivering social and economic development initiatives. Equipped with a Master of Development Studies from the University of Melbourne, Lorena has not only spearheaded numerous projects addressing social, environmental, cultural, and economic challenges across Latin America, Qatar, and Australia but also demonstrated her global expertise through collaborations with international cooperation agencies, public and private investment funds, and NGOs. 

Beyond her professional achievements, Lorena is a dedicated advocate for transformative change. She serves on the board of the CIRD Foundation and is an active member of Paraguay's National Development Strategic Team (ENEP). Lorena also co-leads the Paraguay Indigenous People's Roundtable in Asuncion

Lorena Rios

Director of Strategic Partnerships

Hayley, a proud Wiradjuri woman, brings her expertise in social and public policy, Aboriginal affairs, child protection and youth justice. As a member of the ACT Ministerial Youth Advisory Council and NATSIHA's National First Nations Youth Roundtable, Hayley strategically advances social justice, social responsibility, and ethical accountability on local and national levels.

With her dignified activism approach, founded on the principles of truth-telling, Hayley is committed to amplifying the voices and safeguarding the interests of marginalised communities and future generations. With a tertiary education background in business operations, youth affairs, community services, and nearing completion of her Social Work degree at Charles Sturt University, Hayley is deeply passionate about human rights, particularly the rights of Indigenous peoples and children, as well as social phenomena, research and policy. Hayley’s impactful contributions to both activism and academia have earned deserving recognition, which includes her induction into the ACT Women’s Honour Roll in 2023, receipt of the distinguished Executive Dean’s Award at Charles Sturt University, and her honoured status as an award recipient at the 2022 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year Awards.

Hayley Whatman

Director of Research & Policy


Chami Rupasinghe is an experienced social entrepreneur, lawyer, speaker, content creator, and performer. Born in Sri Lanka and a proud Australian since migrating at a young age, Chami holds a Bachelor's degree in Criminology and Psychology and a Juris Doctor Postgraduate Law Degree from Monash University. Her rich tapestry of professional experiences spans family and criminal law, project management, marketing, and pivotal roles in youth justice, community legal centres, startups, and non-profits. Admitted as a Lawyer by the Supreme Court of Victoria, her dedication to bridging the knowledge gap in legal and life skills education crystallised with the establishment of Law Wise Youth in 2023, a charity bridging the gap between the classroom and the real world through legal and life skills education.

Chami Rupasinghe

Director of Communications

  • Head of Government Relations

    Kate is a dedicated policymaker with experience in both the Victorian and Australian Governments, working on the COVID-19 response, legislative reform, international relations, and enhancing integrity and good governance. Kate is interested in exploring the interplay between the present policy lacuna and public confidence in Australia’s institutions and democratic process - especially how this impacts the potential for our future generations agenda. Kate is most energised when giving back, as she does with several youth organisations and through mentoring young Australians and recent migrants.

  • Research Advisor

    Emmett is an experienced policy researcher, having worked in a number of security, policy and project management roles. He holds a Master’s in International Relations from the University of Melbourne with a specialisation in International Security and non-traditional security threats. He is a firm believer of promoting youth perspective in politics and international affairs and held leadership positions with the Young Australians in International Affairs and the Young Diplomats Society in Melbourne. In his spare time, you’ll find him attempting to learn languages and running in circles with his dog Skipper.

  • Parliamentary Group Events Team

    Atul Sharma is a final-year Medical Student in the Australian National University. He graduated with a Bachelor of Philosophy with first-class honours in Chemistry in the Australian National University. He has previously interned in Parliament House as part of the Australian National Internship Program, and is currently a Senior Student Ambassador for the ANU College of Science. He has many interests in Health and Science Policy and is an active researcher on the Health Impacts of Climate Change.

  • Hannah joined Foundations for Tomorrow as an active member of the Canberra Global Shapers Hub – an initiative of the World Economic Forum. Hannah moved to Canberra to pursue a PhB (HaSS) [Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) - Humanities and Social Sciences] at The ANU. While her coursework had an International Security focus, alongside PPE (Politics, Philosophy, Economics), she has utilised the PhB’s research opportunities to explore the concept of Future Generations Governance and other cause areas under the Effective Altruism movement. She has worked in various federal government roles alongside her studies.

    Previously, Hannah represented Australia at the 2017 G(irls)20 Summit, in Munich, Germany, and was also part of the 2018 Australian delegation to the Ship for World Youth Leadership Program - run by The Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. She was the recipient of a 2018 New Colombo Plan Mobility Program Grant to study Pacific development in Suva, Fiji, and on campus, she has been the Director of Partnerships of The ANU’s Women in Leadership Board. Hannah was the awardee of a full academic scholarship to Ascham School in Sydney, and has also studied at Trinity College in Melbourne, where she was an avid choral singer.

  • Parliamentary Events Coordinator

    As an Adviser at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Heshan is passionate about making a positive impact on society through public service. He brings experience in Project Management and Policy Development, honed through his previous roles at the Department of Veterans Affairs, Graduate Data Network and the Victorian Public Sector Commission.

  • Strategic Advisor

    Zoe has worked on technology policy in think tanks, politics, industry, and as a diplomat. Most recently, Zoe was a member of Amazon's global public policy team, representing the company on global cross-industry initiatives such as the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism and the Technology Coalition. During her time in government, Zoe oversaw the design of Australia's Online Safety Act as Adviser to the Minister for Communications and was one of the drafters of Australia's first International Cyber Engagement Strategy at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Zoe is completing an MSc in Social Science of the Internet at the Oxford Internet Institute, where she is also contributing to Professor Vili Lehdonvirta's research project on the political geography of artificial intelligence. Zoe is passionate about responsible technology and serves as a pro bono Strategic Adviser to the Alliance for Universal Digital Rights and a Mentor for emerging tech policy professionals through All Tech Is Human.

  • J is a media and communications professional currently working in the public service.

    As the curator of the Canberra Global Shapers Community and ACT Co-Lead with the Student Voice Network, J supports young folk to be the change they want to see in the world by implementing upskilling sessions and programs, advocacy campaigns and impact projects.

    They have a particular interest in climate change and social justice, with previous projects including the national Target2035 climate campaign and a gender-equality data activism campaign through She’s a Crowd’s ambassador program.

    In spare moments, J is completing an Applied Linguistics Masters and also enjoys sunset walks around Canberra, coffee and spending time with their cats.

  • Communications Advisor (Writer)

    Dominic has taught in Italy, Spain, Greece, and in private colleges in Melbourne. Dominic is interested in refugee education, having volunteered with people seeking asylum in Europe, and with humanitarian visa-holders in Melbourne. He has worked at German research institute CPG, and as a research assistant at University of Melbourne and Deakin University. Dominic has written for various publications including the Lowy Institute, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, the Australian Institute of International Affairs, and Australian Foreign Affairs Magazine. Currently, he is writing a thesis on the nexus of migration and education.

  • Kelsey graduated with a Bachelor of Laws/Science in 2021 with the University Medal. She is currently working as an Adviser in the climate change team at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

    She has previous experience as a graduate lawyer, and worked across the Asia-Pacific as a New Colombo Plan Scholar in a range of professional environments including the United Nations, academia, not-for-profits, youth-led organisations, public policy, all tiers of government, and commercial law. These positions have shaped her cultural and professional competency, particularly within multilateral institutions.

The Awareness to Action Project Team

  • Angel Chen

  • Adi Rai

  • Shaili Patel

  • Diletta Legowo

  • Hamsa Farah

  • Alina Malyk

  • Chelsea Hayward

  • Alex Bruhn

  • Ebony Fowler

  • Darcy Small

  • Anna Bezuglova

  • Rosalyn Lye

  • Rachell Angeles Hansen

  • Madeleine Parry

  • Indrani Kothiyal

  • Adam Mostogl

  • Lorena Rios

  • Oluwabamise Oyewale

  • Shikha Kanojia

  • Ian Buck

  • Lisa Rapley

  • Gabriela Fernando

  • Caleb Heard

  • Linda Le

  • Sophia Hamblin Wang

  • Joseph Kolapudi

  • Sarah Power

Our Board of Directors

  • Professor Susan Harris Rimmer is the Director of the Griffith University Policy Innovation Hub (appointed July 2020). She was previously the Deputy Head of School (Research) in the Griffith Law School and prior to joining Griffith was the Director of Studies at the ANU Asia-Pacific College of Diplomacy. With Professor Sara Davies, Susan is co-convenor of the Griffith Gender Equality Research Network. Sue also leads the Climate Justice theme of the new Griffith Climate Action Beacon. and is the founder of the EveryGen coalition working for the rights of future generations.

    Susan was the 2021 winner of the Fulbright Scholarship in Australian-United States Alliance Studies (funded by DFAT) and was hosted by Georgetown University in Washington DC in 2022. She was named a Top Innovator by Uplink World Economic Forum for the Climate Justice Challenge in 2022 for creating the www.climatejusticeobservatory.com.au. She won the Bertha Lutz Prize for research on women in diplomacy awarded by the Centre for International Studies & Diplomacy and The Diplomatic Studies Section (DPLST) of the International Studies Association (ISA) in 2021.

  • Gisele has extensive experience providing strategic advice to governments and corporations on a range of business and public policy issues. She currently leads Salesforce’s Public Sector Strategy across the Asia Pacific Region where she assists federal and state governments deliver public services and manage outgoing funds more effectively and efficiently with the help of technology. She leads Salesforce’s global thought leadership research with BCG on the relationship between Trust and Government Service Delivery.

    A lawyer with international experience including in Geneva, London and Eritrea, Gisele practiced as an international trade lawyer advising the public and private sectors on a range of trade issues, and appeared as counsel for various governments before the World Trade Organisation in Geneva. She recently served five years as political adviser to three Australian Federal Cabinet Ministers in Foreign Affairs, Trade, Industry and Innovation, and has a Masters in International Law from the University of Cambridge.

Co-Founders

  • With a background in economics, pro-bono law, and community volunteering, Holly works across sectors to drive social impact, improve policy design, and advance global prosperity. She achieves this by leveraging data-driven economic decision-making to align efficient business operations with important social objectives.

    Holly is currently a non-executive Director at ClimateForce, a charity that advances rainforest restoration a carbon drawdown projects. Previously, she has assisted philosopher Peter Singer at The Life You Can Save in drafting his latest book, defended people on death row in Pakistan, and completed the Corporate Advisory Program at Goldman Sachs.

  • Bianca is a social advocate for the empowerment of youth, women and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and the innovation of economic systems to facilitate this. She is passionate about enabling positive change towards the goal of 'equity of opportunities' - in recognition of the diverse reality we live in. She is a chartered engineer that has complimented her technical skill set with management experience as CEO of a NFP, strategy experience via working at a top tier management consulting firm BCG and by completing an MBA.

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