Mele and Carol

Mele recently was awarded a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Australian National University (ANU). Mele also is a qualified lawyer and, following her graduation, she has resumed her role as General Counsel with the National Reserve Bank of Tonga.

Mele is committed to the development of her country, overcoming barriers to equality and improving the quality of life for all Tongans. In her role with the National Reserve Bank, Mele has championed gender equity, including the provision of legal support on HR related issues, including diversity, equal employment opportunity, ethics, conflict resolution and corporate governance.

Mele intends to use her newfound public policy and leadership skills and networks to enhance access to finance for Tonga’s women and other marginalised groups. She is also interested to hone her skills in the area of evaluation and monitoring, to ensure that Tonga’s regulatory bodies operate in an effective and accountable manner.

Carol is a highly regarded commentator on gender equality, women’s leadership, governance, social enterprise, business and finance issues. Her dynamic leadership career spans the property, arts, finance, government and health sectors.

Carol has sat on a range of corporate and not for profit boards, including the Reserve Bank of Australia; Our Community – a social enterprise supporting community organisations with educational resources and links to business and government; Qualitas; and Stockland. She is Executive in Residence at Melbourne Business School and a member of the Harvard Kennedy School's Women's Leadership Board.

Carol was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours list in 2006 for her achievements in business and commerce, and her contribution to community and the arts. With her husband Alan and four children, Carol established the Trawalla Foundation, which invests in social enterprises and opportunities that focus on arts, ideas, innovation and scholarship.