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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Eddie Staltari is a strategic communications specialist passionate about helping change-makers build support for evidence-based solutions to social inequalities. For over a decade, she has been leading and supporting equality-driven media and advocacy, and digital campaigns, activities, and teams within government, non-profit and NGO, and private sector organisations.

She was previously the Director of Strategic Public Relations at award-winning social change agency, Think HQ, and has specialist expertise in advocacy for gender-based-violence and homelessness prevention. She has held senior media and public engagement roles within Victoria’s Council to Homeless Persons and Australia’s national organisation to prevent violence against women, Our Watch.

Eddie develops strategies and content to support the Women Leading and Influencing program's knowledge dissemination, communication, and public diplomacy activities. She has a Bachelor of Communications (Public Relations) from RMIT and finds great joy in building the profiles of the impressive WLI alumni network driving positive development change in the Pacific region.

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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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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.