FOUNDED BY WOMEN IN STEM, FOR WOMEN IN STEM
At WILD for STEM, we have witnessed first-hand the positive impact when women are given the opportunity to lead and be key decision-makers. Diversity in thinking and leadership benefits everyone and the STEM sector is no exception.
Meet the team that makes WILD for STEM possible
WILD FOUNDERS
Dr Nadine Brew
Dr Nadine Brew (B.A/B.Sc(Hons), PhD, GAICD) is an experienced drug development executive with a track record of progressing pre-clinical and clinical stage programs across various drug modalities and therapeutic areas. Her expertise lies in the validation, creation, and growth of early-stage biotechnology assets, as well as the commercialisation of university IP and breakthroughs.
As a STEM/Biotechnology leader and founder, she has played a pivotal role in the hands-on building of early-stage biotech companies, facilitating the commercialisation of university R&D, and driving impactful research in the not-for-profit sector and industry. She is particularly passionate about promoting diversity and leadership in STEM and empowering more STEM women to secure board and senior leadership positions.
With a PhD in Developmental Physiology from Monash University and over a decade of research experience in Australia and the USA, she brings a strong scientific background to her leadership roles. She is currently a member of the Monash-Breakthrough Victoria Pre Seed Fund committee, has been an observer on numerous boards, is a graduate of the AICD Company Director’s Course and is a Churchill Fellow.
Dr Udani Reets – Victorian Paediatric Cancer Consortium & South East Melbourne Primary Health Network
Dr Udani Reets (BSc Hons, PhD, GAICD) is a leading figure in Australia’s health and medical sector, and she is well-known for her expertise in driving successful, innovative, large-scale initiatives, partnerships, and services to improve healthcare. Her career is highlighted by considerable experience in advancing major national and international medical and health initiatives within the healthcare, medical research and university sectors.
In her previous role as Director of Partnerships and Enterprise at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, she established and led the Centre’s partnership and commercial strategy function.
Dr Reets firmly believes in the power of collaboration, connection, and community as vital catalysts for change
Dr Lauren Giorgio – GPN Vaccines
Lauren is the Chief Operating Officer of GPN Vaccines, a biotechnology company developing a serotype-independent pneumococcal vaccine. She has spent her career working alongside world-leading academics and clinicians to commercialise research across the health and medical sector.
Previously, she led the business development office at the Centre for Eye Research Australia and prior to this, was part of the business development team at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute. Lauren holds a PhD from the University of Adelaide and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
DIRECTOR – PROGRAMS & PARTNERSHIPS
Anna Bailey
Anna Bailey (B.Com, B.Sci, GAICD) has over 18 years working across corporate consulting, R&D incentives, communications and strategic projects. Prior to joining the WILD Team in 2022, Anna was part of the external relations team for the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University, supporting the delivery of major projects and strategic initiatives for the University.
Anna began her career at PwC in Melbourne, where she spent ten years consulting in R&D incentives and leading PwC’s Global Sustainability and Climate Change Tax Network from London.
Anna completed her Bachelors of Science and Commerce at the University of Melbourne, and is a strong supporter of WILD’s vision to overcome gender disparity in leadership in Australia’s STEM sector.
PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Taylah Miranda
Taylah is a dedicated Program Coordinator for WILD for STEM, working closely with Anna to deliver impactful programs that support and empower women in STEM. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Biomedicine with Honours, focusing on lymphoma therapy responses.
Alongside her work with WILD for STEM, Taylah has unique leadership experience, including as Project Manager for The Miranda Foundation and serving as an Ambassador for the Children’s Cancer Foundation. She also advises on the Monash Health Community Advisory Committee and Children’s Cancer CoLab, advocating for healthcare improvements in the paediatric oncology sector.
Taylah is passionate about women in STEM and diversifying the STEM landscape.
EVALUATION CONSULTANT
Jesse Bergman
Jesse (B.Sc, M.Sc, PhD) is a data analyst and evaluation consultant with WILD for STEM, working with the team to quantify program impact and refine their evaluation approach. Her educational background includes a PhD in Biological Sciences from UNSW and over 10 years of STEM research experience across the US and Indo-Pacific.
She brings experience from her prior role with Australia’s Women in STEM Ambassador’s Office, where she advised the sector on evidence-based best practice for gender equity initiatives, anti-harassment policies, gender pay gap closure, and workplace inclusion strategies.
Jesse is adept at effectively communicating evidence-based recommendations to government agencies, academics, and stakeholders across the STEM and EDI sectors. She believes strongly in increasing the participation of women in STEM through systemic and cultural change.
Empowering STEM leaders.
Our social enterprise was founded in 2018 to directly address the barriers faced by women in the STEM sector.
With the support of federal government grants, we’ve created two exceptional programs to help women excel in STEM leadership: the WILD Program® and WILD Board X.
THE WILD ADVISORY BOARD
The WILD Advisory Board comprises a mix of external representatives to engage with leaders in the STEM sector. This group offers the perspective of key stakeholder groups and provides advice and guidance to the Project Team alongside supporting the application selection process.
Andrea Douglas – Senior Vice President, Organisation Transformation & External Affairs, CSL Limited
Andrea Douglas leads CSL’s Organisation Transformation Office, which integrates and drives major organisational design changes that have broad implications to the business across areas of strategy, structure, governance, process and people. She also leads government relations strategy in Australia.
Andrea has held various roles at CSL since 2005, including Vice President, R&D Strategy and External Affairs where she led the global R&D strategy, product portfolio, R&D investment and prioritisation processes. She was also Vice President, Licensing, Head of Global R&D Project Management and Program Director, Influenza.
Before joining CSL Andrea was the CEO of the Gene CRC. She also held a senior research role at WEHI where she studied the molecular genetics of breast cancer.
Andrea has a PhD degree in Forensic Medicine from Monash University. She also holds a Masters degree in Health Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is a Director of the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute and BioCurate and was a Director of AusBiotech from 2013-2019.
Dr Bronwyn Evans AM – Non-Executive, Director, EBR Systems
Dr Bronwyn Evans is a Non-Executive Director at EBR Systems and ACOR Consultants, Chair of Building 4.0 CRC and the former CEO of Engineers Australia.
She has been recognised as one of Australia’s most influential engineers and included in the Westpac/Financial Review 100 Women of Influence.
Dr Bronwyn Evans has a PhD in Electrical Engineering, an Honorary Doctorate from Swinburne University, is an Honorary Fellow of University of Wollongong and Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
Dr Evans has 40 years’ experience in engineering, including at Cochlear, GE Healthcare, BHP Steel and Electricity Commission of NSW.
Dr Chris Nave – CEO, Brandon BioCatalyst
Chris is a founding partner of Brandon Capital Partners and Chief Executive Officer of Brandon BioCatalyst (formerly the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund).
Chris previously was Director of Commercialisation at the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia. Prior to this, Chris was the Manager of the Biotechnology Team at Melbourne Ventures, the commercialisation company of the University of Melbourne and an Investment Manager for, and on the investment committee of, Uniseed Pty Ltd, a $60 million pre-seed fund.
Past directorships have seen Chris involved directly in the management, fundraising, and successful spinouts of various companies in the life sciences industry.
Winsome Hall – Trustee Director, Medical Research Commercialisation Fund
Winsome is Chair of the MRCF Audit and Risk Committee and director of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW. Her past directorships and chair roles include companies responsible for superannuation, financial planning, consumer protection, and investment in infrastructure and venture capital.
Winsome was previously a Senior Advisor in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and Secretary of the ACT Branch of the Community and Public Sector Union.
Dr Astha Singh – OnPrime Program Mentor, CSIRO
Dr Astha Singh is a Science and Technology Marketing professional with over 14 years of experience specialising in STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics) and has shared her innovative idea at TEDx Sydney.
Astha has initiated and implemented several STEM focussed multicultural marketing campaigns in her career with programs and organisations such as FameLab, Soapbox Science, Sydney Science Festival, Spark Festival (Australia’s largest festival for entrepreneurship) and at iAccelerate (Australia’s largest University business incubator).
Astha led a nation-wide campaign in 2019 to raise awareness for Diversity in STEM with over 30 top scientists around Australia featured on the Australia’s Science Channel. With her particular interest in diversity & equity, Astha has served as the advisory board member at Multicultural NSW, Australian Football League, NSW. Continuing her passion for highlighting South-Asian talent in STEM, Astha was the STEM ambassador for the Australia India Business and Community Awards 2020-21.
Currently Astha serves as a mentor for commercial research at the CSIRO’s ON Accelerator and DStart programs.
Dr Charlie Day – CEO, Jupiter Ionics
Experienced technology commercialisation executive with D.Phil in Engineering Science from Oxford University.
Dr Day has held many prestigious appointments in STEM innovation, most recently being CEO of Innovation and Science Australia (ISA). He has significant expertise in innovation, business development, technology commercialisation, venture capital and start-up creation.
As CEO, Dr Day led the Office of Innovation and Science Australia and supports the Innovation and Science Australia (ISA) board’s implementation of long-term initiatives to boost Australia’s innovation, science and research system.
Immediately prior to taking up his role with ISA, Dr Day was the Program Director for the Carlton Connect Initiative, an ambitious project to create Australia’s premier STEM innovation precinct anchored by the University of Melbourne.
Currently the CEO of Jupiter Ionics, founded in 2021 and is developing breakthrough electrochemical technology for the production of Green Ammonia.
OUR SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS
We would like to acknowledge the generous support of our current sponsors: the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (Women’s Leadership and Development Program Grant) and Brandon BioCatalyst.
We would also like to recognise the past support from the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship Grant) and the Centre for Eye Research Australia.
DELIVERED BY
SUPPORTED BY
