WILD Women is a social enterprise, established in 2018 by STEM women for STEM women, to provide tangible solutions to address lack of diversity in leadership.
WILD WOMEN FOUNDERS
Dr Nadine Brew – Cincera Therapeutics
Dr Nadine Brew (B.A/B.Sc(Hons), PhD, GAICD) is General Manager at Cincera Therapeutics, a Brandon Capital-backed biotechnology company developing novel therapies to treat fibrotic conditions associated with metabolic diseases.
Dr Brew has broad experience in the translation and commercialisation of medical research including roles in not for profit, hospital and university sectors. She has led a range of commercial deals as well as industry engagement and partnering programs to progress research towards clinical trials. Nadine has over a decade’s research experience in Australia and the US with a PhD in developmental physiology from Monash University. She is a NHMRC postgraduate scholar and Churchill Fellow. Nadine is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has been an observer on numerous boards.
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.
Dr Udani Reets – Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre
Dr Udani Reets is a leader in Australia’s health and medical sector, with unique expertise in supporting companies deliver successful innovative, large-scale partnerships, services and ventures that support improvements in healthcare.
As the Director, Partnerships at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, she heads up the partnership and commercial strategy function at Australia’s leading centre for cancer care, research and innovation. Her success is underpinned by significant experience in leading the development and delivery of major national and international medical and health initiatives and projects within the University and medical research sectors.
She is also personally driven to address systemic gender biases and build social, health and economic opportunities for women, especially those of colour and from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR
Anna Bailey
Anna has over 15 years working across corporate consulting, R&D incentives, strategic projects and communications. 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 MANAGEMENT
Stacey Hubert
Stacey has a strong background of over 6 years in program management across a range of foundations and social impact organisations in Australia.
Before commencing at the WILD Program, Stacey was the Program Lead at the NSW Rural Doctor’s Network and has previously led Program Coordination at Canteen Australia and
Stacey completed her Bachelor of Education at the Auckland University of Technology, and is a passionate advocate of gender equality.
PROGRAM & EVALUATION
Kaavya Jha
Kaavya is a current graduate student at the University of Melbourne, completing a Master of Public Policy and Management. She is passionate about the intersection between science, government, and social impact, and is hoping to complete her thesis in this area.
Prior to returning to further study, she worked at L’Oreal ANZ and completed the Management Trainee program, working across strategy, marketing, and digital functions. She has volunteered at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, and contributed to research on onshore detention for Liberty Victoria.
Kaavya has a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics & Marketing) from the University of Melbourne in 2020, completing her exchange studies at the University of Geneva.
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 generous support from 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 past support from the Centre for Eye Research Australia and Department of Industry, Innovation and Science (Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship Grant).
