2021 ELGP Spring Participants revealed

In our ninth year of the program, we are delighted to reveal the participants of the 2021 Emerging Leaders in Governance program (ELGP) for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. This incredible cohort joins the ELGP family with support from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women as well as our Community Partners who provide invaluable mentorship, guidance and support throughout the program. As you’ll read below, this group has exceptional professional skills and a keen desire to contribute on a board in the aged care and community sector.

2021 ELGP Spring Participants revealed

We would like to warmly welcome this year’s group and we look forward to working with you!

Racheline Tantular

Racheline is studying a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) in Music and Asian Studies at the University of Western Australia. From an early age, she has been committed to supporting the most vulnerable in our communities. She has volunteered with Swim For Refugees and Teach Learn Grow, supporting students from culturally diverse backgrounds and those living in rural communities to realise their potential. Racheline plays clarinet in the Western Australia Charity Orchestra and organised a Charity Concert and Birthing Kit Assembly Day for women in disadvantaged communities as President of the St Catherine’s College Golden Zonta Club.

As the ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership’s inaugural Perth Hub Manager, she conceptualised and directed the Indo-Pacific Future Leaders Programme, bringing young people together to discuss regional challenges and innovate policy recommendations. She was invited to speak at a UWA Public Policy Institute Roundtable Discussion and facilitated the Indo-Pacific Student Mobility Youth Dialogue in 2020.

Annika Htun

Annika is involved with various not-for-profit organisations and her experience at St. John Ambulance deepened her interests in health. Hence, despite initially building her professional career at Woodside Energy, Annika now serves as the Finance & Business Officer at PathWest Laboratory Medicine WA. Born and raised in Myanmar, Annika completed her MBA, Master of Professional Accounting and Bachelor of Commerce from Curtin and Murdoch Universities. During her studies, Annika became the President of Curtin Volunteers! where she led student volunteer teams on various volunteering programs and projects to help local and rural communities. In addition, she was an advocate for the prevention of teenage suicides while at the John Curtin Leadership Academy (JCLA). Annika was awarded a Demonstrated Exceptional Leadership Award by Curtin’s Pro Vice-Chancellor and became a nominated semi-finalist for the Western Australian Young Achiever Awards for her outstanding volunteering and community services. She is also the founding Executive Board Member and the Vice President of Curtin Young Alumni Advisory Board, and the Vice President of JCLA Alumni Committee. Annika is now a social entrepreneur and an advocate working on projects, programs and institutions across Australia, Myanmar and Africa to address social issues relating to health, homelessness, aged care and youth development.

 
Sheryl Mera

Sheryl is a commercial lawyer with a Masters degree in Banking and Finance Law. She has extensive experience in providing legal advisory services relating to business acquisitions and operations, property, commercial contracts, governance, risks, compliance and mitigation strategies. She is the acting General Counsel at Keystart Home Loans, Director of WA Legal Solutions and an adjunct lecturer with the College of Law.

Becoming a mum made her realise that for her to be able to teach her child the importance of making a positive contribution to society she would need to lead by example. She hopes to put her professional skills, knowledge and experience to good use in the NFP sector and to change the world for the better. She is passionate about all things relating to start-ups, entrepreneurship, women empowerment and enablement, wildlife conservation and climate change.

She has volunteered over the years at the Sussex Legal Centre, Fairgame WA, Case for Refugees and SMYLES. She was also previously Vice President for the Postgraduate Association and President of the Singapore Students Society at UWA.

Joey Lim

Joey Lim is a Psychology student at the University of Western Australia. She Co-founded Young Women Against Sexual Violence in October 2020 after her experience of sexual violence and wanting to provide a safe space and platform for people with lived experience to freely share their stories to the community, to change attitudes and behaviours which lead to sexual violence, and to assure others that they are supported, believed and empowered. She has shared her story throughout Perth with around 200 attendees, and in workshops such as from Ishar’s Multicultural Women’s Health Services.She took an internship as a Data Analyst and Evaluation Intern at Ruah Community Services and later worked with them as a Project Administration Worker for an evaluation report on a domestic violence advocate program. She also volunteers as a business consultant at 180 Degrees Consulting which consults not-for-profit organisations in WA.

Elaine Makinya

Elaine Makinya is a dedicated and detail-oriented accounting professional with considerable experience in financial accounting and auditing. She currently is the Accountant at Royal Flying Doctor Service WA. She has completed the Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting and is a provisional member of CAANZ.

Elaine graduated from the University of South Africa with a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting Sciences. She started off her career at an accounting and audit firm Nexia SAB&T (South Africa) as a Trainee Accountant and later transitioned to Senior Auditor. Her clients included private companies, JSE listed entities and Government Agencies. She progressed to become an Assistant Accountant for a large agricultural and manufacturing entity, a position she held until she relocated to Australia. In Australia she has worked in the education and health sectors in varying positions. Outside of work Elaine enjoys cooking, reading, travelling, and spending time with her husband, daughter and son.

Elena Mikhaltsevich

Elena arrived in Australia from Russia in December 2004 with little knowledge of both spoken and written English. However, in 2012 Elena graduated from Murdoch University with Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Economics degrees. Since graduation Elena has been working in the State public sector. Elena started volunteering while still studying at the university. Over the years she volunteered in a number of community organisations, including the SCALES Community Centre and a community club. Elena is passionate about helping others finding it fulfilling and providing a connection to the community.

Sindhuja Sornam Lingaswaran

Sindhuja is an IT professional who is passionate about solving business problems with a touch of technology. She has gained strong technical, architecture and leadership experience over the 15 years. She has experienced diversity at the workplace by contributing her expertise in various industries like Telecommunications, Media, Technology, Insurance, Education, public sectors in India and Australia. Her dedication and commitment to deliver the right solution always uplifted the projects she has been part of.
 
Her zeal and enthusiasm to learn new things has always been an advantage for any assignment she gets committed to. Her interest in the Not-For-Profit sector roots back to India, a country known for “Unity in Diversity”. In various stages of life, she witnessed the power of small change making a big impact. In Perth, she volunteered at foster care activities, school STEM events, and contributed to aboriginal art at the workplace.

Habiba Farrag

Habiba is a hardworking and dedicated team member. She has worked with Fossil from late 2017 to early 2021 as a sales assistant, developing her communication and problem-solving skills. She currently works with Edmund Rice Centre of WA as a Project Officer (Al Ameen College Future Leaders Program). The program involves working directly with high school students to develop confidence and interpersonal skills. Currently, she also volunteers with the Red Cross as a shop assistant, assisting at the Mt Hawthorn store and is an Advisory Board Member to the Multicultural Communities Council of WA (MCCWA). Volunteering with MCCWA requires Habiba to take on varying tasks including assisting at events, planning events, translating flyers and administrative tasks.

Angelyn Seen

Angelyn is a government solicitor who graduated from the University of Western Australia with Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science and International Relations). She has previously worked at the District Court of Western Australia, volunteered at community legal centres and undertaken policy research in the areas of migration law and higher education funding. Alongside her professional career, she is a mentor for under-represented groups and an advocate for the retention of second-language studies in secondary and tertiary education institutions. Outside of work, she writes for community publications which aim to amplify and promote greater visibility for CALD and Asian-Australian creatives.

Linda van Achterbergh

Linda has always loved solving problems and finding better ways to do things. As a civil engineer, she has helped deliver projects for both the private and public sector in Australia and her native South Africa. She has held diverse roles which often required an innovative approach to balance socioeconomic, commercial and technical priorities.

With a keen interest in tackling the social and environmental challenges of our time, Linda volunteers for the WA branch of the Sustainable Engineering Society of Engineers Australia. She is acutely aware that not everyone has the same access to opportunities and support, and wants to use her skills and experience to make a direct positive impact.

Simi Das

Simi Das takes a vision and makes it reality through sound analysis and strategy development. She is an accomplished Information Security professional with over 15 years of experience in global technology companies. Well regarded as an ‘achiever’ for her result oriented natural powers of grit, focus and insight, Simi has helped organisations in designing and implementing  governance, compliance and risk management programs.
 
Currently, as a Security GRC consultant at Perenti, a global mining services company, Simi is the subject matter expert of Information Security Governance, Risk and Compliance. Simi has mentored low socio-economic students under ABCN and volunteered in various CSR initiatives.
 
Simi believes purpose driven, community focused Not-for-profit organisations will give her opportunity to build connection with the communities, experience new challenges, understand problems wearing different hats, utilise her areas of expertise and enrich her perspective.

Christine Morara

Christine has been in the technology industry for over 12 years. She enjoys consulting and using technology to support and enhance business processes. Her professional skills include developing business intelligence solutions, data analysis, project management and training.

She has volunteered in the past through reunification of persons during disasters at the Kenya Red Cross as well as fund raising, events organisation, administration to support OAfrica – a Ghanaian NGO that focusses on reintegration of separated children into safe and stable loving households.

Christine has worked across health care, construction, mining, oil & gas, intergovernmental organisations, Non-Profit sector and software companies in the technology sector across 3 continents. Working in various industries has enabled her to gain experience in culturally diverse environments and developed her interest in being part of a Not-for-Profit board especially in contribution of governance and policies for a growing migrant diverse workforce and clients in Australia.

Rumbi Tsvangirayi

Having been brought up in a strong political family and inspired by her late father’s service and sacrifice in the fight for democracy in Zimbabwe, the desire to serve the community remained burning in the then naïve but ambitious girl. In search of better opportunities, Rumbi moved to Australia where she pursed studies in Accounting and Finance and later qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Whilst at University as a guild member, she volunteered herself at various events such as Careers Fair and Orientation week. Rumbi found an opportunity to work in the finance team of Silver Chain, a not-for-profit organization delivering community health and aged care services across Australia. Her passion to serve was further ignited and she began actively serving in her local community church in various community outreaches across Perth. Rumbi is now on a mission to transform and empower lives.

Amber Ugle-Hayward

Amber Ugle-Hayward is a Noongar yorga with family ties to Ballardong, Whadjuk, Mineang and Wilman country. She began her professional career by completing the Public Sector Commission’s Aboriginal Traineeship Program in 2020.

In 2020 she successfully graduated from the WAALI Emerging Aboriginal Leader’s Program which assisted in providing opportunities to become a speaker for the Banksia Hill NAIDOC event. With the skills gained from the program in 2021, she spoke at the 2022 PSC Aboriginal Traineeship Program induction, became a Swan Districts Football Club Aboriginal Advisory Committee member, was a part of the National Reconciliation Week Panel for Swan Districts Football Club, spoke at the ATCO National Reconciliation Week event and became a member for the WAALI Emerging Aboriginal Leader’s Alumni Committee.

Amber’s philosophy is look for opportunities to gain new experiences and skills and the words she lives by is “be comfortable with uncomfortable” and be ready to take the next step to get out of your comfort zone.

Chloe Leow

Originally from Singapore, Chloe joined the financial planning industry in 2015 and worked in various roles, from advice to compliance. Chloe values learning new skills, and currently, outside of work, she is working towards completing her Diploma of Counselling. She believes in the power of community and dedicates her time and energy to positively impact various individuals through volunteering on a personal level, including self-funded medical trips to Cambodia, working closely with Migrant and Refugee women with non-for-profit organisations like ISHAR and the Curtin Empower Project.

In 2018 she established a women’s support group, The Etch Collective, that provides a safe space for women to connect, learn and grow.

In 2019 she partnered with ISHAR to develop a program of workshops and a Financial Literacy booklet titled “Your Money & Financial Wellbeing”. The book was produced collaboratively with George Hillary and illustrated by a local artist Joana Partyka for CALD women. The booklet has now be translated into different languages (English, Arabic, Farsi and Vietnamese).

Tanzila Mahzabin

Dr. Tanzila Mahzabin is a Life scientist, trained and worked in Bangladesh, Sweden, and Australia. Tan is a life-long learner with her intrinsic compassion to improve human wellbeing. She completed her Ph.D. in Human Science from UWA. Then she decided to contribute to the NFP sector combining her expertise with chronic health issues and passion to serve the wellbeing of elders and vulnerable individuals in the community. She is keen on the NFP sector as its mission and vision align with her personal values of serving the community.

Tan has volunteered long-term for local community. She also volunteered to raise awareness and funds for respiratory research WA. As a representative of culturally and linguistically diverse group of immigrants, with working experience in health sector, she is determined to further hone her leadership and governance skills to efficiently contribute to the NFP sector in the years to come.

Tanya Goromonzi

Tanya Goromonzi is a Clinical Audiologist and Director of the Specsavers Audiology clinics in Riverton and Carousel (Perth, Western Australia). With a background in neuropharmacology and research interest in neural networks that support language and communication; she holds a BSc in Neuroscience (University of Western Australia, Australia), MSc in Neuroscience (King’s College London, United Kingdom) and MSc in Clinical Audiology (University of Western Australia, Australia).

Her passion for audiology began when her godfather, a practising Urologist in Zimbabwe, introduced her to an ENT surgeon colleague who was making waves and single-handedly tackling the lack of audiological services in the country. She was inspired by his ambition and became involved in his clinical projects via Audiomax Zimbabwe and with an initiative seeking to create solar-powered, rechargeable hearing devices for Africa named Deaftronics Pty Ltd.

She is passionate about helping people engage in conversation and build impactful relationships.