OUR TEAM
Our Leadership Team
Licia Heath
Chief Executive Officer
Licia Heath is the inaugural CEO of Women for Election and she’s dedicated to inspiring and equipping more women across the country to run for public office at the local, state or federal level. In addition to training women to run for office, Licia is also focussed on engaging more women in Australia’s political process and educating them on the various roles they might like to take to help another woman get elected. She sets the tone that gender-balanced governments improve quality of life not just for women and girls, but for all of society.
Licia ran in the high-profile Wentworth by-election in October 2018 and helped shape the political debate on a national platform.
She spent over 19 years in the finance and asset management sector and worked at Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse in London and Australia. She helped establish Ironbark Asset Management, an Australian-based asset management business.
Phillipa Dobbin GAICD
Chief of Staff
Phillipa is a Board Director, Advisor and Founder, specialising in helping businesses deliver sustainable results through change and growth.
She has worked with fortune global 500 companies such as Telstra and Westpac, in Australia and Asia, with responsibilities ranging from 400 – 10,000+ employees. In addition to her role with WFE, she now advises and helps businesses who are on the verge of expansion – this could be through acquisition, transformation, or explosive growth.
Phillipa is passionate about enabling women from any background and circumstance to be successful and has a life-long interest in politics.
She is currently on the Board of Dress for Success, Sydney.
Daniel Muller
Operations Manager
Daniel has a wealth of experience in business, operations and association management roles leading and enabling national and global for-purpose organisations to achieve sustainable success in their fields.
In addition to working at Women for Election, Daniel works with Invertebrates Australia, an organisation born out of the ashes of the 2019/2020 megafires, dedicated to the conservation of invertebrate animals who make up more than 95% of the known Australian animal diversity.
Daniel considers the “pale blue dot” his home and has lived in Southeast Asia, Europe and Australia. He holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and an Economics degree from The University of Western Australia.
Tania Blom
Events, Training & Administration Coordinator
Tania is an enthusiastic and detail-oriented events coordinator with a diverse background in human resources, marketing, and event management. With a strong passion for bringing people together, she excels in planning and executing impactful events that foster community and engagement. Tania is also a recent graduate from the University of Sydney, holding a degree in Criminology, where she developed a keen interest in understanding social dynamics and justice systems.
Throughout her career, Tania has worked in small, dynamic teams, allowing her to hone her skills in collaboration, problem-solving, and project management. Her versatile experience across multiple industries has equipped her with the ability to adapt to new challenges and thrive in fast-paced environments.
Our Board
Shirley Chowdhary
Chair
Shirley was appointed as Chair of the WFE Board, effective 1 June 2023. She brings a diverse set of expertise to the role having practiced as a New York lawyer in Japan in both private practice at Cleary Gottlieb and as Regional Counsel for JP Morgan Investment Management. Her last executive role was as CEO of the GO Foundation, an organisation supporting Indigenous students nationally. She is admitted to practice law in Australia and New York and has worked across Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe and Africa in the corporate and for-purpose sectors.
In addition to her role with WFE, Shirley is Pro Chancellor at the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the University Senate. She also serves as Chair of the University’s People, Culture & Safety Committee and is a member of the Honorary Awards Committee and the Nominations Committee. Shirley is a Non-Executive Director onto board of Hardie Grant, an Australian publishing and media company, and serves on the Advisory Boards of Mentor Walks, an organisation providing mentoring to over 15,000 women in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Dubai and Canada, and Propel, a professional services firm empowering companies and individuals to manage digital reputation and enhance trust.
In 2024, Shirley was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Sydney for her contributions to law, business, gender equality and Indigenous education, and she was recognised as a 2019 AFR 100 Women of Influence.
Philip Busfield
Director
Philip Busfield M.A. (Hons) Cambridge University (Mathematics) is a risk and finance consultant to the Private Equity and banking industry. He has three decades of experience in various senior executive roles in merchant banking and investment.
Philip has founded and chaired a charity for Parkinson’s sufferers, been actively involved in local community regeneration projects, was the Treasurer of Dying with Dignity NSW, Your Last Rights Australia & Co-Chair,Treasurer & Board member of Twenty10 Incorporating GLCS, NSW largest LGBTIQA+ youth charity.
For the celebration of Sydney World Pride he was appointed as Chair of the Finance & Audit committee and more recently was made an Ambassador of Twenty10.
In 2023 Philip was appointed Non-Executive Director of ASX listed Latitude Finance Global Holdings.
Born and raised in the UK, he now calls Australia home, and in March 2018 became an Australian citizen. He is driven by his passion for Human Rights and particularly the rights of individuals to freedom of expression, speech, and life choices.
Amanda Webb
Director
Amanda is the CEO at ‘Xplore for Success’, an Australian consultancy that specialises in ‘Driving Gender Equality’ and Career development and advancement for women – and men.
Amanda Webb is an experienced and highly respected Human Resources practitioner with over 25 years business expertise in banking, finance, professional services, FMCG and management consulting, having worked for a number of Australian, global and private companies including Deloitte, Westpac, AMP, and the Sydney Olympic Games.
Amanda is an advocate for women and human rights and is committed to driving gender equality. She is a Board Member of Dress for Success Sydney, and an Ambassador for Human and Hope Association, Cambodia.
Andrew Butler GAICD
Director
Andrew is a communications specialist and runs the Corporate Affairs agency, Wilkinson Butler.
With a background in political campaigning and policy development, Andrew has provided strategic and tactical communications support to organisations from a large variety of industry sectors, including not-for-profits.
Much of his focus is on managing complex issues and long-term reputational challenges.
Andrew brings to WFE, expertise in strategic communications, campaigning, media engagement, government relations and strategy and stakeholder engagement.
Laura Berry MAICD
Director
Laura is a Wiradjuri woman with extensive experience within private and public sectors, and over two decades of experience in stakeholder management, risk mitigation and reputation management.
Laura sits on the boards of the Taronga Conservation Society of Australia and Carriageworks. Laura was the CEO of Supply Nation from 2015- 2022, and previous held roles within Qantas, Leighton Holdings and across state and federal politics.
She was also a founding director of the Global Supplier Diversity Alliance and has previously held Indigenous advisory board roles with several organisations including Telstra, NRMA and McKinsey.
Laura has great insights into Australian politics having previously worked for Senator the Hon Robert Hill AC and former NSW Leader of the Opposition, Peter Debnam.
Laura was named as one of the AFR’s Top 100 Women of Influence in 2018, was an Australian delegate at the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee meeting in 2019, and was appointed to the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Commission in 2020.
Laura grew up in Canberra, now lives in regional NSW, and proudly identifies with her Aboriginal and Italian heritage.
Libby Lyons
Director
Libby Lyons is one of Australia’s leading advocates for gender equality, with extensive leadership experience across corporate affairs, public policy and workplace reform in Australia and internationally.
Libby most recently served as CEO of the Commonwealth Government’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) for five and a half years, where she led a major transformation positioning the agency as a national and international authority on evidence-based gender equality.
Her earlier career includes senior executive roles at BHP Olympic Dam, Atlas Iron, CITIC Pacific Mining, Alcoa of Australia, Western Power Corporation and Telstra.
Libby is an experienced board member and advisor. She is the immediate past Chair of SAGE (Science in Australia Gender Equity), a board member of Menopause Australia, Strategic Counsel for ReGen Strategic, and a former WA Chapter Chair and board member of Chief Executive Women.
She is an Adjunct Professor at Australian Catholic University and holds an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Curtin University in recognition of her distinguished service and advocacy for gender equality.
Bobbi Mahlab AM
Director
Bobbi is an entrepreneur, board member and women’s leadership activist.
She is the Chair and Founder of Mahlab, one of Australia’s largest independent communications agencies that operates globally. She is also the Co-Founder of Mentor Walks, a fast-growing ‘walk & talk’ mentoring program that helps career women get guidance from senior women in their city and build their connections and community. Mentor Walks, a not-for-profit, operates in 17 cities across five countries and has provided mentoring to more than 15,000 women so far.
In 2025, Bobbi returned from living in the USA where she was an Advanced Leadership Initiative Fellow at Harvard for 2024. She remains an Executive Fellow at the Harvard Business School collaborating on research on mentoring, and is the Co-Chair of WHx, a new women’s health program at the MIT Media Lab.
In January 2020 Bobbi was awarded a Member of the Order of Australia for service to women, publishing and philanthropy.
She is an experienced board member and member of Chief Executive Women and the International Women’s Forum.
Founder
Jennifer Morris
Founder & Emeritus Chair
Jenny is the Founder and Emeritus Chair of Women for Election where her vision has led to changes in both the representation of women in public office and across the political landscape in general. Now serving as Emeritus Chair, she continues to provide strategic guidance and mentorship to ensure the organisation’s lasting success.
Jenny is a pioneering leader in coaching, mentoring, and diversity & inclusion. With a career spanning education, corporate mentorship, and public advocacy, she has shaped leadership programs across industries, government, and academia.
As the founder of The Orijen Group, she has coached and mentored executives from C-suites in Fortune 500 companies and the Australian Public Service, to mid-career women seeking to optimise their potential, fostering leadership excellence and cultural change.
Recognised with the Order of Australia Medal for her contributions to mentoring women, Jennifer has also been named in the AFR 100 Women of Influence.
Her work continues to drive meaningful change, equipping future leaders with the skills and confidence to succeed.
Our Political Advisory Board
Pamela Anderson
CEO of Emily’s List Australia (ALP)
Pamela is a proud First Nations woman with connections to the Yorta Yorta and GunnaiKurnai mobs. She has over 20 years of experience in the financial services sector, working across mid-sized and large corporates before founding her own financial services business in 2016.
In April 2022, Pamela was appointed CEO of EMILY’s List Australia, where she leads the organisation’s work to advance equality and support progressive women into public office with determination and vision.
A fierce and committed feminist, Pamela has long championed gender equality, economic justice, and women’s leadership. An active member of the Australian Labor Party and a Finance Sector Union delegate, she joined EMILY’s List Australia’s National Committee in 2018. She has held senior positions including National Treasurer and Co-Convenor of the Victorian Action Group.
The Hon Karen Andrews
Former Minister for Home Affairs (Liberal Party)
Karen is a former Federal Cabinet Minister and trailblazer for women in Australian public life. Elected in 2010, she served as the Member for McPherson for 15 years and was Queensland’s first female Federal Cabinet Minister. Her ministerial appointments included Minister for Industry, Science and Technology and Minister for Home Affairs – both firsts for a woman.
Karen’s professional background in mechanical engineering and industrial relations positioned her uniquely to navigate and lead in male-dominated fields long before entering politics. Throughout her career, she has been a fierce advocate for women’s representation and equity in the workplace, including parliament.
A strong believer in merit, Karen has publicly called for structural change in political preselection processes to support greater participation by women, recognising that passive approaches have failed to deliver gender balance.=
Darrin Barnett
Former Press Secretary to Prime Minister Julia Gillard (ALP)
Darrin is a former Press Secretary to Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Canberra Press Gallery Journalist who has been working on the frontline of media & politics for more than 30 years.
He was also the campaign director, media spokesperson and principal adviser to Wentworth Independent MP Dr Kerryn Phelps and his consultancy ran the successful campaign to elect Independent Zali Steggall MP in Warringah.
Darrin now advises companies on engagement with federal and state governments and continues to work as a media commentator on both the ABC and Sky News, in addition to writing opinion pieces published in News Corp, Nine/Fairfax newspapers, ABC online and the Daily Mail.
The Hon Linda Burney
Former Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians (ALP)
Zoe Daniel
Former Federal Member for Goldstein (Independent)
Zoe is a respected journalist, author, and is the former independent MP for Goldstein, after making history in 2022 as the seat’s first female representative. In Parliament, she championed reforms in women’s safety, economic equality, student debt, healthcare, climate legislation, and digital safety, and support for eating disorder services.
Known for her integrity and people-first approach, Zoe continues her advocacy through public speaking, advocacy, consulting, and community engagement.
Before politics, Zoe spent nearly 30 years as a foreign correspondent for the ABC, covering global events across Africa, Asia, and the U.S., including climate disasters, conflict, and the Trump presidency. As ABC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a correspondent across Africa and Asia, she became a trusted voice on international affairs.
Chris McDiven AM
Former President of the Liberal Party
Chris has served the Liberal Party at all levels, including State President Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) 2000 – 2005 and Federal President Liberal Party of Australia 2005 – 2008.
Along the way she was President of the NSW Liberal Women’s Council and President of the Federal Women’s Committee and has chaired numerous Party committees. In addition, Chris initiated, and coordinated the NSW Liberal Women’s Forum, and was the coordinator of the National Liberal Women’s Forum training program, which has been widely credited with the increasing the number of female Liberal Members of Parliament. She was a member of NSW Liberal State Executive for over 25 years and the Federal Executive for 17 years.
In 2011 Chris was appointed as a member of the Order of Australia (AM) for ‘service to the Liberal Party and the community through education and women’s organisations.’
Melina Morgan
President of the National Liberal Women's Council
Melina brings nearly two decades of leadership experience with the federal Liberal Party and Queensland Liberal National Party (LNP). She is currently the Federal President of the Liberal Women’s Council and President of LNP Women, and established Succession, an LNP Women’s networking forum.
In addition to her political roles, she is an experienced company director of two family businesses and an experienced teacher.
Jess Scully
Former Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney and City of Sydney Councillor (Independent)
Jess is an author, city-maker and advocate for an expanded civic imagination to empower us to create a fair and sustainable future. As Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney from 2019 to 2022 and as a Councillor at the City of Sydney from 2016 to 2023, Jess championed new models to address the housing crisis and support a more inclusive economy, worked to embed culture in the life of the city and revive Sydney’s nightlife, and advocated to expand who plays a role in shaping the life of the city.
Previously, Jess founded and directed the Vivid Ideas festival; supported emerging talent through the Qantas Spirit of Youth Awards; transformed public space as an urbanism consultant and public art curator, served as a policy advisor to the NSW Minister for the Arts and hosted Saturday Afternoons on ABC Radio.
She is currently a World Bank consultant contributing to sustainable urban development in Indonesia and Senior Associate at the Sydney Policy Lab. Her first book, Glimpses of Utopia: Real Ideas for a Fairer World, was published by Pantera Press and shortlisted in the Australian Book Industry Awards in 2021.
Rachel Siewert
Former Federal Senator for WA, former co-deputy Leader of the Greens
Rachel was elected as a Greens Senator for WA in 2004. During her time in office, she was Greens spokesperson across a range of portfolio areas, including: family and community services, health and mental health, aged care, First Nations, housing, gambling, and environment. She chaired the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for over 10 years, initiating many inquiries.
Prior to her election, Rachel was Coordinator of the Conservation Council of WA for 16 years. In this role she was part of and lead successful environmental campaigns. She also worked for the WA Department of Agriculture where she focused on landcare and salinity.
Rachel now works in a leadership role in the social services sector.
The Hon Bronnie Taylor
Former NSW Minister for Women (Nationals)
Bronnie was a member of the NSW Parliament for close to a decade, serving as the Minister for Regional Health, Mental Health, Women, and Regional Youth.
As a Minister, Bronnie spearheaded several initiatives that have had a profound impact on healthcare and women in NSW. Notable among these are the establishment of the Well-Being and In-Reach Nurse program, which placed around one hundred nurses in schools across the State, and the securing of nearly $1 billion in funding for the Regional Health Workforce Incentive Scheme.
In 2021, she became the first woman elected Deputy Leader of the NSW Nationals in the 100 years since the party’s establishment. In 2022, Bronnie was named one of the Daily Telegraph’s 31 Most Influential Women in NSW.
For 20 years prior to her election, Bronnie was a registered nurse specialising in cancer care and palliative care. Her work in these fields saw her become one of the first McGrath Foundation Breast Care nurses and then Director of Cancer Services in the Southern NSW Local Health District.
The Hon Stephen Wade
Former SA Minister for Health and Wellbeing (Liberal Party)
Stephen served in the South Australian Parliament for over 16 years, including four years as the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. As Minister, he led the state’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and chaired the national Health Minister’s Meeting.
A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, he serves on a range of boards and committees.
Keen to see more women engage in politics, Stephen supports female candidates and members.