Theckla is a broadcast journalist and Producer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) based in Port Moresby. Theckla has covered major news events on international security, politics and the region in her ten years of experience. 

Prior to joining the ABC, Theckla was an online journalist at Inside. The highlight of her career at ABC was producing a Foreign Correspondent documentary in the Sepik Region. 

Theckla believes the key to a strengthened Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship is youth advocacy and empowerment.

Thatcher is a Policy Officer at the Department of Defence, serving as the U.S. Desk Officer in the International Policy Branch. In her role, she manages bilateral relations, coordinates defence policies, and facilitates communication between the Defence Department and the United States government on security and strategic issues. 

Previously, Thatcher was the Senior Defence Committees Secretariat, coordinating high-level meetings from the Defence Council to the National Executive Council (NEC). Thatcher holds a degree in political science from the University of Papua New Guinea.

Luke is Senior Export Manager for Pacific Islands International, where he leads the International Project Division. 

Luke is also on the Executive Committee for the Australian Pacific Islands Business Council and Committee Member for the Bishop Michael Putney Fellowship Program, which raises funding for research into preventing suicide amongst youth athletes. He is aware of the role of youth leadership in leading and shaping meaningful international partnerships.

Tecklah is a filmmaker operating her film label in Port Moresby. Tecklah’s film Wan Dei was an official selection in the 2018 Papua New Guinea Human Rights Film Festival, and Narcissist won three awards in the 2021 Digicel PNG 2 Minute Film Competition. Her work on Sorcery Accusation Related Violence (SARV) is shown on the local TV channel, TVWAN. 

Outside of commercial productions, Tecklah has a passion for teaching filmmaking skills to underprivileged youths and uses film as a tool for human rights and social justice advocacy. Tecklah enjoys boxing and trains with the Team PNG boxing team.

Paul is Policy Officer at the Department of Defence. Previously, he worked in sustainable development, disaster response and youth leadership in Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Tonga. 

Paul is currently Chair of the Pacific-Australia Youth Association, where he delivers programs promoting youth engagement, leadership development and cross-cultural understanding. With a strong commitment to enhancing Australia’s relationships with the Pacific, and especially Papua New Guinea, Paul believes young voices are central to solutions that address challenges of the Blue Pacific.

Amy serves as a Foreign Service Officer at Papua New Guinea’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Through interactions and engagements in bilateral border and maritime security dialogues, she has broadened her understanding of the management and coordination of internal and external international issues and developments.

Amy’s interest in youth empowerment stems from her participation in the Kokoda Track Foundation Archer Fellowship Program in 2015.

Pala is Founder of KumulCare, a not-for-profit organisation advocating for greater inclusion and empowerment in rural villages, through disability awareness and education. He has also held several roles across organisations delivering social impacts and witnessed the power and potential of young people to transact change. 

With passions in combatting health and social inequalities, Pala believes establishing connections and fostering resilient youth networks is pivotal to further developing the Australia-PNG relationship. Pala is of Rigo and Motu-Koita heritage.

Mijica is Juris Doctor candidate and Research Assistant at the University of Canberra, broadening her knowledge of the Australian legal system and policy frameworks that assist Pacific migrants and refugees with settlement. 

Mijica is ACT Branch Director for the UN Young Professionals Network and ACT National Council Representative for the Australian Red Cross. In 2024, she was recognised as the ACT Young Woman of the Year for her volunteer work across education, media, healthcare and human services. Mijica is from Papua New Guinea and lives in Canberra.

Saikio is a Policy Planning and Monitoring Officer at the Department of Prime Minister and National Executive Council. He gives his spare time to community service, especially supporting the Morata Youth Association where he mentors young people to be leaders in the community. 

Saikio is passionate about making a difference and aspires to transition into a political role where he can advocate for social justice, equity, and sustainable development.

Noella Scully is Founder and Head Educator of a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing free educational programs for children in Buitbam, Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea. 

With a background in education and museum industry, Noella aims to empower PNG children and youth by offering equal educational opportunities and helping them to achieve their goals. She also seeks to collaborate with Australian teachers, enhancing local educators' professional development and facilitating volunteer opportunities, thereby strengthening the Australia-PNG relationship and expanding educational opportunities across PNG.

Rhonda is a Senior Legal Officer at Papua New Guinea’s Department of Justice and Attorney-General, within the International Law Division of the Office of the State Solicitor. As a lawyer, she provides legal advice and clearance on international arrangements, including security, nuclear terrorism, climate change and fisheries. 

Rhonda is committed to identifying areas of Papua New Guinea’s diplomatic relations that require strengthening and developing solutions for improvement that promote and protect PNG’s national interests.

Stanford is an Adviser at the Office of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, where he manages the restoration program at the Porgera District in the Enga Province. 

Standford leverages transparency and accountability in the district to work towards eradicating corruption, financial mismanagement, unfair wealth distribution and unequal participation in business activities. Stanford desires to empower rural communities to meaningfully participate in mining activities and be part of the community development initiatives.

Aidan is a Business Development Manager at Ruswin Integrated Solutions. 

As a former elite athlete, he has played ruby union for the Queensland Reds, Australian Capital Territory Brumbies, Australian 7s team, Sporting Union Agen (France) and Honda Heat (Japan). Aidan is an Ambassador for Capital Rugby Union in Port Moresby and believes that sport can be used as a vehicle to strengthen communities and motivate young people. 

After spending most of his adult life abroad, Aidan is excited to leverage his learnings in Papua New Guinea and inspire the next generation of PNG’s leaders.

Sheridan is Program Coordinator for ABC International Development Papua New Guinea (PNG), working on the Media Development Initiative with various media organisations in PNG. 

Previously, Sheridan worked for the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) as a Pacific Business Liaison Researcher. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Security from the Australian National University, and a Master in Sustainable Development and Diplomacy from the United Nations Institute of Training and Research and The University for Peace, based in Costa Rica. 

Sheridan’s research interests include non-militarisation and countries without sovereign military institutions, security dynamics in the Pacific region, and traditional governance and bilateral security partnerships in Pacific Island countries.

Alice is a Dharug woman with extensive experience working with First Nations communities across regional and remote locations. She is the Indigenous Programs Manager at the Australian Volunteers Program and advises internationally as Managing Director of Connecting Cultures International. Alice focuses on equitable inclusion and community development. At the Australian Volunteers Program, she facilitates connections between cultures and empowers individuals and communities to share knowledge and enhance cultural understanding. She is passionate about creating avenues for respectful and meaningful dialogue, providing equitable engagement between Australia and the Pacific. Alice is committed to amplifying First Nations voices and leadership in development and diplomacy.

Allan is a Consultant at Ernst & Young (EY) in Perth, on the Infrastructure Advisory team. Prior experience includes policy development and research in the government sector. Allan contributes to organisations such as Australia’s Department of Education, Wesfarmers, and Accenture. His expertise and interests focus on sustainable change, with regard to education, human rights, and poverty alleviation. Allan is a First Nations man from Far North Queensland. His personal background gives Allan a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities concerning infrastructure, Indigenous affairs, and sustainable development. Allan collaborates with stakeholders to create innovative solutions and drive positive change in the communities he serves.

Anita is a Bougainvillean- Australian woman, born in Bougainville and based in Canberra. She is an anthropologist, employed as senior consultant at ERIAS Group, an Australian firm specialising in environmental and social impact assessment and management consultancy in energy, resource and infrastructure sectors. Anita was a founding managing director of an Indigenous-owned recruitment consultancy, 3 Emus Recruitment. Her doctorate attained at the Australian National University focused on Indigenous entrepreneurship and landowner businesses in Papua New Guinea’s mining sector. Anita also worked in Central Australia with at-risk Indigenous Australian youth. She is passionate about sustainable outcomes for Indigenous peoples impacted by extractive resource development.

Anna-Liza has a diverse background in sports, counselling, and professional speaking. With over twenty years’ experience in the sports industry, Anna- Liza is a former elite athlete, sports administrator, events coordinator, and athlete wellbeing advocate. She represented Papua New Guinea in swimming at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, three Commonwealth Games, and five World Championships. As an accredited counsellor with the Australian Counselling Association, Anna-Liza works with athletes and high performers, empowering them to achieve success alongside mental health and wellbeing. She is a passionate speaker who delivers engaging keynotes on the importance of prioritizing mental health and well-being.

Anthony is the Digital Content Manager in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) International Services Team. His career began as a cadet with ABC News, evolving into a broadcast journalist across Australia. For the past four years, he has focused on covering the Pacific Islands, transitioning from a journalist to a digital content manager. Notably, he spearheaded the development and launch of ABC Pacific, a digital brand aimed at engaging audiences across the Pacific Islands. His team creates content to connect with audiences in Papua New Guinea, a crucial demographic for ABC International Services.

Bethanie is a freelance journalist and producer currently contributing to The Guardian Australia, covering Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Pacific region. With over a decade of experience, he has an extensive background in PNG, having previously served as the PNG Producer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and worked with PNG’s national television station, EMTV. Bethanie has covered a broad spectrum of subjects, including political developments, elections, violence, natural disasters, sports, and developmental challenges. Bethanie’s unique perspective comes from having immersed himself in PNG’s political landscape to understand government agendas, leadership dynamics, and PNG’s diverse population and development journey.

David is an International Development Consultant focussed on climate change adaptation and resilience, disaster risk reduction, and social inclusion programs throughout the Asia-Pacific region. He provides technical and project management support for clients including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Council of Regional Organisations for the Pacific (CROP) Agencies, multilateral institutions, international governments, and non-government organisations. David is of proud Dhanggati heritage, and is Co-Founder of the Association of First Nations Australians in Development (AFNAD), providing a culturally safe platform for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders working in Australia’s international development sector.

Dylan is an Agricultural Scientist, who is passionate about using science and local knowledge to improve food security. Dylan is completing his PhD candidature at the University of Melbourne. His work is supporting a traditional owner group to develop one of their Indigenous food plants into a modern-day crop. Dylan first travelled to Papua New Guinea in 2019 as a New Colombo Plan (NCP) Scholar, where he undertook his Honours research and a semester exchange at Unitech, alongside an internship with Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture. Dylan is interested in how we can better harness initiatives, such as the NCP, to benefit the Australia-PNG relationship.

Irene is an academic at Divine Word University in Papua New Guinea. She focuses on the teaching, learning and research of public health leadership and training. Irene has a PhD that applies Melanesian ways of knowing, being and doing to the curriculum of health workers. Her PhD research provides the opportunity for leadership and knowledge exchange within the areas of Indigenous research, contextualizing public health, gender and development, and the politics of Melanesia. Irene was the lead organiser and Chairperson of the Diwai Post Election Women’s Forum, focusing on the experiences of women in the 2022 national elections.

Jenna is the Project Manager for International Development at Ninti One Limited, where her work focuses on First Nations participation in Australia’s international development program. Jenna is experienced in working in a technical advisory and project management capacity with Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the private sector and the not-for- profit sector in Australia and throughout the Asia Pacific region. By working on PNG- based programs over the past 18 months, she has developed a strong passion for continuing the strong cultural connections between First Nations Australians and Papua New Guineans. Jenna holds a Bachelor of Development Studies from the University of Newcastle and has completed short term study in India and South Korea.

Kembol has over eight years’ work experience in business development, consulting, and marketing. He focuses on trade, investment, and education opportunities and partnerships between Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Kembol works with a range of stakeholders, including government and donor agencies, industry associations, the private sector, and education providers. He is currently contributing to the development and implementation of the Austrade strategy and business plan for PNG and the Pacific region. Kembol is passionate about connecting Australian businesses with opportunities in PNG, attracting international investment, and promoting Australia’s education services to PNG and Solomon Islands.