Emerging Professionals Networking Event
At MDC, we foster a culture of collaboration and knowledge-sharing between people and organisations from different sectors through creating inclusive, high-quality networking events. We recognise the importance of professional circles and peer networks to promote career prospects, especially in the rapidly changing development landscape, which has been further disrupted due to COVID-19.
This event aims to provide early-career professionals in the development sector the chance to connect and gain career advice through small break out groups, facilitated by experienced development professionals (Advisors) who have a range of experiences and career transitions spanning academia, government, and private/not for profit development organisations, internationally and across Australia. Additionally, this event is an opportunity to connect and build peer professional networks.
Advisors (full bios below)
- Martin Pritchard, Co-founder, Pacific Research & Evaluation Associates
- Angelos Blackwood, Senior Consultant, Clear Horizon Consulting
- Sashenka Worsman, Lead, Pacific Strategy and Growth, Save the Children Australia
- Shani Cain, CEO, Oaktree and Board Member, ACFID
- Euan Hind, Partnership Lead – Biodiversity, Otago Regional Council
- Nicholas Metherall, Data and Monitoring Systems – Advisor, Global EverGreening Alliance
Date: Tuesday 24 November, 2020
Time: 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm (AEST)
Location: online via Zoom
Cost: $10 + bf
MDC strives to be inclusive in all its events. Please contact us in case you are in need of financial assistance to take part in this event.
As a volunteer organisation, MDC has ongoing costs, and as such we would greatly appreciate financial contributions in order to keep providing events such as this to the benefit of our community.
Advisor Bios
Angelos Blackwood
Senior Consultant, Clear Horizon Consulting
Angelos is a Senior Consultant at Clear Horizon. He is a monitoring and evaluation specialist with close to 10 years of experience in international development, including with the United Nations, World Bank and DFAT. Angelos is currently supporting organisations in Indonesia and PNG on their COVID-19 responses.
Shani Cain
CEO, Oaktree and Board Member, ACFID
Shani Cain stepped into the CEO role at the Oaktree Foundation, Australia’s largest youth-led international development agency, in February 2019 and has since paved her way within the sector. She was elected to the Australian Council for International Development’s board as the youngest member in November 2019 and has recently been nominated within Pro Bonos Impact 25 Most Influential People in the Sector. Previously Shani has worked within the Climate Movement, Refugee Settlement, Crisis Response and Research for organisations such as AYCC, the Red Cross and the Centre for Multicultural Youth. Shani seeks to lead with vulnerability, integrity and empathy. She cares deeply about equality, justice and sustainability and believes the identification of intersectionalities in movements is the key to a more just world.
Martin Pritchard
Co-founder, Pacific Research & Evaluation Associates
Martin is the co-founder and principal consultant at Pacific Research & Evaluation Associates (PREA) where he works on international and national development related projects. His work is strongly focused on program design, research, monitoring and evaluation across a number of sectors often aligned to climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, water and food security. Most of his work is based in Pacific region, specifically with Small Island Developing States, as well as undertaking more typical consulting work in Australia. His work is supported by past careers in information technology and sustainability.
Sashenka Worsman
Lead, Pacific Strategy and Growth, Save the Children Australia
Sashenka’s life and career to date has seen her follow a path that has enabled her to be part of creating a more just and sustainable world. She is an experienced for purpose leader and change-maker named as one of the 25 most influential people in the Australian social sector. Sashenka has held several senior leadership roles and is currently double hatting as Lead, Pacific Strategy and Growth (Save the Children Australia) and Asia Pacific Director at Inclusiv (a social venture with Save the Children Australia). She was formerly the CEO of Oaktree, voted as the youngest ever Board Director of ACFID and National Director for VGen, World Vision. Having grown up in Sri Lanka, and worked through Asia, the Pacific and East Africa with governments, institutions, civil society and the private sector, Sashenka recognises that change is complex and anything but linear. She is a firm believer that diverse, dynamic and committed people need to come together so the sum of our parts is greater than what we could ever achieve alone.
Euan Hind
Partnership Lead – Biodiversity, Otago Regional Council
Euan is a believer in the power of big ideas and collaboration to solve challenges and shape a better future. He has significant experience delivering strategic thinking and leading strategic partnerships that help people understand and develop responses to complex social, environmental and economic issues. Originally from regional Australia, Euan has worked across a variety of global contexts including in South East Asia, Europe and Australasia. He has worked on development challenges in the water, health and knowledge sectors.
LinkedIn
Nicholas Metherall
Data and Monitoring Systems – Advisor, Global EverGreening Alliance
Nick is a hydrologist with expertise in environmental field-based assessments as well as GIS and remote sensing. He is currently a senior data and monitoring systems advisor for the Global Evergreening Alliance (GEA) working on remote sensing and carbon modelling. He has previously worked in the Australian Federal Government across a range of policy, programs and science divisions. Nick has worked in Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, Timor and West Papua.
LinkedIn
