State Representatives

The AYAD Program has State Representatives who are returned AYADs, work to promote the AYAD Program and development issues to the Australian public, engage RAYADs in activities on a state level and act as a core focus group for continual improvement of the AYAD Program.

State Reps act as a central contact point for RAYAD social events. If you would like to contact your State Rep you can email them at:

Become a State Representative

The AYAD Program is now calling for all 2012 State Representative nominations, if you are interested in becoming a State Rep, click here for more information and to apply.

There are two State Representatives for each state. State Representatives hold their positions for the duration of one year.

If you are unable to make the commitment to become a State Rep you can still be an active part of state based activities by working with your local representative. If you are interested in joining the State Team please email your details through to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Meet the current State Representatives

ACT
	Daniel Foster   Daniel undertook his AYAD assignment with Habitat for Humanity Fiji (HFHF) as an Information Communication Technology Officer. Daniel’s role with HFHF was to provide on-the-job training and capacity building in ICT installations, practical and strategic applications, use, and maintenance. Daniel has returned to Canberra and is currently working for the Australian Government and is undertaking study at the Australian National University. The people of Fiji made Daniel feel extremely welcome during his assignment, as he learned about, and experienced firsthand, a great deal of the culture, language and way of life. He will never forget his time in this great Pacific nation.		Jane Hardy   Jane went to China in Intake 26 to work at a Women’s Legal Aid NGO in Beijing.  Jane worked with a policy team from the NGO to develop a rural women’s political participation program and training workshops for local judicial officials to increase awareness about domestic violence.  Jane returned to Australia in September 2010 and recommenced work as a policy officer with a Commonwealth government department.  Jane is also undertaking a Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development at the Australian National University and is trying to keep up her Mandarin in her spare time.
NSW
	Kiri Dicker   Kiri spent 12 months with the AYAD Program in the Solomon Islands as a Program Advisor to the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) Solomon Islands. During her assignment, Kiri assisted the YWCA to develop several new programs and assisted the YWCA to develop a long term partnership with the AusAID Pacific Leadership Program. After returning from the Solomon Islands, Kiri started her own community development consulting business, Think Out Loud Consulting. She works on a variety of projects across Australia and the Pacific with a focus on community centered strategy and organisational capacity building. Kiri maintains close friendships with her counterparts in the Solomon Islands and continues to be actively involved in the YWCA movement at a local, national and global level		Nicole Davey   Nicole was placed with the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights as a Communication Associate in Suva, Fiji for 8 months. While on assignment Nicole implemented a range of communication initiatives to help raise awareness of human rights issues around the region. She also delivered media and human rights training workshops to NGO workers, journalists and students to help increase their knowledge of the importance of media in protecting and promoting human rights and how to write an effective human rights news story. After returning from Fiji Nicole did some work with Amnesty International and is now currently is working with the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water. In her current role Nicole manages the communications for the Save Power campaign that aims to assist households in reducing their energy use and carbon pollution.
NT
	Emma Murray   Emma spent 12 months in Lao P.D.R in 2009 as part of Intake 24.  She worked with the Lao Government Environmental Management Unit building the capacity of staff to undertake environmental monitoring, assessment and reporting.  This was especially in regards to monitoring the impacts of hydropower developments, such as the large Nam Theun 2 Dam, which is currently the largest of the many dams being built and planned for this mountainous country rich in water resources.  Since returning from Laos, she couldn’t stand the cold and made the move from Canberra to tropical Darwin. Emma now works as an environmental scientist for a small Environmental Consultancy, and still enjoys the delights of Asian markets and speaking Lao with the stall holders
QLD
	Kali Napier   Kali went to Bangladesh in 2004 as part of Intake 11.  Her assignment was with the Department of Women Affairs (DWA), as a Gender Specialist, based in the Vulnerable Groups Development (VGD) Program.  She carried out research to identify social, cultural, economic and institutional factors that contribute to the marginalisation of ultra-poor women in remote areas of Bangladesh.  Kali was passionately involved in women’s rights and was committed to working towards their advancement in Bangladesh.  Since returning to Australia, Kali has completed her Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development, worked as a Native Title anthropologist in Western Australia, and is again working in the aid and development sector with the Queensland Department of Education and Training.		Santiago Ayala   Santiago went to Fiji and Solomon Islands in Intake 15 where he worked as UN Resident Coordinator Analyst for the United Nations System in the Pacific. In his role, Santiago provided advice and coordination in the development of the Development Assistance Framework for the Pacific (UNDAF), strategic plan that synchronizes activities of all 15 UN agencies working across 14 countries in the region. The role involved stakeholder consultation, liaising with governments across the region, non-government organizations and other development partners in order to develop a Development Assistance Framework to satisfy their needs and priorities. Since returning to Australia Santiago has been working for Queensland Health in strategic planning and policy development, completing a Masters of International Studies (Peace and Conflict Resolution) and seasonal lecturing for the Masters of Development Practice at the University of Queensland.
SA
	Anna Day   Anna was an AYAD in Laos and worked with the Lao government as a Communications Officer on two projects. She began with a Public Administration and Civil Service Authority project working to raise the standard of the Lao public service. Anna worked with project staff to promote the work being done across Laos to improve and reform governance and public administration. She also worked for the South East Asian (SEA) Games Organising Committee in the lead up to Vientiane hosting the games in 2009. Her role with the Organising Committee was to strengthen the capacity of her colleagues to present written documents and build relationships with the International Olympic Committees of the ASEAN nations. When she returned to Adelaide, Anna took up a communications role with SA Water and has maintained her connections to Laos by supporting Lao students studying locally.		Amelia McFarlane   Amelia spent 12 months in the remote north-west of Bangladesh as a Communications Officer for CARE Bangladesh's SHOUHARDO Program. Addressing the availability, access and utilisation issues that lead to food insecurity, SHOUHARDO also looks to the underlying problems, such as a lack of participation, social injustice and discrimination which prevent impoverished people from realising their full life potential. Amelia's role was focused on strengthening the capacity of local staff and partners to develop new communication processes and strategies for improving the program, using reflective practices, knowledge sharing and process documentation. She returned to Adelaide, after some further travel in South America and Europe, to continue her work with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship and has recently begun a Master of Regional and Community Development with Monash. She enjoys staying in touch with other RAYADs and maintaining involvement with the alumni
TAS
	Melissa Gordon   Melissa spent 12 months in the Philippines from 2004 during Intake 12, where she worked on an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) funded tree farmer project. Her role was primarily to assist in development of extension needs for those connected to tree farming in Leyte Island. She was also involved in numerous other activities such as helping to train local staff in the use of Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software. Melissa spent one year in the role before returning to the University of Queensland to complete her Degree in Environmental Management, Tropical Forestry. She then worked for a plantation company for two and half years as a tree farm supervisor. She is now a PhD student at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. Her research focuses on community engagement in the forest plantation industry. Melissa’s passion to contribute to sustainable forest management outcomes is still alive and thriving.
VIC
	Scott Daniel   Scott was a Maths/Science Trainer at the Vanuatu Institute of Technology in Intake 11 in Vanuatu. His main role was to work with local teachers and industry to develop new mathematics curriculum to address the particular needs of each vocational trade. Since his AYAD placement Scott returned to classroom teaching and then tried his hand at science research. Having confirmed he much more enjoys talking about interesting science ideas and research than sitting in front of a computer all day, he’s since worked in teacher training in the United States and most recently spent 18 months as an AVI volunteer in the Caprivi Region in northeast Namibia supporting maths and science education in the local schools. Since returning late last year, he has started studying towards a PhD in physics education in developing countries.		Nathaniel Reader   Nathaniel spent 6 months in Vietnam working as a Business Development Officer with the Action Centre for City Development, a Hanoi based NGO. During his assignment Nathaniel assisted the Action Centre with one of its social enterprise projects, "Just Massage", a small business providing training and employment opportunities in massage therapy for visually impaired young people from Vietnam. Drawing on his experiences as an entrepreneur and small business consultant in Australia and Japan, Nathaniel helped Just Massage develop and implement a business planning process, as well as deliver business administration and language training to Just Massage's therapists. Following his time in Hanoi, Nathaniel returned to Melbourne to resume work with the Parliament of Victoria's Electoral Matters Committee. He is also continuing to explore his passion for small business through his company, Reabro Business Consulting, and is currently working with several businesses in Melbourne
WA
	Laine Mcdonald   Laine went to Cambodia in Intake 21 where she worked as a Human Trafficking Prevention Officer at HCC, a local grassroots anti-trafficking NGO.  Based in the capital Phnom Penh, Laine’s role required extensive travel to the rural and remote provinces, developing, implementing and evaluating projects designed to alleviate poverty and decrease instances of human trafficking, unsafe migration and child labour. After completing her AYAD assignment, Laine remained in Cambodia for an additional year working as Legal and Aftercare Director at an anti-trafficking and exploitation organisation, (SISHA) South East Asia Investigations into Social and Humanitarian Activities.  Since returning to Perth, Australia, Laine has practised as a Child Protection Lawyer and now represents people who have been hurt by exposure to asbestos as a Lawyer at Slater and Gordon