Dr Wesa Chau
Executive Director
A respected leader with over two decades of experience across not-for-profit, government and university sectors, Dr Wesa Chau has dedicated her career to advancing progressive policy and system-level reform grounded in fairness, shared prosperity, inclusion and social justice. Her previous work has spanned policy areas including gender, multicultural, climate, disability, education, social innovation and aged care.
Wesa brings a unique blend of academic insight and practical experience to her work. She holds a PhD in Political Science, a Master of Business Management, and Bachelor degrees in both Software Engineering and Commerce. She has advised governments, corporations, and community organisations on inclusive policy and governance, with a particular focus on building pathways for people with intersectional diversity. Her broad policy interests centre on tackling inequality, spanning responsible technology, equitable housing, the future of the care economy, and a just transition to a post-carbon economy.
She has held board director roles at several community organisations and currently serves on the Advisory Board for the National Foundation of Australia-China Relations and the Victorian Government Anti-Racism Taskforce. A recognised thought leader, Wesa has published reports, articles and opinion pieces on a wide range of public policy issues, and contributes to The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian, ABC, SBS and commercial media. She has appeared as an expert witness before parliamentary inquiries and is often invited to speak at national and international conferences.
Her leadership and impact have been recognised through numerous honours, including induction into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and the Victorian Multicultural Honour Roll. She has also been named one of the 40 under 40 Most Influential Asian-Australians and honoured as Young Victorian of the Year.