Anne Kantor Fellows

Angela Xu | Angela Xu is an Anne Kantor Fellow placed with the Human Rights Law Centre in Sydney. Angela holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (History) from the University of Sydney and has recently returned from an exchange program with the National University of Singapore. Her previous experience includes an internship at the NSW Law Reform Commission, a paralegal role at the NSW Crown Solicitor’s Office Child Protection Team, and an internship with Amnesty International.

She has previously volunteered with the Aboriginal Legal Service, the Asian Australian Project, and Justice Action. She is passionate about policy work that enables and facilitates positive social, political, and environmental change.

Varsha Yajman | Varsha Yajman is an Anne Kantor Fellow placed with Equity Generation Lawyers in Sydney. Varsha is about to complete her Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney and also holds a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Politics.

She has experience in advocacy, using her experience as a South Asian woman to discuss the intersection between race, climate justice and mental health. Varsha has been an organiser and advocate for organisations like School Strike for Climate and also as a Committee Member and storyteller for charities like the Butterfly Foundation and Batyr.
She currently works at Equity Generation Lawyers, a law firm conducting strategic climate litigation.

Skye Predavec | Skye has studied Politics Philosophy and Economics, and Law at the Australian National University, with a particular interest in Australian Politics and Constitutional Law.

She has experience in campaigns and advocacy, particularly on issues around public transport, education, housing and queer rights. Previously, she worked in communications, administration and fundraising.

Anne Kantor Fellowship Alumni

Adam Gottschalk (2024) | Adam Gottschalk is an Anne Kantor Fellow in the Australia Institute’s Climate & Energy Program.

Adam holds degrees from the ANU in Politics, Philosophy and Economics, and in Environmental Studies and French.

Adam has experience working in the public service and in federal parliament. His prior research has been related to federal environmental law, aesthetic conflicts over renewable energy, and plastics recycling. Adam is passionate about using research to drive change in climate and environmental policy. He is a keen writer and seeks to communicate his research through engaging narratives.

Corinne Fagueret (2024) | Corinne Fagueret is an Anne Kantor Fellow placed with the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education in Sydney.

Corinne holds a Bachelor of Arts (French Honours) and a Master of Environmental Studies from Macquarie University. 

Corinne's current work focuses on research and advocacy pertaining to Pacific climate advocacy, First Nations and refugees.  Her previous roles within government and the not-for-profit sector have focused on a diverse range of policy areas: First Nations language revival, Aboriginal health and youth affairs, as well as key environmental issues, including land clearing, logging and planning legislation. 

Madeleine Howle (2024) | Madeleine Howle is an Anne Kantor Fellow placed with the Human Rights Law Centre in Sydney.

Madeleine graduated with a Bachelor of Development Studies and a Bachelor of Laws with Honours from the University of Newcastle. Her experience includes a legal internship with Greenpeace Australia Pacific and a research assistant role with the University of Newcastle’s Centre for Law and Social Justice.

Madeleine will be working with the Whistleblower Project, a legal service dedicated to protecting and empowering whistleblowers who speak up about wrongdoing.

Madeleine is passionate about the relationship between environment and human rights and how communities on the ground are impacted by environment and climate policies.

Olivia Chollet (2024) | Olivia Chollet is an Anne Kantor Fellow working at the Australia Institute.

Olivia holds a BA in International Relations from the University of Geneva and an MA in Pacific Asian Studies with a major in East Asian Politics from the University of London (SOAS). She recently completed a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy at the ANU.

Olivia has a keen interest in gender and socio-environmental issues in the Asia Pacific region.

Vivien Clarke (2024) | Vivien Clarke is an Anne Kantor Fellow in the Democracy & Accountability Program.

Vivien holds a Bachelor of International Security Studies specialising in Arabic language and MENA politics from ANU and a certificate of Arabic language from Kuwait University.

Her research interests include building solutions to corruption, representation in politics, improving voter literacy, mechanisms for personal accountability in politics, and what makes revolutions successful.

Yasmine Wright Gittins (2024) | Yasmine Wright Gittins is an Anne Kantor Young Women Environmentalist Fellow in the Media and Communications team with a focus on communicating climate & energy issues

Yasmine holds a Bachelor of International Relations and Arts, majoring in Geography, Environment and Population from the University of Adelaide.

Yasmine has a background in journalism and film, with experience across the Asia-Pacific region. She brings a passion for solutions journalism and a desire to improve environmental and social research communication. 

Lilia Anderson (2023)| Lilia Anderson was an Anne Kantor Fellow in the Australia Institute's economics program.

During her Fellowship, Lilia authored several papers and reports, undertook polling, assisted with economic analysis, and appeared in the media discussing her work.

Prachi Arya (2022) | Prachi Arya was an Anne Kantor Fellow who worked in the economics program.

While at the Australia Institute, Prachi analysed large datasets, including tax data, the HILDA survey, Facebook advertising data, and the census. She authored a report studying paid political advertising during the election campaign in 2022 and a report looking at the distribution of Stage 3 income tax cuts by electorate.

Daniel Bleakley (2022) | Daniel Bleakley is a climate action and electric vehicle advocate and was an Anne Kantor Fellow under the Australia Institute's Climate & Energy Program.

Daniel is the creator and host of Coal Miners Driving Teslas, a popular YouTube series in which he takes politicians, celebrities and everyday Australians out for a spin in his Tesla and encourages them to ‘just plant it’. The popular series has gained international media attention for its fun approach to engaging people on climate action and electric vehicles.

Liam Carter (2021) | Liam Carter was an inaugural Anne Kantor Fellow with The Australia Institute in 2021. Before joining The Australia Institute, he worked as a parliamentary and policy advisor to various state and federal MPs and worked in the NGO sector. 

During his time as an Anne Kantor Fellow, Liam worked on a range of reports covering the resources sector, economics, national security and technology. He gave expert evidence in front of a Senate inquiry, advised foreign government agencies, and was seconded to the office of a federal MP.

Mahendra Chitrarasu (2023) | Mahendra Chitrarasu was an Anne Kantor Fellow and worked in the Australia Institute’s Democracy & Accountability Program.

As a Fellow, Mahendra worked on integrity issues, including truth in political advertising reform and the Australia Institute's submission to the National Anti-Corruption Commission legislation inquiry.

Rachel Hay (2021) | Rachel Hay was one of the Australia Institute’s inaugural Anne Kantor Young Women Environmentalist Fellows. Rachel worked with the Australia Institute Tasmania and the Tasmanian Independent Science Council.

During her time with the Australia Institute, Rachel authored two submissions on Tasmania’s anti-protest laws and led a campaign that saw the penalties and scope of the laws reduced. She also wrote a report that suggested improvements for the Tasmanian Integrity Commission, triggering Parliament and media debate and commitments from the Government for improvement. Rachel engaged with the Review of Tasmania’s Climate Change legislation and assisted independent Legislative Council MP Meg Webb in proposing amendments.

Charlie Joyce (2023) | Charlie Joyce was an Anne Kantor Fellow in the Australia Institute’s Carmichael Centre in the Centre for Future Work.

During his Fellowship, Charlie focused on industrial relations, social, manufacturing and industry policy and vocational education. Charlie authored and co-authored several major reports, opinion pieces and policy briefs and organised several important events, including the National Manufacturing Summit and the Laurie Carmichael Lecture.

Kate McBride (2021) | Kate McBride is one of the Australia Institute’s inaugural Anne Kantor Young Women Environmentalist Fellows and a fifth-generation grazier from Western NSW. Kate completed her fellowship part-time over two years in the Institute’s South Australian office, working in partnership with ConservationSA.

During the fellowship, Kate completed research on Murray-Darling and rural issues, worked in Parliament House, was featured on the ABCs Q+A and helped coordinate an Australia Institute event, ‘Putting EVs on the Fast Track’. 

Luciana Lawe Davies (2023) | Luciana Lawe Davies was an Anne Kantor Fellow in the Media and Communications team.

Hannah Melville-Rea (2021) | Hannah Melville-Rea worked within the Australia Institute's Climate & Energy Program as an inaugural Anne Kantor Fellow.

She provided policy recommendations for Australia's climate resilience strategy, conducted a quantitative analysis of federal grant spending, and translated gridded temperature projections into electorate-level briefs about extreme heat in Western Sydney. Hannah is currently enrolled in a PhD at Stanford University.

Elizabeth Morison (2021) | Elizabeth Morison worked as a Nature Conservation Officer at a partner organisation, the Victorian National Parks Association, during her time as an inaugural Anne Kantor Young Woman Environmentalist Fellow.

At the Victorian National Parks Association, Elizabeth coordinated the organisation’s campaign and communication work at the intersection between nature conservation and climate action. She also implemented an organisation-wide strategy to improve youth engagement in nature conservation advocacy. At the Australia Institute, Elizabeth wrote the environment chapter of the 2022 Budget Wrap and co-authored a report exposing cronyism in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

Evie Simpson (2023) | Evie Simpson was an Anne Kantor Young Women Environmentalist Fellow at the Australia Institute Tasmania.

During her fellowship, Evie gained experience in writing submissions, undertaking policy research, participating in stakeholder meetings, organising events, writing media releases and coordinating the Tasmanian Independent Science Council.

Sienna Parrott (2022) | Sienna Parrott was a 2022 Anne Kantor Young Women Environmentalist Fellow.

During the fellowship, Sienna completed research on Australia’s bid to host a UN climate conference and coordinated briefings with members of the diplomatic corps and Federal Government on this research. Sienna led a research report on stealthing and organised a roundtable on stealthing, attended by Attorneys-General advisors and shadow Attorneys-General from every state and territory. Sienna’s research and advocacy on stealthing contributed to law reform in four states. 

Ipshita Pratap (2024) | Ipshita Pratap was an Anne Kantor Young Women Environmentalist Fellow at the Australia Institute Tasmania.

During her fellowship, Ipshita gained experience in research and coordinating the Tasmanian Independent Science Council.

Anastasia Radievska (2021) | Anastasia Radievska was one of the Australia Institute’s inaugural Anne Kantor Fellows and worked for ACOSS during her Fellowship.

Anastasia holds an Honours degree in Sociology and Social Policy and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Sydney. She previously worked in policy and advocacy work for a range of NGOs. 

Lily Raynes (2022) | Lily Raynes was an Anne Kantor Fellow based in the Australia Institute's Centre for Future Work. 

During her time as a Fellow, Lily authored or co-authored six different reports on a range of topics related to labour markets, industrial relations, and fairness in workplaces.

Clare Schuster (2021) | Clare Schuster was one of the Australia Institute’s inaugural Anne Kantor Fellows. During her time at the Institute, Clare conducted research on climate-related financial risks, political transparency and accountability and legal mechanisms to address climate change.

Sumithri Venketasubramanian (2022) | Sumithri Venketasubramanian was an Anne Kantor Young Women Environmentalist Fellow in the Climate & Energy program with an interest in media and communications.

While at the Australia Institute, she worked on reports on greenwashing, the Emissions Reduction Fund, and the annual Climate of the Nation report.

Rhiannon Verschuer (2021) | Rhiannon Verschuer worked within the Australia Institute’s Climate and Energy Program as an inaugural Anne Kantor Young Woman Environmentalist Fellow.

During her time at the Institute, she conducted analysis of Australia's contributions to international climate action, provided recommendations regarding Australia's decarbonisation policies and managed diplomatic outreach, including organising the inaugural Pacific Regional Climate Diplomacy Forum with the Prime Minister of Samoa.