Centre for Policy Development
Staff
Miriam Lyons is the Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Development. Formerly the Policy Coordinator of New Matilda, Miriam has a long history of bringing policy ideas to new audiences, as the founding director of the Interface Festival of Ideas in Sydney, and director of the Ideas Program for the Straight out of Brisbane Festival. Miriam has also worked as a freelance writer and a media development consultant in East Timor with the international NGO Internews. She co-convenes ‘Plus 20’, a network dedicated to long-term planning for social change, and is on the advisory committee of the Adelaide Festival of Ideas, and the steering committee of Project Australia.
Download a full bio here.
Contact: miriam.lyons(at)cpd.org.au*
James Murray is our new Research Director at the the Centre for Policy
Development. James has worked in banking and finance in Sydney and
London over the last ten years and has also spent time as a senior
policy analyst in the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet. James' passions include
industry policy, taxation, governance structures, risk, and financial
stability. He is also a member of the NSW Amnesty business group and a
board member of Jubilee Australia.org.
ontact: james.murray(at)cpd.org.au*
Marian Spencer is the Administrator for The Centre for Policy Development. Marian worked in London as the membership secretary for The Women's Environment Network and then as the administrator for The British Trust for Conservation Volunteers. She moved to Sydney in 1998 and worked as the NSW Manager for The Wilderness Society. She has been out of the paid workforce for seven years working at home as a mother and homemaker.
Contact: marian.spencer(at)cpd.org.au*
Georgie Wheadon joined the Centre for Policy
Development team as their Communications Manager. Georgie has an academic
background in Communications and International Studies and spent a large chunk
of her student years eating jamon in Barcelona, Spain.
Georgie has experience in event management and research in the communications and
non-for-profit sectors, working as the NSW Red Nose Day Co-ordinator for charity SIDS and Kids and as a researcher for Media Monitors. Georgie has
also been a long-term supporter of Oxfam Australia where she was involved
with the Oxfam International Youth Partnerships program and the Community
Campaigns team.
Contact: georgie.wheadon(at)cpd.org.au*
Barry Saunders is CPD's newest addition as the Research Co-ordinator of the Democratic Renewal program. Barry is a media developer and researcher from Queensland, specializing in citizen media, government transparency, community outreach and democratic engagement. He most recently comes from QUT, where he is doing a PhD in media and communication, and worked on the YouDecide2007 project. He has also worked for Vibewire, the National Student Media Conference, NewStandardNews, 4ZzZFM and Brisbane Indymedia.
Contact: barry.saunders(at)cpd.org.au*
Clare Skinner is a medical practitioner and health advocate. After working briefly in the print media, she studied medicine at the University of Sydney. Clare is currently working as an Emergency Registrar at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, having undertaken internship and residency at The Canberra Hospital. She has been actively engaged in social issues since involvement in the 1988 NSW school student strikes piqued her interest. She has held representative positions as a student and training doctor, and has been involved in curriculum development and review with both Sydney and Australian National University medical schools. Most recently, Clare has been involved in research and policy development regarding the future of the Australian health workforce. Clare is a founding member of the Hospital Reform Group.
Contact: contact(at)cpd.org.au
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