The Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Panel (DEIAP) provides AHRI with strategic and expert advice with respect to diversity, equity and inclusion practice within organisations, including policy direction, tools and resources and the advancement of diversity professionals.
The DEIAP is responsible for contributing specialist knowledge to inform the Australian HR Capability Framework and AHRI Certification to ensure both are relevant, contemporary and reflect diversity, equity and inclusion best practice.
PANEL CHAIR
Dr Michelle Phipps FCPHR
Michelle is currently the Chief People Officer at Vet Partners Australia & New Zealand. She has over 20 years’ experience working for major international companies in human resources, as well as in sales and marketing. Previously, Michelle held roles at QBE Insurance as General Manager HR for the Australia Pacific region, and Coca-Cola Amatil APAC as Group Head of Talent, Leadership and Inclusion.
Michelle is currently the Chair of AHRI’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Advisory Panel after being a member of the panel since 2019. She joined AHRI’s Board in 2023.
Michelle is the Chair of Ausdance NSW and a board member of Vet Nurse Plus. Michelle was previously on the board of the Drinks Association for over four years.
Michelle holds a PhD in Communications, Marketing and Cultural Strategy from UTS and a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Management from Charles Sturt University. She is an AHRI Fellow Certified HR Practitioner and a member of the AICD.
PANEL MEMBERS
Ruby Anandajayasekeram, Global Diversity Equity & Inclusion Excellence Advisor | Shell
Rhonda Brighton-Hall FCPHR, Founder & CEO | MWAH
Liz Griffin FCPHR, Principal | Complexity Consulting
Fiona Krautil CPHR, Principal | Diversity KnowHow
Roman Ruzbacky MAHRI, Director | Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – Cultural Infusion
Barbara Sheehy, National Indigenous Manager | Australia Post
LIZ GRIFFIN FCPHR
Indigenous Employment Strategist | Minderoo Foundation
Liz Griffin is a senior organisational development specialist with deep expertise in diversity and inclusion, learning and development and organisational change. Her background has included roles across several industries including airlines, financial services, professional services and education.
Griffin has worked in global, regional and local roles based in Hong Kong and Sydney and was previously the Head of Diversity & Inclusion at the Qantas Group and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Griffin is an alumni of the Sydney Asialink Leaders program. In Hong Kong, she was an active member of the Australian and American Chambers of Commerce, playing significant roles in HR and Women of Influence committees.
FIONA KRAUTIL CPHR
Principal, Diversity KnowHow
Fiona Krautil works with employers to build diversity and inclusion capability to increase organisation engagement, innovation and profit. She develops and sharpens diversity and inclusion strategies to maximise return on investment.
Krautil is also a mentor, coach, facilitator, speaker and author, and delivers diversity, inclusion, unconscious bias and inclusive leadership training that shifts mindsets and culture.
Currently Fiona is the D & I Lead on the Science in Australia Gender Equality (SAGE) STEMM pilot, at the University of Sydney.
Krautil was previously the Director of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency (1999-2004) where she founded the ‘Women in Leadership Census’. She has more than 20 years of leadership, diversity and inclusion experience in a range of corporate, government and non-for-profit leadership roles.
Krautil’s roles have included Head of Diversity & Inclusion at the University of Sydney, ANZ, Westpac, Esso, and Department of Agriculture. Her clients include universities, financial services, mining, power, retail, and policing.
In 2014 Krautil launched her book Diversity unplugged – How leading CEOs champion workplace inclusion.
CAROLINE MCGUIRE FCPHR – QUEENSLAND STATE PRESIDENT
Non-Executive Director and QLD State Council President, AHRI
HR Specialist and coach, Clariti Consulting
Caroline McGuire is a commercially focused, strategic and passionate senior human resources professional with over 20 years of experience across a range of industries. As Head of People for the Australian Industry Trade College, she oversees the HR and WHS function within the College – helping to educate tomorrow’s industry leaders.
She has broad human resources, operational and management experience, and her key strengths include strategic thinking, interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence. She is a passionate champion of developing people through coaching and mentoring and enabling organisations and individuals to achieve win/win objectives. Caroline is also a proud FCPHR.
VICTORIA PARK CAHRI
Diversity & Inclusion Director, PwC Australia
As the Diversity & Inclusion Director for PwC Australia, Victoria works with the firm’s
Executive Board, external Diversity Advisory Board and Diversity & Inclusion leadership team to design and implement the firms Diversity & Inclusion strategy.
Victoria is focused on how to bring about organisational change in a market leading company, and how to work with the challenges that conflicting societal values present where we have deep seated gender roles at home, and a desire for equal opportunity for all at work.
In her role as Diversity & Inclusion Director she has led the design and delivery of Inclusive Leadership Workshops; implementation of gender and diverse cultural background targets for new partner admissions; Diversity & Inclusion surveys; implementation of ‘All roles flex’; gender pay gap reporting and analysis; and a Family and Domestic Violence support policy and training.
In late 2017 she also led a deep dive into the ‘Current state of Diversity & Inclusion’ for PwC, with newly appointed Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Julie McKay.
Victoria is also a mother to two boys, a keen runner and Surf Life Saving patrol member at her local beach. She is passionate about the practice of mindfulness to drive positive mental health, and holds BA Hons in Politics and Social & Economic History and a Post Grad in Strategic Human Resource Management.
RHONDA BRIGHTON HALL FCPM
Founder & CEO, MWAH
Dr Michelle Phipps
General Manager HR AusPac: Business Partnership and Talent at QBE Insurance
Dr Michelle Phipps is currently General Manager HR AusPac: Business Partnership and Talent at QBE Insurance. Michelle was previously the Group Head of Talent, Learning and Inclusion at Coca-Cola Amatil, an ASX Top 100 company. She also serves as a member of the Australian HR Institute D&I Advisory Committee. Before joining CCA, Michelle was Vice President of HR Asia Pacific for Brown-Forman Global Spirits. She was on the Board of the Australian Drinks Association and Committee Member for its Women in Drinks and HRD Forum and also served as a NED on the Board of AusDance NSW. Before Brown-Forman, Michelle was HR Director ANZ for the Kellogg Company, HR GM for Coles Supermarkets NSW and spent nine years early on in her career in Retail Sales and Store Management at David Jones. Michelle has a PhD in Culture and Identity, a Masters in HR Management and is a Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute. She lives in Sydney with her husband and two children.
MATHEW PAINE CPHR
Executive Director People, Performance and Culture NSW
Department of Planning and Environment
Mathew Paine is an Executive Director in the People, Performance and Culture team at the NSW Government Department of Planning and Environment, Vice President of the Board of Directors at the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation – Australia’s longest-running HIV charity, and the co-convener of the AHRI NSW Employee Relations/Industrial Relations (ER/IR) network.
Mathew has over 20 years of senior Human Resource Management experience within the private, government and not for profit sectors. HR industry accolades under Mathew’s leadership include the Australian HR Team of the Year Award, Best Recruitment Campaign Award, Inclusive Workplace Award, Talent Development Award, Education and Training Award, HR Person of the Year and the NSW Training Awards Large Employer of the Year.
Mathew holds a Master of Strategic Human Resource Management degree from East London University and a master’s degree in Labour Law & Relations from Sydney University Law School. Mathew is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD, U.K), a Certified Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute (AHRI, Australia) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.