Our Team, Board and Advisory Committee
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Ms Melanie Morrison is a human rights, peace and climate justice advocate with extensive leadership experience in partnerships, strategy, communications and program development. With a Master’s Degree from the University of Sydney, she has led communications and research programs across the corporate, non-profit, government and university sectors. She has specific expertise in peace education, media freedom, anti-racism campaigns and Southeast Asian culture and politics. She is an award-winning journalist, researcher and producer for her work in Australia and overseas.
Communications and admin officer
Ms Molly Teskey is enrolled at the University of Sydney where she is completing her honours degree in philosophy.
Finance Administrator
Mr Tony Pham is a trained accountant with experience in financial services companies and small businesses.
Board Members (non-executive)
Chair
Mr Nicolas Patrick has over 25 years’ experience advising governments, courts and UN agencies on building fair and accessible legal systems. A former Partner and Global Head of Responsible Business at DLA Piper, he has led major justice reform projects across multiple regions, improving access to legal support for vulnerable communities. He is completing postgraduate studies in AI for Business at Oxford University and is focused on technology and AI-enabled justice innovation.
Co-Deputy Chairs
Mr Mohamed Duar is a fundraiser, campaigner and government relations advisor with over 20 years’ experience and is currently head of philanthropy and a spokesperson at Amnesty International Australia. With a Master’s Degree from the University of Sydney, his human rights work spans roles at the Asylum Seekers’ Centre, GetUp!, and Grata Fund. He has extensive experience in managing multinational human rights and social justice programs.
Ms Carolyn Scobie is Group General Counsel and Company Secretary of QBE Insurance Group, where she leads a global legal and governance function. With over 30 years of experience in corporate law and risk management, she has held senior legal roles across international markets. Carolyn is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and holds degrees in law and languages
Advisory Committee
In May 2025, the Sydney Peace Foundation reintroduced our Advisory Committee to guide the Foundation’s strategic direction.
Dr Juliet Bennett, Post Doctorate Research Fellow, the University of Sydney
Craig Foster AM, Human rights advocate
Ben Lee, International lawyer specialising in peacebuilding
Karen Loblay AM, Businesswoman and not-for-profit leader
Jane Oakeshott, former University of Sydney executive leader, not-for-profit leader
Abe Quadan, dispute resolution practitioner, the current president of Asia International Dispute Resolution Association.
Emeritus Professor Stuart Rees AM, Founder of the Sydney Peace Foundation
Emeritus Professor Simon Rice OAM, the University of Sydney and consultant lawyer
Board Members (Non-Executive)
Reem Borrows is a leadership consultant, executive coach, author, and advocate for justice and human rights. With over 20 years of executive experience across corporate, community, government and not-for-profit sectors, she brings a distinctive blend of heart-centred strategic leadership and grassroots advocacy. She serves on the boards of Palestine Australia Relief Action and the Arab Australian Business Council. She is the founder of Dreem Consulting, working globally with leaders and organisations to drive meaningful transformation and build resilience.
Professor Julian Droogan is Head of the School of International Studies at Macquarie University. With expertise spanning anthropology of religions, political violence, and South Asian studies, he leads research on countering online extremism and addressing threats to social cohesion. He serves as Co-Director of the AVERT Research Network and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Policing, Intelligence, and Counter Terrorism. His research has informed major policy initiatives including NSW’s COMPACT program, and he currently leads funded projects addressing online information operations and extremism.
Dr Jane Fulton, Director of Philanthropy spearheads our fundraising efforts. Following the completion of her PhD on environmental conflict at Sydney University, she worked with the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, the Foundation’s birthplace, before contracting to the UNDP in New York. She is dedicated to fostering resilient and inclusive communities, with a keen focus on the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mr Alistair Gee is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Centre for Armed Violence Reduction. He has held leadership roles in a range of peace and justice organisations, including Act for Peace, the Institute for Economics and Peace and the Make Poverty History coalition. He has also served as Chair of the Refugee Advice and Casework Service, The Border Consortium (assisting over 100,000 refugees from Myanmar) and several other international justice organisations.
Mr Ahmet Orhan Polat is the current Executive Director of the Affinity Intercultural Foundation. Affinity strives to create and sustain enduring relationships with different groups of people through engaging in intercultural and interfaith dialogue. In addition to serving as a Council Member for the Sydney Peace Foundation, he is also an Advisory Board Member for the Study of the Economic Impact of Religion on Society (SEIROS).
Ms Sakshi Sethi, Treasurer, is a public policy professional, peacebuilding researcher and community leader with over 14 years of experience in the Australian Government. In her current role, she focuses on complex public policy challenges, including climate change, geopolitical risk and institutional resilience. In 2026, she graduated with a Master’s in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution. He thesis explored the continued relevance of Gandhian nonviolence in contemporary. More broadly, her interests focus on dialogue, religion, social cohesion and the role of communities and institutions in building peaceful societies.
