Elly Hanrahan Appointed as the Menzies Leadership Foundation 2026 Youth Board Observer

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The Menzies Leadership Foundation is delighted to announce Elly Hanrahan as the 2026 Menzies Youth Board Observer, following a competitive and rigorous selection process. This initiative, now in its second year, builds on the success of the inaugural appointment of Dr Thi Kim (Julie) Dao, the 2025 Youth Board Observer.

We thank Dr. Thi Kim (Julie) Dao for her contribution and the valuable perspectives she brought to the role throughout 2025, and we look forward to her continued involvement with the Foundation.

A Leader Shaping Australia’s Civic and Philanthropic Landscape

Elly joins the Foundation following an impactful tenure as CEO of Global Voices, where she has championed youth leadership, civic engagement, and national policy advocacy. Over the past two years, she has also played a pivotal role in strengthening the partnership between Global Voices and the Menzies Foundation, demonstrating a deep alignment with the Foundation’s values and mission.

Her application articulated a long-term vision for working within the not-for-profit sector, and a desire to deepen her understanding of how philanthropic organisations drive national impact. Elly highlighted that she looks forward to gaining a deeper understanding of how foundations partner strategically and amplify their mission across the sector.

A Strong Fit for the Role

The Menzies Youth Board Observer initiative provides emerging leaders with direct exposure to board governance, systems leadership, impact strategy, and decision-making. Across 2026, Elly will be invited to attend four Board meetings, participate in discussions, and share perspectives to inform the Foundation’s strategic priorities. While the role is non-voting, it provides a powerful platform for next-generation leadership development.

Elly’s application demonstrated exceptional alignment with the selection criteria—sector insight, communication capability, strategic thinking, cultural fit and a genuine commitment to learning and contributing to the Foundation’s mission.

Strengthening Youth Leadership and Contribution

The Youth Board Observer role supports the Foundation’s commitment to building a national leadership pipeline and enabling emerging leaders to step into governance with confidence and capability. The role provides practical learning in governance, philanthropy, and impact measurement, and offers meaningful exposure to systems-level leadership.

CEO Liz Gillies welcomed the appointment:

“We are thrilled to welcome Elly as the 2026 Youth Board Observer. Her leadership across civic engagement and her vision for strengthening impact in the not-for-profit and philanthropic sectors strongly align with the Foundation’s ambition to build a global leadership movement. We look forward to the perspectives she will bring to the Board.”

A Platform for Learning, Contribution and Impact

Reflecting on her appointment, Elly shared:

“I’m excited by the opportunity to continue contributing to Australia’s leadership space and to gain a deeper understanding of how philanthropic organisations such as Menzies partner with mission-driven initiatives to create change. I look forward to learning from the Board and contributing my insights where useful.”

The role will commence in January 2026, with the Foundation’s CEO to brief Elly on strategic priorities, programs, and 2026 Board activity.

Her appointment continues the Foundation’s commitment to building pathways into governance roles for young leaders, expanding their influence within systems and institutions, and strengthening Australia’s leadership capacity for the greater good.

For more information about the Menzies Leadership Foundation and its leadership initiatives, we welcome you to explore the impact of our global leadership movement.

Australia’s leadership future depends on who we invite into decision-making spaces today. At a time of growing complexity and systemic challenge, building pathways for emerging leaders to engage with governance is not optional — it is essential.

Through initiatives such as the Menzies Youth Board Observer, the Menzies Leadership Foundation is strengthening the next generation of leaders with the insight, capability and responsibility required to steward institutions for the greater good.

If you are committed to leadership that is ethical, inclusive and future-focused, we invite you to stay connected with the Menzies Leadership Foundation and the community shaping Australia’s leadership capacity.

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Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity. 

Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.

LinkedIn | natasha.eskinja@menziesfoundation.org.au

Sarah Jenkins

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Sarah has more than 18 years’ experience in communications and marketing leadership across a range of sectors.

Communications strategy and organisational growth is a continuing theme in Sarah’s career. Most recently, she leads the development of a Leadership Movement, evaluated by Menzies Viral Co-efficient Model; a contribution to the NFP. 

Sarah’s early career centred around best practice in marketing and communications which later culminated into the establishment of her very own agency. This work extensively spanned across PR, traditional media, event management, strategy, digital marketing, graphic design and business development consultancy. 

In 2019, Sarah joined the lean and robust team at the Menzies Foundation. She has since crafted the Foundation’s narrative and communication strategy. The development of this strategic communications platform is essential for ‘movement building’ and requires a strong strategic, management and communication skills set. Sarah has brought so much to this important work, which sits at the forefront of communication practice. 

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LinkedIn | sarah.jenkins@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0401 880 071

Rohan Martyres

Director, Strategy and Partnerships

Rohan has 15 years’ experience in facilitating cross-sector collaborations to address complex social and health challenges.  He has worked with the World Economic Forum in Australia, led an international conflict resolution field team in Nepal, and directed a 10-year £40m initiative to reduce health inequity in London.

Most recently, Rohan was Major Grants Development Manager at the Ian Potter Foundation.  He refined the foundation’s major grants strategy, and co-developed a series of large scale initiatives, including joint philanthropic-government funding for a new national organization to support place-based approaches across Australia.

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When Rohan isn’t exploring Melbourne’s creeks with his partner and 6yo daughter, he’s working on his currently weak Australian accent (after 15 years in the UK).

LinkedIn | rohan.martyres@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0404 505 954

Trudy Morrison

Operations Manager

A marketing and communications specialist with over 20 years experience in government, corporate and consumer marketing, Trudy brings her adaptive and organisational project management skills to the Menzies Foundation team. 

With a BA degree in Public Relations, Trudy began her career with the City of Melbourne and in magazine publishing, before moving into marketing communications consulting. She has worked in strategic marketing leadership roles with retail brands and enjoys juggling many projects and tasks simultaneously. Her skills were further enhanced when managing her own communications business representing industries across private education, financial services, aviation, government and the health industry. 

Trudy is passionate about leadership and all people being encouraged to reach their full potential through research and educational initiatives and opportunities throughout Australia. A skilled and accomplished writer and editor Trudy is enthusiastic about bringing her variety of skills to the Menzies Foundation team. 

LinkedIn | trudy.morrison@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0402 361 878

Liz Gillies

Chief Executive Officer

Liz Gillies has had over 25 years experience in a range of fields focused on initiatives for social impact. She has held roles in multiple sectors and academia.

In 2018, Liz was appointed CEO of the Menzies Foundation which aspires to build a leadership movement that supports Australians to pivot to purpose, build their leadership capability and contribute to the ‘greater good’.

Liz joined the Melbourne Business School in 2009 and was instrumental in establishing the Asia Pacific Social Impact Centre (APSIC) and The Centre for Ethical Leadership. In November 2011 she was appointed as research fellow to lead a partnership focused on strategic philanthropy which culminated in the release of the reports: Philanthropy: Towards a Better Practice Model (2018) and the Philanthropy: The Continued Journey to Real Impact and better Practice (2021).

Liz has extensive governance experience, having served on the Board of the Publish Galleries Association of Victoria, Social Firms Australia, Uniting Care Community Options, United Way Australia and the Development Committee of the Towards a Just Society Foundation. She is currently on the Philanthropy Reference Group of Barmal Bijiril and a Director of Philanthropy Australia.

LinkedIn | liz.gillies@menziesfoundation.org.au | 0416 112 703

Natasha Eskinja

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Natasha is driven by a profound passion for both creativity and analytics, a synergy that fosters authentic storytelling in the digital realm with both innovation and integrity. 

Throughout her career, she has consistently integrated the overarching marketing and communications narrative with the emotional connections of audiences. She is currently pursuing a Certificate in Society and the Individual from Flinders University, furthering her exploration of human behaviour and the critical importance of connectedness between organisations, individuals, and communities.

natasha.eskinja@menziesfoundation.org.au