Julie Dao Appointed as Menzies Leadership Foundation 2025 Youth Board Observer

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The Menzies Leadership Foundation is delighted to announce Dr. Thi Kim (Julie) Dao as the 2025 Youth Board Observer, a position created to empower young leaders and amplify their voices within the organisation. Julie’s remarkable accomplishments and unwavering dedication to leadership and ethical challenges position her as an exemplary choice for this role.

A Champion of Leadership and Innovation

Julie Dao, a Menzies Foundation MedTech alumna, has consistently demonstrated her commitment to leadership and innovation in healthcare and medical technology. As the President of Monash Young MedTech Innovators, Julie has fostered interdisciplinary collaboration, uniting diverse academic and professional communities to address pressing healthcare challenges. Her accolades include being named a 2024 Forbes 30-Under-30 nominee for Healthcare in Asia and leading a pre-seed startup, Sonorus, aimed at democratising cardiovascular health diagnostics for remote communities worldwide.

Bringing Insightful Perspectives to the Boardroom

With her unique background as the daughter of South Vietnamese boat people and her passion for representation in STEMM leadership, Julie brings valuable insights to the Menzies Leadership Foundation Board. Her leadership journey is deeply intertwined with her mission to create systemic change, exemplified by her work on uplifting cardiovascular health within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and her drive to commercialize innovative medical research.

A Platform for Youth Leadership Development

The Youth Board Observer role aligns with the Menzies Foundation’s mission to raise the profile of ‘outstanding’ leadership by providing emerging leaders like Julie a window into the operations and governance of a high-impact organization. Throughout 2025, Julie will attend four Board meetings, offering her perspectives while gaining firsthand experience in boardroom dynamics, strategic decision-making, and the complexities of leadership.

Liz Gillies, CEO of the Menzies Foundation, expressed her enthusiasm for Julie’s appointment: “We are delighted to welcome Julie Dao as our 2025 Youth Board Observer. Her innovative mindset and dedication to the greater good embody the leadership qualities we aim to cultivate. We look forward to learning from her insights and supporting her growth as an emerging leader.”

As the Foundation continues its focus on fostering youth leadership, Julie’s appointment marks another step toward bridging the gap between young leaders and systemic change with her journey with the Menzies Leadership Foundation, set to inspire a new generation of Australians to lead with purpose and integrity.

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

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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.

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

Rohan Martyres

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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

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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