OUR EXECUTIVE

Originally from the Sunshine Coast, Renee Cremer is a proud Yuin woman. She is currently a stay at home mum, living in outer regional Queensland and is very excited to be the new Chief Executive Officer. Renee is passionate about youth leadership and paving the way for future generations.

In 2021 Renee had the honour of representing Australian youth as Australia's first ever delegate to the G7 Youth Engagement Forum (Y7). She was also a Global Voices Scholar part of the delegation to the 2019 OECD Forum in Paris. During this time, she wrote a policy paper on improving engagement and integration outcomes for unskilled and underemployed female migrants living in regional and rural Australia.

Renee is a 2022 finalist in the 7News Young Achievers Awards First National Real Estate Leadership category. She is also a RedXYouth Activator with the Australian Red Cross, and received the Jewish Holocaust Museum Wilson Family Scholarship for her commitment to social sciences.

Renee graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Deakin University in 2021, completing a major in politics and policy studies and minors in international relations and criminology. She looks forward to developing a career in federal policy and international relations, hoping to inspire other young Indigenous women, and mothers especially, to pursue their passions with tenacity and dedication.

Winuri is the Co-COO at Young Australians in International Affairs and a Consultant at Nous Group, Canberra. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Global Studies from Monash University with a specialisation in international relations and international human rights law.

She is driven to develop inclusive security policy and has an interest in national security, crisis management and the role of women in creating effective peace solutions. Winuri is an advocate for stronger human rights frameworks and has co-authored a report for the UN on inclusive jury legislation in Australia.

In her previous role as President of the Monash International Affairs Society, she was heavily involved in the Victorian diplomatic community and was deeply engaged in creating accessible opportunities for youth engagement in international affairs.

As regular youth voice in Australian politics and foreign policy, Winuri has appeared on Monash University panels and student podcasts. Her work has been published by Asialink, Pivot and the Young Diplomats Society.

Michael is the National Events Director at Young Australians in International Affairs. He was previously Project Director of Future21, YAIA's principal summit held in Canberra, in September 2022. He works in the Australian Public Service.

A New Colombo Plan alumni, Michael graduated valedictorian for his University of Melbourne Bachelor of Arts studies with a focus on politics, economics and Chinese language. He also holds a Diploma in Mandarin and Graduate Certificate in Public Administration.

With extensive experience delivering events portfolios for international affairs organisations, Michael leads a team of 12 officers in hosting events across Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane and online.

Erin is the Publications Director for the Young Australians in International Affairs. She graduated her Bachelor of Arts (International) from Monash University in 2020 with a First Class Honours in International Relations. Currently she is completing a Master of Diplomacy under the Ruth Dobson Scholarship at the Australian National University.

Erin has enjoyed working and studying abroad. She achieved top marks in her European Politics course at Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, and supported grassroots education initiatives as a volunteer Project Officer at Third Story Project in Yangon.

Erin first joined YAIA in 2021 as Senior Policy Editor. She holds a particular passion for cyber governance and international co-operation on telecommunications.

Phoebe is the Communications Director at Young Australians in International Affairs, responsible for overseeing the rollout of all things digital media. 

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Having recently completed her Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in International Relations and Politics & Policy Studies from Deakin University, she strives to develop her career in strategic policy design and analysis, focusing on the role that foreign policy, diplomacy and international engagement has to play in national security. She currently works as a Policy graduate within the APS.

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Phoebe participated as a Communications Officer with YAIA prior to becoming Director, and has gained experience with the Australian Institute of International Affairs (AIIA) Victoria, Women in Aid and Development, and the Australian Local Government Women's Association as Social Media and Communications Intern.

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Alana is the Chief Financial Officer for Young Australians in International Affairs. Having completed a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Asia-Pacific Studies from the Australian National University, Alana was heavily involved in international affairs through numerous volunteering roles and internships alongside her studies. 

She spent significant time studying abroad, notably at Peking University (China) and Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (Indonesia) with a New Colombo Plan Mobility Grant. During 2015, she worked as a Business Analyst at a global record label in China to further develop her Mandarin Chinese professional fluency and support Australia-China relations.

In commencing her career at Deloitte, Alana worked in Private Tax & Advisory supporting high net worth individuals, families and businesses from both Australia and overseas. Alana currently advises to a private Family Office, is a committee member for Australia China Young Professionals Initiative (ACYPI) and runs her own private advisory business whilst completing her Chartered Accountant (CA) studies.

Henry is the Co-COO overseeing Publications, Careers and People and Culture. Henry first joined YAIA as the Pacific Fellow in 2020. He works in policy and intergovernmental relations in the public service.

Henry is passionate about international affairs in the Pacific, with a particular interest in Pacific security policy, subregional relations, sovereignty issues, and cultural diplomacy. He is a Young Pacific Leaders alumni and is active in Pacific initiatives and advocating for Pacific agency.

Henry also has a special interest in US politics and has completed a Congressional internship in Washington D.C. as a participant in the Uni-Capitol Washington Internship Programme. Henry holds a Bachelor of International Studies from the University of Wollongong and is currently studying a Masters of Politics and Policy at Deakin University.

Janka is the Partnerships Director at Young Australians in International Affairs. She is currently studying a Vertical Double Degree at the Australian National University in Canberra and will graduate in 2023 with both a Bachelor of Political Science and a Master of International Relations. Originating from Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region, Janka was inspired to pursue a career in International Affairs after she attended a commemorative study tour in Singapore in 2017 where she had the opportunity to visit the Australian Embassy and meet with the diplomatic officials.

Within her coursework, Janka is particularly interested in the disciplinary limits of ‘what counts’ as International Affairs and has analysed the significance of ‘invisible’ international actors and agency.

She is excited to be a part of the YAIA team as she is passionate about building opportunities for young Australians to be a leading voice in critical discussion about contemporary international issues.

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Kelsey is the Careers Director at Young Australians in International Affairs. She first joined the Careers portfolio as an Officer in 2021. She completed a Bachelor of Laws and Science at the University of Newcastle, graduating as Valedictorian with the University Medal in 2021. Having started her career as a graduate lawyer, she now works at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as an adviser on international climate policy. She specialises in Australia’s engagement in multilateral climate forums, with a thematic focus on the Indo-Pacific region.

Kelsey’s passion for international affairs was sparked when she represented Australia as a Youth Delegate at COP23. She then went on to work across the Asia-Pacific region as a 2019 New Colombo Plan Scholar, gaining experience in diverse professional environments including the United Nations, academia, not-for-profits, public policy, all tiers of government, and commercial law. These positions shaped her cultural and professional competency, particularly within multilateral institutions.

Kelsey is excited to contribute to YAIA’s mission and to lead a Careers portfolio which empowers the next generation of leaders in international affairs.

Angus is the People and Culture Director at Young Australians in International Affairs. He completed a Bachelor of Languages in 2021 and is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma of Languages at the Australian National University in Canberra. He is a passionate student of East Asian languages, culture, politics, and international relations, with a particular focus on Japan and China.

Angus’ interest in intercultural communication and international affairs was piqued by the opportunity to study Japanese in high school. He has since studied Japanese language and culture for over 10 years and has spent time living and working in Japan. He has also studied Mandarin for over 3 years and begun formally studying Cantonese in 2022.

He is motivated by the aspiration of enhancing international dialogue, conflict resolution, and intercultural understanding and respect. As a life-long student of languages, Angus is passionate about language politics, linguistic preservation, and he also volunteers his time as an English language tutor to recently arrived immigrants.  Angus is thrilled to be a member of the YAIA team and hopes to contribute to its fantastic culture, and to represent and promote its mission.