Our Staff

Carla Wilshire OAM is the founding CEO of The Social Policy Group (SPG). She has a background in public policy development and impact strategy, corporate governance, and tertiary research. Before establishing SPG, Carla worked in senior roles in the public service and as an advisor to the Government, principally in migration and settlement, including as Chief of Staff to the Minister for Multicultural Affairs. She also held academic and consulting positions in Australia and abroad. Carla is the Board Director of The Australian Centre for Social Innovation, the co-founder and Deputy Chair of the Migrant and Refugee Health Partnership and the Judicial Council on Diversity & Inclusion, as well as a member of the Council of Harmony Alliance, the national migrant and refugee women's alliance.

Emily is the Deputy CEO of the Social Policy Group, bringing nearly two decades of high-level expertise in the design, execution, and delivery of transformative social policy. With a distinguished career spanning multiple Commonwealth Departments, Emily has led critical policy initiatives in areas such as gender equality, digital literacy, community engagement, volunteering, mental health, settlement, and inclusion.

Her career in the Public Service is marked by strategic leadership and a commitment to addressing significant social disadvantage through systems reform, inclusive design, and service accessibility. Emily is recognised for her ability to deliver impactful results across complex policy landscapes, driving lasting and sustainable change in community wellbeing and social justice.

Emily’s extensive international engagement further strengthens her reputation as a leader in social policy, with a proven track record of successful global partnerships and cross-border initiatives. She is a passionate advocate for policy reforms that advance social policy objectives through innovative community informed solutions.

Gail is the Special Advisor with The Social Policy Group. For over 20 years, Gail Ker OAM’s vast industry experience and arguably unrivalled expertise in the Australian multicultural, humanitarian and community sectors has seen her change countless lives for the better. A nationally lauded and award winning visionary, Gail was formerly the CEO of Access Community Services Ltd where she lead in creating social, cultural and economic experiences and opportunities that transformed the lives of individuals and communities. Renowned for her expertise in innovative service solutions, Gail is a recognised thought leader in needs-based community planning, innovative business models, social cohesion, strategic partnerships, employment pathways, funding opportunities and strategic direction.

Lexie joins the SPG Group after some 19 years of working for a peak body representing aged care providers. Lexie provides executive support to the SPG CEO and general office support to the SPG Team.

Charlie works across the SPG portfolio to deliver training, community consultation and engagement, and group facilitation. Working in group facilitation and community engagement for over a decade, Charlie is passionate about bridging gaps in communication through reaching common understanding. Bringing a expansive professional background, having worked in the arts industry, event and project management, and being a successful business owner, Charlie brings a grounded and pragmatic approach to training, consultation and engagement. Charlie has always been a proud advocate for marginalised community, voices and creating empathetic and culturally informed engagement strategies, communication and business practice.

Chloe holds a degree in Accounting and has a solid background in health services management. Previously, she served as a manager at a health service organisation, where she developed her skills in operational efficiency and team leadership. Currently, Chloe is focused on driving organisational success and enhancing service delivery as the Chief Operating Officer. As a migrant herself, she is passionate about advocating for the experiences and voices of migrant communities.

Dr Scott Takeshi Mills is a medical practitioner and working clinician with cross-over expertise in medicine, public health and communications. Scott holds a Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) with a Masters of International Public Health (MIPH), and has pre-medical background in media production and communications, digital technology and human-centred design.

Scott’s areas of interest are health systems, health policy and health communications, with a specialised interest in AI safety in healthcare.  This skillset offers a unique synergy of patient and provider service delivery insight with a population-oriented approach, communication and behaviour change experience, and a systems-level understanding of healthcare and the wider social determinants.

Iain comes from a diverse academic background, holding an honours degree in Software Engineering, a Masters in Mathematics, as well as Bachelor of Commerce in Economics and Finance. Having spent a decade running his own software consultancy, primarily focussed on developing for mobile technologies, he has joined SPG to help enhance and expand our offering of digital products. Iain is passionate about building high quality user experiences and loves harnessing the potential of software to benefit peoples lives. He has particular interest in the areas of health care, education and equality.

Jane is the Project Implementation Officer at THRIVE Logan and works alongside the team to deliver the Logan Cultural Diversity Trial Project. She previously worked as a case manager supporting newly arrived refugees in Brisbane/Logan, and relishes the opportunity to build on her experience to focus on the social and economic participation of the CALD community in Logan. Jane also has work experiences in the field of marketing: advertising, event management and qualitative market research.

Jimena supports the work of Harmony Alliance and leads the Young Migrant and Refugee Women Advisory Group. Her work is dedicated to advocating for the rights of migrant and refugee communities, with a particular focus on how gender, race, and class intersect in these issues. Jimena holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations from Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City and recently completed a Master’s Degree in Development Studies at the University of Melbourne. Prior to joining SPG, she gained experience in journalism, humanitarian aid, and community development. Jimena’s commitment to these causes drives her ongoing efforts to support and uplift marginalised communities.

Lynette is the Policy and Program Manager with The Social Policy Group. For the past decade, she has worked as a public health practitioner spanning health promotion and advocacy, and digital health across Australia, Mongolia, and Switzerland. Lynette has worked with WHO Headquarters, WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific and the Victorian Department of Health to support efforts to access to COVID-19 vaccination among priority populations and increase momentum towards universal health coverage. She holds a Master of Public Health from the University of Melbourne. Her passion for working with and helping to improve the lives of migrant and refugee communities stems from being the daughter of parents with refugee backgrounds. She is currently a Board Member of the United Nations Association of Australia (Victorian Division).