Council

Anthony Mackay AM, is CEO and President of the National Centre on Education and the Economy, Washington DC. He is Co-Chair of Learning Creates Australia, Deputy Chancellor Swinburne University, Chair of the Song Room, Board Director of High Resolves Global, Board Director of Schools Plus and Honorary Senior Fellow of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne. 

Anthony is a Council Member of Asia Society’s Centre for Global Education, an expert consultant to OECD, Co-Chair Global Education Leaders Partnership and Senior Fellow IBE UNESCO. 

He is the immediate Past Chair of the Australian Council for Educational Research and Immediate Past Deputy Chair of New Zealand’s Education Council. He was the Inaugural Chair of the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership and the Inaugural Deputy Chair of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority. 

Current committees: 

• Audit and Risk Committee member (2024-current)
• People, Remuneration and Nominations Committee Chair (formerly known as the Executive, Remuneration and Nominations Committee) (2022–current, member since 2021)

Previous committees: 

• Finance and Operations Committee member (2022–2024)
• Philanthropy, Infrastructure and Investments Committee member (2021)
• Executive and Remuneration Committee member (2015–2020)
• Resources Committee member (2015–2020)
  
• Governance, Nominations and Conferral Committee member (2014)  

Mr William Lye OAM KC FRI is a barrister practising at the Victorian Bar and is admitted to practice in all Australian States and Territories. His areas of legal practice include general commercial and corporate law, copyright and trademarks, computer and internet related matters, cross border disputes, and international commercial arbitration.

Mr Lye has a Bachelor of Science (Computers), Bachelor of Laws and Master of Laws (specialising in Intellectual Property) from Monash University. He also has a Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship at Swinburne.  He is currently Adjunct Professor within the Faculty of Business and Law at Swinburne University of Technology. 

He is a Nationally Accredited Mediator; a Fellow of Resolution Institute; and an Arbitrator on the foreign panel of the Shanghai International Arbitration Centre, which acts as an independent arbitration institute to resolve commercial disputes. He is also on the panel of Arbitrators of the Czech Arbitration Centre dealing with disputes under the Uniform Domain Name Disputes Resolution Policy (UDRP) established by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Mr Lye serves as a national board member of The Order of Australia Association Limited, and is also on the Victoria Branch of The Order of Australia Association.

He is a founding member and the Immediate Past National Vice President of the Asian Australian Lawyers Association. He is also one of the Patrons of the North American Australian Lawyers Alliance Incorporated.

On Australia Day 2017, Mr Lye was awarded the Order of Australia Medal for ‘service to the law, to business, and to the promotion of cultural diversity’.

In the same year, at the 2017 Australian Law Awards, Mr Lye won the Barrister of the Year Award and the Lawyers Weekly Excellence Award.

In 2018 Mr Lye was the first barrister of Malaysian Chinese descent appointed Senior Counsel in Australia.

Current Committees:

• Audit and Risk Committee member (2019-current)

Previous Committees:

• Finance and Operations Committee member (2022-2024)
• Executive, Remuneration and Nominations Committee member (2022-2023)
• Philanthropy, Infrastructure and Investments Committee member (2021)

Dr Leonie Walsh, former Victorian Lead Scientist, has extensive experience in management and commercialisation of research and development and has had a long association with Swinburne. 

Dr Walsh holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science from Swinburne and received an Honorary Doctorate from the university in November 2014 for contributions and leadership in scientific enterprises, innovation and the community. She also holds a Master in Business Administration from the Australian Graduate School of Management, is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. 

From 2013–2016 she was the first Lead Scientist in Victoria. She was also the inaugural Women in STEMM Ambassador, supporting gender equity in science, technology, engineering, maths and medicine, and the first woman president of the Australasian Industrial Research Group. 

Over a career spanning 30 years, she has worked in Australia and internationally, building a reputation for driving strategic commercial improvements and innovation in the organisations in which she has worked. 

Prior to her appointment as Lead Scientist, Dr Walsh worked for Dow Chemical both locally and internationally and also for companies including Visy Industries, South East Water and Henkel in Victoria. She has led a broad range of research and development (R&D) groups, business functions and has also provided support to technology-based start-up companies. 

Leonie has combined her professional career with honorary roles as the Chair and President of the Fight Cancer Foundation and a non-executive Director of the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry providing care, services and support for cancer patients and their families and funding vital research into cancer treatment. 

Dr Walsh’s current areas of activity help to bridge industry, government and academia across sectors including education, renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, clean technology, the circular economy and health services.  

• Read Dr Walsh's Swinburne story

Current committees: 

• Audit and Risk Committee (2022-current)
• Technology, Innovation and Value Creation Committee member (2021–current)

Previous committees: 

• Finance and Operations Committee member (2022-2024)
• Philanthropy, Infrastructure and Investments Committee member (2021)
• Resources Committee member (2020)

Richard is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, and holds a Bachelor of Engineering, Mechanical (Hons). He also completed the Advanced Management Program, Business Management, Oxford University, Saïd Business School. 

Richard is the Managing Director of Furnace Engineering Pty Ltd, holding this position for 20 years. From a background in automotive engineering (Ford Australia), Richard joined Furnace Engineering in 1994, starting in engineering design and project management, then sales, before leading the company. 

Furnace Engineering is an Australian engineering company specialising in the design and manufacture of heat processing equipment for the industrial and research markets. The company has a significant export activity, and has been honoured several times in the Governor of Victoria Export Awards. Furnace Engineering has a long history of developing specialised heat processing equipment, most recently several novel high temperature technologies, and holds several patents covering key technology developed in-house. 

Richard is also a director of two import/distribution businesses and one manufacturing business related to Furnace Engineering. He has served as an advisory board member on the Swinburne Innovation Precinct and Swinburne Leadership Institute. Richard is currently a non-executive director of Accutherm International Pty Ltd, Stork AWD Pty Ltd, Tetlow Kiln Pty Ltd, as well as Vice-President and board member of The Royal Melbourne Tennis Club and a director of The Jolimont Foundation.

Current committees:

• Audit and Risk Committee member (2021–current)

Previous committees:

• Finance and Operations Committee member (2022-2024)
• Executive, Remuneration and Nominations Committee member (2022-2023)
• Philanthropy, Infrastructure and Investments Committee member (2021)

John is a graduate of Macquarie University, and holds the degree of Bachelor of Economics, majoring in Economics and Business Law. He is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

He is currently an advisory board member of Indigitek, and was previously a non-executive director at Smiling Mind, as well as holding board roles at the Aboriginal Economic Board (Vic Govt) and the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association.

John is currently Executive General Manager of Future Business and Technology at AGL, and previously held senior executive positions at Telstra, including Executive Director of Product Innovation. Johns’ startup companies include TAPPL (providing Future of Work capability), Moorup Technology, a green tech devices marketplace, and Fresh Ventures Advisory, which was acquired by IE Digital in February 2019.

Current committees:

• Technology, Innovation and Value Creation Committee Chair (2021–current)
• People, Remuneration and Nominations Committee member (formerly known as the Executive, Remuneration and Nominations Committee) (2021–current)

Kishaun Thiruchelvam completed his Bachelor of Health Science and BA of Science in 2023, and is currently completing his Science Biochemistry Honours year, focussing on novel research in Solid Lipid Nanoparticles.

Kishaun has served as President of the Swinburne Student Union (SSU) since late 2022 and has contributed to the discussion and design of a Single Student Body. He has made significant contributions to addressing key issues faced by the student body, including services such as food banks and educational assistance.

His governance roles extend to serving on Academic Senate, Student Representative Council (SRC), as SSU Education Officer, Club leader and President of the SSU.

Kishaun’s knowledge and experience, from a student perspective, provide valuable insights to Swinburne’s University Council. His advocacy is driven by a commitment to student rights and the enhancement of educational experience and quality.

Bronwyn is a professional staff member working in the area of industry and government research engagement and business development. Her portfolio covers the research related areas of Government, Health and Community across Swinburne. Bronwyn has over 20 years’ experience in Australian universities, both in academic and professional roles. Her background is in Psychology; she holds a Bachelor of Psychology (Hons 1) and Graduate Certificate of Education. Bronwyn has extensive experience in working closely with academic and professional colleagues across the university.

Bronwyn is also the Vice-President (Professional Staff) of the NTEU’s Swinburne Branch, a member of the Victorian State Division’s executive and NTEU National Councillor. She is passionate about Australia’s public higher education sector and committed to representing all the Swinburne community on the Council.

Rae is a proud Wiradjuri woman born and raised on Dharug and Gundungurra country in Western Sydney. She is a multi-award-winning journalist with a special focus on STEM and advocating for women and Indigenous communities on technology careers and applications. 

Rae was the first Science and Technology Editor for NITV at SBS. Her work over a decade appears across television, radio and on-line and is frequently called upon to make regular appearances on ABC, SBS and Network 10.

She is an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Rae simplifies, translates and amplifies technology advantages for students and communities, highlighting the benefits for society.

Current committee: 

• Technology, Innovation and Value Creation Committee member (2023-current)

Karen holds a Master of Commerce from Swinburne University of Technology, a Graduate Certificate of Emerging Technology and Law from RMIT and is an active CPA member in Australia. 

She has worked in energy management, manufacturing, international trade, corporate finance, agriculture and in the aerospace industries. 

Karen’s career spans both Australia and the United States of America where her skills building high-performing organizations based on trust and inclusion, digital transformation, driving profitable investment decisions, and remediating complex business issues are internationally recognized. 

Karen is currently a Senior Vice-President of Schneider Electric, the world’s most sustainable company in 2021. It is a leading provider of products, services and software solutions in energy management and automation, and she is among the top tier of 150 global executives.

Current committees:

• Audit and Risk Committee Chair (2023–current)
• People, Remuneration and Nominations Committee member (formerly known as the Executive, Remuneration and Nominations Committee) (2023-current)

Previous committees:

• Finance and Operations Committee member (2023-2024)

Professor Kieu, with a university medal for his B.Sc. (Honours) from the University of Queensland and a PhD in Theoretical Physics from the University of Edinburgh, has served in academia and public service. 

Tien has a rich research background with positions at Edinburgh University, Oxford University, Melbourne University, CSIRO and Swinburne University. He has also held a Fulbright Fellowship and several visiting positions at Columbia University, MIT and Princeton Institute for Advanced Study. Since 2009, he has been an Adjunct Professor at Swinburne University. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Physics.

Professor Kieu's research expertise lies in quantum physics and quantum computation, where he has made significant contributions. His career extends beyond academia, encompassing valuable experience in the industry and finance sectors, where he has gained in-depth knowledge of data analytics and artificial intelligence. 

Tien's public service includes a term as a member of the Legislative Council of Victorian Parliament from 2018 to 2022, and he has held directorship positions at TAC and currently at the Greater Western Water Corporation. He is a Fellow of St Hilda's College (University of Melbourne) and is also serving as a member of the Advisory Board for In2Science.

As a former refugee from Vietnam, Professor Kieu understands deeply the importance of supporting diverse communities. He actively engages with multicultural communities in Victoria, serving as a role model and advocate for inclusivity and equal opportunity. 

Current committees:

• Audit and Risk Committee member (2024–current)
• Technology, Innovation and Value Creation Committee member (2024-current)