About Us

We foster stronger connections, educate and empower our government, business, academic and civil community to better understand the critical issues facing our region.

Based at The University of Western Australia, we are a non-partisan and not-for-profit institution.

Through our research and educational activities, we strengthen strategic thinking between Australia, the Indo-Pacific, and the United States, and engage thought leaders to address challenges and opportunities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Since our inception in 2013, we have informed a broad and diverse community of over 30,000 at more than 800 events across 25 cities in 10 countries.

Our People


Professor Gordon Flake

Chief Executive Officer

Shelby Crookes

Chief Operating Officer

Dr Lisa Cluett

External Relations Director

Dr Kate O’Shaughnessy

Research Director

Research and Program

Kim Heriot-Darragh

Research and Program Fellow

South Asia

Dr Pia Dannhauer

Research and Program Associate

Southeast Asia

Kathryn Froend

Research and Program Officer

Northeast Asia

Sarah Leary

First Nations Foreign Policy Fellow

First Nations Foreign Policy


Program and Communications

Emily Davies

Program and Communications Manager

Lisa Leitch

Program Coordinator (Events & Partnerships)

Melinda Mounsey

Program Coordinator (Education & Engagement)

Madeleine Quy

Digital Communications Officer

Aliah Bogdanich

Digital Communications Officer

Operations

Therese Sanders

Business Advisor

Jeffrey Choong

Corporate Accountant

Board of Directors

The Hon Kim Beazley

Former Ambassador of Australia to the United States

Chair

Deidre Willmott

Non-executive
Director

Deputy Chair

Mark Baillie

Chair of the United
States Studies Centre

Director

Sarah Beshar

Non-executive
Director

Director

Professor Amit Chakma

Vice-Chancellor of The University of Western Australia

Director

The Hon Richard Court

Former Ambassador
of Australia to Japan

Director

Professor Gordon Flake

CEO at the
Perth USAsia Centre

Director

Dr Michael J Green

CEO at the
United States Studies Centre

Director

Leila Smith

CEO at the
Aurora Education Foundation

Director

Rebecca Tomkinson

CEO at The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA

Director


Audit, Risk & Remuneration Committee

Deidre Willmott

Non-executive
Director

Chair

Sarah Beshar

Non-executive
Director

Committee Member

Geoff Lotter

Non-executive
Director

Committee Member

Rebecca Tomkinson

CEO at The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA

Committee Member

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