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Australian Fulbright Alumni Association The Australian Fulbright Alumni Association (AFAA) is governed by a National Board of elected AFAA members. AFAA has local chapters in each Australian state and territory. To get involved in local activities make sure to nominate your local chapter affiliation in your member profile. Each chapter hosts a number of events each year including public lectures, dinners, and informal get togethers.
| Dr Aiden Warren, President Professor Aiden Warren is a Fulbright Scholar in Australia-United States Alliance Studies, sponsored by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade (DFAT). He completed his Fulbright at the Arms Control Association in Washington DC investigating the United States’ nuclear modernization plans and the impact this will have on global security. He is a Professor in RMIT University's School of Global, Urban and Social Studies. Aiden’s teaching and research interests are in the areas of International Security, US national security and foreign policy, US Politics, International Relations, issues associated with Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) proliferation, non-proliferation and arms control and emerging technologies.
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| Dr Michelle Menzies, Vice President Dr Menzies is a researcher and curator with experience across academia, the public sector, and banking. A Fulbright Scholar and PhD graduate from the University of Chicago, she specialises in media philosophy, aesthetics, and the societal impacts of technological transformation. |
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Dr Adam Bartley, Treasurer
Dr Adam Bartley is a post-doctoral research fellow with the Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation at RMIT University. He also holds roles as a non-resident fellow at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs, program manager for the Trilateral AI Experts Group, and Managing Editor of Australian Outlook for the Australian Institute of International Affairs. As a 2022–23 Fulbright Scholar at the Sigur Center for Asian Affairs, George Washington University, Adam gained exceptional access to U.S. policy and research networks—collaborating with experts, attending high-level meetings, and engaging with departments across the U.S. government. His experience offered unparalleled professional opportunities and memorable cultural moments in the heart of Washington D.C. |
 | Dr Melanie Brooks, Secretary Dr. Melanie C. Brooks is Associate Dean (Research) and Associate Professor of Education at Edith Cowan University. She also is Co-Editor of Fulbright Chronicles and serves on multiple international editorial review boards, while maintaining active research collaborations across Southeast Asia and the United States. As a 2015 US Fulbright Senior Scholar to the Philippines, Melanie collaborated on research in conflict-affected regions—conducting research on school-community relationships, collaborating with local educators and policymakers, and engaging with diverse religious and cultural communities. Her Fulbright experience, combined with extensive fieldwork in Thailand, Indonesia, and beyond, has shaped her globally recognized expertise in Islamic school leadership and culturally responsive education. She has authored influential works including Islam, Education, and Freedom (Bloomsbury, 2024), establishing her as a leading voice in understanding how faith and spirituality influence education in diverse and challenging contexts worldwide. |
 | Dr Eliza Howard, Communications Officer Eliza Howard is an experienced executive and non-executive director serving on national boards and internal committees. Her diverse career spans business, academia, journalism, and higher education, where she has developed broad expertise in leadership and governance. Eliza has led national accreditation and policy projects for major organisations and universities and brings strong skills in archival and qualitative research conducted both in Australia and internationally. |
 | A/Prof Jonathon Fanning, General Member Associate Professor Fanning is a clinician-researcher with over 15 years of experience across Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Internal Medicine. He holds academic and clinical roles at the University of Queensland, The Prince Charles Hospital, and St Andrew’s War Memorial Hospital, and leads national clinical trials through his work with The George Institute for Global Health. He also chairs the Queensland Cardiovascular Research Network. As a 2021–2022 Fulbright Scholar, Jonathon undertook transformative research on cardiovascular intensive care at Johns Hopkins Medicine, focusing on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). His Fulbright experience fostered lasting international collaborations and furthered his studies at Harvard and Oxford. Actively involved in the Fulbright alumni community, Jonathon is committed to advancing alumni engagement, mentoring, and supporting future scholars. |
| Dr Gayan Benedict, General Member Dr Gayan Benedict is a Sydney-based Partner at PwC in Advisory, with an extensive leadership background including roles as CIO of the Reserve Bank of Australia and CTO for Salesforce ANZ. He holds a doctorate from UTS on blockchain regulation in the Australian financial system and is an industry research fellow at the MIT Sloan Centre for Information Systems Research. In 2023, Gayan was awarded a Coral Sea Professional Fulbright Scholarship, undertaking research at Georgetown University’s CyberSmart Centre on the governance of advanced AI systems. His Fulbright journey took him across the U.S., culminating in a 2025 publication with the U.S. Centre for AI Safety on self-governing organisations. |
| Dr Diana Zhang, General Member Diana is a multi-award winning scholar, STEM ambassador, and professional musician. She holds dual first class honours and the University Medal in a Bachelor of Music and Advanced Science. She completed her PhD at the University of New South Wales in Chemistry. Her research integrates state-of-the art chemical instrumentation and machine learning for disease diagnosis. She has served in numerous scientific and leadership positions including as a Science presenter and Vice-President on UNSW Postgraduate Council. She was previously the Board Director of Science & Technology Australia, which represents over 100,000 STEM professionals. Diana received a 2021 Fulbright Future Scholarship to develop machine learning algorithms for mass spectrometry datasets with the Kolachalama Laboratory at Boston University.
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 | Dr David Keith, General Member Dr Keith is an Associate Professor of Innovation and Sustainability at Melbourne Business School. He recently returned to Melbourne following a decade as an Assistant Professor of System Dynamics at the MIT Sloan School of Management. As a 2008 Fulbright Scholar, Dr Keith completed his PhD in Engineering Systems at MIT, focusing on the adoption of electric vehicles and emerging mobility technologies. He brings deep expertise in innovation and sustainable systems and is excited to support the Fulbright alumni community through his role on the AFAA Board—helping future scholars access transformative U.S. learning opportunities and strengthening connections across the alumni network. Professor Gail Risbridger, Mentorship Officer Professor Risbridger is a Distinguished Professor at Monash University's Biomedicine Discovery Institute and a leading expert in prostate cancer and men’s health. She pioneered one of the world’s largest cohorts of prostate cancer PDX models, advancing research translation in a field long limited by a lack of clinical models. With over 300 publications and numerous accolades—including an Australia Day Honour, Fulbright Senior Scholar Award, and multiple NHMRC Fellowships—she is widely recognised for her leadership in biomedical research and mentoring. As a 2001 Fulbright Senior Scholar at Columbia University, Professor Risbridger conducted groundbreaking work on stem cell differentiation in prostate cancer. Hala Zreiqat, General Member |