Leading skills and capabilities building for the Humanitarian Innovation Fund. Working collaboratively with colleagues, grantees, and external stakeholders to document, develop, decolonise, and deliver accessible, context-sensitive, and future-aware technical resources. Including tools and processes for managing and enabling innovation within humanitarian contexts, through supportive cultures and environments.

Highlights #

• Reported to and liaised with statutory and institutional donors FCDO and Dutch MFA
• Coordinated and delivered non-financial grantee support, incl. convenings, workshops, and presentations
• Managed researchers exploring the present and future needs of humanitarian innovators and innovation managers
• Managed and co-created ethics resources with McGill/McMaster universities and participatory resources with MIT’s D-Lab
• Managed FCDO-funded grantees exploring how inclusive disaster preparedness can enable inclusive humanitarian response, for people with disabilities and older people

Led research outcomes for Oxfam’s UnBlocked Cash pilot, while contributing to programme design and technical advisory across all aspects of the project. The role included horizon scanning, partner evaluation, designing and delivering programme design and learning workshops, refining research methodologies, coordinating stakeholder inputs, and managing monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning.

Highlights #

• Co-developed the first DLT-based relief chain and CVA pilot in the Pacific incl. NFC-enabled mobile endpoints with Sempo
• Authored the research report, ‘Unblocked Cash: Piloting Accelerated Cash Transfer Delivery in Vanuatu’ which was presented during Australasian AID Conference (2020)

Press #

• Vanuatu: Trial of pre-paid cash cards bodes well for disaster preparedness
• Using blockchain technology to help with humanitarian assistance in the Pacific
• Blockchain and How It Can Transform Humanitarian Cash Transfers in Vanuatu

Evaluated and supported the needs of the Digital Futures team in its mission to digitise Aurecon’s business, while guiding product design and developing frameworks to support future products.

Highlights #

• Evaluated and redesigned the user experience and interface of the firm’s suite of digital tools
• Developed digital design system and style guide for future applications
• Developed brand identity and strategy for computational design unit
• Led research to redesign the internal knowledge management and communications platform
• Facilitated workshops for needs identification and stakeholder engagement

Taught design and innovation theory with a focus on complex systems and community-led solutions for built environments, including patient-centered design and qualitative research methodologies in service of culturally and emotionally sensitive guerrilla information systems for oncological treatment. Developed and delivered original material on the role of designers in the Anthropocene and encouraged students to explore the social implications of this proposed epoch by presenting climate science alongside emerging technologies and speculative futures.

A multi-disciplinary design practice developing community-led solutions and foresights to shape the future of our built environments in service of people and planet. Merged lean startup and social entrepreneurship principles with accumulative academic research to create a space for cross-sectoral partnerships, methodologies, and innovation. Built innovation capabilities within humanitarian and third sector organisations. Adapted and tested solutions in local contexts.

Highlights #

• Authored ‘The Social Impacts of Distributed Ledger Technologies in Disaster Response and Development Interventions’, which was presented during A Smart Sustainable Future for All (2018)
• Presented on DLT-based Design Cash and Voucher Assistence during the Informatics Lecture Series (2020)

Led human-centered solutions for purpose-driven brands and institutions. The role was that of a practical designer and a design thinker, responsible for all projects, their clients, and its team, including the in-house impact-oriented publication Matters Journal. The design director was responsible for creative direction, asset management, event design, collaborator outreach, editorial design and production, while assisting with product development and editorial strategy.

Created and directed creative content for the built and unbuilt environment. The creative director pitched creative work, managed client and stakeholder relationships, maintained effective teams while developing insights, experiences, and stories in support of masterplans and placemaking strategies.

Clients #

State Government of Victoria, Places Victoria, Lendlease, Mirvac, ISPT, Sydney Opera House, Anzac Memorial Trustees, Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), Arts Centre Melbourne, Foster and Partners, Fender Katsalidis, Woods Bagot, Hassell and Denton Corker Marshall, among others

Developed and delivered classes on photography for industrial designers.

A malleable project rooted in design research, systems mapping, problem scoping, insight-driven opportunity/need identification, and evidence-based solution development. Officially founded in 2012, Gestaltivist consolidates a legacy of independent industrial design practice with designing and facilitating workshops, co-creation activities, and design sprints. Consistently concerned with circular and environmentally sensitive design.

Awards (by date) #

• Queensland New Design — Finalist (2007), the jury awarded 'System69' the top prize for its high market potential.
• Capital Growth — Industry Prize Winner (2011), the jury was impressed by 'PIGs' innovative and technologically ambitious solution, awarding the top cash prize.

Exhibitions (by date) #

Tokyo Design Week (2010 & 2015), NYCxDesign, One Can, Caught Living Between Music & Design, Tastemakers at LA Design Week (2013), Singapore Indesign, Dwell on Design, Prototyping: Making Ideas, Capital Growth: The Piggy Bank Project, Brisbane Indesign

Press (A – Z) #

Brisbane Magazine, Core77, DQ, Dwell, Indesign, Indesign Live, Inside, LA Times, map magazine, NOTCOT, Queenslandersign, Queensland Homes, Yanko Design, Yatzer

Independently publishing socially conscious, evergreen food media exploring the impact of our consumption.

Exhibitions (by date) #

International Food Design Conference

Press (A – Z) #

Australian Infront, It’s Nice That, Monocle (Issue 72, The Menu Edition 165 and The Globalist - Edition 825 and 830), Stack, Selectism, We Heart

Consulted with clients and designed solutions for urban environments, including public amenities and architectural details. Managed marketing and communications. Implemented software solutions and developed best practice.

Clients #

State Government of Queensland, Brisbane City Council, South Bank Corporation, among others

Evaluated applications for the Next Generation Foresight Practitioners (NGFP) main award and coordinated communications to attract more diverse applicants from low- and middle-income countries, who are working on humanitarian problems. Ongoing mentoring with 2021/2022 winning applicant.

Ongoing commitment to review project abstracts and co-design MSF Scientific Days agenda with innovation experts from across the humanitarian sector.

Supported innovators with one-on-one mentoring during the 'Healthy Bones, Healthy Ageing Challenge'. This challenge asked: How might we reimagine older adults’ care experience after breaking a bone due to osteoporosis to ensure their first fracture is their last?

Developed and delivered a participatory practise framework to inform the design of a multifunction cross-sectoral space for WVI-C staff, partners, donors, and recipients to interact and collaborate.

Supported the design, delivery, and reporting of Oxfam’s Australian Aid-funded ‘blockchain’ pilots to increase disaster preparedness in the Pacific region. Designed research methodologies and defined measurements to evaluate the cost, quality, and time-efficiency of distributed ledger technology-based, intra-institutional transfers and cash and voucher assistance for the humanitarian sector.