Alumni Ambassadors

Bachelor of Arts (Media) 2008, Master of Education 2019

Head, Lang Walker Family Academy – Powerhouse Parramatta

 Sophie Poisel is the Head of Academy and Learning at Powerhouse, the largest museum group in Australia. An award-winning innovative learning specialist, she has extensive experience as a teacher and educational leader in the NSW Department of Education and independent schools. In her current role, Sophie leads the development of pre-K-12 learning experiences across the Powerhouse sites in Castle Hill, Ultimo, Sydney Observatory, and Parramatta. In this role she has led the development of immersive STEM learning programs, including Powerhouse: Future Space and 50°C: Climate Heat and Resilience. Next year Powerhouse Parramatta will welcome up to 10,000 students from across NSW to stay overnight at the Lang Walker Family Academy, and many more daytime visits for special talks, workshops and events. Sophie is a passionate advocate for learning opportunities that promote student agency, skill development, connect students to world leading experts and foster a deep connection to the world.

Sophie initially graduated from UNSW with a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) and soon shifted into teaching. She completed her Master of Education (Gifted Education) before teaching at UNSW GERRIC and commencing a Doctor of Education under Professor Tony Loughland and Pasi Sahlberg. In her current role she continues to collaborate with UNSW academics and students to co-design learning experiences for school students, highlighting possible career pathways.

Master of Arts (Development Studies) 2011

Co-Founder Umbo, Founder OIC Cambodia, Author of the book Redundant Charities

Weh Yeoh has worked in the social impact sector internationally and in Australia for nearly two decades. He is the founder of OIC Cambodia, an initiative to establish speech therapy as a profession in Cambodia. He holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) from the University of Sydney and a Master of Arts in Development Studies from UNSW. He has volunteered with people with disabilities in Vietnam, interned in India, studied Mandarin in Beijing, and milked yaks in Mongolia. He founded OIC in 2013 and handed leadership to a local Cambodian team in 2017.

He later co-founded Umbo, a social enterprise improving access to allied health services for rural Australians. In 2023, he published the book Redundant Charities, which explores why charities struggle to escape the “hamster wheel” of doing good and argues that sometimes the best outcome for a charity is to shut down. Weh is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Sydney and received its Alumni Award for Service to Humanity from the Faculty of Health Sciences. He was named one of the 40 Under 40 Most Influential Asian Australians and won Social Entrepreneur of the Year at the Third Sector Awards in 2019.

Bachelor of Media (Communication and Journalism) 2014

Reporter and Presenter, ABC News

Nakari Thorpe is a Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Gooreng Gooreng woman from Victoria and Queensland. She is the Indigenous Communities Reporter with ABC News based in Sydney providing coverage across television, radio and digital broadcasting. She previously worked as a multi-platform reporter with SBS and NITV covering federal politics in the Press Gallery at Parliament House in Canberra, and national Indigenous affairs.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) 1994, Master of Arts 1997, Master of International Social Development 2005

Executive Manager, Creative City - City of Sydney

Sasha Baroni has over 25 years' experience in the arts across industry and government. Since 2020 she has held the position of Executive Manager Creative City at the City of Sydney where she oversees the City’s cultural unit of over 200 staff including Major Events and Festivals, Cultural Programs and Services, Cultural Space and Sector Development, and Libraries and Learning.

Sasha began her career in performing arts at the Sydney Theatre Company. She has delivered large-scale cultural projects and events locally and internationally, from the Sydney Millenium New Year’s Eve, to opening and closing ceremonies for the Sydney Olympic Games, Manchester Commonwealth Games and Doha Asian Games.

Alongside her UNSW qualifications, Sasha completed postgraduate studies in Advanced Theatre Practice (Theatre Directing) at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London, and worked as an assistant director on productions with Sydney Theatre Company and Ensemble Theatre.

Sasha has been an active mentor in the UNSW Career Discovery Mentoring Program since 2017.

Bachelor of City Planning (Honours) 2019

Policy Director, Committee for Sydney

Estelle Grech is an urban planner passionate about improving social equity in cities. A graduate of the UNSW City Planning program and University medalist, she has built a career spanning local government, consulting, and senior advisory roles in the NSW Government.

Estelle currently leads planning and housing, and equity and fairness policy at the Committee for Sydney, an independent think tank and advocacy organisation working to shape the future of Australia's largest city. During her time as senior adviser to former NSW Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Rob Stokes, she had oversight of the establishment of landmark initiatives including the Safer Cities program, Greater Sydney Parklands, and the Infrastructure NSW Women in Construction program. As a Churchill Fellow, Estelle has undertaken international research across Europe and the United States examining how cities can be better designed for women and girls – a question that continues to drive her work today.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours) 2008, Master of Public Health 2012

Head of Health Policy at Medibank

Jennifer Vo-Phuoc is Head of Health Policy at Medibank, where she leads health policy and stakeholder engagement to help shape reforms across primary care, private health, virtual care, and aged care. With more than 15 years of experience in health policy, economics and strategy consulting, she has worked with governments, health organisations and not-for-profits to design, size and implement reforms that improve health outcomes for Australians. Her work has spanned national policy development, funding reform, digital health, mental health, and models of care.

Jennifer serves as Secretary and Board Director of Carers NSW. As a UNSW ADA Alumni Ambassador, she is passionate about supporting future leaders and building a more equitable and sustainable health system. She credits her time at UNSW with developing the analytical thinking and curiosity that continue to underpin her work today.