Meet the Team

Introducing Ben Cork: Champion of Inclusion and LGBTQ Advocate. Ben has been involved in Gymnastics over 30 years as an athlete, coach and administrator with more than a decade of experience as a coach and committee member at a national level. He is also a founding gymsport Chairperson for Oceania Gymnastics Union and a current Commission Member for the International Gymnastics Federation. Ben has authored several Sporting Schools programs and worked extensively in the development of participation and inclusion programs in NSW and Australia. Ben brings over 20 years of experience in media and government to the Pride in Sport team.

Chris Keely brings a wealth of experience to Pride in Diversity, having held senior roles across media, telecommunications, and government. His career has spanned major content corporations such as Paramount International, SingTel Optus, and SBS Australia, where he worked as a commercial and media lawyer. He has also served as an advisor to Federal and State Ministers and held leadership positions in the NSW public sector. His work has taken him across the Asia Pacific, with roles in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.

A passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion, Chris co-founded SBS Pride and Allies, the organisation’s Employee Resource Network, and was a founding member of SBS’s Diversity Council. His commitment to diversity and inclusion has been recognised through several accolades, including being named one of Deloitte’s 2020 Outstanding 50 LGBTI+ Leaders and a member of the Australian Pride Power List in 2019. He has also contributed to the Australian Press Council’s Round Table on the reporting of LGBTQ+ people and issues.

With his extensive expertise and dedication to fostering inclusive workplaces, Chris plays a key role in supporting Pride in Diversity’s mission to drive meaningful change for LGBTQ+ inclusion across Australian workplaces.

Chris Nelson is a senior Human Resources leader with over 20 years’ experience in the finance and insurance industry across both specialist and generalist areas, including talent management, succession planning, remuneration strategy, engagement, leadership, change and building diverse and inclusive businesses.

Chris was a foundation committee member of the Commonwealth Bank’s LGBTQ network, Unity.

Prior to his career in Human Resources, Chris worked in various leadership business operations roles and as a project manager. He is also an experienced executive coach and LGBTQ counsellor.

Chris is a Certified Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute (CAHRI), a member of the Australian Institute of Management, a member of the Ethics Centre, and has been a NFP Board Director. Chris has a Bachelor of Theology, a Graduate Certificate in Adult Education and an MBA from Macquarie Graduate School of Management.

Chris is known for his ability to keep Human Resources practical and human-centred. He has a strong corporate background and has a great passion for coaching executives to influence not only their leadership capability, but also to impact the business more broadly by changing the thinking on employee engagement and building the sort of culture that supports a great business.

Colin has extensive operations, project management, communications and administrative experience gained across the corporate, government and not-for-profit sectors. After a 14-year management operations career in the motor industry in the UK with Peugeot and Mercedes-Benz, he retrained and became a tourism and events marketing professional. On relocating to Australia in 2009 he further broadened his experience working for local government before moving into the not-for-profit sector, initially in education and more recently in mental health research as the Volunteer Coordinator for Black Dog Institute’s flagship Future Proofing Study. He joined the Pride Inclusion Programs Team in November 2021. He lives in Sydney with his husband and is a keen Sydney Swans supporter being a founding member of their LGBTQ+ supporters’ group, the Rainbow Swans.

Dawn Emsen-Hough is the Director of ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, overseeing Pride in Diversity, Pride in Sport, Pride in Health + Wellbeing, and Pride Training. These programs provide comprehensive support for LGBTQ+ inclusion across workplaces, sport, and health services.

Dawn joined ACON in 2009 to develop and establish the Pride in Diversity program and the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), now recognised as the national benchmark for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Under her leadership, the program has grown significantly, earning an international reputation for its leading practice and gold-standard benchmarking.

Now heading a team of 45+ specialists, Dawn has expanded the division to include dedicated teams focused exclusively on LGBTQ+ workplace, sport, and health inclusion, along with a bespoke training team delivering tailored education across industries. In 2022, she established a specialist team dedicated to data, research, and academic publications to further enhance evidence-based best practices.

Dawn is a respected international speaker on LGBTQ+ inclusion, contributing to global discussions and corporate diversity boards. She has co-authored academic papers and written five publications on LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion. Dawn lives in Sydney’s inner city with her partner of 40+ years, Judy, and their beloved border collies.

Nicki Elkin brings over 15 years of experience in commercial roles across diverse sectors in both the UK and Australia. With a strong corporate background, Nicki has expertise in developing and implementing sales and marketing strategies, fostering relationships with key industry leaders, and driving stakeholder engagement to achieve mutual goals.

A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity, Nicki was a founding member of the Medtronic LGBTQ network, Pride, demonstrating their commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces. Their strategic approach to stakeholder engagement and project delivery ensures meaningful outcomes for organisations seeking to enhance their LGBTQ inclusion efforts.

Nicki holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Leeds, an MBA from Leeds University Business School, and a Master of Marketing Communication from the University of Canberra. Their extensive experience in strategy development and project execution will bring valuable insights and support to Pride Inclusion Programs’ members.

Alyce joined Pride in Diversity from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), where she spent over four years supporting agents, businesses, and individuals across the superannuation system. During her time at the ATO Perth office, she played a key role in LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion, leading the formation of the Gender Diverse Think Tank within the ATOMIC employee network and collaborating with National Leadership to improve policies and processes.

Beyond her corporate experience, Alyce has been deeply involved with Transfolk of WA, serving in leadership roles including Chair and Treasurer. Through this work, she has driven education, advocacy, and support for gender-diverse individuals at both state and national levels.

Alyce’s lived experience as a gender-diverse individual, combined with her corporate and community leadership, allows her to deliver engaging, strategic education that fosters awareness, understanding, and action. She is passionate about helping organisations create inclusive cultures where gender-diverse employees and clients feel truly valued.

Andrew Georgiou brings a wealth of experience in change management and LGBTQ+ inclusion to Pride in Diversity. Before joining the team, he was a leading change specialist at Telstra, where he played a key role in driving LGBTQ+ diversity initiatives as a leader of the company’s employee network. His contributions helped solidify Telstra’s long-standing leadership in LGBTQ+ inclusion, dating back to its role as a founding member of Pride in Diversity.

Beyond his corporate experience, Andrew has been actively involved in GLOBE Victoria, the state’s leading LGBTQ+ business and enterprise network, helping to foster professional connections and advocacy for inclusion. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Commercial Law and Marketing) from Deakin University and brings strong organisational expertise, strategic insight, and a deep commitment to fostering inclusive workplaces.

As the State Lead for Victoria, Andrew is dedicated to supporting Pride in Diversity members in embedding best-practice inclusion strategies and ensuring workplaces across the state are safe, welcoming, and empowering for LGBTQ+ employees.

Benji Brown brings over 15 years of experience in organisational development, learning design, and early talent programs from his career at QBE. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in shaping the company’s diversity and inclusion strategy, particularly in advancing LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion.

As a key leader in QBE’s Pride committee, Benji was instrumental in driving meaningful progress, leading to the company achieving Gold status in the last four Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) benchmarks. His leadership and dedication to inclusion were recognised when he was named AWEI Network Leader of the Year in 2020.

Benji’s deep expertise in learning design, strategy development, and talent programs enables him to provide practical, engaging, and results-driven support to Pride in Diversity members. His passion for fostering inclusive workplaces, combined with his strategic mindset and lived experience, makes him a trusted advisor for organisations looking to embed sustainable LGBTQ+ inclusion initiatives.

At Pride in Diversity, Benji continues his commitment to helping businesses create safe, welcoming, and equitable environments where LGBTQ+ employees can thrive.

CB Bonnar is a strategic leader and passionate advocate for LGBTQ+ workplace inclusion, with a strong background in corporate engagement and community impact. Since joining Pride in Diversity from Officeworks, CB has played a key role in guiding organisations to develop meaningful and sustainable inclusion strategies.

With expertise in policy development, organisational culture, and the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI), CB helps businesses move beyond compliance to foster genuinely inclusive workplaces. As a neurodivergent individual, they excel in developing dynamic strategies that integrate diverse perspectives and drive systemic change.

CB’s experience spans event coordination, fundraising, and stakeholder management, ensuring that inclusion efforts are impactful, innovative, and sustainable. Their approach empowers organisations to create environments where all employees feel valued, supported, and able to thrive.

Chris (he/him) is our first Canberra-based Relationship Manager, predominately working with more than 40 Federal Government member organisations.

He has worked extensively in the Commonwealth Public Service for 38 years, across Defence (military officer), Dept of Foreign Affairs & Trade (with postings in Thailand, Iraq, Hong Kong and the Pacific), Dept of Infrastructure, the ANU, Dept of Immigration and most recently at the Department of Home Affairs where for his last four years he headed up Staff Health and Wellbeing.  Earlier in his career, Chris deployed in peacekeeping roles and other operational environments, has overseen international working groups, and is multilingual (Mandarin, Thai, French) showing a depth and empathy for meeting people where they are.

With a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, Chris recognises its vital role in fostering high-performing teams and has built staff networks from the ground up, chaired Pride networks and been Departmental chair and Champion.  He thrives in the space that operationalises policy into outcomes; a firm believer that well being, leadership and strategic goals are not mutually exclusive.  Chris is privileged to be able to focus his energies embedding impactful LGBTQ+ inclusion strategies as a Relationship Manager.

Chris is a father of three adult daughters and lives with his partner Anthony on their farm outside the nation’s capital.  On weekends, Chris is a marriage celebrant and competes in masters athletics throwing heavy things (javelins, shot puts, discus and hammers).

Elisabeth Lane is a leading advocate for LGBTQ+ inclusion in Victoria. She works as a Senior Relationship Manager with Pride in Diversity, helping organisations across Australia build safer, more inclusive workplaces for LGBTQ+ people. Her approach combines strategic insight with lived experience, guiding employers beyond compliance toward genuine cultural change.

Elisabeth also serves as Secretary of Seahorse Victoria, the state’s longest-running support groups for transgender people. Through this role, she fosters connection, visibility, and leadership within the community. She’s spoken publicly about the importance of trans people engaging with broader society—not just for support, but to shape public understanding and drive systemic reform.

Whether mentoring, consulting, or speaking out, Elisabeth leads with clarity, courage, and compassion. Her work reminds us that inclusion is not a checkbox—it’s a daily practice built on respect, accountability, and truth.

JB brings over seven years of HR experience to the Pride in Diversity team, with a strong focus on diversity and inclusion. Before joining ACON, they worked at Chemist Warehouse as a Senior HR Advisor – Diversity & Inclusion, where they led initiatives to enhance LGBTQ+ inclusion and built a meaningful partnership with the Victorian Pride Centre.

As an organisational change specialist, JB offers a unique perspective shaped by their lived experience as a neurodivergent and queer individual. They are passionate about creating inclusive workplaces that celebrate diversity, ensuring all individuals feel valued, respected, and supported.

JB holds a Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management), a Graduate Certificate in Organisational Change, and a Graduate Certificate in Workforce Diversity and Inclusion.

Committed to fostering meaningful change, JB supports individuals and organisations on their journey toward greater LGBTQ+ inclusion. Their expertise in driving cultural shifts helps workplaces become safer and more welcoming environments for everyone. Based in Melbourne/Naarm, JB continues to champion diversity and inclusion across various industries, helping organisations embed meaningful and sustainable practices.

Jen brings 20+ years of Business Operations and Diversity Equity and Inclusion Leadership across corporate media and events. Her career has been spent supporting organisations with operations and change, from executive support and operational leadership through to driving inclusion initiatives that create real outcomes.

At the ABC she was Business Operations Lead, supporting a Company Director and teams to deliver operational excellence while championing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that created meaningful, lasting impact. During 2024, Jen stepped into the role of Diversity & Inclusion Lead to help deliver on the company wide diversity, inclusion & belonging initiatives.

Holding a Graduate Certificate in Diversity, Equity & Inclusion from UNSW, she is strong believer that diversity in the workplace brings the best outcomes. Beyond her corporate experience and formal training, she has contributed to ABC Pride (ENG – staff led) as Co-Chair and Events Lead alongside contributing to other initiatives to elevate visibility, support inclusive policy and create safe, empowering workplaces.

Jen thrives on being at the intersection of operations and people, bringing a calm, evidence-focused approach to help navigate change, deliver strategic priorities and provide guidance to build cultures where everyone belongs.

Jess Mayers brings 17 years of experience in the hospitality and entertainment industry, with a strong background in business improvement and strategic implementation. Before joining Pride in Diversity, she was the Business Improvement Manager at The Star Entertainment Group, where she evaluated and implemented new gaming products and strategies to enhance business performance.

Jess played a key role in The Star’s LGBTQ network, Spectrum, where she helped develop and implement initiatives aimed at raising awareness and fostering an inclusive workplace for LGBTQ+ employees. Her work with Spectrum had a lasting impact on workplace culture, reinforcing the importance of inclusivity and belonging in corporate environments.

Inspired by the positive change she helped create at The Star, Jess transitioned to Pride in Diversity to pursue her passion for LGBTQ+ inclusion and human-centered policies. As the NSW State Lead and Sapphire Lead, she is committed to empowering organisations to create inclusive, welcoming workplaces, particularly for LGBTQ+ women and non-binary employees. Jess brings a pragmatic, people-focused approach to her work, ensuring that diversity and inclusion strategies drive real cultural and organisational change.

Mark is an experienced business leader, consultant, coach, and facilitator with a diverse background spanning over 19 years in Asia. During this time, he led international consulting and coaching practices, combining business development and client relationship management with the delivery of leadership and talent programs for global corporates and not-for-profit organisations. Mark has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, recognising its vital role in fostering high-performing teams and building sustainable organisations.

Earlier in his career, Mark held senior roles in the banking and hospitality sectors, further strengthening his leadership expertise. He holds qualifications in Economics, Education, Finance, and Coaching Psychology, and is currently in his fourth year of studying psychodrama, an experiential psychotherapy approach.

Mark is also dedicated to personal development, with a strong mindfulness practice and a passion for continuous learning. A former international rugby union referee, he remains connected to rugby and maintains a keen interest in various sports and the arts. Recently returning to Brisbane, Mark now resides in Ascot, where he continues to support organisations in embedding meaningful LGBTQ+ inclusion strategies through his role at Pride in Diversity.

Zac joined us from the Department of Home Affairs with over 14 years experience in a variety of roles in the Australian Government.

His past roles include Senior Instructor with the Australian Border Force College, Training Officer with the Department of Defence and more recently Learning Practitioner with the Department of Home Affairs. He has also been involved with large organisational change projects such the national rollout of automated passport control at our major airports.

His passion and purpose is to foster LGBTQ inclusion and awareness and he has been an active member of the Department’s LGBTQ network.

Bringing a strong background in administrative and operational management, event coordination, community engagement and creative production, Chris is passionate about creating inclusive, engaging spaces that celebrate and support LGBTQ+ communities.

Over the past 10 years, Chris has worked as a specialised gym manager, creative all-rounder and professional circus artist. He has been actively involved in both private and community, with a particular interest in projects that centre storytelling, creativity and authentic representation. Chris brings a collaborative and detail-oriented approach to his work and is committed to helping create impactful experiences that support organisations in building safer, more inclusive environments for everyone.

Outside of the office Chris can usually be found doing something creative, whether it’s coaching or performing aerial acrobatics, designing and making fabulous fashion, or dancing the weekends away with his friends.

Suzie grew up in the Shoalhaven, and went to uni in Wollongong where she completed a Bachelor of Creative Arts (Hons). She moved to Sydney with her partner in 2022, and they now live on Bidjigal land with a beloved and spoilt cat, Mika.

Suzie has worked across many fields, with a background in publishing, customer service and pet care – she has even been a puppy trainer!
Her working background reflects her hobbies. Suzie is an animal lover through-and-through, and she loves making and consuming Creative Arts, as she enjoys reading, painting, drawing, playing some instruments, and video games.

Suzie is passionate about raising awareness of the needs of LGBTQ+ communities and elevating queer voices, and is a proud member of community herself.

A word from Suzie:
“I absolutely love my role at Pride Inclusion Programs and feel privileged to work with my amazing team to help educate and raise awareness for our communities, and ultimately create safer, more inclusive spaces for LGBTQ+ folks.”

Dr Oliver Alexander (he/they) is the Instructional Design and Training Manager at ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs, leading training across Pride in Diversity, Pride in Health + Wellbeing, Pride in Sport, and Pride Training. With over 15 years in adult education and a background as a lecturer in sociology and gender studies, Oliver brings expertise in instructional design, inclusive content development, and strategic learning. They’ve spearheaded innovative approaches to online, hybrid, and team-based learning. Driven by a belief in education’s transformative power, Oliver designs tailored programs that foster engagement, boost retention, and deliver lasting impact for individuals and organisations.

Paco has a background in applied quantitative Sociology and holds an undergraduate degree in Sociology from London Metropolitan University, a Masters degree in Sociology and Panel Data Analysis from the University of Essex, and a PhD in Social and Economic Research from the Institute for Social and Economic Research. His methodological expertise is on the analysis of complex survey and administrative datasets, and he has worked extensively using the Australian Workplace Equality Index (AWEI) Employee Surveys.

Paco has a long-standing track record of academic work in the space of gender and sexuality. He has developed and taught courses on gender and sexuality and has led large-scale projects in this space. This includes a prestigious Australian Research Council Discovery Early Career Researcher Award on ‘Sexual Orientation and Life Chances in Contemporary Australia’. Paco’s research on gender and sexuality is recurrently published in leading international scientific journals. Amongst others, he has developed research on topics such as:

• The role of ally groups and diversity training in enhancing the workplace wellbeing of LGTBQ+ employees.
• How correct pronoun use matters for gender-diverse employees.
• How prejudice and stigma drive health disparities by sexual orientation.
• Differences in wellbeing across subgroups within the LGBTQ+ umbrella.
• The outcomes of children raised in same-sex-parented families.
• The biological origins of sexual orientation and individuals’ experiences of sexual-identity change.
• The value of administrative data to advance research on LGBTQ+ issues.
• The family lives of sexuality- and gender-diverse people.
• Which socio-demographic factors that predict support for equality and diversity amongst the general public.

Paco’s research has been featured in media outlets across the globe and incorporated into policy documents by national and international government agencies.

Kristie is a strong community and social services professional with a passion for social justice, advocacy and building community capacity. 

After a parenting break, she retrained gaining a Diploma of Public Relations and Diploma of Community Services (focused in AOD/Mental Health), which led to working with a number of Community Services peak bodies and non-profits, in a variety of project and administrative roles. 

Her internal data nerd surfaced, discovering the power of using data to prove the effectiveness of change, leading to in developing and building reporting tools and interactive excel dashboards, to make data insights accessible to the broader organisation.

Kristie develops and manages the various Surveys across the three membership program Indices, and utilises the considerable data to build capacity and drive change for Inclusion.  

In her spare time, she volunteers with the NSW State Emergency Service.

Bringing a wealth of experience from diverse roles and industries in roles ranging from events management, office administration, executive support, team leadership, fundraising, sales, and beyond, Will initially joined the team as a versatile asset. Swiftly, he discovered his niche covering both the Index Submissions and Survey analysis. In his present role, he plays a crucial role in supporting the growth of APIP, specifically overseeing all aspects concerning Index Submissions. This involved both operational and strategic aspects, including the integral part of their design, development and continuous improvement; shaping the core elements of the team’s work.

Will’s fervent commitment to equality and equity is matched only by his dedication, efficiency, kindness, and sense of humour.

In the wild, you’ll spot Will in the midst of domestic adventures, gracefully managing a household, parenting a young child, and wrangling three dogs — keeping a cup of coffee close at hand.