The Team

Frances Cassidy is the President of the American Australian Association. Frances has been CEO of Meat and Livestock Australia, Ltd., previously the Australian Meat and Livestock Corporation, since 1990 and a Director of the Association since 1997. Frances is an Australian and has had a distinguished career in business and government which has focused on the development of American – Australian trade and business relationships. She was the First Assistant Secretary with the Department of Primary Industry in Canberra. She has spent the last 18 years in the United States, first as Minister-Counselor for Agriculture at the Australian Embassy in Washington, and then, as CEO with Meat and Livestock Australia. Frances received a BA from the Australian National University in Economics and Political Science. Ms. Cassidy joined the Association as President in 2002.

 

Diane is a Global Communications, Marketing and Brand Executive with an international law background. She leads the Association’s Education, Fundraising and Communications initiatives - building profitability through innovative strategic development of programs and communications emphasizing advanced technologies. Recent initiatives include planning and implementing migration of the Association’s website, database, event management and communications to an interactive multi-functional web platform. Past initiatives include establishment of the Association’s corporate presence in Australia and development of underlying proposal and RFP for United States Studies Centre. Diane has also led the Association’s annual US Biotechnology conference showcasing top Australian biotech companies. Her previous experience in the US focused on marketing, communications and strategic business development - spearheading double digit annual growth for Australian lamb imports. Diane also developed intranet communications for Philip Morris undertaking strategic development of five websites advising on information technologies and marketing and communications strategies. Diane has an Arts/Law degree from Australia and a Masters of Law in the US from Georgetown University and practiced commercial and corporate law specializing in international trade contracts.

 

 

Camille joined the Association as Director of Social and Cultural in May 2008, having moved to New York City in August 2007. Prior to joining the Association, Camille worked with leading New York event design and production company McNabb Roick Events. Before moving to New York, Camille worked for five years with The Walt Disney Company, responsible for promoting and marketing their worldwide Disney Destinations throughout Australia and New Zealand within the travel trade industry. Camille’s major event experience includes the televised broadcast of the MusicOz Awards, Disneyland’s 50th Birthday Celebrations, Layne Beachley’s Aim for the Stars, David Koch’s Australian My Business Awards, the Victor Chang Royal Ball for HRH Princess Mary of Denmark and the McDonald’s Christmas Spectacular.

 

Debbie joined the Association in March 2008, after moving to New York with her husband in November 2007.  Prior to arriving in New York, Debbie lived and worked in Australia and the Russian Federation.   Debbie has held positions in the offices of senior Australian Cabinet Ministers, including the former Federal Treasurer, the Hon Peter Costello and former Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Alexander Downer.  Most recently Debbie worked on strategy development and policy formulation for a national liaison network within the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.  Debbie holds a Postgraduate Diploma in International Relations and Political Science from the Australian National University and a Bachelors degree in Arts (Government and Public Policy) from the University of Queensland.

 

James joined the Association as an Education Associate in May 2008. He previously lived and studied in Melbourne, Australia. He holds Bachelor degrees in Commerce (International Management) & Arts (International Politics) from Monash University.

 

Katie joined the Association in April 2008. Her role as the Manager, Corporate Development and Communications is to provide support for the Association's Annual Benefit Dinners. She graduated from Boston University's School of Management and holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration with concentrations in operations management, entrepreneurship, and finance. Katie grew up in Auckland, New Zealand.

Mavi was promoted to Education Associate in 2010 after supporting the Development team for the 2009 Benefit Dinner and 2010 Australia Day Gala. Originally from Colorado, Mavi received her BA from the University of Colorado in Chinese Language and Literature. She has studied and worked in China in translation and film production and is currently in post-production for a documentary film about her music tour of the American South in an RV fueled by waste vegetable oil from restaurants.

 

 

Sherita joined the Association in February 2008. Prior to becoming the Finance Manager, she was a Finance Associate and Accounts Payable Specialist at The Telx Group, Inc. in New York and also worked in Human Resources Abercrombie and Fitch. Before moving to New York in 2006, Sherita studied Finance and International Business at Loyola University Chicago.

Jenelle joined the Association as the Technology Associate in October 2008. Prior to arriving in New York, Jenelle worked at the Victorian Parliamentary Library as the Client Support Librarian, performing high level research tasks and implementing training programs for Members of Parliament and their staff. Jenelle holds a Master of Business (Information Technology) and a Bachelor of Business (Information Management) from RMIT University. For many years she has also served as an office bearer on a variety of Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA) committees.

Dan Levek

Dan served as Interim Executive Director and Communications Director for two and a half years for the American Academy of HIV Medicine. In 2005, He co-founded a successful event production company and leading its business operations. He also has a background in public relations and has represented top brands including: Walt Disney, Amazon.com, Nintendo, Toyota, Coca-Cola and the Guggenheim. Dan graduated with honors from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism. Through exchange programs, Dan has lived in Sydney, Australia and Pukekohe, New Zealand. He is originally from St. Louis, MO and moved to Los Angeles from Orlando, FL in 2000.

Louisa Teo

Born and raised in Sydney, Louisa has previously held marketing and communications positions at Sherman Galleries, Sydney Symphony, Biennale of Sydney, Macquarie Bank and MLC, the wealth management division of the National Australia Bank. Since graduating from the MS-MBA program at Boston University in Fall 2004, she is the CEO and Founder of Hire Purpose LLC, providing client companies, including Akamai Technologies, AT&T, BearingPoint, Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble, with tools to recruit and engage leadership talent. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Commerce from Sydney University and a Graduate Diploma in Art History from Melbourne University.