The Team

President

 

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 Sinclair
Vice President

 

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.

 

Debbie Chappel
Director Corporate and Government Relations

 

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.

 

 

Sherita Rankins

Finance Manager

 

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.

 

 

 

Jhelum Bagchi

Education Associate

 

Jhelum has a background in Sustainable Development with a Master of Science in Global Affairs from New York University.  Previously, Jhelum was with the United Nations Development Program in New York.  As the Education Associate, Jhelum manages and administers the Association’s Education Fund programs. 

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 2006, she founded 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.