Staff
Chief Executive Officer
Georgina Downer
Georgina is a former diplomat and qualified lawyer, with a Masters degree in Public International Law from the London School of Economics. She has worked across Asia and the Pacific for the Australian Government, the International Republican Institute, and the UNDP. Georgina was a Research Fellow at the Institute of Public Affairs and the inaugural Director of Asialink Diplomacy. In addition to her executive experience, Georgina has served on the Boards of the indigenous not-for-profit, The Torch, the Menzies Research Centre, and the Victorian Liberal Party. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Research Manager and Historian
Zachary Gorman
Zachary is a professional historian who has specialised in the history of Australian liberalism. He has been working as a researcher and academic since 2013, including several years at the University of Wollongong where he received his PhD. He has authored three books: Sir Joseph Carruthers: Founder of the New South Wales Liberal Party, Summoning Magna Carta: Freedom’s Symbol Over a Millennium, and the Australian Biographical Monograph on Prime Minister Joseph Cook. He also edited and annotated the 250th anniversary edition of Captain Cook, R.N.: 150 Years After and has been published in a wide-range of peer reviewed academic journals.
Schools Program Coordinator
Hayley Harkin
Hayley is a former Teacher and Educational Designer, specialising in Digital and Blended Learning. Using contemporary theory and research on new pedagogies with digital technology, Hayley drives curriculum innovation through highly collaborative learning and capacity-building opportunities. Hayley was previously the Head of Learning Design at the Australian College of the Arts and the Head of Learning and Technology at Swinburne University.
Museums Assistant
Victoria Hronas
Victoria is a recent graduate of Art History and Ancient Studies at the University of Melbourne. She has been involved in the auditing of the digital archives for the Australian Archaeological Society of Athens, alongside coordinating events for University societies and spearheading new educational resources for exchange students as the Inbound-Co-Ordinator at the Melbourne University Student Exchange Society. Victoria was previously a volunteer at the Robert Menzies Institute collaborating with staff to curate new items for upcoming exhibits, overseeing the running of the exhibit and researching the Robert Menzies Collection.
Events and Communications Manager
Christina Parkes
Christina is a former consultant who has been involved with coordinating a range of events for organisations. She has had experience working in government and the not-for-profit sector. She holds a Bachelor of Information Systems (Hons) and a Masters of Information Systems from The University of Melbourne and has an interest in Australian political history.