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Program Delivery Team

Bringing WoCA’s vision to life through culturally safe leadership programs

The Program Delivery Team is at the heart of how Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) turns vision into action.

This collective of facilitators, cultural practitioners, program designers, coordinators, and project leads ensures every WoCA learning experience is culturally safe, intentional, and transformative.

They work closely with Executive Director Brenda Gaddi, who provides strategic direction and program oversight as part of her leadership role.

Together, this team embodies WoCA’s commitment to equity, care, and community-led design, creating leadership pathways that honour lived experience and shared humanity.

Our delivery team makes leadership development a collective act of care.

Dr Varina Michaels

Program Designer

Dr Varina Michaels (she/her) lives on the land of the Cammeraygal people of the Eora nation. She is Founder and Director of Paisley Group, a global consultancy focused on People Strategy, Intercultural Management and Diversity and Inclusion. She has developed and led impactful multimillion dollar programs shaping culture, developing inclusive leaders and breaking systemic barriers, co-creating research and programs through an intersectional lens. With a Ph.D. in Intersectional Identities from UNSW Business School, Dr Michaels is an inclusive leader, international speaker, published academic and Professor of Intercultural Management at IÉSEG School of Management, Paris.

Sana Yousaf profile

Sana Yousaf

Project Coordinator

Sana Yousaf (she/her) lives on the land ofthe Bidjigal clan (also known as Bediagal) of the Darug nation. Sana was born in Pakistan and moved toAustralia with her family in 2016. Her personal journey as a migrant has ignited a deep commitment toaddressing cultural challenges and promoting inclusivity. With a focus on empowering underrepresented communities, Sana has been instrumental in various initiatives aimed at fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion and has extensive experience working in academia, corporate, and the not-for-profit sector.

Abiola Ajetomobi

Program Facilitator

Abiola Ajetomobi is the Founding Director of Leading Impact, an equity and inclusion consultancy helping organisations embed lived experience at the centre of leadership and decision-making. A social innovator and strategist, she works across WoCA’s leadership initiatives — including the Women of Colour Executive Leadership Program (WoC ELP) and DJSIR PoC Leadership Program — facilitating spaces that cultivate self-advocacy, allyship, and systemic change. Her work champions equity not as representation, but as transformation — where Women of Colour lead with influence and authenticity.

Tasneem Chopra

Program Facilitator

Tasneem Chopra OAM is a Cross-Cultural Consultant and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) strategist helping organisations across business, government, and community sectors navigate diversity through an intersectional lens.

An experienced facilitator and thought leader, Tasneem works across WoCA’s leadership initiatives — including the Women of Colour Executive Leadership Program (WoC ELP) and the Victorian Public Sector (VPS) WoC Leadership Program — delivering sessions on Identity and Intersectionality.

Her work supports leaders to deepen cultural awareness, strengthen inclusion practice, and drive systemic change within their organisations and communities.

Simi Rayat

Program Facilitator

Simi Rayat is a registered psychologist, executive coach, and leadership facilitator with over 20 years’ experience supporting leaders to cultivate confidence, wellbeing, and sustainable impact. At WoCA, Simi facilitates within the Women of Colour Executive Leadership Program (WoC ELP), leading sessions on Addressing Burnout and Boundaries and Wellbeing for Women of Colour in Leadership. Drawing on her background in organisational psychology and her deep understanding of intersectional identity, Simi creates culturally safe spaces that centre self-care, resilience, and authentic leadership for Women of Colour across sectors.

Shelley Ware

Program Facilitator

Shelley Ware is a media personality, educator, and advocate widely respected for her leadership in promoting First Nations voices and advancing cultural understanding across Australia.
A proud Yankunytjatjara and Wirangu woman, Shelley has worked in education for over 25 years and is best known as a presenter on the Marngrook Footy Show, where she championed inclusion and representation in sport and media.