Victoria comes to the party with mentors leading strategy, marketing, production, film, tech, business, research, creative, media, and more. We’re excited to welcome back some amazing mentors from travel and mat leave, plus a handful of new mentors!
Think of your mentor as someone who’s there to offer you the best advice for you. Are you a fan of their work? What shared values can you see?
Olivia Altavilla
Director at The Producers
Olivia is an Australian director living in Melbourne. She’s directed commercials for brands like Apple, Vegemite, Maltesers, Huggies and more. As a director, she embraces the natural chaos of life, creating spaces where talent can authentically live in the moment, resulting in ads that feel more like intimate documentaries than traditional commercials.
Her storytelling is deeply influenced by her multicultural heritage (Italian-Venezuelan), with a strong focus on capturing diverse, dynamic and vibrant relationships onscreen. Her short film Taboo travelled internationally to festivals, including the Vancouver International Film Festival, The Human Rights Arts and Film Festival and was short-listed at Sundance for the Horizon Award.
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Mirella Arapian
Mirella Arapian is an Armenian-Australian design leader and activist. She’s the founder and Executive Creative Director at MEK, an impact-led design partner for brands shaping the future of environment, culture, and technology.
With over 20 years’ experience building purpose-led brands, she’s worked with global organisations, national institutions, and mission-driven startups, including WWF Australia, RMIT University, PETA Australia, Sea Shepherd, Revival Projects, and Mavens.
Her planet-first approach to design integrates sustainability principles with inclusive and accessible design practices, including pioneering work in low-carbon web design, recognised in the Victorian Premier's Design Awards for Digital Design.
Mirella is a board member of Design Declares Australia, part of a global movement of designers declaring a climate emergency; founder of CLIMATES, a mixer for the climate-conscious creative community; founder of Womentor, a mentorship program for women in design; and a mentor with EnergyLab, Australia’s leading climate tech accelerator.
She’s on the 2026 D&AD Awards jury for New Brand Identity, regularly speaks at industry events, and contributes to design discourse on sustainability and design ethics. She’s committed to challenging conventions and the systems that prioritise profit over people, animals, and the planet.
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Yasha Chandra
Digital Marketing Manager at Honda
Over 13 years of experience in media across India, China, Vietnam and Australia gives Yasha a unique understanding of the cultural context across these nations. While people and their motivations are similar, the way of achieving it differs.
Yasha believes that the ability to harness this human capital through shared purpose is the key to sustained growth. This is what Yasha would love to continue doing - raise future leaders who are empathetic, authentic and driven.
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Rebecca den Braber
General Manager at Impressive Digital
Rebecca is the General Manager of Impressive Digital, a multi award-winning SEO agency powered by proprietary tech.
She has had an extensive 18+ year career in digital media here in Melbourne and San Francisco, working on brands like BMW, Disney, Red Bull, Victorian, and Federal Government. Rebecca thrives on leading agencies where women can grow, flourish, and achieve their full potential and ambition.
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Jes Egan
General Manager at The View From Here
Jes is a General Manager and Operations leader with over twenty years of experience across creative, marketing and technology industries in Australia and the UK.
She has spent her career inside agencies and studios of all shapes and sizes, and her greatest passion has always been the people — building teams, championing talent and creating workplaces where everyone feels they belong.
Jes shows up as a mentor the same way she shows up as a leader: with genuine care, honesty and a lot of enthusiasm. She believes the right conversation at the right time can change the trajectory of a career, and she can't wait to be part of that journey for the women in this cohort.
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Seamus Fagan
Associate Creative Director at Leo, Co-Head of AWARD School Online
Seamus is an Associate Creative Director with 16 years in the advertising industry and a Masters in Digital Media.
He’s worked across a wide mix of brands including Nintendo, Devondale, Tasmanian Heritage, Twinings, Lexus, BMW, KFC, Coca-Cola and Dan Murphy’s.
When he’s not making ads, he co-runs Award School Online, helping the next wave of creatives break into the industry.
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Shyaire Ganglani
Associate Creative Director at Leo, Co-Head of AWARD School Online
Shyaire isn’t just a writer; she’s a poet, spoken word artist, and stand-up comic. Shy’s journey in slam poetry and comedy has taken her to the stages of Dubai, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid and Melbourne. Her critically-acclaimed piece ‘In Defiance of Darls’ calling out racist and sexist cliches in advertising can be found in Mavens Mag Vol 2.
She has also featured on a few panels to champion diversity and inclusion in workplaces, including a pre-panel performance for Women of Colour Melbourne Gathering 2023 and key panelist at Mavens Magazine Launch Event. A keen activist in anti-racism, she has written for leading industry magazines and her work for climate change has been featured on the today show. Shy is working on her memoir and first poetry anthology this year.
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Olivia Gatt
Associate Creative Director at Scooter
Olivia Gatt is an award-winning creative leader and visual problem solver, specialising in creative direction, art direction, and design. With a strong creative background, Olivia creates from a base of art and design principles and a refined intuition (not just opinion). These philosophies guide and define her approach to design, advertising, and creative strategy.
Olivia’s in-depth understanding of design helps deliver the best solutions and strategies to bring expert work to a wide range of clients, such as Amazon, NAB, BMW, DuluxGroup, and Myer. Through visual narratives, attention to detail, and her ability to bring passion and excitement to a project, Olivia is adept at actualising innovative ideas.
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Steph Graham
Co-Founder & Director of no sunday blues
Steph is the Co-Founder and Director of Creative Recruitment Agency, no sunday blues. She has a passion for people, careers and the creative industry and has worked both in and recruited for the Advertising & Marketing industry over the past 11 years.
She started her career in Agency Client Service, working with brands including McDonald’s, Hawthorn Football Club, Luna Park & Banksy, before transitioning into the world of Recruitment 8 years ago. Since then, she’s launched and run a buzzing Graduate jobs community, hosted webinars with some of Australia’s leading Advertising & Marketing talent and placed over 200 people into amazing roles.
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Leoni Hess
Brand Strategy Manager - Events at Tennis Australia
A marketing girlie with a background in creative agencies who loves a chit chat and thinks women should run the world.
After years of talking about it, I've finally made the jump client side, taking my over decade long career in creative agencies to the world of sports and events!
I've been a mentor with the Aunties for a while and it was an immediate yes when I was asked to join Assisterhood. I've always been a believer in the power of mentorships, especially for women. Passing on my knowledge and experience to a younger generation is how we will ensure what we do stays interesting, and helps create a safe space for women
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Ella Keddie
Head of Agency Sales at Snapchat
Ella, a Senior Client Partner at Snapchat ANZ, boasts a diverse career spanning film production and media agencies. After contributing to notable films like "Oddball," she transitioned to leading social media for Coles Group before joining Meta, where she focused on digital marketing for government and finance clients.
Her passion lies in engaging Gen Z and Millennials, which led her to specialize in helping brands connect with these demographics through Snapchat. Recognized for her industry leadership, Ella heads Snap Women for APAC and received nominations for Women in Media and Media Sales Person of the Year for VIC in 2023. With a commitment to driving tangible results and bridging the gap between brands and consumers, she continues to shape the landscape of digital marketing and media.
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Alica Kroupa
Senior Manager Brand Creative at Nike
I believe in the power of sport to move the world forward. I've spent 15+ years working across creative agencies and in-house at MTV and Nike always with a relentless focus on youth x culture. I'm passionate about making work that drives change and makes a positive impact in our cities.
My experience spans strategy, concept development, visual identity and content creation always with a focus on driving brand innovation and authentic storytelling.
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Sam Lee
Executive Producer at TOMBOY
The background check will report that I was once a teacher, but I have now been a producer for almost two decades. For the first decade and a half, I also represented and managed a roster of artists while producing stills and motion campaigns.
In 2023 I started Tomboy, where we aim to elevate the production process within the advertising industry.
Education has always been a strong part of my background, and being able to pass on knowledge from years of experience to someone who genuinely wants to be the best at what they do, feels very powerful.
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Jess Lilley
Founder at The Open Arms
Broadcaster, writer, ideas generator and co-founder of The Open Arms, a purpose driven creative company harnessing the twin powers of empathy and creativity to help communities thrive.
Jess's career has taken her from Melbourne to Toronto to London and back again - with a few detours in film, theatre and radio. Along the way, Jess's work has been recognised by awards shows including Cannes Lions, D&AD, and Clios.
Jess also co-hosts the Spin Cycle radio show and podcast - a weekly show about the 24-hour news media cycle. She is the co-founder of West Footscray Arts, a non-profit organisation dedicated to platforming stories and story tellers from Melbourne's Western suburbs.
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Liz Lonsdale
Group Investment Director at Starcom
A media specialist with a passion for working with clients to plan, negotiate, and deliver campaigns across the Australian market.
When I landed my first role in media, I had no real idea what the industry was — and I don’t think many people outside of marketing do. What I did know was that I liked being surrounded by creative people, and I loved a good Excel spreadsheet. Somewhere between the two, media found me — and I’ve been hooked ever since.
I've been lucky enough to have amazing mentors coming up in the industry and understand the superpowers it can unlock
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Michila Macleod
Head of Agency Sales at Mamamia
With over two decades of experience in the media industry, Michila Macleod has built a reputation for leading high-performing, revenue-generating teams that drive growth and commercial success.
Michila leads the Agency Sales team at Mamamia, where she aligns her commercial expertise with the brand's purpose led mission. A formidable leader who leads with heart and thrives on the genuine relationships that are so critical to success in the media industry.
Having held leadership roles across major publishers, Michila has developed exceptional stakeholder management skills, allowing her to nurture relationships both internally and externally. Her career has been defined by innovation, strategic thinking, and an unwavering dedication to excellence—for herself, her clients, and the teams she leads.
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Lyndelle O'Keefe
CEO at Match & Wood
Lyndelle O’Keefe is the co-founder and CEO of Match & Wood, one of the most successful independent agencies in the country. She began her career in holdcos and worked her way up through the media ranks, began specialising in strategy, and then co-founded Match & Wood 7 years ago with no foundation clients or external investors.
Under Lyndelle’s leadership, the agency has not only thrived but earned industry recognition, securing multiple awards including the coveted title of Mumbrella’s Media Agency of the Year. Her focus on nurturing talent means the agency is not only delivering exceptional results for clients but also shaping the next generation of industry leaders.
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Alison Rentoul
Head of Strategy
A renowned strategic marketing and communications leader, Alison has more than 20 years’ experience helping businesses grow, through clear thinking and practical strategy.
With experience spanning global agencies, consulting and entrepreneurship, Alison excels in sharing at practical business building knowledge. As a qualified coach, leadership trainer and mentor, Alison enjoys helping people gain clarity on their goals, develop a strategic path forward, and build the confidence to pursue their highest potential.
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Virginia Scully
Founder at Human Kind Collective
Virginia Scully spent nearly 30 years in media and advertising doing what ambitious women in this industry learn to do early: performing brilliantly while quietly carrying everything else.
She rose through the ranks to Managing Partner — navigating an industry that celebrated youth, rewarded long nights, and didn't design itself around women with lives outside work. She won awards. She built teams. She showed up. And along the way, she learned to read the signs most people miss — in organisations, in teams, and eventually in herself.
She now runs her own successful business on her own terms — working at the intersection of workplace mental health, psychosocial safety, and the honest conversations most organisations are still too afraid to have. She's writing The Dimming Effect — a book about the 60–70% of employees quietly disengaging while everyone looks the other way — and runs workshops and keynotes for creative and media businesses who want to lead differently.
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Tiffany Simon
Senior Manager, Global Social and Brand Communications at Cotton On Group
With 12 years in the PR and communications industry, Tiffany is a skilled storyteller, team leader and earned media strategist who has worked with some of the most renowned brands across the corporate and consumer sectors.
With both in-house and agency experience, her work focused on leveraging earned creative ideas to drive brand awareness and advocacy across a range of channels including social media, creative, branding, earned media, influencer engagement and events and activations.
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Anastasia Simone
Senior Art Director at Droga5
Anastasia is a Hong Kong-grown Senior Art Director at Droga5 Melbourne. She’s a Cannes See It Be It alum, served on the D&AD jury in 2022 and 2023, and currently sits on the ACA Futures Board.
In her spare time (lmao), she’s a first-time indie video game dev, and illustrates covers for books by emerging Black and brown authors.
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Jordan Smith
Head of Media at NAB
After 20 years as a client partner, people leader and media expert on agency side, Jordan decided to make the move to client side, joining the marketing team at NAB in late 2025 as Head of Media.
During her time in media agencies, Jordan crafted clients' audience-led media strategies for iconic brands like ANZ Bank, the Suncorp Group and Specsavers. She has a passion for building strong and collaborative relationships with her team and key partners, and has always loved developing and guiding emerging talent.
Only a few months into her career change with NAB, she's enjoying seeing a new side of the marketing world, putting those finely honed stakeholder management skills to the test and getting to make genuine impact within one of Australia's biggest companies.
Outside of work, Jordan's passions are for Eurovision, craft beer, F1 and she's a long-suffering St Kilda supporter.
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Shannon Towell
Inclusive Design Partner at Shannon Towell Design
Shannon Towell is a Melbourne-based Inclusive Design Partner with over a decade of experience across accessibility consulting, branding, and web design.
She's worked with cultural institutions, not-for-profits, government-funded organisations, and agencies.
Shannon believes good design should work beautifully for everyone, and that the most interesting designers are the ones who bring something unexpected to the table.
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Deborah Tran
Senior Brand Manager at M&M'S
Deb has built her marketing career selling fried chicken, beer & now chocolate! Starting her career at Ogilvy Sydney in account management working across KFC & Lion, Deb swapped the suit life for the sweet life with a move to Melbourne in 2018 when an opportunity to work on some of the world's largest confectionery brands came up at Mars Wrigley.
Today Deb has the privilege of leading M&M'S, from working with cross functional teams to commercialise a new product idea to opening Australia's first M&M'S store, Deb loves that she can show up with her creativity and can-do attitude everyday to tackle business challenges head on. A true Melbournian now, Deb lives in Fitzroy with her husband Seamus and 3 year old furball Rocket.
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Sophie Truter
Head of Integrated at Alt/Shift
A strategic client partner, Sophie has a background in creative communications and marketing. Like many 20-somethings, she explored a few different paths early on — including journalism, art curatorship and hospitality before landing at a public relations agency, where she was able to combine her creativity with a genuine love of working with people.
Since those early career days, Sophie has evolved into a leader of integrated communications and brand campaigns, extending creative platforms through the line to deliver maximum reach and meaningful impact.
Much of her recent work has focused on the government sector, where she has delivered integrated public awareness and behaviour change campaigns for the TAC, the Victorian Department of Health, the Victorian Department of Education, and the Federal Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, amongst others.
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Ready to become a VIC mentee?
Now you’ve read about our amazing VIC mentors, it’s time to put yourself out there and apply. You’ve got this.