National leadership team
Linh Diep
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
Linh hones her ‘get sh!t done’ skills in her day job as a Senior Account Director at Droga5 London, where she works across a range of clients delivering brief-to-broadcast comms solutions that matter.
A two-time winner in B&T’s 30 Under 30 Agency account management category in 2021 & 2022, Linh is a self-diagnosed Yes-Woman, having founded and co-runs the Assisterhood program.
Her perfect morning starts with a morning walk with a croissant (or bagel!) & coffee. She spends her spare ‘me’ time practicing yoga, journaling, or figuring out how to action her next world domination plan.
Polina Shilenina
COO, Online Lead
Polina jumped on the Assisterhood train in February 2020 – and she’s not going anywhere! On the daily she supports the team in strategic decisions and all things techy. She also has a tendency to come up with Big Ideas (that are sometimes even good!).
During her 9 to 5 (does anyone actually work those hours?!), Polina is managing digital projects at Celonis. With a super-team of fellow nerds, she gets through piles of strategic brainstorms, sprits, bugs, and standups – and manages to keep a smile on, the energy up and the local coffee joints well supported!
Polina can be found lurking in fabric stores in search of inspiration for her next sewing project. Her idea of a party is getting lost in a book in her local park. She also sometimes tortures a guitar and makes sounds with her mouth – she might even do it in front of you (but bring bribes).
Caitlin Alcock
VIC Lead
Caitlin is a Melbourne-based Strategist who skipped the mentee-to-squad-member pipeline and found herself as a Community Manager for Assisterhood in 2023. She never looked back, and now, she’s Co-Lead of the Victorian program.
Keen to be an all-rounder, Caitlin has undertaken industry training across AdSchool, AWARD School and Copy School. She applies this versatility to her role at Saatchi & Saatchi, where she works on some of the most effective campaigns for some of the most iconic brands in Australia.
Caitlin is a firm believer that our work as an industry is at its best when we have diverse voices at the table. It’s why she’s so passionate about her role in Assisterhood, and can’t wait to get stuck into another year of impact.
Mary Nania
VIC Lead, 2024 Assisterhood Alumni
Mary is currently working at an NFP and has experience in Account Management. She’s probably the most organised person you’ll meet. Her kind nature, ability to listen, and strong ambition to help others is seen both in and outside of work.
With clear goals and the advice of her Assisterhood mentor Sheridan, Mary furthered her career progression to gain an important promotion in 2024, then a career pivot in 2025. She enjoyed Assisterhood so much, she joined the squad after her mentorship, and is now Co-Lead of the VIC program!
Sophie Gallagher
NSW Lead, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Sophie Gallagher is an award-winning strategist, passionate about bringing stories, ideas and brands to life with smart thinking and tenacity. Her more than 10 years of experience, spanning journalism, publishing, client in-house and full service agencies, gives her the perspective to always find integrated opportunities that drive real business results. She has worked across celebrated local and international brands including Samsung, Universal Sony, LVMH, Audi, The University of Sydney, Inghams and more.
Beyond the day-to-day, Sophie’s passion lies in promoting, celebrating and mentoring women and underrepresented groups within the advertising industry. She pioneered a training program that helps young people in the industry learn to communicate and find confidence, was one of the founding members of the Advertising Debate Club and was recognised as a B&T Rising Star. Further, she was honoured to be listed as one of Advertising Week’s Future is Female recipients, celebrating the work and impact of trailblazing women in the industry.
Vicky Stewardson
NSW Lead, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Vicky is a certified Business Analyst, Scrum Master, Product Owner and team leader with 10+ years’ experience blending tech, creativity and strategy. At Clemenger BBDO, she leads CRM and AI-powered DCO programs, delivering award-shortlisted campaigns for brands like Samsung and Whiskas.
From startups to global agencies, her work spans digital transformation, content optimisation and e-commerce innovation – but her drive goes deeper than delivery. As a proud Assisterhood graduate and facilitator, Vicky champions inclusion, mentoring and next-gen leadership across Australia’s creative and tech industries.
Recently diagnosed as neurodivergent, she brings energy and empathy to building workplaces that value different minds. Off the clock, she’s lifting with her F45 crew, running the netball court (mainly the commentary), chasing the sun looking for her next adventure – whether that’s a weekend away, a new band, comedy show, or the best glass of wine in town.
Elise Le-Galloudec
QLD Lead, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Elise has 5+ years experience in the industry as a digital marketer, event manager and project coordinator passionate about all things technology, business growth, branding and diversity in digital.
Currently working in Events & Sponsorships at the Queensland Government, Elise previously drove empowerment as Project Lead and Marketing Manager at Women in Digital.
After participating in Assisterhood’s 2023 cohort, Elise couldn’t wait to join the squad and put her love of marketing, mentoring and event planning to good use!
Elise is a proud cat mum, former ballerina, self-taught crocheter and in her spare time, you’ll find her hunting for Brisbane’s best cosmopolitan.
Bryony Hardy
QLD Lead, 2022 Assisterhood Alumni
Bryony (or Bea as she is more commonly called) has been part of the Assisterhood community since 2021, officially joining in 2022 as a mentee, and was part of the Queensland Squad as Community Manager in 2023 and 2024. She’s now heading up the Queensland team as Assisterhood Lead in 2025.
With over 8 years working in the marketing and communications industry across a variety of roles, she’s multi-passionate and loves doing a little bit of everything from SEO and paid media, to marketing strategy and social media. She is currently working in Marketing for Studio Blackardt, a creative agency in Brisbane/Meanjin.
When she’s got some spare time, you can find her travelling, relaxing by the beach, learning some new via her favourite podcasts or at a pilates class.
Elle Whittaker
Creative Lead (Art)
Elle Whittaker is a Queensland born and bred Senior Art Director working at Publicis Worldwide. She has a diverse skillset having hailed from Account Service and made the swap to the dark side (creative). She has a passion for meaningful ideas that solve real world problems and has worked across global clients like KFC, James Hardie and Coca-Cola.
Elle joins Assisterhood with a passion for helping young creatives get their foot in the door. She is also a 2025 AWARD School tutor, helping shape the ideas of young creatives.
On the weekend you probably won’t find Elle anywhere, as she’ll be on her couch watching any and everything on demand. Her favourite directors include Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson and Tim Burton.
Anais Read
Creative Lead (Copy), 2018 Assisterhood Alumni
Anais is a NZ-turned-Australian Senior Copywriter and one of the five O.G. Assisterhood mentorship recipients from 2018.
With over a decade of industry experience and industry awards under her belt, including the national 30 Under 30 Grand Prix and Women in Media awards, Anais’ tenacity and passion for giving back to the industry shines in her Assisterhood role. She’s also a regular award show judge, panel speaker, and AWARD School tutor.
Anais brings her wealth of Assisterhood experience to all things creative, having been promoted to Creative Lead after dedicating her time to both the VIC and QLD programs.
VIC Squad
Tyler Cicerale
VIC Squad, ex-VIC Lead, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Tyler is an ambitious, creative art director who has a diverse skill set in graphic design, photography, and videography. With a strong background in marketing and advertising, she brings a unique perspective to visual storytelling and brand communication.
Tyler’s passion for visual storytelling and brings her art direction visions to life. She’s eager to collaborate with like-minded professionals and contribute her expertise to the development of impactful campaigns and brand experiences.
Anoushka Praveen
VIC Squad, 2022 Assisterhood Alumni
Anoushka joined us after undertaking the inaugural VIC program, bringing her expertise and organisational skills as I&A Associate Manager at Wavemaker to the Assisterhood VIC team.
Claire Bass
VIC Squad, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Claire joins the squad after participating in the 2023 QLD program. She’s worked with two of Brisbane’s leading independent agencies, which has formed her into a creative who is passionate about creating content that simply delights her audience.
Claire was first inspired to work in advertising because she was unhappy with the way women were consistently misrepresented, objectified & stereotyped. Advertisements have the unique opportunity to both inform and respond to popular culture, which places an enormous responsibility on the shoulders of those who create them. We are all exposed to thousands of advertisements each day, so why not take this opportunity to delight & inspire our audience on the daily?
Thanatira Sameethavorn
VIC Squad, 2025 Assisterhood Alumni
I joined Assisterhood as a mentee in 2025 at a time when I was still questioning my worth as an emerging designer who hadn’t yet had the chance to enter the industry. What I found was a community that saw me beyond my CV and beyond my deafness. As an underrepresented creative, I’ve often felt like I had to earn my seat at the table. Assisterhood reminded me that I already deserved one.
Returning this year as part of the cohort and Assisterhood creative squad feels like coming full circle. I’m here to help create and encourage the same sense of belonging that once helped me find my footing.
Pania Preston
VIC Squad
A proud Australia Women’s Team representative, Pania is deeply enthralled in all things sport and the culture that comes with it. She’s passionate about events, creating memorable moments, and is usually the one conjuring up creative ways to make experiences better for the team around her, while getting shit done along the way.
By day she works at HERO, helping bring campaigns, PR, and new business opportunities to life across the agency. Having presented multiple International Women’s Day panels and collaborations, Pania’s energy lifts a room. She’s excited to join Assisterhood after being a long-time admirer of the program.
Etaine Carr
VIC Squad, 2025 Assisterhood Alumni
Etaine is a freelance graphic designer who recently moved from QLD to VIC, bringing with her experience across boutique studios and large-scale agencies. Working across branding, digital and print, she blends strategic thinking with a thoughtful, human approach to design.
After participating in Assisterhood in 2025, Etaine joined the VIC Squad as a volunteer designer to give back to the community that supported her growth. She’s passionate about connection, mentorship, and championing women and non-binary creatives in the industry.
Outside of design, she’s usually playing and listening to music, reading, binging bad TV, exploring new restaurants, or spending time with friends.
Cara Mackie
VIC Squad
Cara joined the squad in 2026 to put her creative thinking and design skills to good use. As a graphic designer working agency-side in the graffiti-lined city of Melbourne, creativity has been a constant in Cara’s life for as long as she can remember. She’s been drawn to making things by hand, exploring textures, materials, forms, and compositions that give ideas a tangible presence.
But the one thing Cara loves more than design, is her ten year old Golden Retriever, Toby.
NSW Squad
Isabelle Beaupré
NSW Squad, previously VIC Lead
Isabelle heads up Creative Diversity at SBS and previously Co-Led Assisterhood VIC after a move to Sydney.
A good day for Isabelle is creating content that is as meaningful as it is visually stunning, alongside a talented team that she can empower and inspire to bring their A-game.
Rosalinde Czysnok
NSW Squad, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Rosalinde’s career and life are guided by a simple motto – to be good and do good. To be good is to be the best possible version of herself, and to do good is to leverage her skills, effort and opportunities for the betterment of her community and the world at large. Rosalinde is commercially minded, loves working at the intersection of creativity and strategy, and is passionate about female financial empowerment.
Through Assisterhood she wants to give back to the community by breaking unconscious biases, provide guidance and shared experiences that she wish she had when joining the industry. To continuously learn and grow through a diverse network is an added bonus!
On weekends you’ll find her chatting away whilst catching up with friends & family, eating good food and tending to her mini veggie garden!
Brooke Martin
NSW Squad, 2024 Assisterhood Alumni
Ellen Richardson
NSW Squad, 2024 Assisterhood Alumni
Ellen is a director’s assistant who crafts work that stays with you long after you see it. Fascinated by the creative primordial soup, she loves going down rabbit holes of ideas and collecting interesting shiny things along the way.
Starting out in an agency in production, she then moved to production companies, working on feature films, television series, commercials and film festivals. She’s been a creative, an organiser, a researcher, a people person and a sweater of the small stuff. Working for Netflix, Warner Bros, Fremantle Media in long form, and clients like Apple, Optus, Kmart and KFC in short form.
Short films she’s written and directed have won awards and toured the world in the festival circuit. She’s dedicated to communicating the intricate and nuanced human experience. She also likes to bake.
Leora Zuckerman
NSW Squad, 2024 Assisterhood Alumni
Molly Atkinson
NSW Squad, 2021 Assisterhood Alumni
Whilst still relatively early in her career, Molly has had experience in both media, marketing and advertising, with a particular interest in the creativity and insight behind awesome campaigns.
Molly joined the Assisterhood squad after being in 2021’s cohort, having an amazing experience she didn’t want to end.
Molly is the ultimate organiser – planning her weekends months in advance as she loves to always have something to look forward to. This skill translates perfectly in her current role, where she dabbles in all areas of marketing from campaign planning to event organisation, social media and paid advertising, all the way to sponsorship management, digital execution and design.
If she isn’t on a weekend away, Molly has most recently been on a quest to find Brisbane’s best French Martini.
QLD Squad
Petrice Koutsis
QLD Squad, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Petrice brings six years of media experience and 5.5 years of proof that she thrives under pressure, having delivered on some of Australia’s most complex and scrutinised briefs on the Australian Federal Government account.
Now a Media Implementation Account Manager at OMD, working on clients like McDonalds, Michael Hill, Sealy and more, Petrice is laser‑focused on turning smart ideas into sharper offline investment—because creativity isn’t finished until it’s flawlessly implemented.
Calm, decisive and deeply accountable, she also championed progress beyond the brief as a previous member of the MFA’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Board. Petrice is an avid disability ambassador, reader of all things romance, a big fan of a vanilla iced latte on almond milk, Pilates and her dog, Levi.
Maddie Cristaldi
QLD Squad, 2023 Assisterhood Alumni
Maddie is a skilled writer and adept communications specialist who loves hearing people’s stories and bringing them to life. Her strong foundation in technical writing has given her an eagle-eye for detail, while her experience in publishing and broadcast has created a natural curiosity and a knack for working under pressure.
She is proficient in content creation, client relations, and stakeholder management, bringing people and prose together. Maddie has been involved with the Assisterhood community since 2019 and was excited to be a mentee in 2023 and join the squad in 2024.
Outside of work, she loves reading, devouring film and television, and cuddling her cat.
Valeska Calvo
QLD Squad, 2024 Assisterhood Alumni
A multidisciplinary designer specialising in illustration and motion design. She balances crafting visual work with continuing her academic journey to expand her strategic perspective.
She was part of Assisterhood’s 2024 cohort, where she discovered the power of community. This is now her second year with the squad,still inspired by the community.
Outside of work, you’ll find her trying to become a runner mostly as an excuse to chase sunsets, exploring coffee shops, and capturing everyday moments on her phone or on film.
Wendy Phan
QLD Squad, 2024 Assisterhood Alumni
Wendy is a Sales Executive at Seven, an extrovert since birth who thrives on building strong connections and bringing creative ideas to life. Passionate about account service, she loves collaborating with clients and teams to deliver impactful results through strategic thinking and creativity.
She joined the Assisterhood squad excited to learn, connect, and contribute to the industry she loves. Outside of work, she loves being out and about to stay active – and, more importantly, reminding everyone to stay hydrated (mostly as a way to remind herself). It’s all part of her ongoing mission to spread the water addiction.
Jasveen Kaur
QLD Squad, 2025 Assisterhood Alumi
Jasveen is a Malaysian born early career marketer with a passion for purpose. Initially joining as a mentee in the 2025 cohort, she has now joined the Assisterhood squad.
Her background in film production is what drove her to pursue a career within the communication industry. With 2 years of experience in marketing – predominantly in market research and client relationship building, she has accumulated a wealth of knowledge in understanding and meeting people’s needs through her communication skills. Most recently, she was involved in the Biotech industry with a focus on creating a healthy gut microbiome through probiotics where she facilitated research and lead generation for potential clients.
Known for her naturalist pursuits, you can commonly find her in the garden pottering away with her chickens not far behind. She’s passionate about food, cooking and culture due to her diverse background, and her knack for languages has pushed her to start learning her 6th language.
Sophie Baird
QLD Squad, 2025 Assisterhood Alumni
Sophie is a creative marketer and Social Media Coordinator at Brisbane Economic Development Agency, where she works across consumer, destination and B2B storytelling to showcase Brisbane to local, interstate and global audiences. In her role, she blends strategic thinking with creativity to build engaged communities, bring fresh ideas to life and deliver content that resonates
Sophie first felt the warmth and connection of the Assisterhood program at the 2024 Community Trivia Night and was delighted to be selected as a mentee last year. After a rewarding year of learning and growth in the 2025 program, she is excited to continue her journey with Assisterhood as a squad member in 2026.
When she is not working, you’ll likely find her deep in conversation at networking events, soaking up the Brisbane sunshine on river walks or enjoying beach days with her beloved cavoodle, Archie.
Meg Sheehan
QLD Squad, 2025 Assisterhood Alumni
Meg is a senior marketing strategist with a love for delivering high-impact initiatives that excite and engage. With over 5 years in B2B marketing and communications, Meg is passionate about creating campaigns and roadmaps that help technical organisations grow and connect with their audiences.
In her current role as Marketing Operations Manager at TechTent, Meg is the operational and strategic leader for one of TechTent’s client delivery pods, orchestrating and optimising field and channel marketing campaigns for clients in the technology and cybersecurity industry.
Meg was an Assisterhood mentee in 2025, and now returns as part of the squad to give back to the women in business community and share her experience in the marketing industry.
Web Dev / UX: become a part of the Squad!
We need a website designer with the knowledge of WordPress to help take the Assisterhood site to the next level by updating and evolving our online presence.