WAITTA President Premila Jina said the appointments come at an important time for the organisation as it heads into its next chapter.
"We’re thrilled to welcome Sergey, Shanelle and Soph to the Board. Each of them brings different experience and a real commitment to backing WA’s tech community. That mix is exactly what we need as we build on 35 years of championing local innovation and talent.”
Premila Jina, WAITTA President
Sergey brings strong governance, strategy and planning expertise to the Board. His appointment follows eight months as a volunteer on WAITTA's governance subcommittee, assisting outgoing Secretary Gavin Bagley to uplift Board handbook and supporting governance materials, as well as reviewing risk management and helping the organisation become more efficient with time and resources.
As Secretary, Sergey will oversee WAITTA’s governance and keep the Board’s business running smoothly.
Shanelle is an award-winning PhD candidate in Electronic and Computer Engineering at Curtin University. Her research focuses on autonomous systems and assistive technologies, drawing on robotics, machine learning and context-aware systems to improve accessibility for people with mobility impairments.
Shanelle this year participated in WAITTA's milestone 35th INCITE Awards where she received Merits in both Research & Development and Diversity & Digital Inclusion; the 26-year-old followed the INCITE-to-iAwards pathway in August and received a national Merit in Community and Not-for-Profit Solution of the Year category.
Soph is already a familiar face to the WAITTA community through her volunteer role as Marketing & Communications Manager. She brings more than 20 years’ experience across Western Australia and the United Kingdom in marketing, communications, digital product management and stakeholder engagement, with roles spanning utilities, insurance, health, local government and the not-for-profit sector. Soph has a long track record of giving back, including serving as Trustee and Co-Chair of a UK homelessness charity.
As three new directors join, the Board would also like to recognise and thank Gavin Bagley for six years of dedicated service.
As Secretary, Gavin helped oversee WAITTA’s reimagining into the community it is today. He led the Board’s annual strategy and planning workshops and strengthened the manuals and processes that keep the organisation running. Gavin also championed new and emerging talent by volunteering as a judge for both the INCITE Awards and the Game Changer Awards.
"Gavin has been a constant for WAITTA over six years. He gave his time, his judgement and his care to this community, and we’re better for it. We thank him sincerely.”
Premila Jina, WAITTA President
The new directors join the Board ahead of a busy end to the year. The Game Changer Awards State Finals take place in November, and planning is underway for the 36th INCITE Awards.
Learn more about WAITTA’s Board members and how you can get involved in WA’s tech community.
WAITTA acknowledges Traditional Custodians of country across the region. We pay respects to Elders past and present.