Deepti Shukla, Dr Julie Boston, Dr Valentina Tiporlini, Kel Henderson and David Smith join the Board effective immediately. Drawn from
public sector, industry and academia, the appointments reflect the depth and diversity of Western Australia’s technology innovation
ecosystem.
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Deepti Shukla, Dr Julie Boston, Valentina Tiporlini, Kel Henderson and David Smith join the Board effective immediately.
WAITTA President Premila Jina said the new directors strengthen the Alliance’s foundations at a pivotal moment for the state.
“These directors represent key foundational pillars of Western Australian society: community, capability and innovation,” she said. “Together, they strengthen our ability to empower WA’s technology sector and champion a future built right here at home.
”The appointments follow a deliberate three-month strategic review focused on sustainability, succession planning and long-term impact. “These appointments have been shaped by a clear-eyed assessment of where WAITTA needs to be, not just this year but over the next decade."
A comprehensive skills matrix identified three priority capability gaps: sponsorship and partnerships, program governance, and marketing and communications. Each director brings complementary expertise across these areas, strengthening WAITTA’s long-term sustainability.
"These are the engines of a for-purpose, not-for-profit organisation like WAITTA,” Premila said. “If we are serious about empowering Western Australia’s technology innovation ecosystem and its talent, we must be strong in how we fund it, how we tell its stories, and how we deliver meaningful impact through our programs.”
The strengthened Board enhances WAITTA’s ability to secure investment, grow brand visibility and deliver high-impact initiatives including the INCITE Awards, Game Changer Awards and charity fundraiser Putt4Dough.
Beyond capability, the review also prioritised generational representation and leadership continuity.
“With these five appointments, we more closely represent the multi-generation workforce,” Jina said. “Technology evolves quickly, but wisdom and lived experience matter just as much as digital fluency. A multi-generational Board ensures we remain relevant, adaptable and future-focused, while honouring WAITTA's foundations built over 35 years.”
The appointments will also shift the Board's gender composition to six women and four men, reinforcing WAITTA’s commitment to inclusive leadership and governance that reflects the community it serves.
WAITTA Vice President Jess Etheridge said the selection process demonstrated the strength of WA’s innovation sector.
“We received almost 70 applications for these voluntary Board Director roles - an unprecedented level of interest,” she said. “Deepti, Julie, Valentina, Kel and David are exceptional individuals who emerged from a highly competitive process. The calibre of candidates was extraordinary, and we sincerely thank everyone who put themselves forward.
“We were deliberate about ensuring our Board reflects the real pillars that underpin Western Australia - from health to industry, from grassroots community leadership to high-growth innovation. If WA is to be a global hub of invention, investment and impact, our governance must mirror the ecosystem we serve.”
The appointments come ahead of the 35th INCITE Awards in 2026, a flagship program that continues to elevate WA technology innovation onto the national iAwards stage, international Asia-Pacific ICT Alliance Awards and beyond.
"As Western Australia accelerates digital transformation, invests in deep tech, and diversifies its economy, WAITTA remains focused on building a resilient and inclusive pipeline of talent," Premila said, "strengthening partnerships and fostering collaboration across industry, government, academia and community.
"These appointments are about stewardship and sustainability,” she said. “We are backing Western Australians who are building solutions with purpose and ensuring our technology sector remains resilient, resourceful and proudly Made in WA.”
With renewed capability and a clear succession pathway, WAITTA’s strengthened Board signals stability and ambition in equal measure — ready to steward WA’s innovation ecosystem into its next era.
Deepti Shukla is Director of Innovation at South Metropolitan Health Service and a clinician of more than 20 years. With extensive experience in digital health transformation, change leadership and securing multi-million-dollar innovation grants, Deepti brings deep expertise in embedding technology into complex frontline environments and bridging generational capability gaps within the workforce.
Dr Julie Boston is Director of Partnerships at Edith Cowan University and an award-winning science educator and researcher whose doctorate explored the intersection of pedagogy (education) and technology. With extensive experience in industry engagement, curriculum innovation and immersive learning, as well as a former INCITE Award winner, Julie strengthens WAITTA’s connection between academia, industry and the future STEM talent pipeline.
Dr Valentina Tiporlini is a deep-tech leader and AI specialist with a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, currently serving
as Business Development Manager at Curtin Institute for Data Science. With more than a decade spanning neuromorphic computing, advanced AI
and commercialisation of research, and as current Chair of WAITTA's Game Changer Awards, she brings advanced innovation leadership and
youth pathway expertise to the Board.
Kel Henderson is Principal Salesforce Consultant for NRI Australia & New Zealand and a globally recognised
Salesforce Gold Jacket recipient - a distinction awarded to a select group of technical leaders worldwide. A GAICD-qualified director
and Salesforce Perth Developer Group Lead, and as someone deeply committed to nurturing the next generations, Kel brings enterprise CRM,
architecture, program governance and partnership capability to strengthen WAITTA’s sustainability.
David Smith is a Technical Specialist in Data and AI at Insight Enterprises and a UWA-qualified architect and data scientist with a background spanning computational design, software development and applied research. A former digital executive for the Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation, active contributor to DDD Perth, past INCITE Awards keynote speaker and current INCITE Awards Committee member, David brings strong technical depth and grassroots ecosystem connection.
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