Clare Murphy | ACYD ‘22

Clare is a policy professional skilled in engaging government, industry and academia to analyse issues, develop solutions and achieve objectives in the national, state and civic government interest.

As Senior Adviser, Economic Development, International and Investment for the City of Melbourne, Clare identifies and develops projects and work with business, government and civil society to achieve City of Melbourne’s international engagement objectives and drive growth in the tech and innovation sectors. Clare is passionate about her role driving economic development and investment while positioning Melbourne as a truly global city.

Clare’s expertise in international relations, national security, trade, economic development, foreign interference and geopolitical risk developed across government and think-tank settings align with her values of integrity, transparency and justice. Her achievements were recognised by being selected as a Young Australians in International Affairs’ 2020 Young Women to Watch in International Affairs, as a delegate to the 2022 Australia-China Youth Dialogue and as a delegate to the 2025 Australia-India Youth Dialogue.

Jessica Wong-Saunderson | ACYD ‘19

Jessica is a strategic and future-focused tax executive, impact investor and board director. In her current role as a Director in the Australian Government, she leads complex tax audits of the largest corporate taxpayers at the Australian Taxation Office. Prior to that, Jessica had 18 years of international experience advising multinationals, private equity and foreign investors in complex M&A, cross-border structuring, and tax strategy across the Asia Pacific, US, and Europe.

Jessica is an Australian lawyer and Chartered Accountant. She holds a global Executive MBA from the University of Sydney Business School (Deans List awardee and Excellence in Leadership Scholar), a Master of Laws from the University of Melbourne, and a Bachelor of Laws / Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University. She serves as a board director and Treasurer of several not-for-profit organisations and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jessica is passionate about how capital, leadership and systems can shape a more inclusive, sustainable and future-ready economy - particularly for women, carers, diverse leaders and disadvantaged communities. She invests in and acts as a strategic advisor to early-stage businesses at the intersection of profit and purpose.

Jessica was an ACYD Delegate (2019, Shanghai) and former Head of Alumni for the ACYD (2020-2022).

Anna Lin | ACYD ‘17

Anna has extensive experience in international trade, strategic business development and stakeholder relations. At Western Sydney University, she leads the development and implementation of innovation partnerships and precinct strategies, advancing the university's strategic goals. Anna has held diplomatic roles with the Australian Government, leading teams and strategic initiatives. She served as Trade Commissioner and Consul in Dubai, UAE, and as Trade and Investment Commissioner and Consul (Commercial) in Guangzhou, China.

Her international and public sector expertise enables her to build and sustain productive relationships with senior representatives from business, government, and community organisations.

Anna holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master's in International Business from The University of Sydney. In 2020, she was awarded the Dr. John Yu Fellowship for her commitment to cultural diversity and leadership.

Cynthia Yuan | ACYD ‘21

Cynthia is an environmental lawyer and Assistant Director at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water. Her expertise lies at the intersection of energy and climate, trade, investment and security policy. Across various roles in the Federal Government, she has negotiated and implemented bilateral green trade and investment cooperation between Australia and key partners including the US and Singapore, and represented Australia in the WTO. Cynthia is an admitted solicitor to the Supreme Court of NSW and has published research on China’s energy security and transition policies. In 2025, she was awarded winner of the Public Service and Government category for Asialink’s Asian Australian Leadership Awards.

Chengxue Helena Qin | ACYD ‘22

A/Prof Chengxue Helena Qin is a translational pharmacologist and Head of the Cardiovascular Pharmacology Laboratory at Monash University. She leads an internationally recognised research program pioneering resolution pharmacology, harnessing the body's natural mechanisms of inflammation resolution and tissue repair to develop next-generation therapies for cardiovascular diseases, addressing one of the world's most pressing health challenges.

Recognised through prestigious national research fellowships, A/Prof Qin has authored approximately 80 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals, including Nature Communications, Circulation Research and Science, and received over 20 national and international awards. Her scientific leadership includes serving on the Cardiovascular Committee of the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and previously on the Board of Directors of the Australasian Society of Clinical and Experimental Pharmacologists and Toxicologists.

An alumna of the 2022 Australia–China Youth Dialogue and the inaugural Asian Australian Leadership program, A/Prof Qin is passionate about connecting scientific communities across borders. She champions science as a bridge for international collaboration, mutual understanding and shared innovation, while fostering the next generation of scientific leaders.

James Tang | ACYD Board

James has been passionate about bridging language and cultural divides between Australia and China since his university studies in Hangzhou (2007) and Taipei (2009). His deep interest in China led him to work as a project manager and mining consultant in Beijing from 2013 to 2017, advising major mining clients at RPMGlobal.

Currently, James specialises in technology commercialisation and strategic partnerships. He has built and scaled his own VR gaming company internationally and has supported blue-chip mining companies in developing investment cases for automation software and autonomous haulage solutions that improve operational productivity.

James’s professional journey in Australia has been equally diverse. He has worked as a mechanical engineer with Rio Tinto in the Pilbara, a senior management consultant with Deloitte, and corporate development principal at Fortescue.

Born and raised in Perth, James holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), a Bachelor of Arts (Chinese), and an MBA from the University of Western Australia. He has been a proud member of the ACYD management team since 2016.

Gabi Powell Thomas | ACYD ‘25

Gabi Powell Thomas is a public policy and human-centred design consultant at Nous Group. Her work is driven by understanding complex systems across mental health, family and domestic violence, housing and social services, with a particular focus on how systems can be better designed around the needs and experiences of the people they serve.

Gabi is strongly committed to the Australia-China bilateral relationship and has been a member of the ACYD Management Team since 2022. Through her experiences with the ACYD, Gabi has had the privilege of forming connections and gaining insights that inform both her professional work and personal engagement across communities and cultures.

Gabi holds a Master's degree in Asia-Pacific Studies from the Australian National University (ANU), with a regional specialisation in China. While at the ANU, Gabi also tutored courses on Asian Economies and Chinese language (Mandarin). These experiences drew on her academic focus on China’s economic, historical, political and cultural landscape and her exchange to Peking University as an undergraduate student.