Our Alumni

After three decades working in policing in Tasmania, in August 2022 Donna Adams was named the State’s 15th Commissioner of Police. She is the highest-ranking female member of the State’s police service and the first woman to take on the role of Commissioner in the service’s 125-year history. She is a mentor and supporter of other women in Tasmania Police, encouraging them to seek professional development and promotion, and to demonstrate leadership.

A strong advocate for lifelong learning, Donna attributes her successes to her university education, citing the way it challenged her thinking and widened the lens on how she sees, considers, and seeks to resolve issues.

Devonport-born, US-based Felicity Gray is a world leader in her field, working on the ground in Ukraine as Country Director with the humanitarian organisation Nonviolent Peaceforce. She operates on the frontlines of Mykolaiv, Odessa and Kharkiv, aiming to achieve peace, justice and strong institutions as envisioned in United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 16.

Since winning the University Medal in 2011, she has enjoyed academic and professional success, with several published articles, and roles in policy development and Federal Parliamentary procedure. She is an expert in the field of civilian protection, particularly in the unarmed and nonviolent strategies that are used by civilians to protect one another in conflict zones.

Image copyright: Nonviolent Peaceforce Ukraine

Sarah Leary is a proud Palawa woman, diplomat and former journalist from North-West Tasmania.

At the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Sarah has led a number of high-profile trade and investment outcomes across the Indo-Pacific. On postings to Vietnam, Cambodia, Solomon Islands and the United States, she has been a strong advocate for supporting the meaningful participation of First Nations people in diplomacy, as well as supporting regional Australian youth.

As advisor to Australia’s Ambassador for Women and Girls, Sarah supported Australia’s UN Human Rights Council campaign. She also represented Australia at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in 2012.

One of Sarah’s proudest career achievements was establishing the successful $52m Pacific Step-up initiative – PacificAus Sports – to deepen Australia’s ties to the Pacific, culminating in the stronger inclusion of Pacific athletes in Australia’s Super Rugby Pacific franchise, and the Tokyo Olympics.

US-based Professor Craske is one of the most celebrated psychologists in the field of anxiety and depression research. Indeed, she is one of the most decorated and influential psychologists of our time and in 2022 was recognised with the award of Officer of the Order of Australia.

After graduating from the University of Tasmania in 1981 majoring in Psychology and English Literature, she moved to the University of British Columbia, where she completed her PhD and has since built a career as one of the world’s pre-eminent authorities in her field. Professor Craske has published over 570 peer reviewed journal articles, authored books, including several self-help and therapist guides. Professor Craske’s publication record is such that she is listed on the Web of Science’s list of Most Highly Cited Researchers.