2025 Judges

Tania Ezra BA(ANU), MPM (USQ), PGCertAstro(Swin), ITIL, PMP, PMI-RMP, CPPD, MRMIA, MAIPM, MASA, SFC is a Security Specialist with Microsoft. She has extensive academic achievements and over 20 years of intimate end to end involvement in complex high-risk security programs, and has previously worked IBM, CSC and Logica.

Thomas Green is an award-winning project manager who has worked extensively across government, aerospace and defence sectors and the research sector. He is a member of the International Institute of Space Law; the Royal Society of NSW; and, the Australian Institute of Project Management.

Thomas has also previously worked on software projects and start-ups related to machine learning, worked in private equity, established Neumann Space, served as a Ministerial Advisor on emergency services and road safety, and was a program coordinator for the COVID-19 tiger team for Transport for NSW during the COVID outbreaks in NSW throughout 2020.

Annabel is an international corporate and technology lawyer with over 20 years’ experience in Australia, the UK and Asia. At the heart of what she does is solve problems and execute complex transactions. She specialises in commercial transactions and projects involving technology, data and intellectual property, including in the space sector.
She is passionate about innovation in business and government and the role reliable and clear legal advice plays in achieving project outcomes. She is actively involved in the Canberra Innovation Network and the KWM Digital Economy Team. Her key areas of focus include business domestic capability, opportunities for Australia in our region, and helping clients adopt technology solutions for higher value scale.

Mark Hodgson comes from a corporate background and has held senior leadership roles in the UK, Australasia, Central Europe and Russia. He is now a leading thinker in Transformation and Influence - helping leaders to unlock their inner talents for success and happiness.

Mark has inspired large teams across a range of commercial and not-for-profit businesses. A natural disruptor, he helps executives, consultants and entrepreneurs to position themselves as leading influencers and is an expert in leading change.

His book, ‘Time to Shine: Adapting who you are and what you know to succeed in the ideas economy’ explains what we need to DO, BE and BUILD to show up as successful, fulfilled and authentic Influencers.

Mark is an Executive Coach, Author, Advisor and Keynote Speaker.

www.markhodgson.com.au

A globally respected thought leader in disruptive approaches, transformational trends, and strategic innovation, Kim Chandler McDonald is a trailblazing entrepreneur and the visionary Co-Founder and CEO behind 3 Steps Data, FlatWorld Integration, and KimMic International. With a keen focus on innovation and end-user empowerment, she has led her companies to the forefront of technological advancements, revolutionising data sharing, observability, and governance across disparate systems.

Kim is a board member of and the Director of APAC Operations and Policy Development for the Cybersecurity Advisors Network (CyAN), the Paris-based, multidisciplinary, international trust network of cyber professionals. She leads the growth of CyAN in the APAC region, driving strategic initiatives to enhance CyAN's community presence, foster new partnerships, and promote member engagement. Additionally, she spearheads CyANs Combatting Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Violence initiative.

Kim is also the award-winning author of ‘Innovation: How Innovators Think, Act and Change Our World’, ‘Flat World Navigation: Collaboration and Networking in the Global Digital Economy’, ‘Postcards From Tomorrow’ (all proceeds donated to Lou’s Place, Sydney’s only daytime drop-in center for female victims of domestic abuse and coercive control), as well as the recently released ‘An Interviewers Guidebook - Turning Conversations Into Captivating Stories’. Additionally, she is the co-author of ‘Entrepreneurial Renaissance: Cities Striving Towards an Era of Renaissance and Revival’.

John has been the CEO of Mills Oakley for 21 years, and in that time has developed a reputation as one of Australia’s most progressive law firm CEOs. John works closely with the partnership at Mills Oakley to deliver outstanding legal expertise and client service.

Dr Maria A. Pozza is the Principal Lawyer and Director of Gravity Lawyers, a law firm in New Zealand that offers specialist legal advice on Space law. The firm also offers legal advice in Corporate and Commercial law, IT, Cyber Security, Data, Technology and UAV’s.
Background: Dr Pozza holds her own practising certificate as a Barrister and Solicitor in New Zealand and is a qualified Trust Account Supervisor in New Zealand. She completed her Master’s of Business with a focus on business administration and management in 2022, she gained her PhD at the University of Otago specialising in Space Law as well as International Relations in Outer Space in 2013, and was also awarded the visiting Lauterpacht Fellowship, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, University of Cambridge, UK. She also holds a Masters in International Studies from the University of Otago in 2010, completed the New Zealand Law and Practice Exams in 2009, Called to the Bar by the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn UK in 2005, completed her Bar Vocational course at the Inns of Court School of Law in London UK where she also completed a post-graduate Diploma in Legal Skills and Research (whilst studying Arabic) between 2004- 2005, and completed her LLB Law (Hons) in 2004.
Work Portfolio: Dr Pozza’s expertise in space law, space governance, risk and management, has been called upon by a number of domestic and overseas and agencies, domestic and international institutions, research institutions, and legislative development committees. Her work experience is vast and includes litigation, arbitration, corporate and commercial domestic laws, and international law. Her client portfolio is wide ranging reflecting a cross-section of entities.
Dr Pozza is often invited to speak at national and international conferences concerning space and cybersecurity.
Her expertise includes:
Commercial New Zealand Space Law
International space law including commercial, trade, and military aspects;
International Sanctions;
Aviation and Aerospace laws (New Zealand and ICAO)
Legal and technical frameworks in cybersecurity and IT;
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs);
Technology law;
Cyber Security;
Data and Privacy; and
General corporate/commercial law.

Publications and Academic Posts: Dr Pozza has produced numerous reports, academic articles, book chapters, professional publications, and guidance materials on space activities. She has edited and published major books on the topic of space policy and law, these include: Ascending to Space: A Perspectives from New Zealand and other Nations States (2024), Space Governance (publication anticipated in May 2024), Sustainability in Outer Space (publication anticipated in May 2024) Risk Management in Outer Space Activities – An Australian and New Zealand Perspective (2022). Dr Pozza is the Springer Series Editor for Space Law and Policy. She is con-currently editing and drafting her next range of books on outer space activities that will focus on The Business of Space: Commercial Space Law (due Jan 2025).

Dr Pozza has been appointed in a number of important governance roles, which include: as the Director of the Otago Foreign Policy School and also sits on the Schools’ National Security Committee; the Board of RiskNZ, the Board of the Air and Space Law Journal and international journal for Wolter Kluwer. Other key appointments include the Advisory Board Member for the Centre of Research in Air and Space Law, Maharashtra National University, Mumbai, as a Committee Member of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts of Space and Arbitration and the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) Board.
Giving back to the profession is important for Dr Pozza and she has previously been appointed as the Manfred Lach’s external memorial Moot Court Judge (on issues of space law) and has been serving the moot court since 2011. She also acts as a Judge for: the Australian Space Awards; the Australian Law Awards; the Australian Defence Industry Space Awards; and, Australasian Lawyers Awards.

Currently, Dr Pozza is an Adjunct Lecturer in Aviation Law at Massey School of Aviation, Massey University, New Zealand, A Lecture on Business Analysis and User Engagement for the Master of Applied Computing Course, Lincoln University, and Dr Pozza supervises at the PhD level on space law issues at the University of Otago. She has previously supervised at Master’s level.

Awards: Dr Pozza has received a number of accolades and awards in recognition of her work in both international space law and New Zealand’s space law, which include:
(2023) Most influential Lawyers Award – Change Maker Category.
(2022) New Zealand Adviser’s (legal category) Award Elite Women Lawyers, New Zealand
(2022) Finalist In-House Lawyers Association – contributions to the community.
(2022) Lincoln University’s Deans List for Excellence.
(2021) Most influential Woman in Aerospace Law – New Zealand, Global Excellence Awards;
Pre-2020
Inter-Pacific Bar Association Award
AI Global Magazine as “the Women in New Zealand’s Legal Profession to Watch”;
Finalist - New Zealand Lawyer of the Year Awards 2017 – Young Private Practitioner category
Peace and Disarmament Education Trust of New Zealand Award
Claude McCarthy Fellowship
Otago Postgraduate Scholarship
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade Historical Research Grant
New Zealand Political Studies Association Projects Grant
visiting Lauterpacht Fellowship, Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, University of Cambridge, UK.

Retired Air Vice-Marshal John Quaife’s RAAF flying career focussed on fighter operations. He is a Fighter Combat Instructor with nearly 4000 flying hours mostly operating F/A-18A Hornet aircraft. Between January 1996 and December 1998, Air Vice-Marshal Quaife commanded No 77 Squadron.

From December 2004, Air Vice-Marshal Quaife served as the director of the US Combined Air Operations Centre where he was responsible for orchestrating coalition air power in both Iraq and Afghanistan. On return to Australia in 2005, he was appointed as Air Commander Australia. In this role, he was responsible for the production and delivery of all air force combat capability.

On retirement from the Permanent Air Force, Air Vice-Marshal Quaife accepted an appointment with BAE Systems Australia as General Manager Aviation Solutions. John also served as a Director of the Hunter Business Chamber and was Chairman of the Advisory Committee for the RDA Hunter ME Pathways program. John retired from BAE Systems in 2014.

Air Vice-Marshal Quaife serves on the RAAF reserve and is an author for Air Force History and Heritage. He also continues to fly regularly.

Dr Paul Scully-Power is an integrator, strategist and orthogonal thinker and is Australia’s first astronaut. He has a unique international background in Industry, Government, Defence, Space and Academia in the US, UK, Australia, and NZ, and is well known for his network of people and institutions around the world. A leader in applying technology, he has broad expertise in national security & intelligence, aviation & aerospace, cybersecurity, remote sensing, and systems analysis & ICT. He is currently engaged in AI (national iAward for innovation), UAVs, microsatellites, smart sensors, nanotechnology and big data analytics.
Dr Scully-Power has led many high-tech, defence and security programs. He held executive appointments under Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, and Clinton, and was Deputy to the Associate Technical Director, US Naval Undersea Warfare Center, where he held the US Navy Distinguished Chair of Underwater Acoustics He was a Research Associate at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Chairman of Membership of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering, President of the Fort Trumbull Federal Credit Union, and served on the Universities & Colleges Accreditation Board and the US Office of Naval Research.
Dr Scully-Power qualified for very high altitude full pressure suit flying at Edwards Air Force Base, and was a flight crew instructor in the NASA Astronaut Office, Johnson Space Center, Houston Texas, where he became Australia’s first astronaut flying aboard Challenger on the 13th mission of the Space Shuttle

Chris Skinner served 30 years in the Australian navy as a weapons and electrical engineering officer in six surface warships, including South East Asian Treaty Organisation based in Singapore, the Vietnam War and surveillance in the North-West Indian Ocean. Shore service included secondment to the US Naval Sea Systems Command to manage the lead-ship trials for the USS Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7), first of 55 ships delivered from three shipyards at the rate of more than four per year. He was later the Superintendent of Missile and Torpedo Maintenance during the introduction of Harpoon anti-ship missile and Mk 48 torpedo, He was the initial project director for the ANZAC frigate project of ten ships for Australia and New Zealand. Then followed senior executive roles in defence and transportation industries and lastly lecturing on Intelligent Transport and Logistic Systems at Sydney University. He was co-founder of the biennial Submarine Science, Technology and Engineering Conference (SubSTEC) series. He is a life member of IEEE, ACM and the Americal Nuclear Society.

Adrian Tembel is an economics and honours law graduate of the University of Adelaide. He began practising corporate and technology law in 1993 at his law firm Thomson Geer. He became a Partner of that firm in 1997 and its Chief Executive Partner in 2009. He is also a part-time Commissioner of the South Australian Productivity Commission and a Director of the Hackett Foundation.

Dr Marcus Thompson is a retired Major General who served 34 years in the Australian Army. Graduating from the Royal Military College in 1988, Marcus was allocated to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals. He served in a variety of command, regimental and Special Operations appointments including: Command of the 3rd Combat Signal Regiment; secondment to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as the Senior Advisor Defence Policy and Operations; Director General Special Operations Capability; Commander 6th Brigade; and deployments to East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan. His final appointment was as the inaugural Head of Information Warfare for the Australian Defence Force.

Marcus holds a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering with honours from the University of New South Wales, a Bachelor of Business from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, a Master of Defence Studies from the University of Canberra, a Master of Strategic Studies from Deakin University, and a PhD in Cyber Security from the University of New South Wales. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2014 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Since leaving the Australian Army, Marcus has founded Cyber Compass Pty Ltd, an independent advisory focused on improving cyber security and developing sovereign Australian capability. He has worked with and supported many Australian entities, including Macquarie Technology Group, ParaFlare, several major banks and financial institutions, and the Melbourne Business School. He is a Non-Executive Director of Penten, a Non-Executive Director of Bank Australia, and a Non-executive Director of Data Action.