Samela Husakovic

Samela Husakovic is a dynamic strategic leader in research ethics and governance, with extensive experience in developing governance frameworks and policies across a comprehensive range of research activities within a leading university.

Samela is currently the Director of Research Ethics & Compliance at the University of New South Wales (UNSW). She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of research governance, including ethics, clinical trials, gene technology, biosecurity, and defence trade controls to ensure the highest ethical standards, integrity, and regulatory compliance. With deep expertise in the defence trade controls field, Samela is passionate about advocating for the research sector’s critical role in supporting best practices in export controls that align with national interests, while facilitating scientific innovation and collaboration.

Emily Hall

Ms Emily Hall commenced as the Assistant Secretary Defence Export Control in the Department of Defence on 5 October 2023.

Prior to joining Defence, Emily held a variety of national security roles across the Commonwealth Public Service, including within the Attorney-General’s Department, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Home Affairs portfolio.

She holds a Masters in Laws (International Law) from the Australian National University and is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

Steve Casazza

Steven has built his 15+ years of expertise leading defense trade planning in the areas of policy, technology security & foreign disclosure, export controls, and international program execution in the U.S. and abroad. When he is not meeting one-on-one with clients helping them navigate and eliminate friction in the U.S. Government export approval process, he is leading the day-to-day operations of his high-performing team.

Steven is committed to increasing mission performance and believes the energetic and entrepreneurial atmosphere is the driving force for building the DTS culture. His goal is to give talented people the space to explore, learn, and innovate in pursuit of something game-changing for their clients.Steven is based in Washington D.C.

Kylie Wright

Kylie Wright commenced in the role of Assistant Secretary Defence Industry in June 2022.

Prior to joining the Defence Industry team, Kylie held a number of senior positions in the Department of Health and Department of Defence, including Senior Advisor to the Hon. Greg Hunt.

Kylie has a degree in Commerce, majoring in economics and accounting and is a chartered practicing accountant (CPA).

---

Iain Dickson

Iain is a Technical Fellow for Leidos, as well as the Full Spectrum Cyber Practice Lead for Leidos Australia. Iain provides oversight and support to all of the companies programs to enable world class cyber security for our customers. Iain is currently the Australian lead for a Leidos effort to build systems to support hosting and collaboration of export controlled information between the UK, US and AU through the AUKUS exemption. Iain has worked across a number of critical federal government programs, including delivering security operations capabilities, large enterprise scale software systems, a breadth of other enterprise IT services and more recently secure military platforms. He is also one of the founders of ComfyCon AU, a virtual conference founded as a direct response to the cancellation of cyber security conferences due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kym Welsby (pictured as Moderator below)

For over 20 years, Kym has been implementing data-centric security solutions for sensitive national security and trade-controlled information. His experience includes founding and successfully exiting a technology start-up to a UK-based acquirer, serving as Global Product Manager, and later driving significant growth as the APAC Regional Director.

Kym is a defence sector strategic advisor at Janusnet and additionally provides advisory services to defence industry SMEs and Primes. Through his role at Secure State, he collaborated with major companies such as BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin to ensure their supply chains meet the U.S. Department of Defense Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) requirements. In addition to this extensive information security experience, Kym has director-level education, including postgraduate study at the Australian National University and the International Directors Programme at INSEAD.

Iain Given (not pictured)

Iain is the Manager for Non-Proliferation at ANSTO, commencing in August 2024

Iain  is responsible for ANSTO’s compliance with the DTCA, Customs Act, WMD Act, and the wide variety of international regimes supporting the peaceful use of dual-use and nuclear technologies.Iain has served across Government, holding several national security roles, including both Defence and Home Affairs.

Catherine van der Winden

Catherine van der Winden has recently returned to SAHR Professional Services as Associate Director of the Technology and Exports Controls function, having spent the last 10 months as Senior Global Trade Controls Specialist at Boeing Australia. Catherine has over 14 years experience in the legal and commercial area, with the last 10 specialising in international export controls, particularly ITAR compliance.

Catherine brings a wealth of experience to her clients, having provided US export control advice and support across CASG and the wider Defence in policy positions as well as spending time embedded within a range of complex Defence projects. Catherine also diversified her experience by spending time working in Defence industry as an international trade/export control practitioner. Catherine has a strong passion for international export controls, in particular keeping up-to-date with legislative and regulatory reform efforts in order to help the SAHR team, government and industry clients navigate the changing landscape.

Eva Galfi

Eva Galfi, Principal at International Trade Advisors, brings 25 years of experience as an international trade consultant to assisting her clients with challenging export compliance issues.

Ms. Galfi specialises in assisting Australian companies with understanding how they are impacted by Australian export controls and U.S. export controls, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). She advises on creating and implementing export controls policies and procedures (TCPs), conducting risk assessments to identify gaps and compliance issues, and designing staff training.

Ms. Galfi understands the challenges multinationals face in balancing trade compliance with organisational profitability. Her clients have included companies on the Forbes 500 and ASX 20. Over the course of the past decade, Ms. Galfi has brought this experience to Primes and SMEs in the form of affordable, easy to implement compliance programs that stand up to U.S. State Department and U.S. Commerce Department scrutiny.