Anti-ageism advocate, campaigner and facilitator

Marlene consults nationally and internationally across a number of human rights areas including gender equality, employment of people with disability and addressing ageism and age discrimination. Marlene is also a Senior Adviser with Intersection, a company which undertakes cultural reviews of organisations.

Marlene is a Director and former Co-Chair of EveryAGE Counts, Australia’s coalition-led campaign against ageism. Marlene is a former consultant to the World Health Organisation’s Global Campaign to Combat Ageism. Marlene has also consulted with HelpAge International to map ageism initiatives globally, with a particular focus in low- and middle-income countries.

Previously, Marlene was the Director of Willing to Work, the National Inquiry into Employment Discrimination Against Older Australians and Australians with Disability with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC).

Marlene has worked in Commonwealth and State Governments and the not-for-profit sector in a range of executive, policy and operational roles as well as a number of major public inquiries including the Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force and the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW.

Marlene also serves on the NSW government’s Women’s Advisory Council.

Marlene has a PhD from Sydney University, an Executive Masters of Public Administration (ANZSOG), a Masters of Business Administration (University of Technology, Sydney) and is a registered psychologist.