Lanni is a current Juris Doctor student at Monash University. She is passionate about the rights of refugees and people seeking asylum and is currently undertaking research in this field as a policy fellow at Generation:Politics. As a former New Colombo Scholar, Lanni has interned at the Centre for Population and Policy Studies, Indonesia and later at the Parliament of Victoria. You can reach Lanni here.

Lanni Hamblin

Senior Officer (Events & Publications)

Lanni Hamblin
Senior Officer
(Events & Publications)

Rhiannon is completing her Master of International Relations at the University of Melbourne. She is passionate about the intersection between policy, gender and global politics. You can reach Rhiannon on Linkedin here.

Rhiannon Van Vliet

Senior Officer (Podcast)

Rhiannon Van Vliet
Senior Officer
(Podcast)

Deeksha is a Bachelor of Arts/Law student at Deakin University, currently majoring in international relations and a minoring in criminology. She is passionate about global affairs, climate change, and government policy. As a general officer Deeksha contributes to the marketing and communications work of every YDS portfolio. 

Deeksha Patil

General Officer

Deeksha Patil
General Officer

Nathaniel is currently completing his Masters of International Relations at Monash University. He is passionate about development and international political economy, and his research uses Gramscian state theory to reconceptualise the EU's external trade relationships with African states. In his spare time he enjoys cooking, reading and model making.

Nathaniel Sgambellone

Senior Editor

Nathaniel Sgambellone
Senior Editor

Anet is the Senior Correspondent at the Young Diplomats Society, after previously holding the roles of Sub-Saharan Africa correspondent and sub-editor. She is currently completing her honours at Melbourne University, researching right wing radicalism in Germany and Australia. She is interning with the Australian Institute of International Affairs, and has previously interned with the Parliament of Victoria.  You can reach Anet here.

Anet McClintock

Senior Correspondent

Anet McClintock
Senior Correspondent

Sandy Gamaralalage

Editor

Sandy is studying a Bachelor of Arts/Laws (Honours) at Monash University, with a major in international relations and a minor in human rights. Within the field of international relations, Sandy is interested in the study of terrorism and global tech governance. 

Sandy Gamaralalage
Editor

Jonathan is an Australian lawyer, cybersecurity analyst, and geopolitical analyst. He is a former East Asia Fellow with Young Australians in International Affairs, Young Leader with Pacific Forum, and Special Advisor to the SGAC Space and Cybersecurity Project Group. He holds a Juris Doctor from Monash University, Master of Legal Practice, and Graduate Certificate in Cybersecurity. His expertise spans cybersecurity, Chinese foreign policy, space law, and East Asian Affairs.  You can reach Jon here.

Jonathan Lim

Editor

Jonathan Lim
Editor

Elle Greaves is a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and Bachelor of Justice (Criminology & Policing) graduate. She is currently undertaking her practice legal training to be a solicitor and has an interest in counter-terrorism, religious extremism and international law. You can reach Elle here.

Elle Greaves

Editor

Elle Greaves
Editor

Sarah is an honours student with the University of Sydney’s Government and International Relations Department, finishing off her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations). She is also an analyst with maritime security firm Dryad Global, and has a strong interest in geopolitics, security and foreign policy, particularly in Eurasia, the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. You can reach Sarah here. 

Sarah Knight

Editor

Sarah Knight
Editor

Sanjay Balakumar is a fifth-year student at the University of New South Wales, studying a Bachelor of International Studies and a Bachelor of Laws. Apart from his work at YDS, Sanjay is an editor for Politik, the student-run UNSW International Affairs Review. He also interns with the Australian Institute of International Affairs NSW, and was previously a Grants Officer at the United Nations Association of Australia NSW Division. Sanjay’s research interests include economic and political security in the Indo-Pacific, the dynamics that shape countries’ elections, climate politics and technology’s impact on informed public discourse. You can reach Sanjay here.

Sanjay Balakumar

Editor

Sanjay Balakumar
Editor

Nimaya Mallikahewa graduated with double Bachelors degrees in International Studies, majoring in International Relations, and Media (Public Relations & Advertising) from UNSW in 2020. She is currently in her Honours year in Politics & International Relations at UNSW. Her thesis focus is on the United States foreign, defence and aid policy in Sri Lanka and will analyse the evolution of Sri Lankan attitudes towards the U.S. over the last twenty years. You can reach Nimaya here.

Nimaya Mallikahewa

Editor

Nimaya Mallikahewa
Editor

Kate has long been interested in international affairs and in her current role as an analyst with a maritime security firm she is able to harness her experience to assess developing risks across several regions. This work builds upon her master’s degree in International Economic Affairs from the University of Bordeaux and her BA in International Relations from Deakin University. Kate is presently the US Fellow for Young Australians in International Affairs and she has invested time studying European markets and social policy, the Indo-Pacific (particularly Papua New Guinea), and humanitarian responses to conflict. You can reach Kate here.

Kate Backshall

Editor

Kate Backshall
Editor