Introducing the NELLEN team

Lisa Gavel

S2W Industry School Liaison Officer

Neva Sartori

S2W Events Coordinator

Kristin Kemp

Operations & Data Officer

Anna Stephenson

CEO

Anna Stephenson, the new CEO of NELLEN, is a nationally recognised leader in regional development and systems innovation, with over 30 years’ experience advancing education, employment, and workforce development across Australia.

Anna brings a lifelong commitment to equity, capacity building, and place-based partnerships that support young people to pursue their chosen futures.

Prior to joining NELLEN in August 2025, Anna led the Regional Impact and Education Portfolio at the Regional Australia Institute, where she authored the Transforming Regions Practitioner Handbook series, built a national practitioner community, and designed and delivered programs taken up by over 400 regional leaders and executives from all states of Australia.

She previously held senior executive roles with MCCC GP Training, the University of Southern Queensland , and the Cities of Launceston and Griffith. Anna also founded and led Conscious Enterprise, a regional consultancy dedicated to activating the power of people to transform their communities, industries and organisations and was founding CEO of the Committee for Echuca Moama.

Anna is known for her fresh thinking and building high-trust, high-impact collaborations across all levels of government, industry, schools, and community.

She is a proud alum of the Williamson Leadership Program and is currently undertaking a 10-month Mastery of Systems Leadership with Small Giants.

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The NELLEN Board

The NELLEN board is comprised of representatives from schools, TAFEs, universities, and other education and training organisations, as well as trade unions, businesses & industry bodies, local, state & Commonwealth government agencies, and community members.

Joining the Board

NELLEN’s Board welcomes and encourages diversity and the inclusion of a comprehensive cross section of the community. To find out more about becoming a member of NELLEN’s board, and contributing to the development of transition supports for young people across Alpine, Indigo and Towong Shires and the City of Wodonga, contact NELLEN: