On behalf of the Board of YWCA Australia, I am pleased to announce and welcome our next Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Diana Sayed.
Diana brings more than 15 years of senior leadership experience across human rights, gender equity, and the for-purpose sector. She is an experienced CEO and human rights lawyer, with a career spanning national and international advocacy, government engagement, organisational transformation, and service delivery for women experiencing complex disadvantage.
Most recently, Diana served as Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, where for over five years she led significant organisational transformation, growing the organisation’s scale, visibility and impact, securing sustainable government funding, strengthening governance and infrastructure, and expanding culturally responsive, trauma-informed services for women and young women.
Earlier in her career, Diana held senior roles at Amnesty International Australia and Human Rights First in Washington DC, working on global human rights campaigns, crisis response, and high-level policy advocacy with governments and multilateral institutions. She began her career as a commercial lawyer before transitioning into values-driven public interest work.
Diana’s leadership is grounded in an intersectional feminist framework, with a strong focus on women’s safety, housing as a foundation for wellbeing, and building organisations that are sustainable, inclusive, and impact-driven.
We are excited to welcome Diana, who will officially start with the Y on 1 June 2026.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Michelle Phillips for her exceptional vision, integrity and dedication over 8 years of leading YWCA Australia. Michelle’s last day with the Y will be 3 July 2026. Michelle has led a significant period of transformation and leaves behind strong foundations on which Diana can build as we shape the future of the organisation.
Robyn Clubb AM
President YWCA Australia