Julie Sonnemann is the School Education Fellow at Grattan Institute. Julie is lead author of Grattan’s forthcoming report, Covid-19: the impact on disadvantaged students. Julie has significant experience in education policy and system design, and has co-authored several high profile reports on effective teaching, professional learning, equity and funding. She is a trained economist and has experience in government, research and consulting.

Professor Stefanie Schurer's research interest is the Economics of Human Development. She produced some of the first insights on the stability and determinants of personality (non-cognitive skills-soft skills-life skills-character skills) over the lifecourse. Her current research program focuses on the impact of public policy on human development. She uses big data to study the consequences of Australia's key family, welfare, and medical policies for (Indigenous) children and is funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council.

Annette Lancy has worked across multiple state and federal government departments, including as a Senior Economic adviser to two Australian Prime Ministers. A lawyer and economist by training, Annette is particularly passionate about the opportunity for government to work with partners to drive complex system reform to improve outcomes for all citizens, but particularly women, children and families. Annette has worked most recently as Deputy CEO and Acting CEO of Family Safety Victoria and is currently seconded to the Department of Health and Human Services heading the Community Services COVID-19 Planning and Coordination Office.

Angela Jackson (Moderator) is the National Deputy Chair of WEN and a Lead Economist at the Equity Economics. Starting her career as an economist at the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Angela has worked across tax, fiscal and social policy. Angela is also a non-executive Board Member and Finance Committee Chair of Melbourne Health, which runs Royal Melbourne Hospital, and a member of the Victorian National Heart Foundation Advisory Board. Angela provides regular media commentary on the economy and is a regular contributor to The Age on economic issues.