2026 Mentorship Program
About the program
We invite you to express your interest in a mentoring opportunity with an inspiring group of experienced leaders from diverse industries across Australia. Building on the connections and momentum from our ALELD event, this program aims to support the growth and development of emerging leaders by connecting you with people who can share their knowledge, experience and perspectives, and help you navigate your professional journey.
Each selected mentee will be paired with a mentor who will provide personalised guidance through three one-hour mentoring sessions, commencing in January 2027. This is an opportunity to reflect on your goals, explore new perspectives, strengthen your capabilities and take meaningful steps towards your professional and leadership aspirations.
Below, you will find the profiles of our 12 mentors. Take some time to explore their backgrounds, experience and areas of expertise, and nominate your two preferred mentors when completing your expression of interest.
Please note that submitting an expression of interest does not guarantee a place in the program or a match with either of your preferred mentors. Applications will be reviewed, and matching will take into consideration your goals, interests, mentor availability and overall program capacity. While we will do our best to accommodate your preferences, we cannot guarantee a particular match.
If you are ready to invest in your growth and make the most of this opportunity, we encourage you to complete the expression of interest form.
We look forward to supporting you in this next step of your leadership journey!
98%
Mentor quality rated 5/5
56+
Direct Mentoring Hours
88%
Overall satisfaction (5/5)
What you’ll gain
A matched mentor
We pair you with a mentor based on your goals, sector and experience.
Practical career guidance
Get direct advice on the challenges and decisions in front of you.
A wider network
Connect with professionals and peers across Australia and Latin America
Access to ALELD events
Join a community of emerging leaders committed to strengthening bilateral ties
Hear from our previous cohorts
It is really hard to find people from Latin America who have been successful in their career path in Canberra. Being able to connect with powerful women, who are keen to help, was a fantastic experience.
Cohort 1 & 2 Mentee
Public Sector Researcher
We doubled our revenue to over half a million dollars, closed our books to new clients, and are preparing to launch a fourth team. More importantly, I now feel like we're running a real business, not just "getting by." The mentorship gave me the clarity and confidence I needed to truly lead.
Cohort 1 Mentee
Business Owner
The mentorship clarified the gap between my current role and executive-level expectations, and provided direction on how to strategically position myself. It also helped me reassess the value of further education.
Cohort 2 Mentee
Executive Leader
Meet our 2026 Mentors
Mariana Marcano — Founder, Elevative
Industry: Leadership & Communication
Mariana is an award-winning leadership and change advisor, founder of Elevative, and a recognised thought leader in human behaviour, leadership and communication. She helps leaders navigate complexity and change, strengthen their leadership capability, and communicate with confidence and influence. Drawing on her experience across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors, Mariana brings a human-centred approach to developing leaders who can think clearly, adapt to uncertainty and make a meaningful impact. She is the recipient of the Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2025 and the Canberra Leadership Business Woman of the Year Award 2026.
Mentorship focus: leadership presence, confidence, communicate with greater clarity, authority and influence and lead through change, uncertainty and complexity.
Geraldine Olea — Founder, Academy Olea & Olea Pacific Advisory
Industry: Tech, Space & Career Consulting
Geraldine is Director of Diplomacy at the Australia Latin America Emerging Leaders Dialogue (ALELD), leading engagement with embassies, government and academic partners. A 2026 Australian Space Awards Mentor of the Year Finalist, she mentors through the Space Industry Association of Australia, the Australian Youth Aerospace Association, CSIRO, UNIVAST Space and the Space Generation Advisory Council. She is Principal Advisor at Olea Pacific Advisory and founder of Academy Olea, coaching non-technical professionals into tech careers. Working professionally in English, Spanish and Portuguese, she brings a bilateral perspective to every mentoring relationship.
Mentorship focus: career transitions, confidence, tech and business strategy.
Diana Nelson — Director, Latin America and Caribbean Section, DFAT
Industry: Public Service, Diplomacy & International Relations
Diana is a career diplomat with extensive international experience, she has served as Ambassador to Peru and Bolivia (2018–2021), Deputy Ambassador in Chile, and Political Counsellor in New Delhi. In Canberra, Diana has held senior roles across DFAT’s Southeast Asia Division and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s International Division. She also served as Senior Adviser to Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd from 2010 to 2011.
Trained as a lawyer, Diana joined DFAT in 1996 and has since represented Australia in Kenya, Chile, India, and Peru, bringing deep expertise in foreign policy, regional engagement, and international partnerships.
Mentorship focus: careers in diplomacy, foreign policy and interantional relations.
H.E. Carolina Molina Barrantes — Ambassador of the Republic of Costa Rica to the Commonwealth of Australia
Industry: Diplomacy & International Relations
Ambassador Molina joined the Foreign Service in 2004. Has represented Costa Rica as Consul at the Consulates of Costa Rica in Miami (Florida) and Houston (Texas), United States of America. She has been chargé d’affairs at the Embassy of Costa Rica in Belize and Minister Counselor and Consul General at the Embassy of Costa Rica in Guatemala.
Ambassador Molina graduated from the Autonomous University of Central America (UACA) in Costa Rica and holds a master’s degree in human Rights from the State University of Distance Education (in Costa Rica). Carolina can offer guidance on international institutions and building cross-cultural relationships.
Mentorship focus: leading with confidence, building a successful career in diplomacy and international relations.
Zamara Rodríguez — Head of Policy and Workforce, SIAA
Industry: Space, Law & Policy
Zamara Rodríguez is a legal and policy professional with international experience in diplomacy, governance, and workforce development.
Currently the Head of Policy and Workforce at the Space Industry Association of Australia, she leads programs connecting government, academia, and industry to strengthen Australia’s space and defence capabilities. With a Master’s in International Law and Diplomacy from ANU and prior experience at the Embassy of Peru, Zamara brings a strong foundation in law, cross-cultural collaboration, and leadership. A dedicated advocate for systemic equity and a recognised global talent, she was named a 2026 IAF Emerging Space Leader and serves as a co-lead of the Gender Equality Group within the Space Generation Advisory Council.
Mentorship focus: clarity, motivation, and strategies to grow with purpose while maintaining balance and authenticity in their careers.
Dr Erin Watson — Managing Director, Baker & York; Founder & Chair, ALELD
Industry: Public Policy & Strategy
Erin is a distinguished expert specialising in international public policy across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, with particular expertise in navigating the complex political and economic landscapes of India and Southeast Asia.
Throughout her career, she has served as a strategic advisor to a diverse portfolio of clients, guiding ASX and NYSE-listed corporations, international organisations, sovereign governments, and high-growth startups through major policy reforms and regulatory shifts. In addition to her advisory work, she serves as a Board Director at the Council on Australia and Latin America Relations (COALAR) within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). She holds a PhD in International Business from Monash University.
Mentorship focus: medium-to-long term strategic planning, breaking big decisions into short-term moves, navigating work-life crossroads.
Jimena de Uría — Global Tech Leader
Industry: Cybersecurity & Strategy
Jimena de Aria leverages an extensive background in cybersecurity, partner strategy, and go-to-market leadership to help global technology organisations innovate securely across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia.
Originally from Venezuela and based in Sydney for 14 years, she has spent her career working within fast-paced tech environments where she acts as a strategic bridge between technical teams and business executives. She has earned a reputation for her unique ability to translate highly complex technical and security frameworks into clear, value-driven business strategies, ultimately empowering enterprises to scale confidently while mitigating modern digital risks.
Mentorship focus: leading with confidence, building influence across diverse teams, finding authentic voice in fast-moving industries.
Laura Valbuena — Business Co-Founder
Industry: Business Strategy & Career Growth
Laura Valbuena is a Colombian industrial engineer and entrepreneur whose strategic acumen has driven successful business ventures and corporate advancement since relocating to Sydney in 2019.
Parallel to this entrepreneurial success, Laura maintained a steep trajectory of rapid promotion within the Australian healthcare sector, transitioning swiftly from a frontline receptionist role into a high-impact Project Manager position.
Her proven expertise in process optimisation, workflow refinement, and business scaling ultimately served as the foundation for securing her permanent residency in Australia entirely through her verified professional experience.
Mentorship focus: motivation, practical business strategies, balanced career growth.
Mages Ruiz Diaz — Director, AOI
Industry: Arts, Media, Culture & Events
Mages Ruiz Diaz brings over 15 years of international experience spanning film, major events, media, advertising, and branding to her work as a creative director and strategist.
Argentinian-born and proudly Australian-adopted, she has spent her career collaborating with some of the world’s most recognizable brands and institutions, including Google, Ford, Swinburne University, Cadbury, Mondelez, Marriott International, TEDxMelbourne, Campari, and Visit Victoria.
Today, she channels this rich creative history into leading AOI (Acts of Imagination), a premium strategy and creative studio where she pioneers cultural placemaking to radically transform physical and digital spaces through the power of strategic branding.
Mentorship focus: business and career assessment, defining goals, mapping a clear path forward.
Vanessa Brettell — Founding CEO, Café Stepping Stone
Industry: Social Entrepreneurship & Community Development
Vanessa is an accomplished social entrepreneur, dedicated climate advocate, and a prominent voice for community-led economic empowerment.
As the co-founder and CEO of Café Stepping Stone, she leads one of Canberra's most impactful and inspiring work-integration social enterprises. The sustainable, vegetarian café provides critical on-the-job hospitality training, accredited qualifications, and stable employment pathways for migrant and refugee women from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds who face systemic barriers to entering the workforce. In recognition of their transformative contribution to the local community, Vanessa and her co-founder, Hannah Costello, were jointly named the 2025 Australian of the Year Local Heroes.
Mentorship focus: social entrepreneurship, inclusive leadership and community impact.
Solange Lipcin — Founder, The.Daring.Collective
Industry: Leadership & Communication
As an Argentinian-born, Australia-based Communication and Leadership Coach, Solange Lipcin equips purpose-driven professionals with the skills required for career growth.
Drawing on over 25 years as a professional performing artist alongside extensive executive and NFP board experience, she founded The.Daring.Collective to amplify the voices of migrant professionals and female founders. Solange specialises in "Embodied Communication" and authentic leadership, helping diverse leaders regulate their nervous systems, drop the exhausting "corporate mask," and anchor their technical expertise in a commanding physical presence.
Mentorship focus: visibility transformation, cross-cultural resilience, and building confidence.
To be annouced
Applications are Open
Ready to take the next step?
Apply as a mentee. The form takes around 10 minutes.
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