Dr Philippa Smales, MInstD, LLB, BA (hons), PhD
Philippa joined VSA in June 2022 and brings her extensive experience in international development. She returned to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2021 during COVID-19, as many kiwis did, and worked as the Business Development and Member Engagement Manager at the Council for International Development Aotearoa New Zealand (CID). She also previously worked in several regional NGOs based in both Thailand, and in Australia, focusing mainly on Asia and the Pacific. Her PhD and continued interest remain in the areas of applied ethics and human rights, as well as improved practice and collaboration in international development.
Philippa was the lead consultant from 2019-21 on an Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) project on the Development of Research Ethics Guidelines for DFAT, and all their ODA funded projects. Some of her other previous roles have included managing the RDI Network for the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID), working for the Australian Volunteers International (AVI) PACTAM Project, as well as for Asia South Pacific Association for Basic and Adult Education (ASPBAE), Asia Pacific Forum for Women, Law and Development (APWLD), Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRDIC), and lecturing at the University of Melbourne and RMIT Melbourne.
Philippa enjoys further learning herself, such as the Partnership Brokers Training through the International Partnership Brokers Association, or the Workplace Māori courses at Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni Professional. She was a founding member of the executive committee of the Development Studies Association of Australia (DSAA), and is currently on the Steering Committee of the Aotearoa New Zealand International Development Studies Network (DevNet), Board Member for Engineers Without Borders New Zealand (EWBNZ), and just joined as a Board Member for Oxfam Aotearoa.
