ANU Foundation USA Board

The ANU Foundation USA Board was established to promote excellence in education and research at the Australian National University, including the exchange of knowledge, faculty and students between Australia and North America.

The Board is comprised of ANU alumni and staff, and friends of the University, who are committed to strengthening the global impact and presence of Australia's national university.

A message from the Chair

As an ANU student, I learnt how to be confidently curious about the world, and seek new challenges and problems to solve. These early foundations set me up to take on new challenges throughout my career. I know the value of an ANU education, and I want to support current and future students to have the life changing experience I did and realise their own potential.

I believe that teams who have freedom to innovate through open collaboration and decision making achieve the best outcomes. As Chair of a highly skilled Board of engaged members, I am looking forward to together finding new ways to connect with ANU alumni in the US, and discovering how we can support the research and education at ANU that is paving the way for a better future.

Board members

Scott Leeb (Chair)

Scott has over 15 years of experience creating, managing, and expanding the knowledge management and business intelligence functions at four fortune 500 companies and at one of the leading global philanthropic organisations, The Rockefeller Foundation. Scott holds a Master of Arts, Strategic Studies from ANU.

Maia Gould

Maia is the Strategic Services Lead at the ANU School of Cybernetics. She leads the operations, engagement and impact and educational experiences teams in the school, supporting research collaborations and training opportunities with academia, government, and private industry.

After completing undergraduate studies in Neuroscience and English Literature, Maia trained and worked as a science writer, moving into account and project management, and ultimately to the 'client-side', leading communications strategy and execution and business development initiatives for a range of professional services firms. Throughout she has maintained an interest in emerging technologies, completing her Masters of Bioethics dissertation on the communication issues involved in democratic decision-making on complex and emerging scientific issues.

Maia enjoys bringing people from a range of disciplines and industries together to work on complex societal issues. She has worked with some of Australia's premier non-profit organisations and managed large-scale social research on issues of importance to the wellbeing of Australians including mental health and corporate social responsibility.

Matthew Harvey

Matthew Harvey is a Senior Investigator in the Integrity Vice Presidency (INT) at the World Bank Group (WBG). In this role, Matt leads the team responsible for all investigations of sanctionable practices in projects financed or guaranteed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), two of the WBG's five institutions. Prior to this role, Matt was a Senior Litigation Specialist in INT where he litigated cases in the WBG's sanctions system.

Before joining INT, Matt was a lawyer in the Office of the General Counsel at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in London. Matt started his career in private practice at major international law firms in London and Sydney. Matt holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) from ANU.

Alex Furman

Alex is the Vice-President (Advancement) of The Australian National University and an experienced leader of philanthropic programs. He has held leadership roles in Advancement at the University of Melbourne as Director of Development (2015-2021) and Deputy Director of Development (2013-2015) for the Believe Campaign.

He has also had leadership and fundraising roles in the Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, and the Melbourne International Arts Festival. He is active as a volunteer in community organisations and is Chair of The Mietta Foundation.

Kelsey Davis

Kelsey J. Davis is an Associate at Golenbock Eiseman Assor Bell & Peskoe law firm in New York. In this role, Kelsey represents clients in a wide array of matters including investigations, trials and appeals in both state and federal courts, as well as arbitration proceedings. Kelsey’s practice to date has focused on securities litigation and complex commercial disputes. She has served as an enforcement attorney for Australia’s federal financial regulator. She also completed a Judicial Clerkship with the Hon. Justice Lindsey Foster, then head of the Commercial List at the Federal Court of Australia.

Kelsey completed her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) at The Australian National University.

Yoshiko Sheard

Born in Japan, Yoshiko Sheard has lived for many years in the United States and, earlier, in Australia. Yoshiko received her BA (Hons) and PhD in Linguistics from ANU, where she tutored in Japanese. She was a visiting scholar at Stanford University during her doctoral studies.

Yoshiko has been active in various non-profit and social advocacy/fundraising groups over the years. She serves on the board of New York-based non-profit Asia Initiatives, is a member of the Japan Stanford Association and the Women’s International Forum, and is a digital member of the World Economic Forum. She was President of the Parents’ Board of the International School of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, and Vice-President of the Japan-Australia-New Zealand Ladies Group. Yoshiko lives with her husband Paul on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

Martha Evans, Secretary and Treasurer

Martha Evans is Associate Director at The Australian National University's North American Liaison Office (NALO), which exists to enhance the international standing and profile of the University and to support staff and students to engage more effectively with partners in the United States and Canada.

In this role, Martha manages international partnerships, Foundation relations, stakeholder engagement, volunteer management and more. This includes institutional relationships for staff and students with high-profile U.S. partners to create opportunities for collaboration, research funding, internships, student exchange and study abroad.

Martha oversees board member relations and communications, and upholds the fiduciary responsibilities of the ANU Foundation USA Board.