politics without the punch-ups

Annie is the Founder and Chief Creative Officer of 89 Degrees East, a role she loves because “it allows me everyday to work alongside some of the brightest, creative and connected individuals in the country”.

Through her 30 years of experience in strategic communications, media and public relations, Annie is well respected throughout government, political and private sectors. She’s been a Senior Advisor to a Prime Minister, the founding CEO of Media Team Australia, and has directed major Federal Government campaigns.

She is passionate about how technology can contribute to social policy outcomes and makes the world a better place. Annie’s favourite social campaign from the past is the Anti-Apartheid Movement, which was the first campaign she became aware of people power and how people achieved amazing results through the election of Nelson Mandela.

Rachel Howard has more than 20 years of policy and political experience, spanning government, multinational, not-for-profit and academic settings in Australia and abroad.

Rachel has worked at senior levels of the Australian Government, including as a Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister (2019-2022).

Rachel enjoys crafting strategic solutions to complex and challenging problems and thrives on collaboration with colleagues, clients and stakeholders.

As Victorian Greens state director and campaign director, Larissa Brown led the Greens to double their elected representatives at a federal, state and local council level.  She has also worked as the chief advisor on federal parliament, and policy director to several party leaders, Senators and MPs, and as a political strategist for the clean energy industry.

The Davos World Economic Forum named Larissa as a Global Shaper and The Age newspaper as one of Melbourne's 100 Most Influential People. She holds three masters degrees in law, business, and politics from Cambridge University, the London School of Economics and The University of Melbourne.