NETWORK CONVENOR

Kate Fawcett is the Network Convenor for DisasterWISE, where she brings together her lived experience of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires with a lifelong commitment to learning and community. With academic foundations in sociology and women’s studies, Kate draws on her deep understanding of social movements and systems change to champion community-led approaches to disaster recovery and resilience. Her career has spanned teaching in community kindergartens to social enterprise and grassroots organising, including founding a Fair Trade business. On the weekends, you’ll likely find Kate in the garden, reading a good book, and spending time with family.

KNOWLEDGE BROKER

Monika Noémi Correa is the Knowledge Broker at DisasterWISE, where she brings together her lived experience of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Debbie (2017) with a deep commitment to community-led disaster resilience. She holds a Master of Disaster, Design and Development from RMIT University (2023), where she explored decolonial approaches to disaster planning and examples of local and Indigenous knowledge(s) in community crisis response. Monika is Colombian with ancestral ties to the Lache people and is a strong advocate for Indigenous self-determination, land back, and climate adaptation rooted in critical community care. Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, camping, and (re)connecting with her Chibcha heritage.