Tess is the Chief Operating Officer at Melbourne Innovation Centre, leading the organisation’s operations, programs and people. She builds the structure and systems that bring MIC’s vision to life, creating the conditions for teams and initiatives to perform at their best.

With more than a decade of experience across social enterprise and purpose-led organisations, Tess combines analytical insight with people-centred leadership. A systems thinker, she focuses on optimising processes through AI and automation and provides business coaching and advisory support to startups and small-business owners. Her background in psychology and ongoing MBA studies inform a pragmatic yet empathetic approach to building effective teams, scalable systems and a values-driven culture.

Coming from a family of entrepreneurs and small-business owners, Tess understands the realities of running a business and the importance of initiative, adaptability and creativity. She values travel and time spent with family and friends and unwinds with video games or podcasts that spark new ideas.