Nattlie (Natt) Smith is a proud Wiradjuri woman from Condobolin/Orange in NSW and the Branch Manager for the Strategic Insights Branch, National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA). Natt has over 25 years of experience in both government and non-government policy and operational roles across many human service areas. 

In previous roles for NSW Government, Natt has co-led on Closing the Gap Target 9 Housing and Target 17 Digital Inclusion. Natt is committed to making a positive difference and ensuring the voices of Aboriginal peoples and communities are at the heart of culturally responsive data plans and insights, policy design, program development and the evidence building process.

As a co-chair for the Graduate Data Network (GDN) with members coming from over 40 different Commonwealth and state and territory agencies, Dean brings a whole-of-APS view to the APS Data Awards judging panel.

Having graduated from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), Dean is now a Data Architect at Services Australia working with system architecture and Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI). During his graduate year, Dean took part in the GDN as a Co-Lead for the 2023 APS Data Glossary Project. The project’s report was recently presented to the Deputy Secretaries Data Group (DSDG) and subsequently packaged for distribution across the APS. 

Liz leads the APS Data Profession team within the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) and led the APS Data Awards in 2023. Liz’s role strategically positions the Data Profession to attract, develop, and retain the data capabilities of data professionals within the APS. 

Prior to her current role, Liz was the Strategic Partnership Manager to New South Wales Government, strengthening and building strategic partnerships between the ABS and the New South Wales Government. Liz has over 20 years’ experience in varying roles within the ABS, leading large and diverse teams to deliver iconic projects including the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey in 2017 and the 2016 Census.

Pia is the Chief Data Officer for the Department of Home Affairs and Head of their Data and Economic Analysis Centre (DEAC). Pia previously spent a year advising global cloud platform Amazon Web Services.

Earlier in her career, Pia’s roles focused on Open Source, open data, and tech equity. Pia has worked with governments in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada to deliver digital transformation. As a public sector transformer and reformer who has worked across the private, non-profit, university and public sectors, Pia brings a wealth of expertise to the Awards judging panel.

Gemma is the Chief Data Officer for the Department of Social Services and leads the Data and Evaluation Group. In this role, she is responsible for the department’s data strategy, evaluation functions, longitudinal studies and data assets. 

Gemma previously held a number of senior executive positions at the Australian Bureau of Statistics, as well as a notable role as Director of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s Statistics Division at the United Nations.

In 2024, Gemma was awarded an Australia Day Public Service Medal for better use of data for public policy purposes.

As the Deputy Commissioner of Smarter Data at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Marek has strategic responsibility for the ATO’s development and industrialisation of data and analytics. This also includes insights to support the administration of the tax and super systems, government priorities, and deliver value for the Australian community. This role combines the traditional roles of chief data and chief analytics officers in many other organisations. 

Marek also leads the ATO Data and Analytics Professional Stream, is a member of the senior working group for the APS Data Professional Stream and chairs the APS Data Champions Executive and Forum. Marek brings extensive expertise and leadership across the data landscape to the APS Data Awards judging panel. 

Nicholas is Head of the School of Politics and International Relations at the Australian National University (ANU). Prior to this, he was Deputy Director of the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods, and head of the methods, survey, and evaluation programs in the centre. Nick brings an academic approach to the Data Awards judging panel.

Nick has a Bachelor of Economics (Hons.) from the University of Sydney and a Master of Education from Monash University. He also has a PhD in Public Policy from the ANU where he wrote his thesis on the benefits of and participation in education of Indigenous Australians.

As Chief Data Officer and General Manager of the Statistical Infrastructure Division at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Michael oversees the ABS’ data and its management. 

He has an extensive background in official statistics having worked at the ABS, Statistics New Zealand, and the International Monetary Fund. Michael was previously the global advisor on national accounts at the United Nations.