We are delighted to welcome Alexandra McRobert and Emily Paterson as our conversationalists for the season. We look forward to a vibrant conversation about working in and across government at local and state level, about knowledge sharing, equity, impact and much more.

Alexandra is an architect and urban planner with a fascinating career so far – she has worked in government at both scales in New South Wales and Queensland, she has experience as a researcher and educator, a practitioner and an expert advisor.

With a PhD focused on socially, environmentally, and financially sustainable housing, she is now Director of Design | Design Advisor at the Queensland Department of Housing and Public Works.

Early in her career, Emily is a Building Design Officer at the City of Moreton Bay, contributing to the design, planning and delivery of public works such as libraries, community centres, aquatic and recreation facilities and amenities.

Her role involves advocating for quality design through strategic planning, scoping, brief writing, scheduling, tendering, reviewing designs, and supporting the implementation of Council technical standards, policies, and guidelines. She tutors at UQ and worked in practice before moving into local government.