Meet Dr Rachelle Bonner: proud Wiradjuri woman, professional overthinker,  recovering perfectionist, and living proof that careers rarely go according to plan.

Despite what LinkedIn might suggest, Rachelle’s career has been fuelled by equal parts curiosity, caffeine, and the occasional “Well… let’s see what happens.” Somewhere along the way she earned an alphabet of letters after her name, including a PhD in Medicine, worked across Defence, health, science, human rights and government, helped shape national reforms, and somehow became the kind of person people trust with really complicated problems.

She’s spent more than 20 years asking difficult questions, challenging systems, and working to make them fairer, while also discovering that the most useful leadership skill is admitting when you don’t have all the answers.

Her superpower isn’t being the smartest person in the room. It’s asking better questions, staying ridiculously persistent, and refusing to let imposter syndrome have the last word.

When she’s not working, she’s probably starting another project she definitely doesn’t have time for, buying earrings she’ll absolutely wear *some* time, or enthusiastically encouraging other people to back themselves before they feel ready.