Jane is the Inaugural Director of the Global Policy Initiative at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia. In this role, she is responsible for leading global policy initiatives and partnerships with a focus on the policy dimensions of climate change, health and care, the future of work, human rights, and regional cooperation. She also represents UNSW’s engagement with the International Universities Climate Alliance and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Previously, Jane served as Senior Director of Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equality at the Asia Foundation. She provided intellectual and programmatic leadership for the Asia Foundation’s programmes to empower women and advance gender equality, working with the Foundation’s 18 country offices across Asia and the Pacific. Her other previous roles include Vice President of Programs at the Global Fund for Women, Vice President of Development at Women’s World Banking, and Executive Director at the International Women’s Development Agency.
Jane is one of the original 75 Australian climate change presenters trained by Al Gore and a member of the Climate Reality Corp. She serves on the boards of Practical Action (UK), Mary MacKillop Today (Australia), the Global Program Committee for Episcopal Relief and Development (US), and the Advisory Board of Sydney Women’s Fund (Australia). She was also a Board member of Women’s Funding Network for six years, and has co-written a book, The Uprising of Women in Philanthropy (2024), about the rise of the global women’s funding movement.
Jane holds a BA (Hons History) from the University of Adelaide and a master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Sydney. She’s the recipient of a Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Adelaide, an Alumni Award for Service to Humanity from the University of Sydney, and an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Adelaide.
In my life, I finally have a sense of my own power. I want to use that power fully, and to mentor and support others to do the same. I want to say ‘yes’ to risk-taking and change, and to influence the design and delivery of policies and programs that affect populations in countries and communities across the globe.Jane Sloane