Ms Stewart is an experienced former Ambassador, development expert and strategic consultant with deep international engagement experience. She has diplomatic roles in Southeast Asia and Europe, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra, and in international tertiary education strategy at RMIT University and as an independent consultant designing and delivering programs for regional government officials.
Ms Stewart spent 10 years developing and delivering Australian foreign policy in Southeast Asia. She was Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Aid in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 2016-2018, managing Australia’s $63million annual bilateral aid program. She was also Director of DFAT’s ASEAN Section in 2015 and Deputy Head of Mission at the Australian Embassy in Yangon, Myanmar from 2010-2013. She was Director of the Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos Section from 2013-2015. Ms Stewart was Australian Ambassador to Serbia, North Macedonia and Montenegro (2018-21), leading the Embassy’s response to Covid-19 and advancing Australian interests in critical minerals, gender equality and democratic governance. As Associate Director, Asia Strategy, at RMIT Ms Stewart led the development of RMIT’s Singapore Country Commitment, launched in April 2024, which refreshed and re-shaped RMIT’s strategic engagement with Singapore and the ASEAN region.
Her ANZSOG work encompasses strategy and program design and delivery in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand for emerging and established public sector leaders from across the Indo-Pacific. She has delivered programs for Cambodia’s Deputy Prime Minister on the highly technical subject of Cabinet Governance, and for South Asian Executive Leaders and the Singapore Civil Service College.
Her work with University of Queensland includes bespoke design and delivery of the “Thailand’s OECD Accession” MAPSTA Masterclass for Thai Government and industry officials in 2025. She has also designed and delivered international cooperation and media training for Indonesia’s Ministry of Education.
Ms Stewart has a Bachelor of Arts (University of Melbourne) and Graduate Certificate in Human Leadership (Deakin University). She lives in Melbourne.