Our People

Professor Vishaal Kishore is a strategist, political economist, academic and commentator.  He is a leading thinker at the boundary of the public and private, the human and the technological.

Vishaal is Professor of Innovation and Public Policy at RMIT University, where he founded and leads the Health Transformation Lab and is architect of a number of applied innovation initiatives.  He co-founded The MedTech Actuator – Australia’s National MedTech Catalyst, sits on the Investment Committee of Artesian Venture Partner’s MedTech venture capital fund, and holds a number of board and advisory positions across the Australian and regional innovation and impact ecosystems.

He has previously been Deputy Secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services; director for government strategy in EY’s management consulting practice; a mergers and acquisitions lawyer; and an Associate at the Federal Court of Australia. Vishaal has held academic/research fellowships at Harvard and Brown Universities in the United States, and the University of Melbourne and Monash University in Australia.

Vishaal holds a doctorate from Harvard University, where his work focused on the intersection of law, political economy and socio-political theory.

Nithya Solomon is an innovation executive, strategist and versatile business leader renowned for her creativity in shaping unique ventures in philanthropy, social innovation and public health. She has held  senior leadership roles at Nike, EY, VicHealth and Accenture, and has wide expertise in private and public sectors in Australia, USA and Latin America. Nithya is sought after for her ability to convert insights and abstract ideas into action and results. She is also a professional performing artist who produces and performs classical and contemporary works. 

As Executive Lead of Innovation at VicHealth, Nithya curated wide-reaching programs that made global thought leadership, citizens’ juries and digital innovation accessible for corporations and community organisations alike. 

Nithya was Nike Foundation’s Director of Operations, Finance & Strategy through their defining years of shaping a game-changing investment portfolio for adolescent girls’ economic empowerment. She was instrumental in delivering Nike’s unprecedented ‘Designed to Move’ collaboration; a shared commitment between 70+ multi-sector organisations to increase worldwide physical activity. 

Nithya holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Kellogg School of Management and Bachelor degrees in Engineering (Chemical) & Arts (Performing Arts) from Monash University 

Brad is a public health law and equity statistician. He has a long history of cross-disciplinary study and research with post-grad degrees in law, public health and biostatistics and research publications across public health law, policy, equity and social theory.

Brad has most recently worked in an infectious disease modelling team at the University of Melbourne and as a research biostatistician for the IMAGINE (Innovative Measurement of Gender (In) Equality in Australia) project.

He is now the new Impact Fellow in the Health Transformation Lab at RMIT.

Sai Ram is a data enthusiast with a recent master’s degree in data science from Monash University, Australia. He is skilled in analysing natural language, numerical, image, and video data, leveraging advanced AI/ML techniques to generate business insights product(s). He has always been keen on learning new technologies and updating himself on the go.

Sai has been a part of multiple inter-disciplinary teams throughout his career, in environments that include consulting, HR, gender equity and diversity, and software development. He recently worked on developing a website that incorporated a deep learning NLP model that gauges the stress/mental status of young adults in Australia with poor mental health.

He is now a Specialist at the Health Transformation Lab.

Mondo is a self-driven solution developer with a master’s degree in Mechatronics and Engineering Management. He has shown an aptitude for Embedded software development, IoT Applications, and idea proofing. He is eager to transform ideas into viable products, developing problem-solving techniques and skills by engaging with different stakeholders.

Mondo has worked in one of Geelong’s innovation businesses as a project coordinator where he assisted in innovation initiatives inclusive of projects supporting user experience, research & development, and services.

He is now a Specialist at Health Transformation Lab.

Marcus is the Alliance Manager for the National Industry Innovation Network (NIIN) Healthcare Alliance, at the Health Transformation Lab, RMIT University, responsible for identifying and driving partnership, skills development and showcasing opportunities for the alliance across government,
academia, and industry.
Prior to this, Marcus held various leadership roles in his 25 years career at Cisco, and contributed significantly across sales, customer experience, marketing, business development, and corporate social responsibility. He has extensive working experiences in the enterprise and public sectors
across the Asia Pacific region. In his first five years at Cisco, he rolled out the Cisco Networking Academy Program to more than 1,000 academies in 24 countries that achieved over 30,000 student completions and reach 85,000 annual student enrolment during that period. This program
has since benefited millions across the region. Prior to Cisco, Marcus held technical and education sales roles at Novell ASEAN, technical
network consultant roles with the National Computer Board of Singapore, and teaching faculty positions at the Information Communication Institute of Singapore.
Marcus holds a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Computer Science and Electronics from the University of Edinburgh. He also has over 20 years of contributions to the Worldskills movement, held countless advisory roles in academic advisory committees with all technical institutions of higher learning in Singapore, as well as the Singapore Ministry of Education.

Juan Sanin is a lecturer in the School of Design at RMIT University. His design practice is situated in the field of co-design, and is focused on the creation and implementation of probes that facilitate the participation of non-designers in design processes. Another aspect of his practice combines design research and cultural studies to examine the role of material culture in the configuration of the everyday life, in particular, the role of things in the mediation of a wide variety of everyday experiences such as the sense of home, national identity, wellbeing, or ‘the analogue’.

Kiri Delly has held various roles at RMIT, and is currently Associate Director, Creative Partnerships, within the Innovation Catalyst in the university’s Policy, Strategy, and Impact (PSI) Portfolio.

She has been responsible for developing and managing collaborative partnerships, activations and initiatives across the University’s learning & teaching, research & innovation, engagement, and impact areas, facilitating meaningful and productive relationships with all aspects and levels of government, industry, and community – both within Australia and internationally.

Kiri has worked across a range of disciplines: including design, fashion & textiles, art, media & communication, and architecture & urban design; and with all types of organisations including SMEs and social enterprises; to create partnerships that are based on addressing the needs of today and the opportunities for the future.

Before joining RMIT, Kiri was CEO of the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia (TFIA); the peak industry association for textiles, clothing, and footwear (TCF) in Australia; working to support and grow sector capability and capacity and previous to that held the role of General Manager at the Melbourne Fashion Festival.

Kiri has over 25 years’ experience assisting and advising students, academics, creatives, and businesses.  This includes providing support to grow their skills and connections through access to information, resources, best practice, and collaborative networks.

Through a range of projects and initiatives – such as the Brunswick Design District (BDD) and RMIT PlaceLab, Kiri has worked across the value chain to broker knowledge, build connections, support collaboration, and create beneficial experiences and outcomes.