Claudia Alarcon Espinoza

I have leadership experience across higher education, government, and international organisations, with a strong focus on gender equity, social justice, and Indigenous‑led research. From 2019 to 2022, I served as Executive Director of Gender Equity and Diversity at O’Higgins University, leading institutional strategies on gender equity, inclusion, sexual violence prevention, and cultural transformation. During this time, I also held a national governance role as Board Director of the National Gender Equity Commission (CRUCH), contributing to system‑wide gender policy across Chilean public universities.

Earlier, I was Senior Manager for the EU‑funded “Promotion of Rights and Citizen Participation of Women” program and Senior Manager for Sexual and Gender Education at the Ministry of Women and the Ministry of Education in Chile, respectively, where I advanced national programs on women's rights, gender justice, and sexual education.

In Australia, I currently serve as a Senior Research Fellow at the Poche Centre for Indigenous Health (The University of Sydney), and previously as a Senior Researcher with the I‑Tek Foundation, leading projects grounded in Indigenous and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB), Indigenous education, and community-led initiatives. Across these roles, I have provided strategic research leadership, supervised students, and contributed to ethical, culturally grounded research practice.

My leadership is defined by a commitment to equity, intersectionality, human rights, and collaborative approaches that strengthen institutions and empower communities.