2024 Executive Committee

Olivia Kowalishin
President

Olivia is excited to return as president of SATLA this year. She previously served as the Communications Director in 2023 and the First Year Representative in 2022. SATLA has played a significant role in her time at Melbourne Law School. Olivia looks forward to another year of connecting students with opportunities at the intersection of STEM and Law.

Before starting her JD in 2022, Olivia studied Computer Science and English Literature at Barnard College of Columbia University. Her interest in STEM was sparked by an introductory Python coding class during her undergraduate studies. She developed a passion for coding, spending a year as a research assistant in Computer Science, with a focus on Natural Language Processing. Olivia is eager to leverage her background in writing and computer science to inspire students from diverse academic backgrounds. She aims to promote the intersection of science, technology, and law, bridging the gap between different disciplines!

Lachie MacKinnon
Vice President

Lachie completed his Bachelor of Science in 2021 at the University of Melbourne, majoring in Pharmacology. When he began his degree, he wasn’t sure where he wanted to go with his career. But, after studying some preliminary physiology and pharmacology units, it confirmed for him that he had a passion for science. Lachie had always wanted to pursue a law degree after his undergraduate studies, so he commenced the Juris Doctor in 2022. He spent the first few years of the JD immersed in his legal studies, however he felt like something was amiss. So in 2024 Lachie will be joining SATLA to further pursue his scientific interests and apply them in a legal context. He has ambitions to practice in pharmaceutical law, whether that be working for a pharmaceutical company or pursuing a career in intellectual property. 

This is Lachie’s first year as a member of the SATLA committee. He is looking forward to bringing his previous committee experience to his role as Vice-President of SATLA.

Tony Zhang
Treasurer

Prior to commencing the JD in 2023, Tony studied a Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne. Having studied law and business breadths in his undergraduate degree, Tony is especially interested in the intersection between science, business and law, in the context of emerging biotechnology. Tony was also exposed to the blockchain sector during the course of his undergrad, sparking his broader interest in IP law regarding new emerging technologies. His STEM background has highlighted to him the indispensable role of commercial law in driving innovation and growth, particularly in the fields of science and technology.

As SATLA’s Treasurer for 2023, Tony is excited to help organize and support events that promote the intersection of science, technology and law. More broadly, Tony is looking forward to meeting like-minded individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Catherine Leung
Events Director

Prior to commencing the JD in 2023, Catherine graduated with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Neuroscience from the University of Melbourne. During her Neuroscience degree, she developed a particular interest in policies related to the study of cognitive patterns in humans and the implications for artificial intelligence, as well as the use of biotechnologies in medicine. This interest sparked her passion for the intersection of cutting-edge science and the law.

In addition to her Neuroscience studies, Catherine focused on Psychology through electives and breadth subjects. She developed a specific interest in mental disorders and became deeply concerned about the barriers to accessing necessary healthcare, fuelling her passion for healthcare policy reform.

Catherine is thrilled to join SATLA as an Events Director this year. She is eager to organise events that connect like-minded students with professionals in the industry, striving to create positive experiences and valuable opportunities for her fellow STEM-Law peers!

Lada Volkova
Events Director

Lada graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in History and Philosophy of Science and minoring in Psychology. Commencing her JD in 2023, Lada was able to continue pursuing her interest in the intersection between science and the humanities, electing to study ‘New Technology Law’, a subject taking place in Singapore. There she discovered her passion for technology law and an interest in the emerging field of AI regulation.

Lada now works as a research assistant for the Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Ethics at the University of Melbourne. Lada is extremely excited for her role as Events Director this year, as SATLA events were a highlight of her first year in the JD! Outside of her studies, you can find Lada at her local Pilates studio.

Radhika Tennakoon-Kumarasiri
Sponsorship Director

Although Radhika always aspired to enter the legal field, it was during her completion of the Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne that she discovered her passion for science. Pursuing a major in Biotechnology, Radhika commenced her Juris Doctor studies in 2023, aspiring to some day integrate her legal studies and scientific background in her future profession. Radhika is particularly interested in intellectual property and hopes to make a meaningful contribution in this area. 

Since the beginning of her JD journey, Radhika has been a part of SATLA, initially joining as a First Year Events Representative. Embracing a new role this year as Sponsorship Director, she is excited to contribute to SATLA's mission of supporting law students with a passion for science and technology. Alongside this commitment, Radhika is looking forward to meeting individuals who share her enthusiasm for the intersection of law, science, and technology.

Clarissa Servinio

Clarissa’s interest in technology commenced in high school, where she was a member of the school’s IT Committee and then later elected as the IT Co-Captain. In 2016, she went on to participate in the Yale Young Global Scholars program at Yale University, where she took part in various classes relating to technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. In 2021, Clarissa graduated from The University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts, double-majoring in Media and Communications, and Criminology. Throughout her undergraduate years, Clarissa took classes such as Cybercrime and Digital Criminology, Media Law, and Health Law, Ethics and Society. From there, she developed an interest in the intersection between emerging technologies and the law, and she is excited to share her perspectives and experiences in the field through SATLA.

Clarissa joins SATLA as the Communications Director, and aims to use her background in media and communications to boost SATLA on all social media platforms and showcase what SATLA has to offer in 2024!

Gabriella Govic

Gabriella graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2022 with a Bachelor of Biomedicine majoring in Immunology. During her undergraduate degree, she completed a number of law breadths that sparked her initial interest in the intersection between law and medicine. Not wanting to lose her scientific background at the commencement of her Juris Doctor studies in 2023, Gabriella joined SATLA. Gabriella is primarily interested in the legal regulation of pharmaceuticals in the context of intellectual property and patent law.

Gabriella rejoins SATLA as Communications Director in 2024. She looks forward to expanding student interest and opportunities in the intersection between law, science and technology. Gabriella also hopes to see a greater incorporation of science and technology law at Melbourne Law School.

Stephanie Tzanidis

First-year Communications Representative

Steph entered the JD in 2024 with a double degree in a Bachelor of Science and Arts from Monash University, majoring in Psychology and Philosophy and minoring in Physiology and Literary Studies. Although initially set on pursuing medicine, Steph's unforeseen passion for philosophy steered her towards the study of law, intrigued by its structured approach to examining ethical, moral, and societal principles within the practical context of legal reasoning.

Steph's clerical experience at the Victorian Heart Hospital reconciled her desire to improve people's quality of life with a deeper interest in patient rights and autonomy of care. Steph is keen to pursue intellectual property, utilizing her Clinical Psychology background to explore its impact on accessibility to trials and research, ultimately advocating for system reform and better patient outcomes.

Steph is thrilled to join SATLA as a First-Year Communications Representative. She looks forward to networking with like-minded people and providing her peers with an opportunity to explore the intersectional prospects of science and technology in law.

David Trevorrow

Prior to commencing the JD in 2024, David graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts, double majoring in Sociology, and Media and Communications, and a Diploma in Computing. While studying his undergraduate degree he worked as Operations and Digital Coordinator at Victorian Student Representative Council, the peak advocacy body for school-aged students in Victoria.

David is deeply interested in the impact of technology on the planet, as well as how it shapes society. He has a huge passion for technology and law, especially in the fields of cybersecurity, privacy, intellectual property, and competition. The rapid rise of generative AI – and the host of copyright, intellectual property, employment law, and misinformation challenges it poses – makes this a very exciting (and daunting) time to be studying technology law.

As a First Year Representative, David is excited to create opportunities for law students to discuss, learn and hear from experts about the intersection of science, technology and the law.

Victoria Streeton-Cook

Victoria graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2023 with a Bachelor of Science majoring in Physics. Her interest in law began back in high school, however, it shifted to the back burner while she pursued science. Nonetheless, while working at the Department of Health she was able to see the direct effect of science and health policy on legal and social outcomes. Moreover, during her undergraduate as she undertook physics and bioinformatics research she continued to reflect on how much law and science policy shaped the scientific process.

Towards the end of her undergraduate degree Victoria started investigating directly the overlap in science and law. This started with patents, where she spoke to both researchers and patent attorneys. However, she is curious about other overlapping domains such as using technology to improve legal practice. Currently, she is living a double life as a bioinformatics research assistant and a first year JD student. However, she hopes to eventually pursue a career that combines these two areas together. As First Year Representative, she is excited to help bring together people with a similar goal and cannot wait to see what else everyone can learn together about science law.