Our Team
Afeeya Akhand, Secretary WIIS-Australia
Afeeya Akhand is a researcher with expertise in foreign policy and national security. She is an Emerging Associate at the National Security College at the Australian National University and a Young Leader with the Pacific Forum. Her research interests span Australia–South Korea bilateral relations, climate change and anti-racism.
Afeeya brings diverse experience across government, think tanks and the consulting sector, having held roles at organisations including the Australian Strategic Policy Institute and Department of Defence. She has written for publications such as The Strategist, The Mandarin and Australian Outlook, and she has provided media commentary for outlets including ABC and SBS News.
Driven by both lived and professional experience, Afeeya is a strong advocate for increasing racial diversity and intersectionality in Australia’s foreign policy and national security sectors. She serves as Secretary of Women in International Security – Australia Inc. and is the Head of Research and Policy at anti-racism not-for-profit, Careers in Colour.
Afeeya holds a Master of International Security from the University of Sydney, specialising in Korean language, and Bachelors in Laws with Honours and Finance from the Australian National University. In 2024, Afeeya was recognised as a Young Woman to Watch by Young Australians in International Affairs.