WHO WE ARE

Home: Welcome

Paisley Group are global experts in diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), culture and leadership - backed by science and all through an intersectional lens.

Founded in 2012, Paisley Group develops custom solutions for complex business challenges. We offer a comprehensive approach, building change management capabilities now and for the future.

Book a Meeting

MEET THE EXPERTS

Our outstanding multidisciplinary team are all leaders in their field adding to the intersectional strength of Paisley Group. We are not an ordinary consultancy. We live our values everyday.

We believe in the importance of excellence AND lived experience. Our experienced Facilitators are culturally sensitive, trauma-informed and come from a range of backgrounds and geographic locations. We actively engage and co-create with people from a range of background - First Nations, migrants, Women of Colour, LGBTQIA+, living with a disability, carers, neurodivergent and multigenerational people.

Dr Varina Michaels

Founder - Intersectional DEI, Culture and Leadership

Dr Varina Michaels is all about people.

Dr Michaels is an Executive Director with over 15 years of experience in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), education and HR. She has developed and led impactful multimillion dollar programs shaping culture, developing inclusive leaders and breaking systemic barriers, with a proven track record in achieving business outcomes and driving change.

With a Ph.D. in Intersectional Identities from UNSW Business School, Dr Michaels is an inclusive leader, international speaker, published academic and Professor of Intercultural Management at IÉSEG School of Management, Paris.

Working with organisational leaders, Dr Michaels and her team create forums where Boards, executives, managers and employees find meaning and develop the courage and self-awareness to confront complex issues and enact change. But meaningful change cannot happen without meaningful engagement. With extensive experience co-creating research and programs with marginalised communities, she leads with purpose to ensure that an intersectional lens is applied in the work of herself and her team.

Personally, Dr Michaels identifies as a neurodivergent Woman of Colour, second-generation migrant and carer. She has a multi-ethnic, multi-faith family. Her passion for intersectionality stems from her own lived experience that cuts across many intersections.

Tekan Cochrane

Senior Consultant - First Nations Lens on Work and Inclusion

Tekan is a proud Kooma and Yuwaalaraay woman with Torres Strait Islander heritage.

Tekan has a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Masters of International Relations, focusing on neoliberalism and its impact on Indigenous Peoples. Formerly, she was the Senior Legal Policy Officer in the Aboriginal Justice Group at the Department of Justice and Community Safety, where she played a pivotal role in the creation and management of the Victorian Stolen Generations Reparations Package. In this role, she provided government advice and worked closely with traditional Elders and members of the Stolen Generations.

Currently, Tekan is the Executive Officer for Tarwirri, a not-for-profit association which supports First Nations peoples in law and serves as a committee member of the Indigenous Issues Committee for the Law Council of Australia, co-chairs the Law Institute of Victoria’s (LIV) Reconciliation Advancement Committee and is an active member of the LIV RAP Working Group.

A community builder and champion for justice, Tekan is experienced in building representation and inclusion for First Nations peoples. From applying a First Nations lens to workplace policies and initiatives across the HR lifecycle to building meaningful Reconciliation Action Plans, Tekan combines lived experience with a focus on justice to provide practical advice and drive meaningful change.

Dr Gelareh Holden

Senior Consultant - Emotional and Cultural Intelligence

Dr Gelareh Holden is a certified expert and educator specialising in Emotional Intelligence, Cultural Intelligence and diversity in leadership.

With a Ph.D. on the implications of cultural intelligence and psychological distance in marketing and over 13 years educating leaders and working with organisations, she brings a wealth of academic knowledge and practical experience.

Dr Holden is currently Senior Lecturer at Kaplan Business School (KBS) and Research Partner Liaison for Women of Colour Australia (WoCA) bringing academics, communities and organisations together to develop cutting edge research.

With a drive to share her knowledge Dr Holden is a thought leader at the intersection of leadership, emotional intelligence, and cultural competence. As a staunch advocate for diversity and inclusion, she has pioneered initiatives to explore and value cultural diversity, recognising the importance of embracing and leveraging diverse perspectives in the workplace. Her initiatives include the formation of the Women in Leadership Matters Association (WILMA) and women's mentorship programs.

Specialising in the empowerment of women, Dr Holden is committed to dismantling barriers and biases that hinder professional growth, particularly in multicultural communities. As a migrant and Woman of Colour, she wants the legacy of her education to be a lasting impact on lives across the world.

EXPLORE OUR RESEARCH

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

LET'S TALK!

Dr Varina Michaels presenting "Who Are You? Intersectionality Lens" at a large event