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LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

AWAKENING OPPORTUNITIES

The Mannkal Economic Education Foundation’s Leadership Development Program (LDP) is a world-renowned professional development program for Western Australian university students.

Your participation in the LDP includes a scholarship valued up to $25,000AUD.

WHAT WILL YOU LEARN?

PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
TEAM BUILDING SKILLS
CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
ECONOMICS
INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS

The LDP is open to Western Australian university students studying any degree and major. We are always looking for enthusiastic students interested in philosophy, economics and public policy.

Mannkal believes that exceptional character leads to success.

We are committed to developing and growing all students who walk through our doors.

APPLICATIONS ARE CLOSED

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FOUNDATIONAL (6 MONTHS)
ADVANCED (12 MONTHS)

SCHOLAR ADVENTURES

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To be eligible for enrolment in the LDP, you must:

  • Currently be enrolled as an undergraduate or postgraduate student (part-time or full-time) at a Western Australian university*;
  • Hold either Australian citizenship or permanent residency**;
  • Be based in Western Australia.

*We accept students from The University of Western Australia, Murdoch, Curtin and Notre Dame. Unfortunately, we cannot accept Edith Cowan University students.

**International students are unfortunately not eligible; in very rare circumstances, an exception may be made. However, international students are very welcome to attend our seminars and events.

Above all, Mannkal values entrepreneurship and enthusiasm for a free and open society. We consider students from across all faculties, departments and backgrounds. Course marks are one consideration, but this should not exclude students who have made contributions in other areas. Aspects of the LDP benefit from a formal study of economics and public policy, but a keen interest and awareness of the philosophical concepts behind these subjects is more important.

Places are subject to availability and may change without notice.

Meet our 2020 scholars

Conor
Alexandra
Chris
Shane
Tiffany
Emily
Lloyd
Lara
Paris
Sagar
Jamie
Shu-Wei
Louella
German
Alex
Mark
Nikita
0

scholarships awarded since 1997!

What are you waiting for?

Conor McLaughlin

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

Global Politics & Policy

Murdoch

Conor is a current Honours student at Murdoch University, studying Honours in Global Politics and Policy and History. His thesis will focus on the changing narratives of Scottish national identity, primarily from two different strands, economic and cultural. Following the completion of his Honours, Conor plans to undertake his PhD focusing on the political economy. 

Having worked and studied at a think-tank, through the Association of Foreign Affairs in Sweden, Conor has conducted research on the evolutionary role of the European Union and its paradoxical nature of attempting to enhance individual liberties through a strong centralized bureaucracy. His interest in Integration processes has led him to become involved with CANZUK, the European Commission and the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

Conor has a very strong interest in International affairs and foreign policy. This had lead him to get involved with Harvard University in promoting entrepreneurship within Asia’s developing region, and the Institute of Counter-Terrorism in Israel to better understand the changing nature of the security landscape.  

Outside of study and work, Conor is passionate about Soccer, having seen supporting his favourite team as his religion. He spends his free time playing Soccer and Tennis for various clubs across Perth.

Alexandra Wolff

Bachelor of Finance & Chemical Engineering

UWA

Alexandra is currently in the second year of her undergraduate degree; she will then proceed into the Master of Professional Engineering program.
 
Alexandra intends to work in Western Australia as either an engineer, in finance, or ideally in a position using both disciplines. Alex is a committee member on both the Finance Association of Western Australia and the UWA Young Engineers club. She also volunteers as a mentor for the business school helping new students transition into university.
 
Alexandra was exposed to politics and libertarian ideas from a young age sparking an interest in Austrian economics and philosophy. She supports a limited government where individual liberties and private property rights are preserved and the spirit of entrepreneurship is cultivated. Alex is particularly interested in minimising government control by removing excessive regulations and taxes and privatising industry.
 
Outside of university, Alex works as a private tutor for high school students and volunteers over school holidays as a children’s group leader. She is an avid reader and enjoys running, martial arts, and travelling. Alexandra is excited by the opportunity to contribute to the spread of libertarian ideas as a scholar with Mannkal Economic Education Foundation.

Chris Gallen

Diploma in Science

UWA

Chris completed his Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Western Australia with majors in Economics and Finance in December 2019. Throughout his undergraduate degree Chris worked internships in financial advisory and management consulting and found a passion for consulting with a technical focus. Chris is currently taking a year off study to work at Visagio Management Engineering, an international consulting firm specialising in data science and analytics. He is enjoying learning valuable new skills and gaining exposure to the supply chains and operations of some of Western Australia’s largest companies. Chris plans to further his studies considering an Honours year in economics or Master of data science.

Chris is an active participant in many extracurricular activities at UWA. He has been a committee member of the UWA Consulting Society for 3 years and hosted student events with International firms. He is also involved with WAUC, a volunteer student consulting organisation dedicated to improving the operations of Charities in the West Australian community. Last semester Chris’s team help a West Australian charity by developing an automated system for online order processing, data management and label generation for volunteers’ packing orders. Chris is also a high school tutor and has enjoyed time volunteering with Teach Learn Grow and Uni Camps for Kids in is time at UWA.

Chris first became interested in libertarianism after travelling in South East Asia and seeing the devastating impact of communism in Cambodia. In 2018 Chris completed a semester abroad at the Utrecht University School of Economics in the Netherlands. He took this opportunity to travel and spent a significant amount of time in South Eastern Europe, once again learning about communist history. These experiences reinforced his belief in limited governments and individual freedoms.  Most importantly Chris gained an understanding of the importance of protecting liberty even in relatively free countries like Australia after seeing how quickly social structures can change for the worse. Through his involvement with Mannkal, Chris has particularly enjoyed the alternative perspectives to his Keynesian textbooks at university and he hopes to continue to challenge and develop his own beliefs through the Leadership Development Program.

Aside from travelling, Chris is highly competitive and loves team sports, playing in regular university soccer and frisbee competitions. He also loves watersports and enjoys spending mornings surfing.

Shane Herbst

Bachelor of Commerce

Major in Finance

Bachelor of Laws

Curtin

Shane is currently in the third year of his Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Commerce (Finance) double degree at Curtin University. Initially enrolling in law with a view to translate his degree into a career in the legislative branch of government, Shane still harbours those same political aspirations that underpinned his enrolment. 

At present, Shane is considering a range of potential graduate options including qualifying as a commercial lawyer or a prosecutor. Whichever graduate role he pursues, it will be undertaken in tandem with an Honours year in Law. Currently, Shane is planning on dedicating his thesis to the erosion of liberty within Australia, and plans to focus on the various surveillance, anti-terrorism and data collection laws recently enacted.  Regardless of the short-term path his career takes, he ultimately has the ambition to move into federal politics. Such aspirations stem from his fascination with politics and society, and a love of leadership. Tying into this is his innate dislike of overbearing authority (which, through his childhood, was much to the chagrin of his Mum), and philosophical belief that the ethic of autonomy supersedes all else. This cocktail of leadership ambition, appreciation of freedom and contempt for unnecessary regulations is what led him to apply for Mannkal’s LDP. 

Currently, Shane is a student mentor at Curtin University. Over the past two years he was also the university football club’s Colts A-Grade captain, although his last season was cut short when he commenced an exchange semester in Edinburgh. Outside of academics Shane enjoys a range of sports, particularly AFL, golf and cricket, and is passionate about health and well-being. He is a lover of comedy, feels most at home in nature (especially by the beach) and has an eclectic taste in music. Above all else, he has an insatiable appetite to travel and cannot wait to resume his exploration of the world.

Tiffany Wheatley

Bachelor of Professional Engineering

Major in Mechanical Engineering

UWA

Tiffany is a Postgraduate Student in her fourth year of Engineering at The University of Western Australia. Having completed her Bachelor degree in 2019 with Majors in Engineering and Finance, she is now studying her Master of Professional Engineering, specialising in Mechanical Engineering. Tiffany is exploring thesis topics relating to the energy sector or biomedical engineering. She is passionate about innovative solutions where engineering enables long-term positive social and global development.

Tiffany’s passion led to her involvement with Engineers Without Borders, a community organisation which aims to create social value through engineering. Her involvement is with the UWA sector where she is an active volunteer with the School Outreach program. Tiffany and her team volunteer at primary and secondary schools to run creative, hands-on workshops designed to open young people’s minds to the challenges facing developing countries. She is passionate about creating education opportunities for young people and encouraging students to discover a love of learning.

As a science major Tiffany looks to expand her learning through exploring political and economic thoughts, theories and ideas to challenge herself with a different way of thinking. Tiffany aims to continue her journey with Mannkal, shaping her philosophical and political beliefs and developing essential leadership skills. She is curious to learn more about government policy and how excessive regulations impact society. Tiffany believes libertarianism provides the necessary conditions for innovation and entrepreneurship to thrive and is deeply interested in building her knowledge and understanding of libertarian philosophy.

Outside of her studies Tiffany loves traveling and immersing herself in new cultures by staying with local families. She works as a high school tutor and enjoys exploring the paradisiac Western Australian beaches, water sports, learning languages and above all not being told what to do.

Emily Lee

Bachelor of Art

International Relations

Bachelor of Laws

Curtin

Emily is a second-year student at Curtin University, studying a Bachelor’s degree in both Law and Art with a major in International Relations. Emily is considering undertaking the Juris Doctor at the University of Western Australia following the completion of her undergraduate degree. Still being relatively new to her fields of education, she has not yet decided which employment path is best suited to her but hopes that she can find one which incorporates both of her passions for legal justice and geopolitics.

At the moment, this is pointing towards a career in foreign affairs, international law or national security and intelligence. Having engaged with a range of students from different faculties during her time at University, Emily strongly believes in the importance of obtaining a wide range of perspectives before formulating her own. Given that she has received very little exposure to libertarian thinking in her own household, she feels as though her involvement at Mannkal is an opportunity to expand her learning and potentially translate it back into her everyday life, both at home and in the workplace. She is extremely interested in learning about how libertarianism fits into the complex world of international relations, and how it can lead the way for global policies that promote universal rights to life and liberty.

In her spare time, Emily tutors secondary students in a range of topics, particularly mathematics, English literature and history. She is passionate about fitness and is able to maintain her health and social wellbeing through an avid use of the gym and involvement in a local netball team. An additional interest of hers, which emerged at a very early age, is art. She firmly believes in the use of creative outlets in reducing stress, and enjoys producing oil paintings, as well as upcycling old clothes with various mediums.

Lloyd Hotinsnki

Bachelor of Arts

Double Major in Philosophy and Politics & Economics

Diploma in Modern Languages

UWA

Lloyd is a third-year student at the University of Western Australia, studying a Bachelor of Arts and a Diploma in Modern Languages (majoring in Japanese). After finishing his undergraduate degrees, Lloyd plans on pursuing Honours in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, followed by a Master of Divinity and a PhD. During his studies, Lloyd also plans on going to Japan for exchange.

Lloyd is actively involved in the Christian Union (CU) and International Law Society (ILS) at UWA. For the ILS, he co-edits the Perth International Law Journal, reviewing articles written by postgraduate students, lawyers, and professors from around the world; he also gave a public lecture on euthanasia and its relation to international law. For the CU, he co-leads a Bible study and helps plan and advertise its Easter services. During the 2019-20 summer, he interned at the Seven Pillars Institute for Global Finance and Ethics (a Kansas City-based think tank), writing on the ethical issues that led to the 1986-91 Japanese asset price bubble and 1997 Asian financial crisis.

Through his studies in microeconomic theory, redistributive justice, and histories of political and economic ideas, Lloyd developed a deep appreciation of libertarian values, especially those of private property rights, limited government, and free markets. After studying East Asian international relations, he also became keenly interested in the regional dynamics of Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, as well as diplomacy more generally. Lloyd’s interest in political philosophy began with his grandparents, who were refugees to Australia from the Soviet Union.

In his spare time, Lloyd enjoys creative writing and is currently drafting his first novel, having written over 190,000 words already.

Lara Lindegger

Juris Doctor

UWA

Lara is a postgraduate law student in her second year of the Juris Doctor at the University of Western Australia, having previously graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (majoring in Business Law and Accounting) in 2018.

Lara has a strong interest in taxation, corporate law, and banking and finance law. During her undergraduate degree, she completed an accounting internship with the Deloitte Private Tax team. More interested in the legal aspects of tax, she pivoted towards a focus on law. Although envisaging her future working in a corporate law firm, Lara has enjoyed a range of other law units and is therefore keeping an open mind as to what her future career may look like. She hopes to undertake legal clerkships within the next few years.

Presently, Lara is focused on her studies as well as working two part-time jobs. She is a paralegal at a firm specialising in commercial litigation, property law, and co-ownership and joint owner disputes. She is also a legal assistant to a group of law firms and barristers who practice primarily in personal injury, criminal law and company law.

Lara’s curiosity in politics was sparked at the age of eleven when she represented her school and Australia in Washington, D.C. as part of the People to People Leadership Ambassador Program. This had a profound effect on her psyche and interest in all things political. Lara became familiar with libertarian values during her undergraduate degree in 2015 when a number of her university peers completed internships through Mannkal. She is particularly interested in the topic of limited government and finds elements of libertarianism particularly relevant in this regard. Lara looks forward to deepening her understanding of libertarian philosophy through Mannkal’s Leadership Development Program. She is currently studying Constitutional Law and has found studying the Constitution as a foundation for the power dynamic between the Commonwealth and State governments fascinating.

In her valuable spare time, Lara keeps fit by going to the gym and running or walking. She also developed an interest in hiking and rock-climbing during exchange at Colorado State University. Returning to Australia, Lara worked part-time at a rock-climbing centre for almost two years prior to her transition to working in the legal field. Lara plays both the clarinet and piano, her particular favourite being the clarinet.

Paris McNeil

Bachelor of Laws

Curtin

Paris is an undergraduate law student studying at Curtin University. In her third year of study, Paris has a keen interest in criminal law and aspires to become a State Prosecutor upon completion of her degree. Paris also thoroughly enjoys studying the law of tort, and in 2019, was awarded the prize for Best Student in Introduction to Tort Law. Consequently, Paris would like to use this knowledge in practise by working in Personal Injury and Negligence claims.

Highly involved in the Curtin community, Paris has led and volunteered on numerous Curtin Volunteers! Programs and Projects. In 2020, Paris led the Boronia Pre-Release Centre for Women Resume Squad where she worked one-on-one with residents, some of which had been out of the workforce for a decade, to construct effective resumes to assist them in finding employment upon release. Paris also led the John Curtin Weekend trip to the Kulin Bush Races where volunteers helped the local community to run the mammoth event.

In 2019, Paris was awarded the J&J Top Solutions Opportunity Bursary for demonstrating entrepreneurial spirit and her commitment to service and giving back to the community. With a passion for leadership and personal development, Paris is working with the Curtin Student Experience team to create and facilitate a workshop suite which will develop students’ leadership capabilities spanning from goal setting to leveraging diversity. The Game Changer Series will expose students to numerous leadership models and theories and will be rolled out in Semester 2 2020.

Sagar Badve

Bachelor of Commerce

Major in Finance

Bachelor of Laws

Curtin

Sagar is an undergraduate student at Curtin University studying a double degree in Law and Finance. Currently in his third year, he is looking to pursue further studies and opportunities abroad.  Alongside being a Mannkal Scholar, Sagar has been awarded a few other scholarships including: The John Curtin Undergraduate Scholarship, Give to Change Bursary Scholarship, LEAP Scholarship and the Georgia Rotary Student Program Scholarship (GRSP). Under the GRSP, Sagar will be attending the University of Georgia (UGA) in 2021, and aims to build a nationwide network, while also gaining a better understanding of the US financial, legal and political climate.

Sagar has visited the US on several occasions, having been a coach for the LEAP Program at UCLA, and as a camp councillor in New York for two months before travelling to Sweden to

study at Lund University, as a part of his university exchange. During his time on exchange, Sagar was immersed in widely different political and cultural landscapes. Equipped with this newfound global perspective, he sought to explore different political outlooks, including Libertarianism, which lead him to the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation.

Sagar is particularly intrigued by the adoption of a free-market economy with the assurance of protection of private property rights, on the economic and social prosperity of Africa. His interest in Africa stems from its astronomical potential, due to the many untapped natural resource deposits, and its vast amount of uncultivated land.

Sagar is also interested in the fusion of leadership with business and community, and such, closely works with the executive team at Path of Hope; a charity determined on breaking the inter-generational cycle of family and domestic violence. In his spare time, Sagar enjoys the outdoors, playing squash and challenging himself in bouldering. He enjoys pursuing his artistic passion of public speaking, having been the Head Boy of Perth Modern School, a state champion debater, representing Enactus Curtin as a national presenter, and now working as an adjudicator for the Western Australian Debating League.

Sagar aims to continue to learn and expand his own network while providing value to any organisation he works with, and more so, to benefiting the wider community.

Jamie Miller

Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Double Major in Physics and Chinese

UWA

Jamie is an Honours Student at the University of Western Australia, currently undertaking his dissertation in Gravitational Wave Astronomy, having completed a bachelor’s degree in Physics and Chinese. After completing his studies at UWA, Jamie plans to undertake a DPhil in Fusion Technology at Oxford and apply for the Rhodes Scholarship to support him in his aspirations to make meaningful progress in the field of greener energy technology. 

With a strong passion for languages and science Jamie has travelled extensively throughout his degree, attending the Future Physicist International Summer Camp for 4 weeks at USTC, Hefei, the Chinese Language Institute in Guilin for over a Month, and most recently a 6 week research placement at Xi’an Jiaotong university in Xi’an. Back in Perth, Jamie has represented UWA at the Australia-China Emerging Leaders Summit and maintains an active involvement in his language studies and the Australia-China space.

Jamie is heavily involved in campus culture around UWA. Having founded his own not-for-profit, “Who Gives a Buck?”, Jamie facilitates fundraising at student-run events and maintains working relationships with over 30 UWA club presidents and Guild representatives as well as several charities both local and global. Jamie has also managed finances for several university social events, including a $20,000 social night and numerous study nights as the Physics and Undergraduate Representative for the University Engineers’ Club.

Jamie is keenly interested in Libertarian Philosophy, free markets and limited government, but feels it is important to spend more time listening than talking at his age when it comes to such complex topics. As a science and language major, Jamie recognises that his experience in these areas requires development and goes out of his way to find relevant and interesting texts such. Most recently, Jamie has started “The Road to Serfdom” by Friedrich Hayek. Outside of his studies and charity work Jamie is an avid Athletics competitor and musician, having recently represented UWA at the UniSport Nationals Athletics Championships as the mens’ team captain and played live gigs in a number of local venues.

Shu-Wei Kho

Bachelor of Commerce

Double Major in Economics and Political Science & International Relations

UWA

Shu-Wei is currently in her final year of undergraduate studies at the University of Western Australia. She has no set plans in terms of an ideal career but is interested in gaining experience in different roles and industries, to find something she enjoys. She has a keen interest in economic development, international relations, social impact and not-for-profit organisations. After the completion of her studies, Shu-Wei will start as a graduate at KPMG in the Enterprise Audit division. She looks forward to gaining new skills and knowledge by working towards her CA, while figuring out her next steps.

At university, Shu-Wei volunteers as a Uni Mentor to assist first-year students and is involved with the Returned Exchange Students Program where she promotes study abroad. Previously she has been a part of 180 Degrees Consulting, Guild Volunteering and a social basketball team. Outside of her studies, Shu-Wei works part-time at KPMG and is an active member of the Rotaract Club of Perth and District 9455 Rotex. As a member of Rotaract Perth, Shu-Wei meets regularly with the group to plan and participate in social and community activities. Some of the events she has been involved in include sandwich-making for the Perth Homeless Support Group, sausage sizzle fundraising, charity dinners and toothbrush packing for indigenous families in the Kimberley region. As a committee member of Rotex, she and a group of past Rotary Youth Exchange Students are responsible for organising activities for incoming exchange students. In 2017, Shu-Wei was a Rotary Youth Exchange Student in Finland. She spent a year living in Finland, immersing herself in Finnish schooling, culture and language. Shu-Wei’s incredible experience as a Rotary Exchange Student led her to complete another exchange at the University of Glasgow as part of her university studies. From a young age, Shu-Wei has experienced living in different countries and travelling regularly with her family. She has developed a strong desire to explore new places, learn about different cultures and languages, and interact with people from different backgrounds.

Shu-Wei first discovered the Mannkal Economic Education Foundation in her first year of university, when she attended a Careers Fair. She applied for the Leadership Development Program because she was attracted by the opportunity to build her leadership skills, learn about libertarianism, gain international exposure, and gain different perspectives. Shu-Wei is interested in exploring different aspects of libertarian philosophy to increase her economic understanding beyond what she learns at university. She looks forwards to building her knowledge of libertarianism across a range of topics and is interested to see whether it reinforces or challenges her current perspectives and economic knowledge. Shu-Wei is curious about the different economic, political and social structures within countries, and the causes and results of such structures. She believes that the Leadership Development Program will allow her to develop personally, academically and professionally.

Louella Eaton

Bachelor of Arts

Major in Economics

Bachelor of Laws

Curtin

Louella Eaton is currently an undergraduate student in her second year at Curtin University, studying a Bachelor of Law and Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Economics. Louella aspires to work for one of the big four accounting firms or as a lawyer focusing on Family Law. During her time at university, she has been involved in many volunteer groups. These groups include Teach Learn Grow and Ignite Mentoring which is providing one-on-one tutoring for school-age students. Louella is also a committee member for the Curtin Economics Society.

Louella has a keen interest in global politics and especially finds historical recollections of corrupt governments interesting. Louella has always had a love for Economics and wants to extend her knowledge past what she learns at university and learn more about libertarian economics. Her main interest in the current climate is the reduction of government control post Covid-19.

Outside of university, Louella is employed as a Swimming Instructor and as a disability carer. She finds joy when a child passes her class. She also is very passionate about sport/fitness. Louella is a huge AFL and Cricket fan, she plays hockey and a European sport called Floorball. Louella is excited for the opportunities that Mannkal has and will provide and learning more about libertarian ideology.

German Hernandez-Olivio

Bachelor of Business

Double Major in Economics & Accounting

Murdoch

German is currently an undergraduate student at Murdoch, majoring in Accounting and Economics. Currently in his final year, he will be starting a graduate position in Risk Advisory at Deloitte when he completes his studies. In July 2020 he will start an internship in the Economic Advisory section at the United States Consulate, where he plans to gain experience in Foreign Investment and Trade.

Born and raised in Venezuela, German has experienced the far-reaching impacts of fiscal policies and extreme government intervention. Fiscal mismanagement has been a main determinant in the economic decline of his home country, and a large factor in his decision to leave Venezuela 8 years ago. As a result, he has become passionate about economics, free-markets and libertarian ideals. He strongly believes that Foreign Investment and free market solutions will bring prosperity back to his country. After following Gloria Alvarez for the last couple of years, the opportunity to attend her seminar at Mannkal which led him to getting involved with the Leadership Development Program.

German is heavily involved with his University where he is a Senior PASS Leader and facilitates weekly study sessions for first and second-year students. He is currently a member of the Executive/Founding committee of the Murdoch Golden Key Chapter and he strongly believes that Golden Key’s mission of advancement of academics, leadership and service are highly aligned with his ideals.

German has a very strong interest in economic cooperation and international trade, he has worked with the Argentine Chamber of Commerce (ArCham) where he took part in meetings, trade proposals and research that will greatly benefit Argentina and Australia. A prime example is the proposed direct flight between Perth and Buenos Aires, which has been proven to be a gateway between Asia and South America. He believes that this new trading path will create immense opportunities for both state and domestic economic growth.

Outside of study and work, German likes to do Marathons and play tennis and volunteer in his local tennis club. He also collects vinyl records as he is a big fan of jazz and blues.

Alexander Kramer

Master of Professional Chemical Engineering

UWA

Alexander is a final year Master of Professional Chemical Engineering student at the University of Western Australia. He is currently completing his thesis project on enhancing the hydrate predictive capacity of the industry leading, multi-million-dollar, multiphase flow simulator OLGA at the Australian Resource Research Centre. Alexander’s research project requires him to collaborate directly with the Chevron Woodside Chair in Long Subsea Tiebacks UWA to provide insights and recommendations on the reliability and performance of the next generation extension for gas dominant subsea production systems. Alexander has been employed as an undergraduate pipeline engineer, a FIFO chemical engineer intern and is currently co-facilitating the 5th year core gas processing and flow assurance unit with tutorial attendance of 60 students. Alexander believes that energy enables human progression and values a realistic transition to an ever-cleaner energy mix. He has led in the establishment and affiliation of the first UWA clean energy club, Progressive Energy Strategies UWA. In his role as President, he cultivates, and shapes organisation culture and analyses diversified perspectives to optimise and implement solutions to club objectives.

Alexander is also the president of the Underwater Science and Engineering Link UWA and a committee member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers UWA. Alexander has completed a second major in business law, and completed additional online credentials in financial accounting, economics for managers and business analytics with the Harvard Business School. Alexander hopes to complete a Master of Business Administration with Harvard when he completes his current degree. He envisions this will further enable him to transfer his technical expertise in the energy industry into actionable insights and measurable business value for his employer. He continues to apply what he learns in his education consulting business, Kramer Tutoring, founded in 2015. To optimise financial performance in such a dynamic and competitive market, Alexander differentiates his business by emphasising solid foundations, strong stakeholder communication, and long-term strategic planning. Alexander appreciates Mannkal’s commitment to develop future free market leaders with an emphasis on free enterprise, limited government and individual initiative. He views the Leadership Development Program as a valuable opportunity to meet like-minded individuals and learn.

Alexander has interests in skateboarding, football, language learning, virtual reality, first aid and gymnastics. Alexander is a vodka enthusiast and hopes to one day apply his chemical engineering skills in distillation and process optimisation to produce his own high-quality product to share with his family and friends.

Mark Thomas

Bachelor of Arts

Major in Criminology

Bachelor of Science

Major in Criminology

Murdoch

Mark is in his final semester of a four year long double major undergraduate degree at Murdoch University in his two majors of Criminology and Forensics. He is determined in helping others and has had a passion for investigations and law enforcement from a young age which has led him to choose this path. Currently he is progressing through and application to be part of the Australian Federal Police. He is also considering further study in semester 2 the fields of either accounting/finance masters to further his career and aims to work in Forensic accounting or Fraud in the private sector. 

Mark has had an interested in Politics since being in high school which led to him being offered an Internship at the Federal Attorney General Hon. Christian Porters Electorate Office and then being employed up until and past the last federal election has given him inside experience in a government role related to his studies, from continuous self-learning and attending Mannkal seminars he has also developed a strong interest in Economics, even though it is not his area of study. He is particularly interested in Libertarian Philosophy, Freedoms and Rights.

In his personal time, he enjoys playing sports and exercising, with the main two sports he plays and follows being golf and basketball. He has played golf from the young age of seven and participated in many club and regional events in the past being a member of Joondalup Resort until he began working their part time. Other interests include investing in the stock market, travelling, music and cars.

Nikita Semenov

Bachelor of Engineering

Major in Electrical & Renewable Energy

ECU

Nikita is a current student at Edith Cowan University in his penultimate year of studying Bachelor of Engineering (Electrical and Renewable Energy) Honours. Following the completion of Nikita’s degree at ECU, he is planning on taking a graduate program in his respective industry, which will further build on his skills. Nikita is aspired to complete a Master’s Degree in Business and Law after the completion of the graduate program, which is a process to progress into Project Management with the ultimate goal of entering the Board of Directors in a firm.

Nikita has received three scholarships, one of them is Mannkal’s Leadership Development Program Scholarship, and attending Japan Engineering Study Tour with ECU. Nikita considers the Leadership Development Program as a gateway into the world of Libertarian and free-market ideologies. Nikita has attended Liberty & Society Conference and Freedom to Choose Conference during his time with Mannkal, which further built on his Libertarian knowledge, as well as an understanding of Australian political history.

Outside of university-related activities, Nikita enjoys an active lifestyle which includes surfing, skating, free-diving, running and swimming. Nikita is fascinated by the technical and mechanical attributes of the things surrounding him. In his spare time, he upgrades the 12V system on his 4WD, which includes: Installing winch, solar power system to power accessories like a fridge, surround lighting, UHF radio, and water tank with a pump. These upgrades give Nikita a hands-on experience for Electrical and Renewable Energy Engineering, as well as general mechanical skills.