Christian Taubenschlag is the founder and President of CMAX Advisory.
Christian has been advising and assisting both private and public sector clients with their corporate and public affairs communication needs for more than 20 years.
Christian has worked across a range of industries and represented clients involved in areas as diverse as defence, national security, mining and resources, agriculture, infrastructure, health and media.
Christian has a wealth of government experience derived from roles heading several departmental communication units. Christian has also established himself as a trusted advisor to the federal government, having worked as Deputy Chief of Staff to the Minister for Defence and National Security Adviser and Director of Communications to the Minister for Home Affairs.
Christian is fluent in Spanish, has a Bachelor of Communications and prior to establishing CMAX Advisory he worked as a journalist.
Tara Taubenschlag has worked in government relations, communications and journalism for more than 15 years.
Prior to her career with CMAX Advisory, Tara worked as a print and television journalist both nationally and internationally, producing and presenting news and current affairs programs for Sky News and Channel Ten. During her time at CMAX Advisory, Tara has counselled clients from a range of sectors including digital, cyber, defence, agriculture and education in government relations, reputation management, corporate communications, issue management and corporate social responsibility.
Tara’s professional experiences also includes work for a variety of consultancy firms, where she supported clients in the development and execution of strategic communications campaigns, government relations strategies, stakeholder engagement plans, ASX company listings, the development and launch of company prospectuses, and campaign and media management of events.
Tara assists a number of non-profit and community organisations with their PR and communication needs on a pro bono basis. She sits on the Board of Fortem Australia and is a passionate maternal health advocate and works with charities including Every Mother Counts, and The Hands of Rescue to raise funds and awareness for maternal health programs in developing countries. Tara was a founding board member of Women in Media – Canberra Group, was named the 2013 Government Relations Practitioner of the Year and was a finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Awards 2015. Tara helped establish the East Timor Free Press Foundation following the independence referendum in 2000, receiving an Australian Government Award in recognition for her volunteer work there.
Tara holds a Bachelor of Journalism from the University of Queensland.
Tyson Sara has more than 25 years’ experience in defence, international relations and government.
Tyson has served in a number of senior executive positions in the Department of Defence, managing strategic policy, capability and personnel. Tyson has also managed Defence’s international relationships, with particular expertise on the United States, South Pacific and Southeast Asia.
Tyson served in Parliament House as the Senior Adviser for Intelligence, Operations and International Affairs to the Minister for Defence and was lead adviser to the minister for the development of the 2009 Defence White Paper.
Overseas, Tyson served as the Policy Adviser to the Australian Commander in Afghanistan in Kabul. On a second tour he was seconded to the US Army’s 10th Mountain Division as Senior Adviser to the Commander of NATO Forces in Southern Afghanistan based in Kandahar, but travelling widely in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
At CMAX Advisory, Tyson is responsible for strategy development, political analysis, political engagement and geopolitical forecasting and analysis. Tyson assists our clients to understand and navigate the political and international landscape and develop ambitious but feasible strategies to help clients achieve their objectives.
Tyson grew up in rural South Australia and attended Flinders University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in International Relations. He has a Master’s in International Security and Strategy from King’s College London and is a graduate of the Royal College of Defence Studies. Tyson has also completed the Senior Executives in National and International Security Program at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.
The Hon Joel Fitzgibbon is on CMAX Advisory’s panel of Special Counsels.
Joel brings over 25 years of experience as a former federal Member of Parliament for the New South Wales seat of Hunter. Throughout his extensive career in politics, Joel served in Cabinet and held the ministerial portfolios of Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Minister for Defence, and Chief Government Whip.
He also held several shadow portfolios throughout his time in Opposition, including Shadow Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Shadow Minister for Resources, Shadow Minister for Rural and Regional Australia, Shadow Minister for Small Business and Tourism, and Shadow Assistant Treasurer.
Joel has served on a number of parliamentary committees, covering diverse issues including regional affairs; agriculture and resources; economics and finance; employment and workplace relations; foreign affairs, defence and trade; and public administration.
Prior to his time in federal parliament, Joel was a local Councillor and Deputy Mayor of the Cessnock City Council, and a small business owner.
Joel provides CMAX Advisory’s clients with corporate strategy and policy advice, assisting international and Australian businesses navigate the unique Australian business landscape. He also provides advice for Australian companies looking to expand their business overseas.
Rachel Noble is the former Director General of the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), Australia’s signals intelligence and cyber security agency. Rachel held this role for five years prior to which she was the head of ASD’s Australian Cyber Security Centre. During this time Rachel led a $10bn transformation of ASD which has successfully delivered its capability outcomes on time and within budget.
Rachel now serves as the chair of the iLAuNCH Trailblazer for space and is a volunteer on the board for the National Spy Museum of Australia.
Rachel is actively engaged in providing advice and assistance to the private sector on national security and cyber security.
Rachel also speaks publicly about national security and cyber security matters as well as speaking on women in leadership especially in traditionally male-dominated fields.
Prior to ASD, Rachel held a range of senior roles in the Australian Public Service including as the Deputy Secretary Executive Group in the Department of Home Affairs responsible for enterprise strategy, risk, assurance, security and ministerial, media and intelligence services. Rachel led the Portfolio’s Home Affairs Implementation Team to stand up the Home Affairs Portfolio in 2017.
Rachel also held senior roles in the Department of Immigration and Border Protection which included responsibility for trade, customs, immigration and international policy; the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service as the National Director Intelligence and Chief Information Officer; the Department of Defence; and Prime Minister and Cabinet as the National Security Chief Information Officer and Cyber Policy Coordinator.
Rachel has also worked for the Bureau of Meteorology on international policies to address global climate change and started her career in private industry working for Optus.
Rachel has a Masters of Business Administration in Technology Management and a Bachelor of Science with Honours.
Neil Hart AM is on CMAX Advisory’s panel of Special Counsels.
Neil also serves as a Strategic Defence Advisor to the Minister and Department of State Development, Manufacturing, Industry and Planning in Queensland, with a focus on the Aviation and Space industry. He was also recently appointed as a Professor at Deakin University and Chair in Defence Technologies for the Institute for Intelligent Systems Research and Innovation.
Neil remains active in the Australian Defence Force though the Air Force Reserves, principally through work in ADF Airworthiness Boards. His previous senior command appointments and positions with the ADF include Deputy Chief of Air Force, Head One Defence Implementation, Head Force Structure Review, Head Joint Capability Coordination Division, Commander Air Combat Group, Director of the US Central Command Combined Air and Space Operations Centre, and Director-General Capability Planning in Air Force.
Neil is a fighter pilot and flying instructor with more than 3,000 fast-jet hours, including time on the F/A-18 Hornet, the Mirage IIIO and the Macchi MB326H. He graduated with distinction from the Royal Australian Air Force Academy and was awarded a Bachelor of Science from the University of Melbourne. He is also a graduate of both the USAF Command and Staff College Course (Alabama) and the Royal College of Defence Studies (London).
Neil has served on flying squadrons operating throughout Australia and Southeast Asia, culminating as Commanding Officer of Number 3 Fighter Squadron, including leading the squadron on an operational deployment. Other key previous appointments include Director Special Operations Development in Special Operations Command, Director of the ADF Airworthiness Coordination and Policy Agency, and Deputy Director in the New Air Combat Capability project team.
Mitch has more than 20 years of leadership and management experience in the national security sector
Mitch’s deep national security experience supports CMAX Advisory partners in the defence industry, national security and higher education sectors to develop and implement superior organisational strategies to help them achieve their objectives.
Mitch’s diverse experience in Defence saw him serve in roles in strategy development and implementation, national and international stakeholder engagement, policy development, national training, operational planning and incident management. He supported delivery of capability projects as a user, by enabling trials of equipment, and by supporting the introduction of several large programs.
While in Defence, Mitch deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and the Philippines. On his most recent deployment to the Philippines in 2019, he assisted in the development and implementation of Australia’s strategy in conjunction with many federal agencies and international counterparts.
Mitch grew up in Bundaberg and holds a Master of Arts (Strategy and Security), a Master of Defence Studies, and a Bachelor of Arts (History and Management). He is a graduate of the Australian Defence Force Academy, the Royal Military College – Duntroon, the Australian Command and Staff College and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Kate Worden brings over 30 years of experience across various levels of government in the Northern Territory to her role at CMAX. Most recently, she served as a Minister in the Northern Territory Labor Government, overseeing portfolios such as Environment, Climate Change and Water Security, Renewables and Energy, Territory Families, Urban Housing, Police, Fire and Emergency Services, and Essential Services.
Elected to the Territory Parliament in 2016, Kate previously served as an elected member of the City of Darwin Council for the Chan Ward. This period honed her skills in grassroots politics, stakeholder relationship building, and ethical decision-making in challenging situations.
Kate has also held senior advisory roles for several Northern Territory ministers, covering areas such as work health and safety, local government, health, and sport. Her professional experience includes serving as a Director within the Housing portfolio, where she played a key role in establishing the Public Housing Safety Division and managing complaints and legal compliance functions.
As an Account Director with CMAX Advisory, Kate provides clients with valuable insights and advice on parliamentary processes, as well as state/territory, and local government operations. She helps clients navigate complex political and departmental strategies to achieve their objectives.
Kate offers strategic leadership across diverse sectors, including energy, health, and transport. She specialises in political analysis, partnership negotiations, and advocacy to drive reform.
Kate holds a Bachelor of Aboriginal Affairs Administration from the University of South Australia, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has been a part the ANZOG Executive Leadership in Local Government program.
Sarah is an advocacy and government relations professional with more than 15 years of experience advising senior leaders, managing diverse stakeholder groups, and delivering campaigns. She is known for distilling complex analysis into clear, actionable advice and bridging the gap between technical expertise and policy communication.
Since joining CMAX in 2023, Sarah has supported clients to navigate government approval processes, secure access to grant and investment programs, manage sensitive issues, and strengthen governance for complex, multi-partner initiatives. She brings expertise across policy, strategic communications, and industry-wide advocacy, and is valued for her ability to quickly master new subject areas.
Before joining CMAX, Sarah spent six years in New York as senior adviser and political strategist to Nobel Peace Prize laureate Leymah Gbowee, while serving as Executive Director of Ms Gbowee’s US foundation. She led operations, partnerships, fundraising, and public engagement, including securing media placements in outlets such as The New York Times, CNN International and The Guardian.
Earlier in her career, Sarah held leadership roles in Australian peak bodies and worked in the Australian Public Service, developing strong links between the for-purpose sector, government, and industry.
Sarah holds a Master of Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin, a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts from the Australian National University, and a Diploma of Project Management.
Dave has more than 28 years of leadership and management experience in the national security sector.
Dave is a capability acquisition specialist with strong connections across the Defence organisation. He has managed advanced strategic capabilities across the Defence enterprise and successfully led a major and complex project through the government approval process before introducing the capability into service. Dave has experience in operational planning as well as national and international stakeholder engagement.
While in Defence, Dave deployed to Bougainville, Timor Leste, Afghanistan and Iraq. Prior to joining CMAX Advisory, Dave worked in Korea where he managed international industry relationships.
Dave holds a Master of Arts (Strategy and Security), Master of Arts (Capability and Technology Management), and a Bachelor of Arts (Military History). He is a graduate of the Royal Military College – Duntroon, the Australian Command and Staff College and the Capability and Technology Management Course.
Alyssa is a corporate strategy specialist who supports businesses to enter and grow in the Australian and Indo-Pacific markets, and manage complex stakeholder relations.
Alyssa has worked in a number of legal and public policy roles across state and federal government departments, as well as in the private sector, helping companies to navigate the Australian operating environment and build brands that resonate with Australian customers and decision-makers.
At CMAX Advisory, Alyssa has supported Australian and multinational companies and non-profits across defence, aerospace, international development, technology, government and manufacturing sectors. She has led large corporate restructures, designed market growth strategies, and developed and executed government engagement plans for industry partners pursuing significant investment, commercial and branding campaigns in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region.
During her time in the Australian Department of Defence, Alyssa worked in key defence industry and international policy sections, managing Defence’s international relationships with Southeast Asia, and multi-million-dollar bilateral defence cooperation programs with regional partners. She also administered the implementation of defence industry and innovation programs, which strengthened government partnerships with defence industry and competitively positioned Australian companies for export success in foreign markets.
Alyssa has a wealth of public sector experience in government and stakeholder engagement, having previously worked with the Attorney-General’s Department, the Federal Court of Australia and a number of New South Wales government agencies.
Alyssa grew up on the beaches of Newcastle and graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts (Public Policy and French).
Jeff is a seasoned executive with over two decades of global experience spanning government and stakeholder relations, legal advisory, policy analysis, regulatory affairs, communications, and sustainability. He has successfully led high-level negotiations, influenced policy and regulatory reforms, and shaped corporate strategy across diverse sectors such as energy infrastructure and Industry 4.0 technologies.
As co-founder of a UK-based company specialising in digitisation and sustainable technologies, Jeff played a pivotal role in driving international expansion across the UK and Europe. Under his leadership, the company secured strategic distribution agreements and achieved significant regulatory outcomes. Notably, he negotiated the company’s inclusion on the UK National Health Service (NHS) framework, enabling contracts with NHS hospitals and fuelling substantial business growth.
Following rapid success, Jeff and his partners sold the company to a Canadian firm after just two and a half years, marking a strong exit and demonstrating his ability to scale and commercialise innovative technologies in complex policy and regulatory environments.
Previously, Jeff held a senior global leadership role at a digitisation and sustainable technologies company in Australia, as well as senior leadership roles in multinational and national energy infrastructure organisations. In these roles, he led government relations, navigated complex regulatory environments, and developed ESG initiatives. Able to operate at the intersection of politics, law, and business, Jeff has consistently delivered successful policy and regulatory outcomes that have driven strategic transformation and business growth.
As a former barrister, Jeff brings deep legal acumen to the corporate arena, combining his legal expertise with strategic foresight to manage risk and enable sustainable innovation.
Jeff holds an Honours Degree in International Relations from the University of Queensland, and a Bachelor of Arts/Laws (Hons) from Queensland University of Technology. Trained in advocacy and media relations, he is a skilled communicator and public speaker, with published articles in journals such as The Fifth Estate. He is widely recognised for his ability to influence decision-makers and shape industry dialogue. Jeff’s leadership continues to bridge the worlds of business, government, and regulation, fostering innovation and advancing sustainable progress.
Heather brings a breadth of experience spanning both Federal and State Parliaments where she honed her skills as a strategic thinker.
As Chief of Staff to the Leader of the Opposition in Western Australia, Heather delivered a four-year disciplined campaign built on significant industry and community engagement and the prosecution of a concise message, resulting in an historic electoral return for The Nationals WA.
Having served as an Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister; Heather oversaw the design and delivery of regional development programs across Australia. The successful delivery of these programs often required intricate negotiations between stakeholders and scaled from locally-led projects to major infrastructure upgrades.
From campaign strategy and policy development to detailed legislative analysis, Heather has built a skillset which delivers immediate objectives and achieves long term goals for CMAX Advisory clients.
Patrick is a specialist in government policy and engagement, with expertise across health, maritime, national security, energy, infrastructure, and government sectors.
As a Manager at CMAX Advisory, Patrick supports industry partners with the development and execution of government engagement strategies and market analysis across various sectors that interface with state and federal governments. His client-focussed work has included support to strategy development, policy analysis, government submissions and reports, stakeholder relations, and media and event management. In addition to his support to private-sector clients, Patrick has also developed public-facing strategies for state government partners.
Patrick has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of International Relations from the University of Melbourne. Before joining CMAX Advisory, he engaged in government relations and administrative activities in the non-profit sector.
Will is a corporate strategy specialist who enjoys helping organisations succeed.
Will has worked in professional IT and advisor roles across state and local government, as well as in the private sector, helping drive results and providing data-based advice and analysis to help support decision-makers.
During his time at an ASX listed Australian Bank, Will led the data analytics team and was a function lead for a business wide IT transformation project to implement a new core banking system, a project which entailed managing catastrophic risk and delivery of core functionality.
Outside of work, Will is intellectually curious about how the world works, is a voracious reader, and loves to travel with an autobiography or book never too far away.
Will graduated from the University of Tasmania majoring in Information Systems, he also holds a diploma of financial services and has served as vice president of Volleyball Tasmania. Will is currently chair of the Hobart City Council place and wellbeing committee focused on public health.
Travis brings enthusiasm, a professional attitude, and a strong academic foundation to his role as an Advisor with CMAX Advisory.
He recently graduated from the Australian National University with a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Political Science, a joint venture that has given him a solid grounding in political and financial analysis, research methods, and communication skills.
In his role as an Advisor, Travis provides strategy development, strategic communications, and stakeholder engagement support to clients. He is motivated by the opportunity to apply his academic training to real-world problems and deliver clear insights that contribute to solutions to help clients achieve their objectives.
Travis is particularly interested in the links between policy, markets, and the geostrategic environment. He is committed to keeping clients well informed of emerging issues across government and industry, and ensuring they are well-prepared to respond to an ever-changing political landscape.
Passionate about politics and public policy, Travis is excited to support CMAX Advisory’s clients.
Carli is CMAX’s Executive Support Officer with more than seven years of experience providing high-level office management and executive support, predominantly within the legal sector.
Originally hailing from the South Coast, Carli made the move to Canberra in 2018 and completed a Bachelor of Business majoring in Legal Studies at the University of Canberra. Carli combines a strong academic foundation with hands-on experience in professional services.
Carli has a clear understanding of the demands of high-performing workplaces, where attention to detail, confidentiality, and adaptability are essential. Her expertise spans a wide range of administrative functions, including executive assistance, office coordination, business development support, and process improvement.
Carli is passionate about optimising office operations and delivering seamless support that adds tangible value to businesses. She approaches each role with a professional mindset, a warm and approachable attitude, and a creative problem-solving style. Whether managing day-to-day workflows or contributing to strategic initiatives, Carli is committed to supporting clients with efficiency, integrity, and a genuine focus on outcomes.
Jennifer Doggett has more than 20 years’ experience in government, working with professional, industry and consumer groups and specialising in the health sector.
Jennifer is a Fellow of the Centre for Policy Development and Chair of the Australian Health Care Reform Alliance. She is a contributing editor to online health publication Croakey and has worked for a broad range of consumer, industry and professional groups in the health sector.
Jennifer’s previous roles include policy officer in the Department of Health, Communications Manager for a national medical organisation and political adviser to a federal senator on health and social policy issues.
Jennifer is the author of a number of publications on health issues including: “A New Approach to Primary Care in Australia” and “Out-of-pocket: re-thinking co-payments in the health system”. She is a contributing author to books More than Luck, Pushing our Luck and Creating and Implementing Public Policy.
Jason Staines has worked as a journalist and editor in Australia, the UK and India. He has also worked in economic diplomacy and policy analysis for the Australian Treasury.
Prior to joining CMAX Advisory, Jason worked for the Commonwealth Treasury as an analyst in Canberra and before that in New Delhi, where he was the senior research officer for Treasury’s post at the Australian High Commission. This economic diplomacy role combined his journalistic experience in reporting on the Indian economy with establishing and maintaining relationships with the Indian government.
Jason has a strong background in editorial production, having worked as production editor on business titles in Sydney and London, as a senior sub-editor for Australian Associated Press and as a news editor for the Age in Melbourne. While in India he was an editor for Dow Jones Newswires.
Jason was raised in Sydney, where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts (Communication) from the University of Technology, Sydney and his Master of International Studies from the University of Sydney.