meet our team of expert hr consultants

Merilyn founded Catalina Consultants in 2012 on the belief that all organisations, regardless of size, should have access to top quality bespoke HR services. She enjoys working closely with her clients and believes that the best results are built on relationships of rapport, trust and authenticity.

Growing up, Merilyn had her sight set on stardom and dreamed of becoming an actor. She also sang and played the piano, but ended up studying accounting and HR. Whilst she hasn’t won her Grammy just yet, she still loves a good karaoke night. Merilyn loves to travel with her family, with South Africa being one of her most memorable destinations.

Katie loves the positive impact that HR can have on a business and having the ability to be part of implementing projects that help a business achieve its goals. Katie utilises her many years of consultancy experience to build long-lasting relationships with clients, colleagues and stakeholders.

As a keen traveller, Katie has lived in the UK, France, and Saudi Arabia and has spent a lot of time in Europe. Katie loves Champagne and French cuisine. On the weekend you will see Katie at dinner with friends, hanging by the pool, or watching sci-fi with her puppy, Thor.

Bee is a Principal at Catalina Consultants with almost two decades of experience across HR and business strategy in both Australian and global contexts. She works with clients across a broad range of industries, supporting the design and implementation of people strategies that align with business direction and growth.

With a strong academic foundation in business and human resources, Bee brings a commercially focused and solutions-driven approach to her advisory work. She partners with leaders to strengthen organisational capability, improve people processes, and support informed decision-making across the employee lifecycle.

Bee is known for her pragmatic, strategic style and her ability to translate complex HR challenges into clear, workable solutions. She takes a thoughtful and structured approach to consulting, supporting clients to build stronger, more effective workplaces.

Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Psychology and Human Resource Management. Her expertise focuses on Organisational Development, Leadership and Team Development, Change Management and Coaching. Rachel combines her corporate experience with her small business experience and ownership to provide a very practical approach to people solutions.

Outside of work, Rachel embraces her passion for the mind. She loves to discover brain hacks and is forever curious about the beautiful complexity of how we think, feel and behave. She loves to travel, share adventures with her children and you can't hold her back from a musical.

Anita is Principal of Talent Advisory at Catalina Consultants, leading our recruitment and talent advisory function across a diverse client base. She brings over 20 years of experience spanning recruitment, talent strategy, and people leadership, with a strong focus on building practical, commercially aligned workforce solutions.

Anita partners closely with clients to design and deliver end-to-end talent strategies, including workforce planning, recruitment frameworks, and broader people initiatives that support sustainable growth.

With deep experience across a wide range of industries, Anita combines strategic thinking with a hands-on, collaborative approach. She is highly regarded for her ability to build trusted relationships and guide both clients and internal teams to achieve effective and sustainable people outcomes.

Faza is the General Manager of Catalina Consultants, where she partners closely with our Managing Principal to oversee overall business performance and ensures strategic objectives are translated effectively across business operations, people, finance, technology, and marketing.

Faza brings over a decade of experience in HR and people-focused operations, having worked both in-house within the technology and consulting industries, and as a HR consultant at Catalina. As a consultant, Faza partnered with clients across professional services, financial services, hospitality, retail, creative, and not-for-profit sectors to provide end-to-end generalist HR advisory services to management and staff teams at all levels. Faza's core areas of expertise include performance management, workforce planning and optimisation, employee experience, and capability development.

This breadth of perspective – seeing organisations from the inside and as a trusted external advisor – shapes a working style that is pragmatic, approachable and balanced between being commercially grounded and people-centred.

Madeleine is a Senior HR Advisor at Catalina Consultants with experience across recruitment, consulting, and people advisory roles in both Australia and the UK. She supports a diverse portfolio of clients across professional services, creative, retail, and not-for-profit industries.

She specialises in delivering tailored HR solutions that align with organisational needs, with a strong focus on employee engagement, HR frameworks, and practical people strategies. Madeleine is experienced in managing client relationships and facilitating initiatives that support both culture and performance.

Madeleine is skilled at working across varied industries and organisational structures. She is valued for her ability to translate client needs into clear, effective HR solutions.

Shaina is a Senior HR Advisor at Catalina Consultants with experience across a diverse range of sectors including not-for-profits, professional services, technology, and Indigenous organisations.

She brings strong capability in delivering tailored HR solutions across employee relations, organisational development, and client advisory work. Shaina is experienced in managing complex and sensitive HR matters with a calm, practical, and solutions-focused approach.

She is recognised for her strong dispute resolution capability, creative problem-solving skills, and ability to adapt. Shaina works closely with clients to support meaningful people outcomes and sustainable organisational practices.

Sarah is an experienced Senior HR Advisor at Catalina Consultants with over 10 years of experience in HR generalist and advisory roles across retail, professional services, local government, and high-end industries.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and Commerce with a major in Human Resources and Industrial Relations. Sarah brings a highly professional, relationship-led approach to her work, partnering closely with leaders to deliver tailored HR solutions aligned to business objectives.

She is particularly experienced in supporting organisations across structured, high-standard environments including professional services firms, law firms, architecture practices, and premium retail and design brands.

Sarah is known for her ability to build trusted advisory relationships and provide clear, strategic HR guidance that supports confident leadership and strong team performance.

Nicole thrives on the diverse and fast pace of HR consulting. Holding a degree in psychology with an HR major, she has a particular interest in the innate and learned traits that differentiate and connect people. She uses this expertise to drive organisational and personal growth for her clients. With experience across a variety of industries such as professional services, retail, tech and not-for-profits, as well as living overseas in non-English speaking countries, Nicole likes bringing a fresh perspective to any situation and collaborating with the team to produce the best outcomes.

Those who know Nicole will say she spends most of her time adventuring outdoors, with her dog, finding new and exciting restaurants, or at the beach with a margarita in hand.

Charlotte is a HR Advisor at Catalina Consultants, supporting a diverse portfolio of clients across professional services and related industries. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and brings experience in both human resources and marketing.

Prior to Catalina, Charlotte worked across advisory and coordination roles within large-scale organisations in the wine and healthcare sectors. This experience has equipped her with strong stakeholder engagement skills and the ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, service-oriented environments.

At Catalina, Charlotte provides practical HR support across the employee lifecycle, including advisory assistance, coordination, and client delivery. She is known for her calm approach, adaptability, and ability to build strong working relationships with both clients and internal teams.

Cally is an HR Advisor at Catalina Consultants with a background in Human Resource Management and experience supporting clients across a range of industries including not-for-profits, education, professional services, and the building and architecture sectors.

With prior experience in finance, she brings strong analytical capability and commercial awareness to her HR advisory work. Recognised for her attention to detail and thoughtful problem-solving style, Cally provides practical, people-centred HR solutions that support both leaders and employees.

In her spare time, she enjoys an active lifestyle, going to Pilates and the gym. She's always up for trying a new restaurant with friends, or getting takeaway while watching the latest true crime documentary.

Katie is an experienced HR Support Advisor at Catalina Consultants with over four years of experience in human resources. She supports the delivery of HR services across a diverse client base, with a strong focus on operational efficiency and client experience.

Katie brings strong interpersonal and organisational skills, allowing her to effectively support both internal teams and external stakeholders. She plays an important role in ensuring smooth coordination across HR activities and client deliverables.

She is known for her collaborative approach and commitment to supporting positive workplace outcomes. Katie contributes to fostering a culture of engagement, respect, and teamwork across Catalina’s client work.

Isabella is a HR Support Advisor at Catalina Consultants with nearly three years of experience supporting HR operations and client delivery. She brings a strong administrative background from experience within the legal industry.

Her academic background in psychology, political economy and art history contribute to her well-rounded and analytical approach to problem-solving and client support.

Isabella is recognised for her strong attention to detail, organisational capability, and clear communication style. She supports the team across a range of HR initiatives and administrative functions, helping ensure high-quality and efficient client delivery.

Eloise is an experienced HR Support Advisor at Catalina Consultants with over three years of experience across HR and client service environments. She holds a degree in Human Resource and Industrial Relations Management from the University of Sydney.

Eloise brings strong foundations in communication, organisation, and client service, developed through extensive experience in hospitality and people-facing roles. She applies these strengths in supporting HR advisory work across a range of client needs and operational tasks.

Within Catalina, Eloise plays a key role in supporting HR processes, administration, and client delivery. She is known for her reliability, composure under pressure, and ability to keep multiple priorities moving efficiently.

Rebecca is a HR Support Advisor at Catalina Consultants, coordinating a wide range of HR and client service activities to support the team and her clients. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management and has gained practical experience through both internship and consulting environments.

Having previously completed an internship with Catalina before joining the team full time, Bec brings a strong understanding of internal processes and client delivery. She is detail-oriented, proactive, and highly organised, with a strong focus on ensuring smooth and efficient day-to-day operations.

Bec plays a key role in supporting HR advisory work across recruitment coordination, administration, and client communication. She is a capable and reliable team member who is developing her consulting capability within a fast-paced, people-focused environment.

Zac is an HR Administrator at Catalina Consultants with a Bachelor of Commerce majoring in Human Resources and Marketing. He brings a strong interest in people-focused work, developed through both academic study and early professional experience.

He supports the team across HR administration, project execution, and client delivery activities. Zac's developing his consulting capability while contributing to a range of client projects across the business.

Proactive, organised, and eager to grow his experience within a fast-paced consulting environment, Zac is valued for his willingness to learn and his strong support across day-to-day HR operations.

Joanna recently graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Psychological Science, majoring in Human Resource Management. She joins the team with experience across recruitment, administration and client service and a passion for helping organisations and individuals thrive. Joanna is excited to apply her understanding of psychology and human resources to support clients across a broad range of industries and contribute to meaningful people outcomes.

When she’s off the clock, Joanna enjoys sports, game nights, and travelling abroad, most recently across Europe and Asia. Driven by a desire to help others, she has also raised a guide dog.

Gabi is an HR Administrator at Catalina Consultants, bringing a people-first approach and a genuine passion for supporting positive workplace experiences. She holds a double Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Business Administration and has experience across both People & Culture and team leadership roles.

With a keen interest in human behaviour and workplace dynamics, Gabi enjoys the variety that consulting offers and is excited to support clients across a diverse range of industries while continuing to grow her HR career.

Z has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of San Jose-Recoletos in Cebu, Philippines where she interned in clinical, counselling, and industrial HR settings. Her experience as a Talent Acquisition Representative at Concentrix has honed her skills in identifying and nurturing talent, making her a great fit for our team. Z is excited to apply her knowledge and enthusiasm to help drive the growth of Catalina Talent Advisory.

Outside of work, Z loves to travel and experience different cultures. She enjoys watching movies and documentaries, reading self-help books, and experimenting with photo and video editing. A foodie at heart, Z loves discovering new restaurants and experimenting in her kitchen with new recipes – some of which are delicious, while others she describes as "educational."

Ysabelle brings broad experience across recruitment and HR, having worked in the Philippines across the hospitality, IT and real estate sectors. She began her career as a Recruitment Administrator at a four-star resort in Cebu before moving into specialist roles focused on end-to-end HR, including recruitment, training and development, and employee and labour relations. Now part of the Catalina Consultants team, Ysabelle is enjoying the opportunity to support Australian organisations by helping them find the right people for the right roles.

Outside of work, she enjoys painting landscapes with watercolour and gouache, experimenting with baking, and unwinding with a good film or series.

Leila is the Office Administrator at Catalina Consultants, where she provides the team with day-to-day administration and operational support to ensure a smooth and efficient office environment. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology from the University of Sydney and brings experience across administration, customer experience, operations, marketing and executive support.

Known for her strong interpersonal skills, attention to detail and positive approach, Leila enjoys working with people and building genuine relationships. She is passionate about creating positive workplace experiences and is excited to learn from the experienced HR team at Catalina Consultants as she develops her career in the industry.

Outside of work, Leila loves travelling and is always on the hunt for the world's best beaches. She also enjoys discovering new music, attending concerts and keeping up with the latest in fashion.