People | Industry and Policy Partners

Dr. Cate Thomas

Dr. Cate Thomas has a diverse career spanning health, human services, leadership, and management, reflected in her qualifications across human services, education, and business. A dynamic leader and strategic thinker, she has held key roles in academic, government, and non-government sectors, including Manager Research to Practice in the NSW Government and social policy consultancy in childcare models.

At the CanBe Lab, Cate investigates the gendering of robots and the ways AI increasingly makes intersexuality and other identity data visible/ its lack of collection more apparent, exploring how emerging technologies shape or enforce social norms, inclusion/exclusion, and ethical governance.

Cate completed her PhD at Sydney University on research-to-practice utilisation in child welfare. She has received multiple awards for her work in social justice, inclusion, and education, including the NSW Premier’s Silver Award and the ANZSWWER Social Work Educator Award.