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Karen O'Connor
Founding Principal,
Earth Fire Alliance
Dr. Karen O’Connor is a scientist and systems strategist operating at the intersection of public health, climate, national security, and emerging technology. She has spent over 20 years translating science and data into operations for system-level change. She is a Founding Principal of the Earth Fire Alliance, a non-profit organisation advancing a global shift in disaster management through FireSat, a wildfire monitoring satellite which was named one of TIME Magazine’s Inventions of the Year in 2025. Previously, Karen spearheaded the philanthropic funding of multiple wildfire technology projects through her role at the Minderoo Foundation, including Spark Operational, the Australian Fire Danger Rating System, and XPRIZE Wildfire. Prior to her work with the emergency services sector, Karen shaped innovation programs across Australia through senior roles at the CSIRO and the Department of Defence, including overseeing a $730 million technology portfolio. She holds a PhD from Monash University and a Master of Public Health from the University of Melbourne.
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