Open Pathway Collective announces inaugural Board of Directors

Open Pathway Collective (OPC), a non-profit software engineering organisation and registered Australian charity, is proud to announce the appointment of its inaugural Board of Directors. The newly formed board brings together deep experience of international human rights advocates, former high-ranking government officials, experts in the refugee and migration space including those with recent lived refugee experience, and financial technology innovators to help guide OPC as it builds sustainable digital infrastructure that connects refugees with opportunities and services.

As organisations face increasing pressure, OPC exists to open pathways for refugees through scalable technology. By establishing a dedicated software organisation, OPC is focused on building and sustaining the shared technical infrastructure the refugee sector needs: infrastructure that supports collaboration, improves access to services, and can scale over time. The board’s collective expertise ensures that OPC’s infrastructure is grounded in both humanitarian integrity and the technical rigour required to ensure no individual remains invisible to the systems designed to support them.

The inaugural OPC Board includes:

• Mr Derar Alkhateeb: A software engineer and co-founder of Pathway Club who was the first skilled refugee to receive international employment through the Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) program.
• Mr Stuart Ball: An expert in philanthropic financial management and organisational oversight.
• Dr. Meghan Benton: A leading researcher on migration and technology and Director at the Migration Policy Institute (MPI), exploring how innovation transforms global mobility.
• Mr John Cameron: Co-founder of OPC, Pathway Club and TBB, bringing a career of financial technology leadership and commercial software expertise.
• Ms Cath Scarth: A leading expert in refugee settlement and education and former CEO of AMES Australia, focused on innovative partnerships that increase economic participation.
• Emeritus Professor Gillian Triggs AC: A world-renowned human rights lawyer, former UN Assistant High Commissioner for Protection with UNHCR, and former President of the Australian Human Rights Commission.
• Mr David Wilden: A recognised expert in international migration policy and former senior executive who led the Refugee, Humanitarian, and Settlement Division in the Australian Department of Home Affairs.

Together, the board brings governance, lived experience, policy insight and technical understanding to support OPC’s mission and long-term growth.

“The escalating global refugee crisis requires scalable, sustainable technology that can reduce fragmentation and connect people more effectively with the opportunities and support they need," said John Cameron, OPC Co-Founder. 

“We are at a critical juncture where the right digital infrastructure can significantly reduce the time refugees spend in limbo, transforming years of waiting into immediate opportunity.”