The Grants Committee is made up of currently serving senior members of the Royal Australian Navy. All of the Committee members have had distinguished careers in their own right and appointed because of their keen interest in the well-being of those who serve the nation through service in the Royal Australian Navy. They include:
Eric Young joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Maritime Warfare Officer in January 1994 from Central Queensland. He is a Maritime Warfare Officer specialising in both Anti-Submarine and Air Warfare. He has served in a variety of staff roles in Fleet Headquarters, Navy Headquarters, Australian Defence Headquarters, Headquarters Joint Operations Command, Maritime Border Command, and Maritime Task Force Headquarters in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. In addition to his broad Navy career, he has diverse Federal Government experience, including a mid-career break to work in Industry, where he was an Account General Manager. In late 2025, Commodore Young assumed the role of Branch Head Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Captain Katrina (Kate) Ryan entered the Royal Australian Navy via the Australian Defence Force Academy in 1990,and trained as a Maritime Warfare Officer. She completed a variety of Warfare Officer roles at sea and ashore, in addition to serving in Navy Headquarters communications, strategy and futures, and personnel related positions. CAPT Ryan has been employed in personnel related roles, particularly workforce planning and analysis, since 2006. She is currently a Trustee of the Royal Australian Navy Relief Trust Fund and member of the UNSW School of Business School Advisory Board. CAPT Ryan holds a BSc (Hons) in Mathematics from UNSW, a MBA from Charles Sturt University and a MSc in Management(majoring in Manpower Systems Analysis) from the United States Naval Postgraduate School Monterey. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Lieutenant Commander Shannon Cooper is a Legal Officer in the Royal Australian Navy, with 17 years’ professional experience within both State and Commonwealth Public Service and private practice. In 2019, Lieutenant Cooper entered the Royal Australian Navy as a Legal Officer and has completed a variety of roles at sea and ashore. LCDR Cooper has held positions in Operations and International Law, Headquarters Joint Operations Command and is currently posted to Commodore Flotillas Branch as the Legal Officer – Afloat. LCDR Cooper was awarded a Navy Gold Commendation in 2023 and HQJOC Command Commendation in 2025. She has represented the Military Legal Service at United Nations forums, is a Trustee of the Royal Australian Navy Relief Trust Fund and holds LLB (Honours) in Law and LLM in Military Law.
Warrant Officer Cheryl Collins enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy as a Combat Systems Operator in 1996 and has served in a wide range of maritime, joint and multinational appointments. Promoted to Warrant Officer in 2012, she held senior leadership positions including Electronic Warfare Category Manager, Fleet Electronic Warfare Manager, Command Warrant Officer of HMAS Perth and HMAS Stuart, Force Warrant Officer Mine Warfare, Clearance Diving, Hydrographic, Meteorological and Patrol Force, Command Warrant Officer Training Force, Navy People and Fleet Command, before serving as Warrant Officer Joint Operations. In July 2026, Cheryl was appointed as the Royal Australian Navy’s 11th Warrant Officer of the Navy.
