Marlene is a Director of EveryAGE Counts, Australia's national campaign to end ageism. Marlene is a former consultant to the World Health Organisation's Global Campaign to Combat Ageism and HelpAge International.

Previously, Marlene was the Director of Willing to Work, the National Inquiry into Employment Discrimination Against Older Australians and Australians with Disability with the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC). This Inquiry was led by The Hon. Susan Ryan AO, former Age and Disability Discrimination Commissioner.

Marlene has worked in Commonwealth and State Governments and the not for profit sector in a range of executive, policy and operational roles as well as a number of major public inquiries including the Review into the Treatment of Women in the Australian Defence Force and the Special Commission of Inquiry into Child Protection Services in NSW.

Marlene has a PhD from Sydney University, an Executive Masters of Public Administration (ANZSOG), a Masters of Business Administration (University of Technology, Sydney) and is a registered psychologist.