QVWC Staff | QVWC Trust Members

QVWC Staff

The role of QVWC General Manager and staff is to enable a diverse range of women to engage in activities within the Centre building and virtual hub. This includes encouraging the participation of women and women’s organisations in the Centre’s capacity building and other programs.

Margaret Burdeu, General Manager

Margaret’s role is to provide strategic management and support to QVWC staff as we build a vibrant place and space for women and women’s organizations at the Centre, and within our virtual hub. Margaret’s experience includes work in health and the community sectors, education and advocacy. This has included a number of leading edge projects that cross organisations, governments and countries. She is currently completing research into how managers and staff balance their organisational demands with work in partnerships as part of her Masters in Management Practice.

Alexandra White, Capacity Builder and Program Manager

Alexandra’s role at the QVWC encompasses capacity building of women and women’s organisations and management of other strategic Centre programs. Alexandra’s background includes senior management roles in the community and philanthropic sectors in Sydney and Melbourne. She brings experience and knowledge around multi-sector partnerships as well as partnership and programs management.

Mazeena Mahroof, Finance and Property Operations Officer

Mazeena oversees day-to-day finances, including liaison with customers on accounts. She is the main contact for women’s organisations based in the building on operational matters, such as maintenance.

Anthea Cole, Office Administration and Project Support Officer

Anthea coordinates day-to-day office operations, handles reception duties and looks after the Centre venues, including bookings. She also provides support for QVWC events and meetings.

QVWC Trust Members

The Queen Victoria Women's Centre Act 1994 provides for the QVWC be governed by an appointed Trust of 12 members, representative of the community of Victorian women.

Catherine Brown (Chair)

Catherine is Chair of the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre Trust, the body established by legislation to manage the Centre. The Trust plays a key role in setting the Centre’s strategic directions, strengthening relationships with key stakeholders including the Victorian Government, and ensuring that other governance responsibilities are met.

Catherine is a lawyer and consultant with a special interest in philanthropy and the governance of not for profit organisations. She has worked with community foundations across Australia, particularly through her work with the Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal. Ms Brown has consulted to many leading philanthropic foundations including The Myer Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation, ANZ Trustees and The R.E.Ross Trust. She has extensive experience supporting the start up of not for profits, including foundations, and provides ongoing advice on Board development.

Catherine is also Deputy Chair of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and a former Chair of ACROD Victoria. Catherine worked in the not for profit sector for 11 years, including three years as CEO of the Brain Foundation, before establishing her own consulting and legal practice. In her early career, Catherine worked in commercial law and general practice.

Kay Setches

Kay was appointed to the Trust in mid-2005. She was born in Collingwood, where she attended state schools and worked in the retail sector as worker and manager. She was the coordinator of a women’s refuge prior to being elected to the Victorian Parliament where she served for over 10 years. As the MP for Ringwood Kay headed the 'Why Women’s Health?' consultation, which helped establish a network of women’s health services in Victoria. Kay was a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992, and has served on a number of boards and was the first woman elected to the Victorian Women’s Trust. Kay has worked to get more women elected to Parliament.

Gaye Hamilton

Gaye has a background in education, the environment and cultural sectors. She was Assistant Director, Melbourne Zoo, and Director, Werribee Open Range Zoo with Zoos Victoria before being appointed Director, Scienceworks and Director, Museum Operations, with Museum Victoria. Nowretired, Gaye undertakes a range of part time work and sits on several not for profi t boards, including the Western Bulldogs Football Club, Seaworks Foundation and Zoos Victoria.

Maree Davidson

Chair, Funding and Marketing Committee

Maree runs a social change, communications and strategic planning consultancy. Maree is Deputy Chair of the Melbourne Writers Festival board, an Executive member of the National Coalition Against Bullying (NCAB), a member of the Public Transport Ombudsman Board, a member of Centre for Multicultural Youth Issues Board, a Director of The Long Walk and part of the Advisory Committee for the Fellowship for Indigenous Leadership.

Laurie Bebbington

Chair, Programs Committee

Laurie is Commissioner for Law Enforcement Data Security. She has held executive positions in the Departments of Human Services, Premier and Cabinet, and Labour, including the CEO of Lakeside Psychiatric Hospital, Ballarat, and managing the state-wide drug treatment services system. Prior to her career in the public service, Laurie worked for the Australian Social Welfare Union. Laurie has maintained a commitment to women’s issues and the community throughout her career.

Michelle Beveridge

Michelle is a seasoned ICT professional with a strong strategic focus, a track record of delivery and high level skills in change management. She was recently appointed Chief Information Officer for IDP Education Pty Ltd. Michelle holds an MBA qualification from the Australian Graduate School of Management (AGSM) and is a Certified Practising Accountant. She acts as Chair of the Victorian ICT for Women Network.

Tamara Brezzi

Chair, Building Committee

Tamara is a lawyer and town planner who practises in all aspects of town planning law including major project developments, commercial and residential planning projects and local government work. She regularly appears in planning hearings at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and at Planning Panels Victoria. Tamara takes a practical approach to problems and she is passionate about her chosen field of expertise.

Jean Ker-Walsh

Jean is the National Manager, Corporate Reputation, at Transurban. She has experience as a broadcast journalist, political and public sector communications manager and strategic communications consultant. Her Transurban role has a strong operational focus which includes communicating through the media on customer and road experience issues. In addition to her Trust role, Jean is currently a Director of Hanover Welfare Services and Council Member of Australian Volunteers International.

Vivienne Nguyen

Vivienne has strong links with Victoria’s Vietnamese community and has demonstrated strong advocacy skills to support the strengthening of ethnic communities generally. She is currently employed with the ANZ Bank in Risk Management. Previously she was National Manager for AustChoice Financial Services Limited. She holds a Master of Applied Finance and sits on the Australia Day (Victoria) Committee Board and is a Commissioner for the Victorian Multicultural Commission.

Janet Wood

Janet grew up in Ballarat, spent many years outside Victoria and is now a resident of Gisborne. She

has been a teacher, an executive director and a member of Commonwealth administrative tribunals. Janet recently completed six years as chairperson of the Ministerial Advisory Council of Senior Victorians. Currently she is chairperson of Uniting Aged Care (Victoria and Tasmania), is a Board member and Policy Council member of COTA (Victoria) and is a chair or member of other health/aged related committees.

Lee Ward

Chair, Finance, Audit and Governance Committee

Lee is a Chartered Accountant with extensive experience in senior fi nancial management positions in industry and providing risk management advisory services. She has worked with both the government and private sectors, including work on corporate governance and compliance with the Financial Management Act.