Better governance to facilitate healthier relationships

The Better Place Australia Board of Directors

Rachel Holthouse

Rachel Holthouse

Chair of the Board

Rachel is a specialist advisor in international education. Her most recent role until October 2019 was Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Global Development at RMIT University. Her previous role was as Chief Executive Officer of RMIT Training, a company wholly owned by RMIT University, located in Melbourne, Australia. The company is a successful provider of education solutions supporting professional development goals of clients worldwide.

Rachel joined in May 2017.

Rachel is a member of the People and Governance Committee.

Erika Owens

Erika Owens

Deputy Chair

Erika Owens is the Director, Victim Support within the Victim Services, Support and Reform (VSSR) unit at the Department of Justice and Community Safety. She was previously the CEO of Crime Stoppers Victoria. She has also held executive positions as Senior Manager, Southern & Eastern Melbourne and later as General Manager, State Services at Relationship Australia (Vic) for 3 years. Prior to this, Erika worked in the Department of Justice for several years overseeing the delivery of government reform and operations. Erika has a Bachelor of Arts (Sociology and Australian Cultural Studies) from Victoria University, a Graduate Diploma in Arts (Criminology) from the University of Melbourne and an Executive Master of Public Administration from the University of Melbourne

Erika joined the Board in 2018

Erica is a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee

Judy Small AM

Director

Judy is a retired Federal Circuit Court judge. She was admitted to the legal profession in 1999, after practising first as a psychologist and then as a full-time folk singer for 20 years. She spent six years in private practice before joining Victoria Legal Aid in 2004 and became an Accredited Specialist in Family Law in 2005. Judy was appointed as Director of Family, Youth & Children’s Law at VLA in 2009. She was appointed to the bench of the Federal Circuit Court in 2013, sitting exclusively in the Family Law jurisdiction, and retired in April 2020. She was awarded membership in the Order of Australia in 2013. Judy currently chairs the Board of Midsumma Festival, Australia’s leading LGBTQI+ arts organisation.

Judy joined the Board in February 2023. 

Delia McIver

Director

Delia McIver has significant experience at a senior executive level across the post-secondary education sector in the areas of People and Culture/Human Resources, safety, risk and corporate services and has worked across Australia and internationally in her career. Delia currently holds the position of Executive Director People, Culture and Safety at Chisholm Institute, having held similar positions as Executive Director People & Capability at Box Hill Institute and Director Human Resources at Victoria University. Having a keen interest in the not-for-profit sector, Delia has been a member of the Fitzroy Learning Network Board, Oakleigh Centre Board and enjoys participating as a volunteer at Reclink. Delia is a graduate of the University of Melbourne, Monash University and La Trobe University and a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute.

Delia joined the Board in May 2017

Delia is Chair of the People and Governance Committee

David Speyer

David Speyer

Director and Treasurer

David is Executive General Manager Victoria at Aruma. His passion is to enable the delivery of excellence to customers and his passion to create the dynamic environment for change and growth to thrive. Today that means leading services to people living with Disabilities to live a great life, the life they choose. Throughout his career in senior executive and leadership he has applied his commercial and financial acumen to complex change and turnaround through roles in finance, mergers and acquisitions, business reorganisations in multinationals and for-purpose national organisations.

David joined the Board in October 2014

David is Chair of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee

Anne Goldsbrough

Magistrate Anne Goldsbrough

Director

Anne Goldsbrough has been a leader in the area of Family Violence and Family Law since her appointment as a Victorian Magistrate in 1996. She was the Part-Time Law Reform Commissioner for the Australian Law Reform Commission’s inquiry and report into the interaction of laws and practice in Family Law, family violence, child protection, sexual assault, and criminal laws in 2010. She sat on the Judicial Council on Cultural Diversity from 2014 to 2022. Anne is currently the Regional Coordinating Magistrate and Lead Family Violence Magistrate for the Hume region including Shepparton and 8 other regional courts. She has presided over notable projects as a magistrate, including the development and introduction of the Specialist Family Violence Court Division in 2005.

In June 2022, Anne was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for significant service to the judiciary, and to the law and to legal education. Anne regularly contributes to ongoing legal and judicial professional development and to a range of community information and education programs both locally and abroad. Anne brings the same dedication to Better Place Australia where she has a natural interest in our services that are supportive of those at risk of family violence and our practitioners focus on risk assessment and safety planning.

Anne joined the Board in November 2018

 

Dr Bruce Bolam

Dr Bruce Bolam

Director

Dr Bruce Bolam is Director of the Loddon-Mallee Public Health Unit based at Bendigo Health. He has extensive experience in public health, research and policy, gained though senior roles in health and government sectors in Australia and the UK. Passionate about improving health and wellbeing for all, Bruce believes that empowering people to build better relationships is foundational for happier and healthier individuals, families and communities. Bruce is a Fellow of both the Public Health Association of Australia and the UK Faculty of Public Health of the Royal Colleges of Physicians, and holds several related degrees.

Bruce joined in February 2020

Bruce is a member of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee

Garry Button

Director

Garry is an seasoned Finance, Risk and Corporate Services executive with significant experience in large government organisations, driving improved organisational performance with a focus on customer service and meeting stakeholder needs. He brings deep experience driving strategy and transformational change, delivering strategic financial advice and management, creating high-performing, innovative and accountable teams, and applying excellent interpersonal and people leadership skills to build highly effective relationships in complex and political environments.

A graduate of the University of New South Wales, he is a Fellow of CPA Australia with diverse experience and commercial background in corporate financial management and many corporate service functions. He is also a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. With many years of experience  reporting to boards, Garry also has many years’ experience as a non-executive director in not-for-profit, professional association and ASX listed environments, including as shareholder nominee.

Garry is currently Executive Director Corporate Services and CFO at Ambulance Victoria. His career includes senior management and CXO roles across four Australian State capitals and diverse industry sectors including consumer products, media, transport, energy and health. With  a values-based approach and a deep respect for people, Garry brings his talent for financial and risk management, governance and transformational change to the Better Place Australia board to support the delivery of our services to those in need.

Garry joined the Board in March 2023. 

Garry is a member of the Finance Risk and Audit Committee.

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