Board
Chair – Currently vacant
To be appointed February 2013 following departure of Lesley Hall in December 2012.
Christian Astourian, Deputy Chair
Board Member Christian has had many years of governance experience within the non-profit sector, including 5 years as president of the Cerebral Palsy Support Network, chairperson for FECCA disability committee, board member of the Victorian government State Disability Service Board, member of the Disability Reference Group within the Victorian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, and member of the Melbourne City Council Disability Advisory Committee and Disability working group for Brimbank and Darebin councils in Victoria. He is currently employed by the Migrant Resource Centre coordinating the Diversity and Disability self-advocacy program for people with a disability from CALD backgrounds.
Ernie Thai, Treasurer
Ernie is an experienced chartered accountant, providing tax compliance and advisory services to high net worth individuals and senior executives of top 20 ASX listed companies and Fortune 500 companies. Ernie has previously provided pro bono accounting and tax services to Guide Dogs Victoria and he now runs his own accounting practice specialising in small business accounting and tax matters, business advisory services and wealth management.
Margherita Coppolino, Director
Margherita is an artist with a disability working in the medium of photography; She has worked in a number of roles within the Victorian public sector, most recently in senior management within the Department of Planning and Community Development. Currently, Margherita runs her own disability and diversity consultancy business. She is well networked within disability sector, playing a leadership role on a number of Boards and Committees.
Irene Holub, Director
Irene is a deaf artist specialising in visual arts, particularly print making. She is also a teacher of the deaf, an active and highly regarded activist within the deaf community. Irene has been a Board member of Deaf Australia and past President of Deaf Victoria.
James Dipnall, Director
James is Manager of Visitor Services at the Arts Centre Melbourne. He has extensive networks in the arts and a proven commitment to improving access for people with a disability. James brings significant expertise in arts and disability from an audience perspective and has been a terrific champion of our organisation and its work. James has also undertaken training in governance.
Gregoria Todaro, Director
Gregoria is an artist, whose practice encompasses writing and design. She has insights into mental health, in her role as a carer. Gregoria is also a lawyer with strong networks in the private and government sector; She has worked in senior policy roles within the state government and undertaken extensive work in the not-for profit environment with UNESCO, Fitzroy Legal Service and St Kilda Cross Roads.
Caroline Lambert, Director
Over a twenty-five year period, Caroline has been involved in a range of community organisations, co-founding the Women’s Rights Action Network Australia, in governance roles with Amnesty International, and as past chair of Women’s Housing Limited in Victoria. Caroline is the Executive Officer and Company Secretary of the YWCA Australia. In her work Caroline also manages the Equality Rights Alliance, Australia’s largest network of gender equality advocates and the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Alliance. Caroline is interested in ensuring that the voices of women in Australia, in particular young women, are included in the policy process.
Brad Sadler, Director
Brad has an extensive history of senior executive management in community services including disability services. He is currently CEO of Windana, a statewide Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service. He has worked extensively with the Deaf community in the past and has been active in the arts as a singer/chorister, performer and director in community-based theatre.
Sharon Flanagan, Director
Sharon is a visual artist working with mixed media on canvas, sculpture and multi-media. She also writes short stories and poetry and has recently started to combine poetry with her visual art. She has a strong interest in all art forms as well as a passion for nature and the environment and human rights issues. She has had a broad range of professional roles including general and psychiatric nursing, executive recruitment, policy development, training, equal opportunity and affirmative action. She has also undertaken considerable pro-bono work for the non-profit sector, developing work experience programs for disadvantaged youth and people with disabilities and providing training for women returning to work.
