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The Women’s Health Victoria Board is made up of a group of dedicated voluntary members. Our Board brings a wide range of commercial, not-for-profit and business skills, expertise and knowledge to Women’s Health Victoria.

 

Board of Directors for 2024

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Judy Hacker B.Ec, Dip.Ed, Certificate in marketing
Chair - Elected to Board: Oct 2016

Judy is a results-driven, strategically minded marketing professional who combines creative and analytical skills to build strong, successful brands that drive growth and build loyalty. With a board portfolio spanning not-for-profit organisations in the fields of women, health, disabilities and family, Judy has extensive experience and knowledge of high performing boards and a deep understanding of governance, stakeholder engagement, strategy delivery, risk management and effective communications. She’s passionate about gender equality and empowering women and girls to have the education, tools, and opportunities to take control over their own lives.

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Emily Howie BA/LLB(Hons), LLM (Columbia)
Deputy Chair - Elected to Board: Oct 2018

Emily Howie brings extensive experience in law, women’s rights, advocacy, and campaigning.  Emily is the General Counsel and Director of Dispute Resolution at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission.  Previously, in her role as Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Centre, she worked to ensure that women have access to reproductive health rights through advocacy and legal action.

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Julie Bignell BA, Grad Dip (IR/HR), GAICD, GAIST
Treasurer - Elected to Board: Oct 2021

Julie Bignell is an experienced Board member with extensive experience in corporate governance, risk management, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, industrial relations and a deep understanding and commitment to women’s reproductive rights and gender equality. She is currently a Director of Austin Health. Julie's previous experience as a board member includes CareSuper, the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI), Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, and the North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation. Julie was previously Secretary of the Australian Services Union (Central and South Qld Branch), incorporating a term as National Vice-President.

Lesley Ber

Lesley Ber B.Comm, B Acc, CA(SA), MBA, ADIT, Dip.Gov FICDA
Member - Elected to Board: April 2023

Lesley Ber is a highly experienced finance and risk professional, specialising in the non-profit sector. She is a qualified Chartered Accountant with an MBA and diplomas in international tax and governance. Lesley has a background in domestic and international structured finance, general banking and treasury bank auditing. She has also served as a tax examiner and university Accounting lecturer. Currently, Lesley is the Treasurer and Chair of Finance of the National Council of Jewish Women Victoria and a finance committee member for the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health. Her dedication to empowering women and promoting gender equality is a driving force in her work.

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Kate Broun BAppSc (Health Promotion) (Hons), PGDipAppSci (Org Dynamics); GAICD
Member - Elected to Board: Oct 2016

Kate Broun is an experienced public health professional leading cancer prevention policy and programs to improve population health, with a commitment to reducing health disparities among priority communities. Kate is the Head of Screening, Early Detection and Immunisation at Cancer Council Victoria. She is passionate about women's health and achieving equality.

shaymaa-elkadi

Shaymaa Elkadi PhD (Neuropsychology), ExecMPA
Member - Elected to Board: Oct 2021

Dr Shaymaa Elkadi is the Executive Manager of Strategy and Program Integration at the Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture. Shaymaa has held previous senior leadership roles at the Eastern Melbourne Primary Health Network, Department of Health, Corrections Victoria, Beyond Blue & Forensicare. Shaymaa is a skilled strategist with over 15 years of expertise in leading organisational and service transformation and reform. Having worked across the Justice and Mental Health systems, she is highly versed in complex policy, system and service redesign. Shaymaa is committed to focusing on client outcomes to ensure and maximise excellence, innovation, and value in services to the community.

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Ashlea Gilmore BA (Criminology and Politics) 
Member - Elected to Board: Oct 2021

Ashlea Gilmore is experienced in health policy, advocacy and government and is currently the Senior Strategic Development Manager, Partnerships at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre. Prior, Ashlea was a Senior Adviser to the Victorian Minister for Trade and Investment and an Adviser to Australia’s first Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence and Minister for Women. In this role Ashlea advised on the Victorian Government’s response and implementation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence and supported the development of Victoria’s first Gender Equality Strategy.  

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Brigid Mahar B. Comm B.PD CA 
Member - Elected to Board: Oct 2019

Brigid Mahar has extensive experience working with not-for-profit organisations in relation to strategy and operations, specialising in the development of transparent and efficient funding models, policies and processes to support effective decision making.  She is a chartered accountant and has a strong financial background spanning the not for profit and corporate sectors.

Johanna Wicks

Johanna Wicks BA, PGDip (DevSt), GCert (IH) 
Member - Elected to Board: April 2023

Johanna Wicks brings 20 years of health policy and advocacy experience to the Board. She has worked with global and national not-for-profit organisations, as well as with the federal government. Her recent roles have focussed on advocacy to improve health policy for sexual and reproductive health, preterm infant access to human milk and new therapies for the gut microbiome. In her current role she leads external engagement for Besins Healthcare, a small family-owned pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and delivers healthcare solutions to help women successfully manage the often-unexpected issues related to pregnancy, infertility, and menopause.

Our board members, staff and volunteers work to a values-based code of conduct, which sets expectations about our leadership and integrity; our belief in empowerment of others; our belief in equality of opportunities and rights; our feminist commitment to women’s equality and to challenging gender norms, practices and structures.

Board Director positions are voluntary with expenses reimbursed.

If you are Interested in Board positions please contact the CEO on 96649300