Staff

Home
>
About Us
>
Staff

Use this page to find out more about the VLGA team and use the contact form to get in touch. A copy of your message will be sent to the email you provide in the contact form.

Maree McPherson
Chief Executive Officer
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7901

Eight years in the Commonwealth’s regional development delivery agency has afforded Maree McPherson a strong operational understanding of the Australian, Victorian and regional political and social contexts. Maree's experience with local government over the past decade includes assisting councils apply for and manage Commonwealth regional development grants for a variety of projects. Maree worked alongside the Gippsland Local Government Network and the Gippsland Regional Managers' Forum in her previous role with the Gippsland Area Consultative Committee.

Maree is also a former delegate to the South East Australian Transport Strategy Inc. (SEATS); an organisation that provides coordinated and influential advocacy for the development of transport infrastructure in South East Australia, to support sustainable economic development. In this role, Maree worked closely with the twenty local government members of SEATS located in south eastern New South Wales, eastern Victoria, and the ACT.

Maree has more than twenty-five years experience in community development work, with several years in senior management roles, including four years as a Regional Manager with Anglicare Victoria. She has been a member of management and advisory committees for a range of national, state and local organisations, in the water, health and finance sectors, family violence / homelessness services, and the adult and community education and disability sectors.

Maree is a member of the Victorian Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board, and chairs the Advisory Committee for the Gippsland Community Leadership Program. Maree has tertiary qualifications in Social Welfare and Business and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is a member of Economic Development Australia and the Institute of Public Administration (Vic).

02/04/2010 – The Age, MyCareer.com.au article “The power of local knowledge” by Carolyn Rance – Featuring Maree McPherson Appointment to VLGA as CEO; View Article
Barbara Bennett
Office Manager/Executive Assistant
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7901

After many years in management positions in the insurance industry, Barb returned to her 'working origins' as Office Manager & Executive Assistant to CEO Maree McPherson. Before joining the VLGA in 2007, Barb worked in the CEO's office at Hepburn Shire Council for almost four years.
Linda Bennett
Women's Policy Officer
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7904

Linda has a background in community development as both a paid worker and volunteer activist, and in local governments. She believes that women working together with shared values can change the culture of politics so that it better reflects their hopes and concerns for themselves, their families and their communities. At the VLGA she works across a broad range of women’s policy areas, provides the Secretariat for the Women’s Participation in Local Government Coalition, and is involved in other projects as opportunities arise.
Sarah Colgan
Member Resources Officer
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7983

Sarah Colgan came to the VLGA from Holmesglen Institute to manage the Overseas Qualified Professionals Project in 2008. Sarah has a background working with refugees, migrants and International students in ESL at the Holmesglen Language Centre, and has previously worked with youth, in aged social support, administration and customer service. Sarah is currently undertaking a Master of Professional Accounting at Monash.
Paul-Anthony Dabley
IT Officer
Send Email
T: +61 3 9349 7920

In today’s advancing society information technology and communication is rapidly evolving, situating a fresh set of expectations and requirements on how daily business is performed. This encourages people to develop a new perception on how to communicate and collaborate with those they interact with.

VLGA encourages the utilisation of technology in every level of its workforce and is providing services that allow people to communicate and work more effectively and efficiently.

The rapid growth of information technology has been an endeavoring catalyst and VLGA not only realises the inherent potential behind IT but has already chalked out a plan of action that will help us achieve a new level of quality service to our associates.
Ron Exiner
Director Governance
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7999

Ron Exiner has worked in and around local government for the past 25 years. His experience includes being an officer at the former St Kilda Council and a senior officer at the former Brunswick, Moreland and Nillumbik Councils. He has also worked as a consultant to local governments particularly in the area of governance. He wrote the 'Good Governance Guide' for the Good Governance Advisory Group in 2003 and has written and contributed to other publications on good governance and consultation.

Ron is also on the Board of the Inner North Community Foundation which supports employment related projects in the inner north region.
Jan Farrell
Finance Officer
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7921
Jan Farrell has worked at the VLGA since mid-2006, providing accounting and financial services to the organisation in her part-time role as Finance Officer. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and also works as a small business consultant across a broad range of organisations.

Jan is serving a second term as a Councillor at the City of Greater Geelong, where she holds the portfolios of Community Safety and Education and Youth. She is a strong advocate for young people and is active in the VLGA’s work to minimise the harmful effects of gambling on Victorian communities.
Gary Jungwirth
Human Rights Policy & Project Officer
Timor-Leste Project Officer
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7999

Gary Jungwirth wears two hats at the VLGA. Gary is the VLGA's Human Rights Policy & Projects Officer, and the Timor-Leste Project Coordinator. He has had a long term involvement with Timor-Leste and has visited there on eight occasions. He was Chair of the Friends of Aileu for many years and the VLGA Working Group Chair for three years. Gary served as a Councillor for the former City of Preston and then Hume City Council for more than 18 years and is a three-time Mayor. His major interests in local government include social justice, human rights, lifelong learning and sustainability.

Gary has worked as an adviser in the Hawke, Cain and Bracks governments for seven Ministers and is a qualified lawyer and town planner, working for many years in policy areas for the state government. He has a Masters Degree in Public Policy, Bachelor degrees in Arts and Law and post graduate diplomas in Criminology and Town and Regional Planning.
Darren Ray
Director Policy & Public Affairs
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7902
M: 0413 334 523
Darren has been the Director of Policy & Public Affairs at the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA) since April 2007 (serving as Acting CEO from September 2008 to November 2009).

He previously worked as an adviser to State and Federal MPs and Ministers, was a National Project Officer for the Australian Physiotherapy Association, inaugural executive director of the ALSO Foundation, manager of North West Youth and Family Services Inc in the inner west, and was an emergency housing support worker in Epping.

With over 15 years of advocacy in housing–related and equality issues, Darren was a founding Board Member of the Australian Federation of Homelessness Organisations (AFHO), Victorian Chairperson of the National Youth Coalition for Housing, and was a Board Member of the Port Phillip Housing Association from 2001 to 2008.

As well as his community advocacy involvement, Darren was first elected as a Councillor to the Port Phillip City Council in 1999. He was twice Mayor in 2002–2003 and 2005-2006. He was Chair of Port Phillip’s Statutory Planning Committee for many years.

Complementing his diverse current interests, Darren is also a current Ambassador for Windana Society, and is undertaking a Masters Degree in Planning & Environment at RMIT
Emma Shepherdson
Local Government Gaming Policy Officer
Send Email

T: +61 3 9349 7999

Emma Shepherdson is a social planner with a Masters in Planning and Environment and a Bachelor degree in Social Research. Emma has worked in the area of gaming policy and social impact assessment since 2007 following the planning changes around gaming in Victoria. She is passionate about the impact good policy can have in supporting local governments in this area.

Emma combines her VLGA position with her role as Social Planner at Moreland City Council where she manages the responsible gambling portfolio, including a number of primary prevention programs related to problem gambling. Before working at Moreland, Emma worked as a social planning consultant, with a focus on gambling policy and community infrastructure planning, and in the Kingdom of Tonga as a community development officer through AusAID.