Faculty of Facilitators

Our Faculty of Facilitators is a team of highly skilled and experienced local government professionals who will work with you to customise a program that responds directly to the unique professional development needs of your council, delivered in a way which suits you.

	Allan Bawden Allan Bawden PSM is an experienced CEO, Board Chair, and non-executive director with over four decades of senior executive experience in the local government sector across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. He now divides his time between serving as a non-executive director, consulting to governing bodies on strategy and governance and mentoring young professionals. He has served as independent Chair/advisor to Council CEO Employment Matters Advisory Committees and as Chair/member of public sector audit committees. He is passionate about good governance and working with Councillors to build effective relationships with their CEOs. Allan holds an MBA (Melb Uni) and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2014 for outstanding public service to the Bass Coast and the Gippsland regions.
	Anne Marie Cade Anne-Marie Cade is an award-winning lawyer, mediator & certified conflict coach with over six years' experience as a Councillor, including serving as Mayor & Deputy Mayor in the City of Glen Eira. A graduate of the Pathways to Politics program and a Churchill Fellow, her research focuses on conflict management and toxic polarization. With specialist training in negotiation, mediation, brain-based conversation and coaching skills, applied neuroscience as well as being a Master NLP practitioner, Anne-Marie delivers training and coaching to elected officials on negotiation, constructive conflict management, effective communication, managing incivility, building resilience and wellbeing. She has worked with the VLGA, LGPro, ALGWA, Women for Election and Pathways to Politics, providing training on managing incivility, how to lead with integrity and communicate effectively under pressure. She was named Australian Mediator of the Year, Conflict Coach of the Year (2024), and received the Service to Dispute Resolution Award from the Resolution Institute of Australia.
	Cazz Redding Cazz Redding runs Schemology (formally known as Redink Planning), a town-planning consultancy based in North East Victoria. Cazz established her business in 2006, after 8 years as a local government town and corporate planner. She specialises in project management, strategic planning and drafting of planning scheme controls and has a deep understanding of the Victoria Planning Provisions. Cazz works exclusively for local government, the Victorian government and statutory authorities across the state. Cazz devotes a significant amount of her time delivering training to build capacity across the planning industry. She is passionate about building both skill levels and confidence for people at all career stages and has trained thousands of people over the last two decades. Cazz has an open, honest and generous delivery style that keeps participants engaged and creates a safe environment to ask questions and explore ideas.
	David Imber David Imber is an accomplished communications and public affairs professional and non-executive Board Director. He brings extensive experience across policy and politics. David runs his own practice helping leaders, and their organisations, enhance and protect their reputation. While principally providing strategic counsel in crisis and issues management, David has extensive experience in media relations, and in training leaders. David’s clients span the private, public, and NGO sectors. David has advised Victorian Local Governments in areas as diverse as social media strategy, managing the impacts of councillor and community conflicts, as well as training Councillors and Officers in traditional and social media. A former President of the Victorian Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, David is a dynamic and engaging speaker and commentator appearing regularly on ABC Radio Melbourne’s Drive Segment “Spin Doctors”. He’s also been a speaker at IABC world and APAC regional conferences.
	Doug Weller Doug Weller is an Australian media training specialist. Doug’s roles have included Bureau Chief, Executive Producer, Editor, Chief of Staff, National Reporter, National Television and Radio Presenter and Newsreader, ABC Washington Correspondent, ABC Canberra Correspondent and lecturer in Journalism. Since 1998 Doug has facilitated high-quality, customised Media Training and Crisis Media Training programs, many designed specifically for local government. These sessions are grounded in decades of hands-on media experience and have been delivered to councils across Victoria and throughout Australia. Doug understands the complex media environment councils operate in, and equips participants with the skills, confidence, and strategies to interact with the media proactively and effectively – in both routine and high-pressure situations. He has worked with Mayors, Deputy Mayors, Councillors, CEOs, Executive Management Teams and Senior Media and Communications Officers in metropolitan, regional, and rural councils, tailoring each session to their specific media challenges and communication responsibilities.
	Jenny Scicluna After building a career in leadership within the local government and community sectors and earning a reputation for fostering others' success, Jenny has embarked on a new journey as a facilitator. Her focus remains on making a positive impact on people's lives, now through facilitation and support roles. Jenny deeply values teamwork, collaboration, helpfulness, and kindness, and is passionate about transparent governance and empowering leaders to excel in their service. Jenny holds a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Human Resources Management. The majority of her career has been in service to the community through leadership roles in local government, and most recently as an executive in both the community and corporate services streams at different councils across greater Melbourne. She has led landmark projects throughout her career including digital transformation programs, Council Plan development and deliberative engagement, development of a financial sustainability strategy and significant community recovery programs after emergency events. Jenny was awarded a place in the top 50 Public sector women in 2020 in ‘recognition of inspiring accomplishments and pioneering leadership of Victoria’s women”.
	Julie Reid Julie Reid has held senior local government roles in Australia and internationally and has extensive connections across the sector. A former local government CEO and Executive Director at Local Government Victoria (the state body that oversees legislation for the sector in Victoria), Julie has a unique hands-on understanding of the issues facing local government – such as governance, planning and infrastructure. She has vast experience building people-focused leadership skills as a mentor, coach and strategic adviser to local government executives. Using her knowledge, experience and acumen, she guides local government executives to find strategic, practical solutions to the complex issues they face while building trusted support networks in the sector for her clients. Julie also provides bespoke local government training and facilitation design and delivery.
	Kevin Leddin Kevin holds a Bachelor of Business and has worked most of his career in local government, initially in finance roles and spent the last 12 years as Director of Corporate Services before semi-retirement. He has considerable experience in all aspects local government finance including Budgets, Long Term Financial Plans, Financial Sustainability and Financial Reporting. Understanding the strategic role and focus of Council is also a strength, which is so important in assisting councillors who are challenged with matching community expectations for services and infrastructure with limited resources. Kevin continues his interest in governance via his role as an independent member on two Audit & Risk Commitees as well as sitting on the Board of a Not for Profit organisation.
	Liddy Clark Liddy Clark began her professional career as an actor, working both in Australia and internationally, before transitioning into public service. She went on to serve as a Member and Minister in the Queensland Parliament. Liddy has held senior leadership roles across local government, corporate, and not-for-profit sectors, with expertise in communication, management, and governance. She is a strong advocate for women in leadership and actively mentors emerging female leaders. With a deep understanding of the responsibilities and expectations placed on elected representatives, Liddy brings a government-aware perspective to her public speaking training. Her approach is tailored to help councillors communicate confidently, effectively, and in line with governance protocols. Liddy has extensive experience working with public figures across a broad spectrum—including Members of Parliament from Myanmar and East Timor, Magistrates, and Executive Directors. A passionate cricketer, she has played a key role in strengthening grassroots participation in girls’ and women’s cricket. She is a Director of RecLink Australia, an organisation dedicated to creating opportunities for joy, human connection, and purpose through inclusive programs that empower participants and enrich communities.
	Melissa Scadden Melissa Scadden is Managing Partner of an award-winning, boutique employment and governance legal practice based in Melbourne. Justitia lawyers work with clients in the government, local government and private sectors, and offer the full array of advisory services, including training, mediation and investigations. The firm is known for its deep expertise helping clients navigate challenging misconduct, conflict, and leadership scenarios. Melissa and her team aim is to help clients, including Councils, create work environments in which people can thrive. Melissa has supported many Councils over the years with sage, empathetic and strategic advice. She has a keen interest in early intervention strategies for workplace conflict, along with building the capacity of individuals to effectively engage in difficult conversations and resolve conflict.
	Maree Overall Maree's life has been dedicated to women’s health and gender equality. With a research career that has spanned infection and immunity, developmental biology, reproduction and fertility, Maree applies quantitative and qualitative evidence and analysis to bring about gender equal outcomes. She has a 20-year career in public and political advocacy, beginning in the medical field, where she developed her passion for supporting women in STEM, before pivoting to lifting the numbers of women in parliaments across Australia. As a former CEO of EMILY’s List Australia she was critically involved in national campaigns to decriminalise abortion and affirmative action. Hooked into reproductive rights and political advocacy from the first time she heard Victoria's first and only female Premier Joan Kirner speak at the launch of EMILY's List in 1997, Maree's determination to create positive change for women via political representation has been a focus ever since.
	Stephen Rowley Dr Stephen Rowley is a planner with more than 25 years of experience, including 15 years in local government. He is an experienced planning educator, having taught in the planning programs at RMIT and Monash Universities. He is the author of two books, including The Victorian Planning System: Practice, Problems and Prospects, the standard introductory text on the Victorian planning system. He is a Planning Editor for the Victorian Planning Reports and a Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.
	Tanja Kovac Tanja has over twenty years as a gender equity change specialist, bringing together disciplines of law and justice, campaigning & influencing, behavioural change techniques & data visualisation for equality and social change. She has helped apply a gender lens to hundreds of organisations of all shapes and sizes - from global firms to small business; Local, State and Federal Governments to NGO's in the community sector. A trained lawyer, Tanja commenced work as a solicitor, specialising in public interest & human rights litigation, where she assisted survivors of police misconduct & family violence, acted for Amnesty International in the case concerning refugees aboard the MV Tampa and victims of the Black Saturday Bushfires. Tanja is a former CEO of Gender Equity Victoria and served as Chief of Staff to the late Fiona Richardson MP, Australia’s first Family Violence Prevention Minister, where she was responsible for overseeing Victoria’s strategic family violence prevention and gender equality agenda, including creating the Victoria’s first Gender Equality Strategy. She also spent 10 years as Director and National-Convenor of EMILY’s List Australia, (where she met Maree) and was instrumental in developing gender-based campaign strategies, establishing the Julia Gillard Next Generation Internship for young women leaders, as well as advocating for policy change, including setting an affirmative action target for women - 50/50 by 2025. Tanja co-authored Measure for Measure: Gender Equality in Australia, for think tank Per Capita, where she is a Senior Fellow, calling for a life-course approach to national gender transformation, aligned to rigorous reporting against targets and measures.
	Tony Raunic Tony Raunic is one of Victoria’s most experienced and respected local government lawyers. With more than 30 years in legal practice — and terms as a councillor and mayor — Tony combines deep technical expertise with lived insight into public sector governance and decision-making. As Managing Principal of Hunt & Hunt Victoria, Tony leads the firm’s public sector and governance team and advises over 40 councils and government bodies on complex legal issues spanning property, procurement, probity, and councillor conduct. His advice is known for being clear, commercially realistic and politically attuned, especially when navigating sensitive, high-profile or contested matters. Tony is widely regarded as one of the state’s leading local government trainers. He has delivered tailored governance, conduct and decision-making training to more than 70 councils across Victoria. Whether advising a CEO or staff member, mentoring new councillors or guiding a major transaction, Tony brings clarity, calmness and good-natured engagement.

Training & Events