Our members

Business and community members

Tracey Slatter – Acting Chair

Tracey is a highly regarded leader who listens to and partners with customers, the community and key stakeholders to identify and act on new opportunities and challenges. Tracey has the distinctive ability to innovate in traditional sectors, delivering exceptional outcomes and services that build trust and confidence. Tracey is committed to good governance and high performance, appreciating the unique talents and perspectives that diverse people bring. Tracey shows the courage to lean in to help make our Region and our world a better place.

Tracey joined the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) as CEO in July 2023. Prior to this, Tracey was Managing Director of Barwon Water for 6 years. She previously held senior roles within the health, community and public sectors including Chief Executive Officer at the City of Port Phillip, Head of Claims at the Transport Accident Commission, Chief Executive Officer at Colac Otway Shire and Director of Primary and Community Health with the State Department of Health and Human Services.

Tracey holds postgraduate qualifications in business leadership and a Master of Commerce. She is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration, and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Tracey is also a certified Level 2 IECL coach.

Bill Mithen

Bill is the Chief Executive Officer of the Give Where You Live Foundation. The Foundation works to challenge inequity in the G21 community and developed the GROW program that has a focus on creating and increasing social procurement and inclusive employment outcomes in the region.

He also chairs Gforce Employment and Recruitment Ltd and Tourism Geelong and Bellarine Inc. and is a member on the Geelong City Deal Advisory Committee and City of Greater Geelong Social and Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.

He has previously held executive and executive director roles at Save the Children Australia and in the marketing services, wine and energy industries.

Bill holds a Masters of Business Administration and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Frances Diver

Frances is a well-known and respected healthcare leader in Victoria, having held senior leadership roles for more than 20 years. Having initially trained as a nurse and midwife, Frances has worked in a clinical setting in a number of metropolitan and regional hospitals across New Zealand and Australia.

Frances was Deputy Secretary, Hospital and Health Service Performance in the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services until 2016. Before joining Barwon Health as Chief Executive in April 2019, Frances was CEO of the Country Fire Authority (CFA).

Frances chairs the Barwon South West Region Health Service CEO Council, is a Director G21 Board, Director Board of the Health Round Table, Member Barwon Regional Partnership, Member Deakin Institute for Health Transformation Board, Member Deakin IMPACT Institute Advisory Board and Member Deakin Business School Advisory Board.

In 2020, Frances was appointed Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Health at Deakin University.

Lisa Kingman

Lisa Kingman is CEO Tanarra Philanthropic Advisors and is one of Australia’s most respected independent community advisors to corporates, foundations and for-purpose organisations. Lisa received an Order of the Medal of Australia (OAM) for her 30 plus years work engaging businesses and charities and was also recognised as one of Australia’s 100 Women of Influence in 2019. Lisa’s social change initiatives are felt across all corners of Australia in the education, Indigenous, arts and social enterprise sectors. Lisa is a founding member of volunteer charity EdConnect and private sector housing charity Housing All Australians. A proud Geelong resident, Lisa aims to help shift the dial on some of the biggest social challenges facing the Barwon Region and to contribute to good growth for our future generations.

Jennifer Cromarty

For more than 20 years, Jennifer has worked across Federal, State and local government, with commercial and not for profit organisations – supporting them to engage with their stakeholders, members and community for economic and community development outcomes.

Jennifer has significant experience in running small businesses, is a Board Director of community hospice Anam Cara House Geelong and founded local not for profit Creative Geelong Inc. From 2019-2022, she was the CEO of the Committee for Geelong. These skills and experiences are supported by extensive knowledge of economic development, planning, creative industries and a spirit of collaboration to ensure Geelong is a cohesive, resilient community that gives hope and inspiration for future generations.

For more than 15 years, Jennifer has worked with First Nations peoples across the country and is committed to ensuring the voice of First Nations and Traditional Owners is honoured, respected and recognised.

Corrina Eccles

Wadawurrung Woman Corrina Eccles lives and works on Wadawurrung country and has 23 years of employment experience in Aboriginal organisations and community engagement.

She actively contributes to various advisory and committee groups and on many regional Boards. Corrina has undertaken board governance training and brings knowledge of Wadawurrung and First Peoples culture, perspectives and values to see growth, recognition and self determination.

Thys Heyns

Thys is the deputy chair of the Geelong Manufacturing Council, a company director and a consultant. With has 35 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry, most recently with Viva Energy as Chief Operating Officer, Thys is a globally experienced Industry leader, with a recognized ability to inspire teams to great performance through the values of excellence, collaboration and respect. Prior to joining Viva Energy and moving to Geelong in February 2015, Thys was with BP for 28 years in an international career across four continents that covered Supply Chain, Oil Trading and Refining.

Thys now calls Geelong and the Barwon region “home” and is excited to be able to use his skills and experience in service of industry and his community.

Nat Anson

Nat Anson leads the planning and property services firm Urbis Geelong practice. He has extensive regional and community engagement experience relating to land use and development proposals throughout Victoria and previously held senior leadership roles in local and state government at the City of Greater Geelong and the Victorian Planning Authority.

Nat takes an active role in regional thought leadership including the G21 Regional Alliance, Committee for Geelong and the Urban Development Institute of Australia (Geelong Chapter) and has facilitated professional partnerships with Wadawurrung, Active Geelong and the Give Where You Live Foundation. He is passionate about smart planning, sustainable development and pursuing economic development opportunities that create community and environmental benefit for the region.

Nat holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Urban Planning from the University of Melbourne. Raised in Warrnambool, Nat lives in Geelong with his growing family. A passionate South West Victorian, he looks forward to raising his two very young children in the Barwon region over the next twenty years.

Regional Development Australia representative

Keith Baillie

Keith joined gforce employment + recruitment as Chief Executive in September 2020. Prior to this, Keith was Chief Executive for Surf Coast Shire Council and was Chief Executive for the Shire of Campaspe.

Keith spent the first 20 years of his career in the commercial sector, with senior roles in project management, information technology and financial management. Keith is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of CPA Australia.

Keith is committed to improving people's lives in our communities and is Board Chair for Gateways Support Services and Board Director for G21 - Geelong Region Alliance.

Peter Dorling

Peter has over a quarter-century of experience in local government, primarily in economic and strategic development.

Peter was recently appointed Deputy Chair of Great Ocean Road Coast and Parks Authority (GORCAPA) and is currently the Business Manager for Avalon Airport, where he’s responsible for harnessing local and international business development. Through his connections from around the globe at Avalon Airport,  he’s well placed to advise on ways to increase the tourism output of the South-West region.

Peter holds a Masters in Business Management from RMIT and has extensive lived experience, having studied city development in the United States, England, Scotland, New Zealand and China.

He played a key role in driving the CBD redevelopment of the Greater City of Geelong through Vision II, which was initiated by the Greater City of Geelong.

Local Government CEOs

Robyn Seymour – CEO, Surf Coast Shire Council

Robyn Seymour joined Surf Coast Shire Council as Chief Executive Officer in July 2021, moving into local government from a distinguished career in transport strategy planning and delivery.

Robyn was previously Deputy Secretary, Network Planning, with Victoria’s Department of Transport, leading a team of more than 400 people. Her role included a strong focus on determining future transport needs and delivery of Victorian Government strategies, including the Road Safety Strategy which aims to halve Victorian road deaths and progressively reduce serious injuries by 2030.

She was previously Chief Executive and Deputy Chief Executive of VicRoads after having started her career in the sector as a counsellor, working for 8 years with individuals and families impacted by road trauma.

Robyn has a strong wish to return to working more closely with the community, a key motivation in seeking the Surf Coast Shire Council role.

Anne Howard – CEO, Colac-Otway Shire Council

Anne is a passionate champion of regional communities and has lived and worked with many diverse communities across the country. Anne commenced as Chief Executive Officer for Colac Otway Shire Council in August 2021, bringing over 20 years of experience in Local Government. Prior to her current role, Anne spent five years with the Surf Coast Shire Council and fifteen years with the Shire of Campaspe. Anne’s success in realising outcomes and achievements is underpinned by her commitment to building safe and inclusive workplaces where everyone can bring value to their local communities.

As a Civil Engineer, Anne’s career includes a broad range of experiences, spanning contaminated site remediation, stormwater and floodplain management, roads and drainage, water and wastewater, project management and asset management. Prior to joining Local Government Anne worked in the private sector overseeing the delivery of environmental health infrastructure in outback communities.

Martin Gill – CEO, Borough of Queenscliffe

Martin Gill has worked in Local Government for 16 years and was appointed CEO at the Borough of Queenscliffe in 2019. He has formal qualifications in Architecture and taught at the School of Architecture at RMIT for 10 years before joining the local government sector as a strategic land use planner.

Martin currently sits on the executive of Climate Emergency Australia and is a board director with the G21 Regional Alliance.

Ali Wastie – CEO,  City of Greater Geelong

Ali is a purpose-driven leader with degrees in Arts and Education, complemented by a Master of Diplomacy and Trade. With a wealth of experience in executive roles within the Victorian Public Service and Local Government, she currently serves as Chief Executive Officer at the City of Greater Geelong, overseeing a workforce of over 2850 delivering more than 120 services to the community.

She is a seasoned Board Director in the not-for-profit, community, tourism, and health sectors, holding key positions such as Chair of Alpine Resorts Victoria and Royal Melbourne Showgrounds. Additionally, she contributes as a Board Director for organisations like Bass Coast Country University, Destination Gippsland, and Destination Phillip Island.

Ali, an accredited executive coach and mediator, is dedicated to fostering high-performing teams and cultivating workplace cultures that are strategic, outcomes-focused, trusting, and enjoyable.