Our members

Business and community members

Chair

Stephen Angus – Business Consultant and Company Director

Stephen grew up in East Gippsland and is from a farming background. He returned to Gippsland several years ago after working at national executive levels in various organisations and is ambitious to see the Gippsland region prosper. He holds director and committee roles in a range of organisations that include aviation, economic development, climate change and water management.

Deputy Chair

Stephanie Thoo – General Manager Innovation and Sustainability, Pro-Pac Packaging Group

Stephanie is a sustainability and innovation leader with a passion for creating long-term, commercially sound sustainability initiatives. After receiving an MBA from the Melbourne Business School, she has built a strong and varied career - working as an innovation and sustainability executive at a listed Australian company, the Head of Innovation at a social enterprise managing multiple startup programs, the Head of Innovate in a university entrepreneurship centre, and as Lead Innovation Consultant for clients across Australia and the world.

Corrinne Armour – Self-employed Leadership Specialist

Corrinne has a broad and unique professional background. Corrinne has worked in highly commercial environments including marketing, branch banking, project management, as well as philanthropy. For the last 20 years, Corrinne has run her own leadership development company: keynote speaking, training, facilitation, and coaching. Her focus is Fearless Leadership® and her expertise is building culture through developing leadership. Corrinne’s has written two leadership books and two specialist texts on shifting human behaviour.rimination. She is a life-long learner with academic background in social work, development studies, and counselling.

Garry Austin – Eastern Victoria Regional Engagement Manager, Telstra

Garry is a Gippsland native, having grown up in South Gippsland. Throughout his working life, Garry has remained dedicated to his home region, devoting over 38 years to the telecommunications industry with a focus on Gippsland. Through his strong engagement and leadership in this field, Garry has built a broad network of local stakeholders and a deep understanding of the region.

Passionate about building community connections and improving access to services across Gippsland, Garry has been an active participant in the Gippsland Community Leadership Program and currently serves as Chair of the Mirboo North Cemetery Trust. Additionally, he has previously served as a Director on the Gippsland Southern Health Service Board of Management.

With his wealth of knowledge and experience, Garry is a valued member of the Gippsland community, working tirelessly to unlock opportunities for the benefit of all who call the region home.

Jan Fitzgerald – Chair, Destination Gippsland

Jan is a Non-Executive Director on several boards, which includes the role of Chair of Destination Gippsland. As the Chair of this peak tourism body, her focus is to support a strong, vibrant and successful visitor economy in Gippsland. She is also on the board of South Gippsland Hospital. Jan has extensive management experience including as a CEO of a national not-for-profit, and includes national and state roles across operations, sustainability and regional teams with companies including Salvos Stores, Woolworths and Coles. Through her background Jan brings a strong corporate and community governance experience.

Mark Johnson –  Semi-retired consultant

Mark was the CEO of Gippsland Southern Health Service between 2014-2022. During his long and distinguished career in health, Mark has driven change and profitability while developing a loyal and productive workforce. Now in semi-retirement, Mark is an Honorarium Assessor for the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards assessing public hospitals and health services against the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

Sarah Lawless – EO, South Gippsland Bass Coast Local Learning and Employment Network

Sarah is the Executive Officer of South Gippsland Bass Coast LLEN and has also worked across Baw Baw and Latrobe as a Partnership Broker. With 16 years' experience in Special Education as a Teacher working with families from low socio-economic backgrounds, Sarah brings her passion for supporting disadvantaged groups to the Gippsland Regional Partnership. Sarah has over 18 years of governance experience in a variety of contexts, including over a decade on the Executive Committee for Gippsland Ranges Roller Derby where she is currently President. Sarah has extensive experience in supporting non-profit organisations and groups to become more sustainable and is passionate about building up positive culture and volunteer bases in organisations through streamlining systems & processes, community engagement and capacity building.

Mary Manescu –  CEO Rochester and Elmore District Health

Mary is an experienced executive, board director and healthcare professional with over 20 years of health sector experience.  Mary has strong Gippsland ties as the former CEO of Omeo District Health and is also involved in a farming business in West Gippsland. Mary is passionate about achieving sustainable outcomes by investing in people, good governance and partnerships.

Lisa Maatsoo  –  Industry Engagement and Innovation Manager, Federation University

Lisa worked in Melbourne and interstate before moving back to Gippsland in 2016. Lisa has experience across a diverse range of industry sectors including building construction, aviation, and primary production. Lisa has also previously worked with Regional Development Victoria as an Economic Development Coordinator. This has provided Lisa with a background in regional economic development and familiarised her with key strategic documents that underpin the future of Gippsland. In 2020 Lisa participated in the Gippsland Community Leadership Program, and in 2023 she completed an MBA at Federation University’s Gippsland campus. Both of these opportunities helped grow her local network.

Natalie O'Connell – Senior Community Advisor, Aeris Resources Limited

Natalie has experience in strategy, stakeholder engagement and holds strong advocacy and leadership skills. Natalie was elected to the East Gippsland Shire Council from 2016 - 2020 and in 2018 was elected as the youngest Mayor in the history of the Shire. She has held various Board Director and Advisory Roles both past and present, including the Victorian Bushfire Appeal for the Black Summer Fires, Omeo District Health, National Recovery and Resilience Agency and Telstra’s Victorian Regional Advisory Council.

Natalie holds a Bachelor of Agriculture Science from the University of Melbourne, a Post Graduate Diploma in Education (P-12), and completed her Master of Business Administration in 2022. She is also a recent graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Natalie is passionate about rural and regional areas, particularly in education, health and the stimulation of economic development.

Nicola Pero – Executive Manager, Engagement and Social License, Iberdrola Australia

Nicola calls Gippsland home, after moving to the region in 2016 and now residing in Baw Baw Shire. For the past eight years she has immersed herself in both community and industry across the region, always seeking opportunities to contribute to growing and developing Gippsland’s prosperity. Nicola is the Executive Manager, Engagement & Social License at Iberdola Australia, co-leading its offshore wind division. Nicola is a Director of the Board of Federation University, an Executive Director on the Iberdrola Australia Board and a member of Iberdola Australia’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Yaniesha Pillay –  CEO, Lifeline Gippsland

Regional Development Australia representatives

Kellie O'Callaghan – Chair

An experienced Board Chair and non-executive director, Ms O’Callaghan brings strong strategic planning and governance experience to the committee and is a proven leader in the health and community services field. Currently Chair of Gippsland’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Interim Body and a member of the Australian Medical Council’s Recognition Medical Specialities Committee, Ms O’Callaghan brings extensive experience in organisational management, community informed service design and industry development.

She has previously served as Board Director of Primary Health Network Gippsland and Better Care Victoria, as well as Chair and Board Director at Latrobe Regional Hospital. Having served as Mayor of Latrobe City Council through the closure of the Hazelwood Power Station, she brings extensive experience in transitioning regional economies to the role of Chair.

As Mayor, she provided leadership and guidance to the co-creation of A Strength-Led Transition, a community, business, industry and Council publication, which captured community aspirations for an empowered economic transition post brown coal fired power generation. Ms O’Callaghan has secured significant support for council’s economic, community and liveability initiatives through constructive partnerships across all levels of government and has extensive experience supporting communities through crisis and emergency events.

Raelene Hanratty

Born in Yallourn, new committee member Raelene has been dairy farming since 1986 in the Macalister Irrigation District. An Australian Institute of Company Directors member, she chairs the Heyfield Hospital Board and the Macalister Customer Committee (Southern Rural Water). On top of those duties, she also finds time to be Director of Rural Financial Counselling Gippsland, a mentor with Farmer’s Friend (Lifeline Gippsland) and Treasurer with Nambrok Football Club, Newry Football Club and Newry Junior Football Club.

On the committee, Raelene will encourage investment and development in the agriculture sector. Raelene envisages a sustainable and profitable agricultural district aligned to a common brand – ‘Gippsland’, and sees a strong, emerging market for farm products that have trustworthy provenance.

Victorian Government representative

Kelly Crosthwaite, Deputy Secretary Bushfire and Forest Services, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA)

Local Government CEOs

Greg Box – CEO, Bass Coast Shire Council

Greg Box is the Chief Executive Officer of Bass Coast Shire Council. A well-known and respected leader and advocate in local government, for over 2 decades Greg has provided leadership to multiple peri-urban and regional Councils.

Greg is passionate and driven about culture's essential role in our lives. He is a director on the Cultural Development Network and Creating Australia Boards. He is also a Board member of Destination Gippsland, Destination Phillip Island, and the Bass Coast Country Universities Centre.

Greg has led international award-winning engagement programs and presented extensively both in Australia and overseas. A highly skilled engagement practitioner with considerable background in local government and the university sector, he has a sharp understanding of how to develop meaningful infrastructure to enable the best long-term service outcomes for the community.Kelly Crosthwaite, Deputy Secretary Bushfire and Forest Services

Fiona Weigall – CEO, East Gippsland Shire Council

Following a successful career in management roles in Western Australia’s public sector, Fiona relocated to East Gippsland.

Joining East Gippsland Shire Council in 2011, Fiona initially held the role of Manager Economic Development and Major Projects. Since then, she has held a range of other managerial roles in council including strategic planning and capital projects. In 2019, she was appointed General Manager Assets and Environment where she was responsible for an annual budget of over $150 million, an asset portfolio valued at over $1.2 billion and more than half of council’s workforce.

Fiona stepped into the role of Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in January 2024 and was appointed permanently as CEO on 8 April 2024. She is people-focused and has built strong relationships throughout the organisation and the East Gippsland community. Her priorities will be on working with the council and the 600 people that work for the organisation to deliver outcomes for the community as detailed in the council plan. She will continue the strong focus on delivering council services and projects within budget, and of course making sure the voice of East Gippsland is heard.

Kerryn Ellis – CEO, South Gippsland Shire Council

Kerryn Ellis is a passionate public sector leader with over twenty years’ experience, who is energised by working with communities in a context of rapid change. Kerryn’s main professional love is building high-performing, ethical and agile organisations with positive, values-based leadership that can work in partnership to deliver great outcomes to the community. Kerryn’s current role is Chief Executive Officer of South Gippsland Shire Council. Prior to this position, Kerryn held the positions of Director Corporate Services at Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, Director Corporate Performance with the City of Greater Bendigo, and Manager Governance and Innovation at Knox City Council. She has also previously worked for the City of Melbourne and Bayside City Council. Kerryn holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Commerce and a Graduate Diploma of Public Policy and Management, and completed the LGPro emerging leaders program in 2005, and the Executive Leadership Program in 2016.

David Morcom – CEO, Wellington Shire Council

David grew up in the Gippsland region, before joining the Westpac Bank as an Economics Graduate in 1988, based in Hobart. He spent 12 years in the finance and banking sector before moving to local Government where he's held roles as General Manager and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of various councils. David was appointed CEO of Wellington Shire Council in January 2012. As well as holding a degree in Economics, he holds post graduate qualifications in Management and is a Fellow of the Governor’s Leadership Foundation in South Australia.

Steven Piasente – CEO, Latrobe City Council

Steven has over 26 years of experience working for local communities having held the majority of senior management roles in local government and having worked in the Gippsland Region for all of that time. Steven has held a diverse range of roles including Infrastructure Director, Community and Economic Development Director and Corporate Services Director. Prior to moving to the role of Chief Executive Officer Steven held the role of General Manager Infrastructure and Recreation at Latrobe City for four years. During that time Steven led the development of all of Council’s major infrastructure investments in the community including the new Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre and Latrobe Creative Precinct and the redevelopment of the Traralgon Basketball Stadium  Steven’s formal qualifications are in engineering, he has qualifications in business administration and is passionate about developing the leadership capabilities of his teams. Steven has also successfully managed a small retail business for over 7 years.

Steven has a passion for local government and making a difference for local communities contributing to making Latrobe City a great place to live, work and visit.

Mark Dupe – CEO, Baw Baw Shire Council

Mr Dupe joined council in September 2017 as the Director of Corporate and Community Services and has held the Interim Chief Executive Officer position since mid-March 2020.

Prior to Baw Baw Shire Council, he held the positions of General Manager of Corporate Services at the National Heart Foundation, Director of Corporate Development at Knox City Council, and Group Manager of Corporate Services at Bayside City Council. Mr Dupe is the Chair of Trade Training Alliance, Baw Baw. He holds a Bachelor of Economics, an MBA and postgraduate IT qualifications. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a CPA.

TAFE CEO

Laura Macpherson – CEO, TAFE Gippsland

Laura Macpherson is an ambitious and dynamic Executive Leader. As the Chief Executive Officer for one of the largest Regional Victorian TAFE’s, Laura brings strong education expertise and proven ability to excel at the highest level in the TAFE sector where she has successfully spearheaded enterprise-wide transformations and initiatives.

Laura is leading her team at the forefront of industry changes and challenges and adapting training to suit industry needs, leading to productive employment outcomes and driving investment throughout Gippsland.

With her team, Laura is achieving ground-breaking work to achieve TAFE Gippsland’s vision, leading the way in the transition of workforces into clean energy and beyond.