Board and Staff

Board

Peter Hansen (Chair) is a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne, Australia, and Parish Priest of Our Lady’s Parish, Craigieburn. He is Lecturer in the History of the Church in Asia at the Catholic Theological College, Melbourne. He holds degrees in arts, law and theology, including Postgraduate Degrees from the Melbourne College of Divinity and Monash University, Melbourne. Having worked in refugee camps in Hong Kong and the Philippines, he continues active work amongst Melbourne’s Vietnamese Community. From 2000 to 2003, he was Founding Director of the Mary of the Cross Centre, the Drug and Alcohol Agency of the Catholic Church in Melbourne.

Sandra Slatter has operated her own small business specialising in Economic, Business and Community Development for the past fifteen years. Sandra is an Accredited Economic Developer, and successfully managed the only self funded Economic Development Unit in Victoria. She was also one of the first ‘In store” proprietors for Westpac Bank. She is currently involved in the Central Victorian Young Entrepreneurs Program – cvYEP - an innovative business planning, mentoring and training program for Young Entrepreneurs with businesses in the Central Victorian Region – as a core mentor. She has Post Graduate Qualifications in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and Civil Ceremonies.

Fanoula Ferro is a specialist financial services lawyer with over 12 years of experience working in leading law firms and financial services organisations. Her last role was as Head of Legal & Compliance of the Investments arm of Australian Unity Limited. Prior to this, she worked at AXA Australia and Mallesons Stephen Jaques. She has post-graduate qualifications in International Law and has a strong interest in International Humanitarian Law. She is currently developing her own small business in the food industry.

Ronda Held has significant experience on not-for-profit and peak body boards. She brings skills and experience in corporate governance, policy and program innovation, planning, project management and evaluation. Ronda has served as the CEO of UnitingCare Community Options, and has also worked in management for Mission Australia and the Aged Care & Housing Group, Inc. In addition, Ronda has extensive experience working in the Commonwealth public service, and conducting consultancy and contracting work for human service organisations. Ronda holds a Bachelor of Economics, a Postgraduate Bachelor of Social Administration, and a Masters in Policy and Administration.

Ian Wilson has extensive experience in public and private sector management and has expertise in governance, corporate strategy, general management and organisational achievement, financial management and, in the utilities field, in operational performance and customer relations. Ian’s previous roles have included Deputy Commissioner of Electricity for Queensland, Deputy CEO of the City of Melbourne, Chief Executive of Waverley (Monash) City Council, Managing Director of Southern Rural Water, Chief Executive City of Marion (S.A.), Chief Executive Bayside City Council, a Director of Monash University Libraries. Most recently, Ian was a General Manager at Victoria University. Ian holds a Bachelor of Economics (Hons.), a Diploma of Public Administration from RMIT University, an MBA and, from Yale University, a postgraduate qualification in International Business.

Jo Benvenuti is CUAC's Executive Officer. Jo has extensive experience in the energy and water sectors with a consumer focus, including previous positions as second in charge to the Energy and Water Ombudsman (Victoria), and at the Office of the Regulator-General (now the Essential Services Commission). Jo was also Executive Officer of the Financial and Consumer Rights Council where she was particularly interested in hardship and utility issues. She has worked in welfare services across a diverse range of policy areas, including the aged, housing, and emergency relief provision, and was previously Executive Manager Corporate Affairs at the RSPCA (Victoria). Jo has a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Policy from the University of Melbourne.

Deanna Foong is CUAC's Senior Policy Officer. Deanna is a qualified lawyer who holds Masters qualifications in Law and Conflict Resolution. she has experience working for the Law Reform Committee of the Victorian Parliament, the Energy and Water Ombudsman of Victoria and the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria.

Anita Lumbus is a CUAC Policy Officer. Anita has a Bachelor of Arts, a Graduate Certificate in Professional Writing and Presentation, and a Masters of Human Rights practice. She has worked with the Research Centre for Stronger Communities at Curtin University and the Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre, has been a volunteer English teacher in Thailand and also produced publications for Oxfam.

David Stanford is a CUAC Policy Officer. David has a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a Master of Asian studies. He has worked as an advocacy consultant with the Indonesian Consumers Association, and as an economist with the Victorian Department of Treasury and Finance.

Caitlin Whiteman is a CUAC Policy Advocate. Caitlin has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Social Research. Caitlin has worked as a Research Officer with the Victorian Parliament Education and Training Committee, and also has experience working in the community sector and for the Commonwealth Government.