Wangaratta is my home and I have worked and raised my family in a community that is safe and connected and has much to offer. There is something very reassuring and comfortable about Wangaratta and it is one of the reasons why I decided to stand for council to help provide leadership and work to make a positive difference to our community.
I worked for many years as a journalist at North East Newspapers before becoming a communications manager for the Department of Natural Resources in the North East region.
I managed the Black Saturday Bushfire Recovery case management service (2009 -2011) in the fire ravaged areas of Kinglake and Marysville. Through this role I managed a diverse range of stakeholders including Local Government, State, Federal and Non-Government agencies and Community and Local Service Organisations.
I am no stranger to Local Government having been a mayor (three terms) and a councillor with the Rural City of Wangaratta (2000 – 2005). I was also an Administrator from 2013 to 2016. I was appointed the chairperson of the Australian Regional Cities Group in 2003, representing 30 municipalities across regional Australia, actively lobbying the Federal Government to put regional issues on the national agenda.
My involvement in the community has included a variety of boards and committees including the board of North East Health, Wangaratta Private Hospital Board, sporting and school committees and the Wangaratta Festival of Jazz committee. More recently I was the chair of the Ovens Murray Regional Partnership Committee.