Vicsport Board

Ron Gauci – Chair

Ron has developed a reputation as a dynamic and inspirational transformation specialist taking on some of the most difficult challenges. During a diverse executive career, he has helped organisations leverage their assets, adapt to change and disruptive competition across multiple industries and sectors. His experience includes the iconic Federation Square, Melbourne Polytechnic (formerly NMIT), the Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club post the now infamous salary cap rorting scandal and the Aust/NZ operations of the US based global technology company Verizon Business. Ron is currently CEO of the Australian Information Industry Association.

With significant experience in the global technology and innovation industry, he has held senior leadership and executive roles in ASX & NYSE listed, global multinational, joint venture and government organisations such as Microsoft, Telstra and IBM, as well as directorships in several organisations. He is currently Chairman of Vicsport, Brad Teal Real Estate and sits on several other boards. He also provides coaching services to business executives and is described as an inspirational keynote speaker. His association with sport has included non-executive and advisory positions with a broad range of sporting organisations across several codes.

Ron is a Graduate of AICD and a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. He is also a former Director on the Board and Victorian Chairman of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), a former member of the International CEO Forum and held a position on the Board of Governors for the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM).

Ron is married with five children and five grandchildren. He has a long history of active involvement in sport, as well as a keen passion for golf and music which includes being a member of the executive covers band Big Kahuna.

Susan Smith - Deputy Chair

Susan has over 30 years of experience in executive and non-executive roles and has previously been appointed by the Federal Government to a number of international and domestic strategy committees within a number of sectors, but primarily in the safety critical and politically sensitive aviation industry.

Susan presently serves on the Board of Swimming Victoria and has been a member of other non-sporting boards including Aspergers Victoria. Prior to 2000 Susan was involved in the organisation for the Sydney Olympics.

Susan is an avid sports participant, in her younger years competing in swimming at the national level and as an Australian representative at international basketball tournaments. She currently participates in sailing, skiing and tennis.

Susan has a Masters of Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Susan’ s motivation for joining the Board of Vicsport is twofold - to ensure that the value and importance the community places on participation in sport is accurately reflected in Victoria’s sporting policy, and to appropriately support associations.

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Rochelle Eime

Rochelle (BAppSci Hons, DipPM, PhD) is a Professor of Sport Participation at Federation University and Victoria University as well as a Behavioural Epidemiologist with over 20 years research experience in community-level sport participation

As Director of Sport and Recreation Spatial (www.sportandrecreationspatial.com.au), Rochelle leads a research program investigating sport and recreation participation, facilities and health for evidence-based decision making. She is internationally renowned as a leader in community-based sport participation. Locally, her research includes the development and implementation of analysis and reporting of over 1 million Victorian sport participation records annually for the past ten years and her research is driving strategic investments and policies in sport.

Rochelle’s research involves partnerships with a range of sports organisations including The Commonwealth Secretariat – Sport for Development, Sport Australia, Vicsport, Sport and Recreation Victoria, VicHealth, as well as various NSOs, SSAs and LGAs. In the sport and recreation sector, Rochelle has experience as a tennis coach and personal trainer while she is a current tennis player and golfer.

She is also a mother of twins playing football and tennis with one son a member of the Tennis Australia national training squad. Rochelle lives in regional Victoria and was previously a board member of Sport Central, a Victorian RSA, for ten years. Rochelle joined the Vicsport Board in November 2020.

Rayoni Nelson

Currently the CEO of School Sport Victoria, as part of the Department of Education and Training, Rayoni leads a team to provide an extensive school sport program to primary and secondary schools across Victoria. These include an interschool sport program, coordinating Team Vic teams to compete in School Sport Australia Championships and delivering the annual Victorian Teachers’ Games.

With over 20 years’ experience working across government, sport, health and transport sectors, Rayoni’s career has included management roles in a broad range of areas including sport, physical activity, active transport, road safety and customer service and communications, including a focus on strategy development and implementation.

She has experience working with SSAs, RSAs, elite sporting teams, community sporting clubs and local governments and has had previous roles at VicHealth and Sport and Recreation Victoria while currently serving as a School Sport Australia Board member.

As a resident of regional Victoria, Rayoni understands the importance of community sport to regional communities, including young people. Rayoni earned a Bachelor of Management and a Masters in Sport Management and has represented Australia in badminton at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. She joined the Vicsport Board in November 2020.

Carrie Wong

Carrie is a Chartered Accountant with over ten years of experience working in audit and finance in Australia and Canada. As a Senior Manager in Assurance at EY, she has worked with organisations large and small from a wide range of industries, providing quality service and insights relating to accounting and finance, financial reporting, and risk and controls.

She has also completed the Change Our Game AICD Foundations of Directorship Program, delivered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors, in partnership with the Office for Women in Sport and Recreation. Carrie is currently the Chair of the Finance, Risk and Audit Committee, making her an ex-officio Director of Vicsport.

Carrie has always enjoyed sport and played tennis through her high school and university years. After moving from Vancouver to Melbourne four years ago, she has felt the community’s deep connection to sport and how it brings everyone together. She hopes to give back to the sporting and recreation community through her board role at Vicsport, joining in November 2020.

Catherine Harding

Catherine is a qualified lawyer with over 15 years’ experience working across the government, non-profit and private sectors with a focus on social policy and has a wealth of experience in relevant areas including governance, strategy, women's health and family violence, and health and nutrition.

Catherine has served on the board of Vicsport since 2018, and the board of Women's Health West, since 2014, including a term as Deputy Chair, and has sat on a range of sub-committees for both boards.

Catherine is currently an Associate Director in KPMG’s Advisory Division where she works with government and non-government agencies to support them in the delivery of projects which focus on strategy and governance. Having worked in policy and strategy roles in state and federal public sectors, Catherine has a deep knowledge of government processes and the policy development framework, as well as strong experience in the design, delivery and evaluation of programs and projects.

Catherine holds a Masters in Public and International Law from the University of Melbourne in addition to a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in French and Italian, and a Bachelor of Law with Honours from the University of Sydney. She is an accredited Investment Logic Mapping facilitator under the Victorian Government's Investment Management Standard.

Simon Brookhouse

Simon has recently been appointed as the CEO of the NBL team, the Tasmanian JackJumpers. Previously, Simon was General Manager of Golf Operations at Golf Australia where he was responsible for all national golf events, rules and handicapping, special projects and state operations. Simon has also held the position of CEO of Golf Victoria and played a pivotal role in developing and delivering a strong Strategic Plan and growth of the Victorian Open.

With a keen interest in sport, Simon has served on the board of numerous sporting associations including basketball and cricket. Prior to working in the sporting industry, Simon held various senior roles in corporate banking spanning 15 years. Simon’s qualifications include: Master of Business Administration, Bachelor of Business and Graduate, Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment.

Tanya Gallina

Tanya is currently General Manager Club services and Heritage at the Melbourne Cricket Club. With 20 years’ experience across the Australian sporting landscape, Tanya’s current role is to manage the MCC membership, members reserve and Australian Sports Museum. Her role at the MCC also supports the growth of participation in many sports inclusive of Hockey, Netball and Cricket.

Tanya brings a wealth of knowledge and experience across many portfolios in sports administration intertwined with a commitment to support programs that support participation, career pathways and mentorship of female sport administrators and athletes.

Tanya holds a Bachelor of Arts (Majors in Media & Marketing), a Key Executives Business course at Harvard Business School and AFL Executive Leadership program.

Peter Filopoulos

Peter has 25 years of highly successful experience as an accomplished senior C-Suite executive in sports administration with some of Australia’s most iconic sports and entertainment brands.

Peter’s current role is Head of Marketing, Communications & Corporate Affairs at Football Australia. Prior to his current role, Peter was Chief Executive Officer of Football Victoria (FV) overseeing the state’s 400,000 strong organised participation base across both Men, Women, Boys and Girls of all abilities across over 360 clubs while also making significant progress in developing a new four year strategic plan (FootbALLways).

He has overseen a 24% rise in participation in 2018 and 10% in 2019, a successful facilities and advocacy strategy which has unlocked over $180M in facilities funding (from all levels of Government) for the community to help address the chronic underinvestment in the sport and the facilities gap football is currently facing and will continue to face with the need of 420 full size equivalent pitches required by 2026 to be able to keep up with participation increases and population growth.

Prior to joining FV, Peter had a successful three years as Chief Executive Officer at the Perth Glory Football Club, leading the club out of the salary cap saga that plagued them in 2014/15 Hyundai A-League season.

In this role, Peter played a critical role in the business transformation of the club and developing and implementing a new strategic plan, The Perth Glory Way, driving the club in a new and exciting direction which lead to significant improvements in the club’s operations and commercial achievements.

During his term, Perth Glory was also accredited as an FFA two-star academy incorporating a development pathway from 12 years of age upwards. Peter has developed a strong reputation as a senior sports and entertainment business transformational leader with a demonstrable history of major accomplishments in all his roles as the strategic, marketing and commercial lead across a variety of Australian iconic high-performance sports brands.

This includes eight years with AFL clubs Hawthorn Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club, seven years with the world-class Etihad Stadium located in Melbourne and 18 months National Sporting Organisation, Swimming Australia (Australian Dolphins Swim Team).

Peter is married to Mary and has two children, George and Jonathan.

Jamie Parsons

Jamie is an engaging and inclusive leader who has been involved in and overseen the development and growth of high profile organisations throughout his career.

Through his energetic and collaborative leadership style, Jamie has demonstrated an outstanding capability to lead and facilitate the development of strategic priorities and implement these to ensure successful operational outcomes in the sport, entertainment, recreation, tourism and cultural sectors.

Jamie is able to develop and build high performing teams of people to deliver organisational strategic priorities through valuing and engaging all key people involved including customers, participants, members of boards, paid staff, volunteers, contractors, partners and other key stakeholders.

In the sport, entertainment and recreation sector, Jamie has held senior roles at Gymnastics Victoria, Netball Australia, the World Swimming Championships and Deaflympics Games. As a director, Jamie has held all positions on the Boards of Football Federation Victoria, Little Athletics Victoria and Jamie currently holds the position of President of Sport4all Foundation - an international sports charity organisation support underprivileged communities overseas.

In the tourism and cultural sector Jamie has worked in senior roles in a number of large scale organisations with significant new building works including Melbourne's Shrine of Remembrance, Museums Victoria and at Melbourne's Federation Square through the Australian Centre for the Moving Image.

Currently Jamie is a member of the Australian Marketing Institute, Australia New Zealand Sports Law Association (ANZSLA), the Risk Management Institute of Australasia (RMIA), Victoria University Alumni and is a 30+ year member of AFL team the Western Bulldogs.

Jamie is passionate about bringing people together through sport, leisure, culture and physical activity to find new and innovative ways to support all in our community live healthy and productive lives.