Our Board of Directors

L-R (back row): Peter Thomas, Damian Gorman, Michael Hirst, Christopher Burrell.

L-R (front row): John Frame, Claire Higgins, Janet Farrow.

Claire Higgins - Chair
Claire is currently the Finance Manager and Company Secretary for a manufacturing site in Geelong owned by OneSteel Limited and NV Bekaert SA - a Belgian Company. Claire has had over 20 years finance, governance and management experience with major corporates, OneSteel Limited and BHP Ltd. Claire is a member of the Victorian Government’s Health Services Management Innovation Council and is an independent member of the Surf Coast Shires Audit Committee. She has a commerce degree from Melbourne University and is a Fellow Certified Practising Accountant. Claire was appointed Chair in December 2002 and has been a Board member since 2000.

John Frame – Deputy Chair

John was former member of the Victoria Police and was appointed Deputy Commissioner (Operations) in 1988. In 1993 he was appointed the inaugural Director of Security and Loss Prevention for Coles-Myer Ltd and is currently a member of the Metropolitan Ambulance Service Board and Deputy Chairperson of the Police Appeals Board. John has a BA (Criminal Justice Administration) and a Diploma in Criminology and has been awarded the Australia Police Medal, Centenary Medal and the National Medal and Clasp. John was appointed Deputy Chair in November 2006.

Christopher Burrell

Chris is the Director & Principal Counsel of Prosperity Legal, a law firm in Geelong, which provides commercial, corporate and workplace relations advice to businesses in Geelong and its surrounding areas. Chris has a Bachelor of Laws, Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies and Certificates in Micro Mediation and OHS. Chris is a practising solicitor in Victoria and is admitted to the Supreme Courts of NSW, Victoria, SA and the High Court of Australia. Before opening Prosperity Legal, Chris previously worked for the University of New England, the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Master Builders Association of SA, and IPA Personnel.

Damian Gorman

Damian is currently employed as a Strategic Planning Consultant, providing services to Local Councils throughout Australia in relation to their planning and management of leisure facilities. Damian has formal qualifications (BA) in Recreation Management. He has extensive experience in Health Promotion and was involved in establishing the Health and Well Being Unit at Deakin University. Damian has also spent several years working for local disability support agencies including Gateways, Bethany and Barwon Independent Living.

Janet Farrow

Janet has clinical experience in the drug treatment services, mental health, child and family welfare and disability sectors and has held senior clinical and management roles in forensic psychiatry and drug treatment services. Janet is currently appointed to the Multiple & Complex Needs Panel, Adult Parole Board of Victoria and to the Council of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health. Janet has a range of volunteer involvements in community organizations and is a Board member of Footscray Community Arts Centre. For a two-year period she was a senior policy adviser in the Victorian Government’s Department of Premier and Cabinet. In 1988 Janet graduated with a bachelor degree in Social Work from University of Melbourne and in 2000 graduated with a Master of Business Administration from RMIT. Janet is currently enrolled in a Graduate Diploma in Law, Monash University. Janet is a Churchill Fellow and a Fellow of the Williamson Community Leadership Program.

Michael Hirst

Michael has over 28 years experience in finance and banking and is currently Chief Operating Officer for Bendigo Bank Limited. Mike is Deputy Chairman of Treasury Corporation of Victoria and a Director of Elders Rural Bank. He is also on the boards of a number of wholly owned Bendigo Bank subsidiaries including Sandhurst Trustees, Oxford Funding and Victorian Securities Limited.

Peter Thomas

Formerly a board member with the Surfcoast Community Health Centre, Peter is a recently retired professional public relations/marketing consultant. He has had extensive public relations, community relations and staff communications experience within Australia and overseas spanning more than 40 years. He is a returned serviceman. Peter Thomas is well known in the Torquay community for his interest in community health matters and for his interest in community matters generally. In 2006 Peter was awarded an Order of Australia Medal for services to the community. He is President of the Torquay RSL.