New Chairperson announcement

We are pleased to share that Vesna Allan has been appointed Chairperson of our Board, commencing immediately. David Meade has also been appointed Deputy Chairperson.

Vesna is a lawyer and currently the Chief Compliance & Integrity Officer at City of Greater Geelong. An experienced executive legal advisor and governance specialist, Vesna is an experienced non-executive director, having served on not-for-profit and public sector boards including YMCA and Hesse Rural Health.

David is CEO at Leisure Networks and is a highly strategic, visionary and adaptive leader with over 15 year’s senior and executive leadership experience in healthcare, disability and NFP both in Australia and the United Kingdom.

Vesna and David’s appointments fill the vacancies created by the departure of our outgoing Board members, Renee Fiolet and Sheridan Emond-Salmon. We are grateful for Renee and Sheridan’s leadership and commitment they have shared during their time on our Board and wish them all the best for what comes next.

Our new Chair and Deputy Chair has been chosen for their strong experience and expertise governance, financial and risk management and in particular, for their dedication and commitment to our vision and values.

Vesna has shared the following message:

“I am deeply honoured to step into the role of Chairperson for The Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre, walking alongside our CEO, Kerriann Campbell-Jones, as we continue strengthening specialist services that provide safety, advocacy, and pathways to recovery for individuals and families impacted by violence.

The Centre’s work is driven by a dedicated team of specialist professionals whose expertise and unwavering commitment ensure that victim survivors receive the support they need. Equally, the voices and experiences of clients remain at the centre of everything we do, shaping our approach and reinforcing the urgency of this work.

As Chairperson, I look forward to working in partnership with Kerriann, the Board, staff, and sector leaders to champion best practice, cultural safety, and systemic reform. Together, we will ensure The SAFV Centre continues to lead with integrity, innovation, and impact—delivering services that meet the complexity of the challenges faced by victim-survivors and driving meaningful change across the sector.”

This is an exciting appointment for our organisation, building on our long and proud history of responding to the needs of victim survivors, providing trauma-informed services while also advocating for change in government, justice systems and community attitudes, and stopping the violence before it begins.

We are looking forward to working closely with Vesna, and our Board, as they lead the governance and stewardship of our organisation.