Our People
Our leadership team focuses on achieving quality outcomes in development, managing risks effectively, and delivering value to AVI’s partners and stakeholders.
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Staff
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Offices globally
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Countries of operation
Executive Team
Melanie Gow
Chief Executive Officer
Having held senior leadership roles across international development and the Australian health sector, Melanie’s portfolio accountabilities have included research, policy and advocacy, international programs, corporate affairs, marketing, sales, strategy and governance.
Melanie’s roles with World Vision International in Geneva, Switzerland, included Deputy Director for International Policy and Advocacy and President of the NGO Group for the Convention on the Rights of the Child – working closely with UN agencies and international NGOs.
Board positions include Hagar Australia, Intrepid Foundation, Business for Development, the Australian Council for International Development, Campaign for Australian Aid and the Coalition to the Stop the Use of Child Soldiers. Melanie was also on the Advisory Board of the Researchers for Asylum Seekers at the University of Melbourne and was Co-Chair of the United Nations Special Experts Panel on Violence against Children. Melanie has a Master of Arts in International Development and a Master of Public and International Law.
Raine Dixon
Program Director – Australian Volunteers Program
With over twenty years’ experience in international development, Raine joins AVI bringing considerable experience in international development spanning AusAid/DFAT, INGOs, Consulting Services and Executive Leadership. Her most recent role at CBM saw Raine lead the organisation’s advisory consultancy which played a critical role in mainstreaming disability inclusion across the Australian aid program. Raine also has deep experience in monitoring and evaluation, contract management and team leadership.
Raine holds a Masters in Program Evaluation, and is a skilled strategic leader with a passion for mentoring and development.
Matt Coleman
Executive Manager, Corporate Operations
Matt Coleman leads the Information Technology, People & Culture and Communications & Campaigns functions teams.
Matt is an organisational development and business effectiveness professional with extensive experience across multiple industries and contexts, having held leadership roles in the telecommunications, insurance and mutual banking industries.
Matt holds a Bachelor of Business and a Masters of Strategic Organisational Development.
Melanie Wilson
Public Diplomacy Manager, Australian Volunteers Program
Melanie is a skilled communicator, with more than 20 years’ experience across the not-for-profit and private sectors. Melanie strives to engage stakeholders through honest and authentic communications.
Melanie is experienced in crisis communications, stakeholder engagement, media management, alumni engagement, and external and internal communications. She has previously worked as a researcher, librarian and business analyst.
Melanie has been with AVI for seven years, and is passionate about supporting locally-led change.
Zach Iaali
Chief Financial Officer
Zach Iaali is an experienced financial and commercial manager, with 15 years experience having worked for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and multinational firms. He has spent half of his career working overseas in Pakistan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu. He has held various roles including project and corporate finance roles and is CPA Australia accredited. He has served as a Board Member and Treasurer and has a keen interest in international development.
Board of Directors
Julie Hamblin
Chair
Julie Hamblin’s work has spanned health law, governance, disability and international development. A former partner of HWL Ebsworth, she has expertise in health regulation, clinical risk, privacy and bioethics. She also has a particular interest in global health and human rights having worked with the United Nations Development Programme and other organisations on projects relating to public health and HIV/AIDS in more than 20 countries in Asia, the Pacific, Africa and Eastern Europe. Julie has served on numerous government and other advisory bodies, including the Australian Research Integrity Committee, the NSW Health Ethics Advisory Panel, and the Attorney-General’s International Pro Bono Advisory Group.
Julie is an experienced Non-Executive Director. Other roles have included Chair of Autism Spectrum Australia, Deputy Chair of Plan International Australia, and board member of the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Leanne Close APM
Director
Leanne is the Chief Executive Government and Strategic Engagement at Risk 2 Solution. Leanne is a former police officer with 33 years policing, law enforcement and training experience in the Australian Federal Police, culminating as Deputy Commissioner from 2014-2019. During this time, as Deputy Commissioner National Security, Leanne was the AFP representative at the Australia /New Zealand Counter-Terrorism Committee.
From 2015 – 2019, Leanne co-chaired the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing. She was a member of the AFP Audit Committee and the Australian Electoral Commission Audit and Risk Committee. In 2016, she undertook a 12-month secondment to the Commonwealth Attorney-General’s Department leading their Criminal Justice Group.
Brendon McNiven
Director
Brendon is an Enterprise Professor at The University of Melbourne overseeing the Master of Architectural Engineering degree in the Melbourne School of Design. Originally trained as an engineer, Brendon brings over thirty years of industry experience to his role the majority of which was spent working with the global multidisciplinary design firm Arup. His career has included time practising in Hong Kong, London, Singapore, and Australia.
Brendon is a passionate believer in integrated sustainable design in the interests of helping achieve the UN 2030 sustainable development goals. Brendon is currently also undertaking PhD study in the field of architectural engineering examining the different thinking natures of architects and engineers in the context of improving collaboration.
AVI board sub-committee: Australian Volunteers Program Consortium Group.
Jon Marcard
Director
Jon Marcard is the Chief Financial Officer at St Vincent’s Private Hospital with responsibility for the overall Finance function. Jon also has responsibility for Payroll, Procurement & Supply, Support Services and Information and Communication Technology.
Jon has more than 25 years’ financial experience across a diverse range of sectors including financial services, insurance and consulting. Jon has a Bachelor of Economics and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
AVI Board sub-committee: Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee Chair.
Liza Coffey
Director
Liza Coffey is an Operational Advisor for Associated British Foods (Twinings). Over 15 years, Liza has held senior management roles in driving Supply Chain efficiencies and operational strategy within multinational consumer environments, retail businesses, and social enterprises. Having served as a volunteer on an AVI assignment within the Pacific Region and research associate for UNDP (Sri Lanka) | Monash University, Liza also has practical development expertise in gender advocacy with sustainable livelihood programs, business development (SME), and resource management addressing key climate factors. Liza holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) and a Masters in International Development Practice (Sustainable Resources)
AVI Board sub-committees: Governance & Quality Committee and the People & Culture Committee.
Michael Batchelor
Director
Michael’s career spans 30 years including as a volunteer, director, operational executive and engineer. Recently, he provided volunteer support to the Independent Research Institute of Mongolia through the Australian Volunteers Program managed by AVI. Previously, he wa director and joint founder of Nimbus Advisory Pty Ltd, a boutique management consultancy providing services to the infrastructure sector. Michael also had positions of increasing responsibility with AECOM/Maunsell over 25 years culminating in leadership of the Australian and New Zealand Geography as Chief Executive and Chair of the Australian and New Zealand boards.
Serena Lillywhite
Director
Serena has had a 25-year career in international development with a strong focus on business and human rights, tackling corruption, and working locally with communities, and civil society organisations to support their efforts to secure their rights.
Until recently Serena was the CEO of Transparency International Australia, a position she held for more than five years. She also spent many years working at Oxfam as the Mining Advocacy Lead, and worked closely with partners across the Asia Pacific region and countries of Africa.
Serena brings strong skills in governance and strategic planning, and has experience with private sector, government and civil society Boards.
Serena holds a Masters in International Business from The University of Melbourne, and has authored several corporate accountability publications from a rights based perspective. She has lived and worked in China and Cambodia, among other countries, and has also had an extensive career in the education sector.
AVI Board sub-committee: Governance & Quality Committee Chair.
Tony Sheehan
Director
Tony currently works as an independent consultant. He is also a non-executive board member of cyber security company, Tesserent. He is an advisor to the ANU National Security College.
From 2018 he was Deputy Secretary at DFAT responsible for International Security, Humanitarian, Consular, Middle East and Africa and Legal.
Before that, he was Commonwealth Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, responsible for coordinating Australia’s Counter-Terrorism arrangements for the Prime Minister. He chaired the Australia-New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee.
Previously he was Deputy Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). This followed several years as Deputy Secretary in the Attorney-General’s Department and two years at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
Before this, he spent 19 years at DFAT. He had postings to Taipei, Beijing and Jakarta.
