Hang was appointed as Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre in May 2021 having served as a director for two years prior. She is also currently a board director of Respect Victoria, a statutory agency focused on family violence prevention. Previously, Hang was Vice-President of Australian Council of Social Services and director at South-east Community Links, a grassroots organisation supporting newly arrived migrants and refugees.

Hang has over 20 years’ experience in the not-for-profit sector leading national and international programs. She has been the CEO of Whitelion Youth since August 2018. Prior to this, she held various leadership roles at Australian Red Cross and EACH Social and Community Health.  Her qualifications include executive education at Harvard Business School; Executive MBA; Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors; and degrees in Social Work and Arts.

Having come to Australia as a part of the Vietnamese refugee ‘boat people’ seeking asylum in the late 1970s and being a member of the LGBTIQ+ community, Hang has first-hand experience of dislocation and exclusion which drives her deep commitment to creating a more just, inclusive, and equitable society.

Scott is Head of Internal Audit for Save the Children Australia.  He is a Chartered Accountant and Fellow of CPA Australia.  He previously led Grant Thornton Australia’s Public-Sector practice and industry focus.  In addition to his role with the Victorian Pride Centre, he volunteers as a Board Member for the Good Samaritan Inn.  Scott is also a Director and chairs the Finance and Resource Management Committee for Wellways Australia.  He is a strong supporter of diversity in the workplace and advocate of LGBTIQ+ issues.

Kris has worked on strategic planning for future occupancy within companies such as NAB and MLC Life Insurance.  He is currently contracted to BHP and working with a global team on the management/future strategic plans for their commercial offices.  He is experienced in strategic office portfolio planning, relocating staff to new offices, working on office fit outs to suit flexible co-working spaces, and managing a team of Concierge, Facilities Managers, and Analysts.

Kris studied Architecture and Business Management at the University of Minnesota in the USA as well as a semester in Copenhagen, Denmark.  He worked at an architecture firm in Mexico City and completed his Masters Degree in Architecture at the University of Melbourne in 2013 and has now found a great place to settle here.  He has also had experience in volunteering with Habitat for Humanity in Botswana and Cambodia, and has worked with other volunteer organisations in South Africa and Mexico.

Kris is also the Co-Lead for the LGBTI+ Employee Network at Cushman & Wakefield (UNITY) and is honoured to have this opportunity of the Board of Directors for the Victorian Pride Centre and is looking forward to giving back to the LGBTIQ+ community within Australia.

Vanessa Murphy is a corporate and commercial lawyer, and the company secretary of VPC.  Her experience extends across a number of areas in Hall & Wilcox’s corporate and commercial practice, transcending both transactional and advisory work for a range of clients. Specifically, Vanessa’s practice involves mergers & acquisitions and equity capital markets transactions, with a particular focus on corporate governance. Vanessa has acted for a diverse range of clients across various industries including publicly listed entities, private organisations and AFS licensees.  Vanessa has also had leadership positions at an organisation supporting the education of youth in prison.   

Melinda is currently Executive General Manager, Corporate Services for RACV. Accountable for business functions encompassing safety, people and culture; risk and legal; property and capital works; procurement; corporate communications; and social impact. She is also Chair of the RACV Community Foundation, and sits on the board of Nationwide Group.

Her commercial experience spans leadership positions in the services, transport, agribusiness, manufacturing and resource sectors and she holds Bachelor Degrees in Engineering (Mechanical) and Arts (Politics/Philosophy), and a Master of Business Administration.

Melinda has served the VPC Audit & Risk Committee since February 2020.

Alan is a not-for-profit corporate governance specialist, working with communities to build power to make decisions that matter. He serves as chair of Australia’s largest youth-run international development organisation, Oaktree, and on the boards of GetUp!; Out for Australia, an LGBTIQA+ mentoring organisation; and Democracy in Colour, a racial justice initiative.

Alan previously served as the youngest and longest-serving member of the board of Oxfam Australia, as chair of Australia’s peak body for young people, as Envoy for Young People to the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme, and on the Australian National Commission for UNESCO. He was also an executive and lawyer with the Australian Government, working in the Departments of the Attorney-General, and Prime Minister and Cabinet.

Alan is admitted as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory, and is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and the Chartered Governance Institute.

“I hope the Pride Centre will be a place for our community to come together, celebrate the hard-won gains of those who’ve come before us, and find new energy and support for our continuing journey. Together, we’re helping build a future where everyone is free to proudly be themselves.”

Tara brings more than 14 years of experience in community-based mental health and social services. With a background as a housing support worker and, later, mental health occupational therapist, she has since undertaken further studies in leadership, business and social impact to further leverage her insights from all levels of operations and service development in her governance.

With a background spanning multiple mental health leadership roles, Tara is and is currently General Manager Victoria – Mental Health and Wellbeing Services with Wellways Australia.

Tara is passionate about ensuring organisations are equipped to deliver on and understand the key role responsive and inclusive services play in ensuring opportunity and participation for all. She is also a member of the Victoria Government LGBTIQ+ Taskforce Health and Wellbeing Working Group providing strategic advice on ways to improve the responsiveness of health services to issues faced by LGBTIQ+ people, and the Diverse Communities’ Mental Health & Wellbeing Working Group providing advice on the implementation of other Royal Commission recommendations to ensure responsiveness to diversity.

“I consider the Victorian Pride Centre a game-changer for Victorian LGBTIQ+ communities as it provides an essential platform to come together, develop understandings, and change systems, hearts and minds.”

Jane Crawley is a dynamic and creative public sector leader experienced in guiding large and complex organisations, groups and portfolios. Her most recent position was Executive Director, Creative Industries with Creative Victoria, a position she held three years. Jane’s prior role was Director, Arts Investment with Creative Victoria, a role she held for two years.

In these roles Jane led Creative Victoria’s strategy and investment in the non-government creative industries, accountable for the state’s creative industries strategy and for Victorian First Peoples, Regional, Screen, Design, Music, and Arts sectors investment. With responsibility for a $100M+ annual budget, 70 staff and scores of key stakeholders, Jane led the delivery of Creative State 2016-20 and the design and adoption of Creative State 2025 and VicScreen, Victoria’s first strategy for the screen industry.

Prior to working for the Victorian government, Jane led Arts Melbourne and other portfolios for the City of Melbourne.

Jane was involved in some of the work that led to establishing the Pride Centre, as Co-Chair of the Community Reference Group 2018-20, and as a member of the Building and Activation Sub-Committee in 2017 – 18.

“This is an incredible achievement of the LGBTIQ+ communities of Victoria: driven and established by the sheer power of community activism and volunteerism, the Centre is a beacon, signalling the collective strength, beauty and success of Victoria’s queer communities. The establishment and opening of the Centre is only the beginning – I hope to support the Centre’s ongoing development through my role as a Board member such that every LGBTIQ+ person, no matter who or where they are, feels collective ownership of the Centre as our place.”

Craig is currently the Chief Executive Officer of CoINVEST Limited, providing portable long service leave entitlements to over 200,000 Victorian construction industry workers with a fund approaching $2b. He is also Chair of the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation, Australia’s largest independent community foundation.

With over 30 years’ experience in Strategy, Finance, Investments and ICT, he has held senior positions across a number of sectors, including member-based organisations.  Previously, Craig was the Chief Executive Officer at Foresters Financial and had roles in top tier investment firms in London and Melbourne, along with various financial positions in the Victorian and South Australian State Governments. He is also a Fellow of CPA Australia (FCPA) and Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

“As a strong advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, joining the Victorian Pride Centre Board is an honour and a privilege. I am passionate about continuing the great work done to date in making the Pride Centre a safe and inclusive place for all.”

Justine Dalla Riva is a passionate professional whose career spans both the commercial and not-for-profit sector. She is the CEO of the Pride Centre since late 2019, and has led the development of the Centre and organisation under the stewardship of Jude Munro AO (former chair) and Hang Vo (current chair). She holds a Diploma of Governance, Masters in Marketing, Graduate Diploma in Graphic Design, BA with Hons.

Bree came on board at the Victorian Pride Centre in August 2019. With a background in arts, media and community development she has three decades of experience in seeking funding support for community and creative ventures.

A City of Port Phillip resident since the early 1990’s, she’s thrilled to see Australia’s first purpose-built LGBTIQ+ Centre be built in beautiful St Kilda and even more thrilled to be supporting the sustainability of such an important beacon for equality and inclusion in Australia.

Her passions are social justice, art, eco building, her partner Sherif and queer family of friends, exes and allies.

Thomas has a background in ticketing and hospitality management, alongside his creative career in comedy and podcasting. He oversees bookable spaces throughout the Pride Centre and manages the calendar of special events.

Anna oversees the general administration of the Centre. Anna is a proud Kiwi from Auckland who loves music, sitcoms, and their cat Loki. They have a Bachelor of Psychology and Computer Science and have previously worked in administration roles within migration and education.

Max is originally from the hills of Gippsland in Victoria’s east (Gunai/Kurnai land). His professional background encompasses arts marketing and events programming, and is passionate about urban planning, environmental sustainability, film and food. He has previously worked at Classic Lido Cameo Cinemas, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Queen Victoria Market in various capacities. He has a Diploma of Professional Writing & Editing, Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) and is currently undertaking a Master of Urban Planning & Environment.

“The thing I love most about the Pride Centre is the feeling of possibility and potential this place has!”

Simone Farnsworth is a trans, non-binary person who uses she/they pronouns. Her background is primarily in academia and government work, specifically in the disability sector. Their primary academic focuses were in philosophy, specializing in metaphysics and epistemology “basically fancy words for the study of knowledge claims, i.e. ‘what are things?’ and ‘how do we know things?'”. She loves reading books as well as enjoying esoteric music, art, and every permutation of personal expression.

“The Pride Centre represents many wonderful things for me. It represents how far the LGBTQI+ community has come as a set of diverse organisations, groups, people, and ideas that are united by the ideals of care, compassion, community, and respect. It represents a cultural hub for a wide set of organisations and people dedicated to speaking for those whose voices have been historically stifled and whose central aims are for building a better future for the beautifully diverse range of people that call the Victorian Pride Centre home.”