Our Leadership

Vasey RSL Care is led by the Executive Management Team, under the guidance of a skills-based Board of Directors.

Our Patron

Vasey RSL Care is honoured that Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria is our new Patron

Her Excellency is a prominent and well-respected academic with a background in economics, industrial relations, and organisational management, and has had distinguished career in Australia’s university sector and abroad. She was the first woman to lead Monash University, having served as President and Vice-Chancellor from 2014 to 2023.

Her Excellency previously served as Vice-Chancellor and President of RMIT University between 2005 and 2014 and has held senior executive leadership and academic positions at the University of Queensland and Griffith University.

She was a Fulbright Postdoctoral Fellow spending time at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cornell University, and the University of California, Berkeley. She was elected a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia in 2018.

In 2007, Her Excellency was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of her service to tertiary education – particularly in the areas of gender equity and university governance – and to industrial relations.

In 2020, she was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for her eminent service to tertiary education through leadership and innovation in teaching and learning, research and financial sustainability.

She has also been a member of a range of boards and committees including Infrastructure Victoria, Museums Victoria, the Australia and New Zealand School of Government, the Australian-American Fulbright Commission, the Anzac Centenary Advisory Board, and the Australian Technology Network.

We are delighted that Her Excellency has agreed to be our Patron.

Governance

The Vasey RSL Care Board of Directors brings a wealth of professional experience and expertise to the organisation from a variety of backgrounds. The Board provides strategic governance, sets the organisation’s Vision, Mission, Values and Promises, and operates sub-committees in the Finance, Quality & Risk, Audit and Building areas.

Vasey RSL Care’s Directors are committed to continuing to honour our Veterans and War Widows by providing quality support and care in the residential and community sectors.

 

Michael O’Meara OAM  Chair

(Second from right)

Mike is the former Deputy Commissioner, Victoria, Department of Veterans’ Affairs, prior to which he held the positions of Director Health & Client Services for Victoria and National Manager Community Health. Mike retired in 2012 after a total of 44 years in Veteran’s Affairs. Mike is an Honorary Life Member of RSL Victoria and other ex-service organisations, is a former Chair of the Sir Edward Dunlop Medical Research Foundation and a past director and deputy president of Carry On Victoria.

Tony Carr

(Far right)

Tony Carr worked in a range of managerial positions during his 37 year career with the (Commonwealth) Department of Veterans’ Affairs. He also worked for some years as veteran sector adviser to the Victorian Veterans’ Council.

Vanda Fortunato

Vanda Fortunato has spent the last 20 years in executive and strategic leadership roles in Australia and overseas, with significant experience in public health, primary care, not-for-profits, medical training, academia, pharmaceuticals, health insurance and consulting. Vanda has been a CEO of two not-for-profits, and has held senior executive roles with Medibank, a clinical research organisation and Accenture. She has also worked for the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Vanda is on the Board of BreastScreen Victoria and was the chair of a private aged care company New Aged Care.

Barry Lowe

(Far left)

Barry Lowe served in the Royal Australian Signals and has been a member of the Mentone RSL Sub-branch for over five decades and was appointed to the committee in 2006. He served two years as vice president before becoming President in 2013. He is currently serving as Treasurer.

Barry has had a civilian career in the construction industry for the past thirty years, currently running his own building and property development business.

Barry also serves on RSL Victoria’s Property Committee.

Tracey Bannan

Tracey Bannan’s career spans over 30 years across private, not-for-profit and public sector organisations.  Following a career providing audit & consulting services and National Finance and Quality & Risk roles within Deloitte, Tracey has applied her commercial skills and experience for purpose, initially as Chief Financial Officer of World Vision Australia and now at AMES Australia.  In addition to her Executive roles Tracey is also a Director of Carinya Society. Tracey is the daughter of parents who met whilst in the Army and who served for most of their careers.

Laureen Grimes

(Centre right)

Laureen Grimes is the former Chair of the Victorian Veterans Council and is a Director of the Weary Dunlop Foundation. She has enjoyed successful careers in Personnel Management and Business Support and as a current serving Lieutenant Colonel in the Australian Army Reserve she has accumulated over 40 years of service.  The combination of Defence service and tenure with the Victorian Veterans Council has resulted in an excellent understanding of issues and concerns of Veterans of all ages and their families. Laureen is a 2020 inductee to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.

Lucy Saaroni

(Second from left)

Lucy Saaroni is a proud veteran and member of Victoria’s Culturally and Linguistically diverse community. As a qualified risk manager and community engagement professional with 15 years’ experience in the public sector, Lucy has held executive and statutory positions in local and state government. Lucy is currently the Executive General Manager Strategy, Mission & Innovation at the St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria. Lucy also sits on the boards of Victorian Veterans Council and Scouts Victoria.

Commissioned as a Specialist Service Officer in the Australian Army, Lucy has deployed on warlike military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq and has also supported politico-military missions in the Gulf States and North West Africa.

Working in the Office of the Defence Attaché at the Australian Embassy in Paris, France, between 2008-2013, Lucy had the privilege of supporting large scale multinational military commemorative ceremonies including the reburial of 250 Australian and British World War I soldiers at the Fromelles Military Cemetery and planning the ANZAC Centenary Commemorations in France.

In 2018, Lucy was awarded the Australia Day Medallion for service to Defence and Indigenous Communities.

Michele Lewis

Michele is an experienced chief executive working in health, aged and disability care, including management at clinical and strategic levels within the acute, sub-acute, aged and community sectors. Michele has dedicated her career to the not-for-profit sector, using her skills and passion to deliver exceptional standards in care and service delivery. She has a portfolio of independent directorships and committee roles.

Michele’s skill and experience set covers: conception and execution of business strategies for growth and infrastructure development, financial sustainability, and general management of whole businesses and large projects. In these roles she has successfully managed all aspects of business including strategy, budgeting and reporting, funding, operations, stakeholders and risk including compliance.

Michele holds a Master of Business and a Graduate Diploma of Organisational Dynamics, and is a member of the Australian College of Nursing and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Australian Institute of Management.

Executive Leadership Team

The Vasey RSL Care Executive Leadership Team consists of a group of dedicated and experienced professionals with a deep empathy for the contributions of, and the challenges facing the veteran community.

Together,  we ensure that organisational planning and administration is guided by our mission and values, that it enables staff to excel in their roles, and delivers high quality services to all community members.

Janna Voloshin, Chief Executive Officer

Tamara Paton, Senior Executive Officer

Milka Underhill, Chief Financial Officer

Chris Gray, General Manager – Veteran Services

Corinne Lyon, General Manager – Residential Services

Jannette Fleming, General Manager – Community Services

Pictured: (from left) Chris, Corinne, Tamara, Janna, Milka.