Our Board

Allison has been a Board Director since September 2020, and was appointed Chair of the Board in March 2023. In addition to this, Allison Chairs the Board of the Wodonga Institute of TAFE, and also Chairs the Board of the Victorian TAFE Association. Allison has recently retired from her public practice accounting firm, where she worked with many small to medium sized enterprises across the region. This role, along with being a past President of the Wodonga Chamber of Commerce (now Business Wodonga), has given Allison a strong affiliation and understanding of business in the Albury Wodonga region. 

Allison has a strong governance background, along with the above named Boards, she has also been on the Board of Albury Wodonga Health, Rural Housing Network (now Beyond Housing), along with several committees including the local chapter of the AICD. 

She and her husband run a small beef cattle stud near Springhurst, and Allison is a past member of the governing council of the Australian Gelbvieh Association.

Fiona has been a Board Director since November 2017, and was the Chair of the Board from August 2020 until March 2023.  She has a Bachelor of Business in Human Resources and a Diploma of Business Management, is a Certified Member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is the former Interim CEO and Executive Director Workforce at Northeast Health in Wangaratta. Fiona is the current Chief People Officer at Hume City Council. 

Fiona brings significant experience in aligning culture to strategy, risk management, corporate governance and legislative compliance. She lives and works across the North-East Region, in particular the areas of Wodonga, Wangaratta and Myrtleford. She has held a number of Executive and Non-Executive positions in Public Health, Local Government, Natural Resource Management and the Education sector.

Fiona has three children and understands the challenges and pressures facing every-day families financially as they try to balance their children's needs with the pressure and challenges of daily living and wealth management.

Julie has been a Board Director since November 2017.  She is a Chartered Accountant and since 1986 she has mentored small business owners, worked in superannuation, audit and business improvement.

Previously, Julie was a partner of an accounting firm for 16 years, and has served on other boards similar in nature to WAW’s, as well as a government advisory committee. Currently, Julie is an independent Audit & Risk Committee member of Alpine Shire Council.

Julie has been involved with many North-East Victorian sporting and adult education committees and community projects since moving to the area in 1986. 

Steve has been a Board Director since September 2020. Steve has many years of experience in Finance and Banking, and has operated as a CEO in two Credit Unions over the past 31 years.
 
Steve has extensive professional experience across a broad spectrum of Financial Services, Strategic Innovation, Governance and Compliance, Risk Management, Business Development and Leadership, as well as various Mutual Industry Board positions in the past.
 
He is currently the President of the Diamond Creek Football Netball Club and is a past Rotary Paul Harris Fellow recipient. Steve holds a Diploma in Financial Services, is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Finsia, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Justice of the Peace.

Matt has been a Board Director since November 2021. He is a commercial and property lawyer and principal of Halliday Solicitors, based in Beechworth. He has a Bachelor of Law (Hons) and a Bachelor of Science from Monash University.

Matt has had significant involvement in the community energy sector in North East Victoria and is a current director of both Indigo Power Ltd, and the Indigo Power Foundation Ltd. Additionally, he was a founder and former chairperson of Totally Renewable Yackandandah Inc.
 
Matt has also held other governance roles including as chairperson of Mittagundi Outdoor Education Centre, and as a committee member of Yackandandah Health Inc.

Gavan has been a Board Director since November 2019 and has a family connection to WAW dating back to its inception.

Gavan is a Chartered Accountant with 40 years’ experience in professional public accounting. His most recent appointment saw him become a partner in a national accounting firm that specialises in business reconstruction, business turnaround and insolvency.

He has recently relocated back to Wangaratta and has furthered his commitment to the local community through active engagement with a major sporting organisation in the region.

Philip has been a Board Director since November 2022. He has had a 42 year career in the banking industry, majority of the time in Albury, Wodonga, Corowa and Shepparton. Philip has worked in many areas of banking predominantly as an Agri and Commercial Lending Executive specialising in Risk Management, Business Development, Succession Planning and Leadership. Philip retired to Yarrawonga in 2020 and is currently a Board Member of Club Mulwala and was on the Board of Goulburn Valley Football and Netball League prior to moving to Yarrawonga. He is married with 3 adult children.