Trustees

David Willersdorf - CHAIR

David has more than 47 years of experience as a Chief Financial Officer, Company Secretary and Company Director working in public, private and not-for-profit sectors. He is currently a Director , Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary of all entities in the Grenda Family Group of Companies, Board Chair of Wallara Australia Limited and a member of the Rail Industry Development Advisory Committee. David is a former Board Chair of the Dandenong Council Arts Advisory Board, a former Company Secretary of Rolex Australia Pty Ltd, a former member of the Committee for Dandenong , a former Board Member and immediate past Board Chair of Chisholm Institute and a former Board Member of TAFE Online Pty Ltd.

During the past 47 years, David has gained significant experience and understanding of the requirements of students and the communities from the Chisholm Institute student catchment area.

David Mann AM KSJ FAICD

David, best known as Mann About Town, plays the part of roving on-air reporter for 3AW. He also runs his own marketing and public relations company, Mann Promotions Pty Ltd, which consults to many companies and not-for-profit organisations around Australia.

Beyond broadcasting, David has worked in an operational capacity with Victoria Police, the Metropolitan Fire Brigade and Ambulance Victoria. His three decades of service to our emergency services earned him as a Member of the Order of Australia in 2006.

David is also chairman of Entertainment Assist, the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Day Community Council, the Victoria Police Blue Ribbon Foundation and the Mount Macedon Memorial Cross Reserve Committee of Management.

Ian Predl, AM

Ian has had a long involvement in tertiary education and training.  Most prominently, he was CEO of the state’s TAFE system and Chairperson of the TAFE Board in the 1980s.

Ian has also been Chair of the National TAFE Statistics and Curriculum committees, Vice Principal at Emily McPherson College, and Principal at Frankston TAFE College.  From 1987 to 2005, his private company was a leading national consultancy to government and industry in vocational education and human resources management. 

In retirement, he has served on many boards and committees including the Chisholm Institute Board.  Ian created the Southern Mornington Peninsula Connect and Western Port  Connect as part of the Caroline Chisholm Education Foundation’s humanitarian initiative to assist disadvantaged youth and adults to gain a tertiary qualification at Chisholm.

Ian holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Education.

Robert (Bob) Hill, APM

Bob is the Assistant Commissioner - Crime Command for the Victoria Police. He has broad operational and corporate experience, with most of his early career working as a detective in various metropolitan divisions and the Crime Department.

As the Assistant Commissioner - Road Policing Command, Bob had strategic responsibility for road policing across Victoria.  As the Assistant Commissioner - Southern Metro Region, Bob led a workforce responsible for delivering community safety in one of the more dynamic and diverse policing environments in the state.  

Bob has post graduate qualifications including an Executive Masters in Public Administration with Honours, a Graduate Diploma in Executive Leadership and Graduate Certificate in Police Management.

He has been awarded the Australian Police Medal, Victoria Police Service Medal (40-year clasp), National Police Service Medal and National Medal (40-year clasp).

Aleksandar Vass, OAM

Aleks began his business career with hands on involvement in glass processing in his family’s business Australian Glass and Mirrors, which started in 1962. He left Australia to expand his horizons and to expand the glass business, opening Glasskote glass factories in 60 countries. 

Throughout his business life, Aleks has had a continuing interest in the performing arts.  He founded the Vass Theatre Group as a production company in 1994 and, in 2014, the group opened The Alex Theatres in St Kilda, housing four individual, unique, and much needed performing spaces.   It was for his contribution to the arts and the community that he was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2018.

Aleksandar is on the board of the Victorian Police Blue Ribbon Foundation and is an ambassador to Entertainment Assist Australia. 

Stephen Varty MAICD (Chief Executive Officer and Director)

Stephen Varty was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Chisholm Institute in November 2019.

He most recently held the position of Chief of Education, having joined Chisholm in 2015 from Victoria University where he was the Director of Innovation and Engagement. Stephen has held various senior managerial leadership positions across the vocational and higher education sectors, both in the UK and Australia.  

Stephen’s vast experience in the education and training sectors supports his position to lead the Institute through a positive phase of strong student growth and investment in infrastructure.  

His passion is education and implementation of innovative practice, creative training solutions, coaching and leadership execution to transform and increase the competence and productivity of individuals and business. 

Stephen holds a Bachelor of Education - VET (Charles Sturt University), a Graduate Certificate in Educational Leadership (Victoria University) and a Master of Education (Victoria University).

Jane McLennan

Jane joined Chisholm as Chief of Staff in 2018, with a focus on external and government relations, and broader communication for the Institute.  In 2019, she was appointed to the role of Chief of Student Success and Support, focussing on the student and employer experience at Chisholm.  Jane has extensive experience across the VET sector, at both stand-alone TAFE Institutes and dual sector universities.  Jane is also a Board member of Wallara Australia Limited – a not for profit organisation providing support and services to people with a disability.

Prior to joining Chisholm, she was the Assistant Director Vocational Education at RMIT, where she provided high-level strategic advice for the Vocational Education (VE) sector and advised on issues affecting the educational outcome of VE activities within the university. Jane has also held various senior positions at Victoria University and Melbourne Polytechnic, ranging from VET Practitioner to Head of School and Senior Executive.

Jane has studied a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physical Education), Graduate Certificates in Management, Educational Leadership and Tertiary Education and has a Master of Education (VET). She is passionate about high quality education and the broad impact it can have on individuals and the wider community.

Lisa Ping

Lisa is a finance professional with extensive experience working in the banking and technology sectors.

She is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) and holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Melbourne Business School, focusing on Strategic Management and Corporate Finance.

Previously, she completed a term as Board Committee Member for Amnesty International and Board Director for the United Nation's Youth.

Fiona McQueen

Fiona McQueen is a Strategic Communications Specialist who has worked across the corporate finance, higher education, and local government sectors.

With more than 25 years of experience, Fiona began her career as a suburban journalist before moving into public relations and communications.  She has taught in VET at RMIT and was awarded the 2016 Vice Chancellor’s Early Career Teacher of the Year, before moving to Monash University as Group Manager Communications. Fiona now heads up Community Relations at Frankston City Council.

Erin Douglas

Erin is a CPA accountant with over 10 years experience in Retail, Construction, Logistics and Healthcare industries. Erin’s previous successes include being an integral part of the team in listing a company on the ASX, working for a company that grew from 23 stores to over 50 stores Australia wide, and mentoring three junior accountants to CPA status.

Erin joined Chisholm in May 2023 as Manager – Financial Accounting & Reporting, which she is responsible for the accuracy and completeness of the Chisholm’s Groups financial statements.

Farrah Buckland, Executive Officer

Farrah has a long history with Chisholm Institute. She started as a student in 1997 and soon after, was offered a job at Chisholm. Over the past 25 years, she has worked in various roles at Chisholm, and running events and coordinating conferences has been her forte. Most recently, she has worked in not-for-profit organisations, assisting with raising awareness, fundraising, and submitting grants for potential funding.

Farrah's aim is to ensure all Chisholm students have access to education. Through the CCEF scholarship program, this can be a reality. 

Farrah’s motto is ‘Education is Empowerment’ – using education to make a difference in a person’s life and creating a domino effect for their children and family.