Parks Victoria Board

The Board is responsible for directing and monitoring the business of Parks Victoria and is accountable to the Minister for its overall performance. It delegates day-to-day responsibility for operations and administration to Parks Victoria’s Chief Executive and executive team.

The Board also consists of the following committees:

Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee
Remuneration Committee
Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire Committee
Aboriginal Partnerships Committee
Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement Committee

Hon. John Pandazopoulos (Chair)

Member since 2017, Chair since 2020

John Pandazopoulos is Chair of William Angliss Institute, Australia's specialist food, tourism, hospitality and events educator and Chair of Tourism Midwest Victoria, a peak tourism industry body designed to strengthen and grow Midwest Victoria’s visitor economy. John is Victoria’s longest continuous serving Tourism, Major Events and Gaming Minister with 30 years’ experience in public policy, government and governance at international, national, state and local government levels. He is the former Victorian Minister for Tourism, Multicultural Affairs, Racing, Major Projects and Employment, and a former member of the Cleanevent Advisory Board, one of Australia’s largest events businesses at the time. John was a local Councillor and Mayor of the then City of Berwick and an Executive of the Municipal Association of Victoria. He is also the former Chair of the Victorian Government’s Visitor Economy Ministerial Advisory Committee 2015-2019, former Chair and Deputy Chair of the Victorian Parliament Environment and Natural Resources Committee and immediate past Chair of Destination Phillip Island Regional Tourism Board.

John is also a member of all of Parks Victoria’s Board Committees across Aboriginal Partnerships; Audit, Risk and Compliance; Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire; Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement; and Chair of the Remuneration Committee.

Lisa Marty (Deputy Chair)

Member since 2017, Deputy Chair since 2020

Lisa Marty is an experienced director, senior executive and consultant. She is a specialist in land management and industry policy, strategy, governance, stakeholder engagement and advocacy. Lisa is Director of Skills Impact, a national skills service organisation, working with industry in the VET sector. She has over 10 years of board experience, including Co-Chair of First Super, and is a former Chief Executive of the Victorian Association of Forest Industries.

Lisa is also Chair of Parks Victoria’s Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement Committee and a member of three further Board Committees of Audit, Risk and Compliance; Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire; and Remuneration.

Anthony Boxshall

Member since 2020

Dr Anthony Boxshall is a marine ecologist who has worked in Australia and the United States, across government, academia and private industry. He is the founder of Science into Action Pty Ltd, a Melbourne Enterprise Fellow at the School of Biosciences at the University of Melbourne and the current Chair of the Victorian Marine and Coastal Council. He is Co-Chair of the Victorian Sea Country Co-Governance Group, a former National President of the Australian Marine Sciences Association and has been on several innovation boards. Until late 2017 he was Director, Applied Sciences at the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) in Victoria. He is a problem solver, a strategist and believes in maximising public value via good leadership and governance.

Anthony is also Chair of Parks Victoria’s Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire Committee, and is a member of two further Board Committees of Aboriginal Partnerships, and Audit, Risk and Compliance.

Taryn Lee

Member since 2021

Taryn Lee is a proud Yawuru woman and experienced policy director who has held executive roles in the public sector, leading policy and programs focused on self-determination and improved outcomes for Aboriginal peoples – most recently as General Manager, Social Impact and Policy at Collingwood Football Club. Taryn holds a Bachelor of Law from Victoria University, a Masters in Human Rights from the University of London and an Executive Masters in Business Administration from the University of Sydney, and brings skills in government, management, community engagement, leadership, and project management to the Board.

Taryn is also a member of two Board Committees of Aboriginal Partnerships, and Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement.

Doris Paton

Member since 2020

Dr Doris Paton is a Monero - Ngarigo and Gunai woman. She lives on country and her knowledge and learning comes from her Elders. A specialised educationalist and researcher in Gippsland, she focuses on empowering others with knowledge to strengthen relationships and understanding through customised cultural awareness competency training. Doris is committed to sharing her knowledge of language and local Gunai/Kurnai knowledge and history and has a strong governance background, having held many positions on local, regional and national committees and boards. She is also a part-time Senior Lecturer at Monash University. She has held management positions in several Aboriginal education and training organisations during her career.

Doris is also Chair of Parks Victoria’s Aboriginal Partnerships Committee and a member of the Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire Board Committee.

Vijaya Vaidyanath

Member since 2020

Vijaya Vaidyanath was the inaugural Chief Executive of Homes Melbourne between 2022-23, and prior to this CEO of the City of Yarra from 2012-22. Vijaya is a highly experienced board and advisory group member across public, private, not-for-profit organisations, universities and international banks. She is currently a Board Member with Procurement Australasia and Ambulance Victoria, and a Director/Trustee with Vision Super.

Vijaya is a Senior Executive Fellow of the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and holds a Masters of Business Administration from JM Katz Graduate School of Business in Pittsburgh as well as a Masters of Arts (Economics) and a Bachelor of Arts (Economics) from the University of Bangalore.

Vijaya is renowned for her innovation, integrity, inspiring leadership style and ability to deliver results.

Vijaya is also Chair of Parks Victoria’s Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee and a member of three further Board Committees of Aboriginal Partnerships; Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement; and Remuneration.