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

John Pandazopoulos

Hon. John Pandazopoulos (Chair)

Member since 2017, Chair since 2020

John currently holds the positions Chair of Parks Victoria, and Deputy Chair of William Angliss Institute, Australia's specialist food, tourism, hospitality and events educator. 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 level. He is a former Minister for 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. He was a Councillor and Mayor of the then City of Berwick and executive of the Municipal Association of Victoria.

He is the former Chair of the Victoria 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.

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 the Chair of Parks Victoria’s Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement Committee and a member of Parks Victoria’s Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee and Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire Committee.

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 a member of Parks Victoria’s Aboriginal Partnerships Committee, Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee, and Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire Committee.

Christine Trotman

Member since 2018

Chris Trotman is an experienced non-executive director and was appointed to the Parks Victoria Board in 2015. Her executive career includes CEO roles in health services, aged care and disability services. Chris holds degrees, accounting and business management and is a Graduate member of the AICD. Chris has extensive experience serving on a range of boards and committees and is the current Chair of Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and Deputy Chair of the Mine Lands Rehabilitation Authority. She lives on a farm in Gippsland.

Chris is also the Chair of Parks Victoria’s Remuneration Committee and a member of Parks Victoria’s Aboriginal Partnerships Committee and Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement Committee.

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 a member of Parks Victoria’s Aboriginal Partnerships Committee and Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire Committee.

Vijaya Vaidyanath

Member since 2020

Vijaya Vaidyanath is inaugural Chief Executive of Homes Melbourne, established in 2021 by the City of Melbourne to deliver housing access and provide affordable houses for key workers. Prior to this, Vijaya was CEO of the City of Yarra from 2012 to January 2022. 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, a Director/Trustee with Vision Super and Zoos Victoria (including Chair of the Werribee Zoo Expansion Steering Committee).

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 Parks Victoria’s Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement Committee and Remuneration Committee.

Graham Atkinson

Member since 2017

Graham Atkinson is a Board Member of the Federation of Victorian Traditional Owners Corporations and Chair of Barpa Pty Ltd, a joint construction venture. He is Chair of the Dhelkunya Dja Land Management Board, a former Chair of the Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (DDWCAC) and also Director of Djandak Enterprises, a subsidiary of DDWAC. He is a Board Member of the Judicial Commission of Victoria and the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) a member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee of the NCCMA and was formerly Director of social research consultants the Atkinson Consulting Group.

Graham is also Chair of Parks Victoria’s Aboriginal Partnerships Committee and a member of Parks Victoria’s Audit, Risk and Compliance Committee.

Michael Clarke

Prof. Michael Clarke

Member since 2020

A Professor of Zoology at the Centre for Future Landscapes’ Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution at La Trobe University, Professor Clarke has studied the ecology and biology of birds, reptiles, mammals, fish and plants for the past 38 years. With his colleague Professor Andrew Bennett, he leads research into the impacts of fire on fauna and maintains an ongoing research interest in threatened species and threatening processes. He was the Convener of the Scientific Advisory Committee on the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act to the Victorian Minister for the Environment for five years. In 2007, he was awarded the DL Serventy Medal by the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union for his outstanding contribution to the scientific literature in ornithology. In 2010, he was an expert witness in fire ecology at the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission and in 2014 his research on fire ecology with Prof Bennett was one of three finalists for a Eureka Prize in Environmental Research. He has recently served as an expert advisor to the Victorian Auditor General’s Office examination of how to reduce bushfire risk.

Professor Clarke is also the Chair of Parks Victoria’s Conservation, Cultural Heritage and Fire Committee and a member of Parks Victoria’s Aboriginal Partnerships Committee and Park Planning, Commercial and Engagement Committee.

Taryn Lee

Member since 2021

Taryn Lee is a proud Yawuru woman and currently the General Manager, Social Impact and Policy at Collingwood Football Club. She is an 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. Taryn holds a Bachelor of Laws 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.

Parks Victoria Board reports

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

The Board meets regularly with Parks Victoria’s Executive Management Team to discuss key projects, opportunities and risks.

Following each meeting, we share a short summary of the highlights.