Chair

Melinda Brooks

Melinda joined the Board of Directors in 2004 and recently was elected by the Board as President in early 2007. Melinda feels that as a health professional herself, she can make an insightful contribution to the health service.

Melinda has a Bachelor of Nursing and a Graduate Diploma in Wound Prevention. Melinda's professional career has been varied, working in the Victorian Adult Burns Unit at The Alfred Hospital, to community nursing with the Royal District Nursing Service. Melinda currently works at Monash University as a Unit Advisor for post graduate studies and in research. Melinda also has her own business in wound care consulting and education.

Melinda has lived in the Greensborough area all her life, and is married with two children. In her spare time, Melinda enjoys gardening and spending time with her family.

• Audit & Finance Committee

Deputy Chair

John Ferraro

John is currently is the Business Manager and Corporate Secretary at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital and an Academic Tutor at La Trobe University assisting with a third year Masters subject. He has extensive experience in corporate governance, acute health and primary health care and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. John holds a Bachelor of Science a Bachelor of Orthoptics and a Master of Health Administration.

• Audit & Finance Committee

Treasurer

Peter Ogden

Peter has been a resident of West Heidelberg for almost forty years and has conducted his small business out of offices in West Heidelberg for almost as long. Peter became an active volunteer for the West Heidelberg Community Health and Welfare Centre, shortly after it opened in 1975. Peter is the chairperson of the Audit & Finance Committee of Banyule Community Health and has also served on the Board of Olympic Adult Education for the past ten years.

• Audit & Finance Committee

Abdalla Ahmed

Abdalla is a Somali Community Leader in West Heidelberg and works hard to advocate for and improve the lives of Somali people living in Melbourne. He is the President of the Australia-Somali Society and the Founder of the Raaso Relief Rehabilitation and Development Organisation both of which are based at Banyule Community Health.

• Client Services & Staffing Committee.

Frances Baum

Frances has been a resident of the West Heidelberg and West Ivanhoe area for more than 30 years. Frances taught for at St. Pius X Primary School and was later appointed Principal. Some years later she returned to the area to work as a Pastoral Associate at St. Pius X Parish.

Now, living in West Ivanhoe, Frances works as leader of our local community, Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart and has also been involved in adult education, counselling and theology and scripture studies. Frances takes an interest in people from all nations and faiths, and with such a mixed community as we have in Banyule, this is very important.

• Client Services & Staffing Committee

Bill Barber

Bill has been a resident of Montmorency for the past forty years and was the Director of Building & Health Services with the former Eltham Shire (prior to council amalgamation). He has a Diploma in Building & Building Surveying as well as a Certificate IV in Legal Studies. Bill has also worked for the former cities of Coburg and Malvern as well as a private building surveyor.

Bill continues as a Registered Building Surveyor and Domestic Builder and is a consultant to the Building Commission assessing applicants for registrations in a variety of practitioner registrations as well as sitting on tribunals in prosecution against building inspectors charged for acts of unprofessional conduct.

A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors and an Associate of the Institute of Legal Executives (Victoria), Bill was awarded the Shire of Eltham Centenary Silver Medallion for Services to the Community. Bill barracks for Collingwood, Montmorency and Lower Plenty and was elected to the board in 2007.

• Client Services & Staffing Committee

David McKenzie

David commenced his career as a primary school teacher and has taught at many local schools such as Watsonia, Viewbank, Greenhills, Briar Hill and Eltham. David is also accomplished in the political arena, highlights of this aspect of his career include being

• David was a foundation member of the Diamond Valley Council (1964) and Shire President 1969 – 1971.
• Member of the House of Representatives for Diamond Valley 1972-1975
• Former Chairman of the Publications Committee of the House of Representatives and Chairman of the joint House and Senate Publications Committee.
• The National President of the Association of Former Members of the Australian Parliament.

David has always shown a keen interest in community health and served on the Board of the Victorian Family Planning Association from 1976 – 1992 (acting as President for four of those years). He is also a former member and President of the Diamond Valley Community Health Board of Management and subsequently has served as Vice-President of Banyule Community Health until early 2007.

• Audit & Finance Committee

Lawrence (Larry) Stephens

Larry was born in, and resided in Banyule until taking early retirement and moving to Rosebud. He is a Chartered Professional Engineer having been employed at the CSIRO a Manager of Technical Services.

Larry served as a Councillor with the former City of Heidelberg from 1986 to 1995 and was Mayor in 1990. After council amalgamations he joined the Board of Banyule Community Health (formerly West Heidelberg Community Health Service) where has served since 1995 and is a member of the Finance and Audit Committee. Larry was honoured in 2003 with a Centenary Medal Awarded for “30 Years Voluntary Service to Local Sporting and Various Community Service Groups”.

Larry has particularly enjoyed being a part of the expansion of Banyule Community Health, in particular, the purchase of the Greensborough Site and the redevelopment of the West Heidelberg Site.

• Audit & Finance Committee

Denis Swift

Denis has had a successful career in the Victorian health industry spanning over thirty years.

Since December 2005 he has been Chief Financial Officer of Mercy Health & Aged Care managing both the finances and shared service functions of the organisation. Previously Denis has held many executive positions including; Executive Director of Corporate Services, Greater Southern Area Health Service; Executive Director Finance, Bayside Health; Health and Claims Policy Manager, Transport Accident Commission (TAC); Director of Operations/Director of Patient Services and Finance with the Austin Hospital.

Denis is an Associate Member of the Australian Society of Accountants, an Associate Member of College of Health Service Executives and a Member (and inaugural Chairman) of the Australian Health Service Financial Management Association.

Denis other commitments in the health industry include as a surveyor with the Australian Council of HealthCare Standards and Board Member (previously Chairman) of Banyule Community Health. Also, up until recently Denis was an adjunct senior lecturer at La Trobe University, Faculty of Health Sciences.

• Client Services & Staffing Committee