Scott Chapman - Chair Scott has held chief executive and senior leadership positions in the private, public and not for profit sectors over many years and is currently the CEO of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Victoria.

Previous to his current position Scott was Director, Commerce and Marketing at the City of Melbourne where he oversaw the marketing, communications and media, tourism, major events, business, trade and investment and international portfolios for ten years.

He is a Fellow of Leadership Victoria, a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia. He is Chairman of Doutta Galla Aged Care, Chair of Dafydd Lewis Scholarship Trustees and Deputy Chair of Cottage by the Sea and sits on the Melbourne Chamber of Commerce Advisory Board and Chairs the Committee for Melbourne Not for Profit Taskforce.

He has previously been Chair of Destination Melbourne, the People and Parks Foundation, the Outdoor Education Group and Outdoors Victoria and Deputy Chair of the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria. He is dedicated to building the visitor economy in the West.

Dr Colin Drake - Deputy Chair (Victoria University Representative) Colin is a lecturer in undergraduate and postgraduate marketing, tourism and events and is the course co-ordinator for the Bachelor of Business Event Management program at Victoria University. Colin has over 20 years of practitioner experience encompassing senior roles in Event Management, Tourism, Hospitality and the Aviation sectors in Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Susan Lee - Treasurer Susan is a creative and professional leader in tourism and passionate advocate of small business growth and community engagement. She established CVC Clear Vision Consulting in 2011 and as Principal Consultant Susan has designed innovative industry engagement activities nationally to help bring about change and development in Indigenous and regional tourism sectors; including the inaugural Desert Guides Program (NT), the first ever Adelaide City Council Tourism Action Plan and event managing ‘Industry Walkabouts’ in regional SA, NT and WA.

Cr Heather Marcus (Wyndham City Council Representative) Cr Marcus is currently serving her fifth term at Council. A passionate advocate for Wyndham, Cr Marcus is the portfolio holder for Destination Wyndham. The Portfolio celebrates the many tourism and natural attractions Wyndham has to offer and explores ways to attract visitors and businesses to the region.

A successful businesswoman and entrepreneur, Cr Marcus brings a wealth of experience having ran successful retail and building businesses and currently, co-ordinates large scale events across the City.

Cr Julie Shannon (Melton City Council Representative) Cr Shannon truly values learning about and understanding the needs of residents and giving them a voice on the issues that matter to them. In her first term as a councillor, she’s very interested in making Melton a destination for visitors and, among many ideas, would love to advocate for the Weir to be developed one day. Family violence, homelessness and food security are issues Cr Shannon plans to help address in her role.

Cr Shannon lives, works and volunteers in Coburn Ward. She has been married to husband Paul for 35 years and has three daughters and four adorable grandchildren. Her life experiences include small business, education, retail, hospitality, not-for-profit and faith-based activities. Cr Shannon has served on various industry and not-for-profit boards over the past 25 years which have taught her to appreciate diversity and value a difference of opinion.

Cr Maria Kerr (Brimbank City Council Representative) Cr Kerr is a newly elected Councillor, representing the Brimbank City Council in Taylors Ward. She was born and raised in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne, her parents are both Italian immigrants. She is a passionate advocate for the West and aims to be a voice for her community, her aim is to bridge the gap between East and West. Cr Kerr is championing the Proud Portfolio which includes Brimbank Branding, Tourism, Marketing, Communication and Community Engagement. Cr Kerr has a background in Financial Services, Insurance and Community Advocacy. She is excited about promoting the West, including its cultural diversity and world class cuisine. Her aim is to showcase the west as a culinary destination.

Cr Ava Adams (Moonee Valley City Council Representative) Cr Ava Adams is a lifelong Moonee Valley resident and Councillor for Buckley Ward. Following the impact 2020 has had on our community, Cr Adams wants to help Moonee Valley residents rebuild and thrive, as we shop, think and be local.

Cr Sarah Carter (City of Maribyrnong Council Representative) Councillor Sarah Carter has served four consecutive terms since her election to council in 2008 and has been Mayor twice, most recently in 2020. Sarah is a passionate advocate for the people and community of Melbourne’s inner west and has served on more than 20 committees including as a Director of LeadWest, Member of the Inner Melbourne Action Plan implementation committee, MAV Human Services Committee and VLGA Women’s Policy Advisory Committee, to name a few. Sarah has served as Council’s Gender Equity Ambassador since 2011, is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and was the recipient of the inaugural Victoria University’s Rising Star Alumni Award.

Sarah is the Director of the Australian Regional Leadership Initiative at Save the Children Australia, which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The Australian Regional Leadership Initiative provides Federal Members of Parliament with a first-hand experience of Australian Aid investment and responses to humanitarian crises in the Pacific, Middle East and South East Asia.

In 2018, Sarah was one of 5 Australians selected to participate in the Lowy Institute’s Australia/PNG Emerging Leaders Dialogue and in 2019 was appointed to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Australia Awards Women’s Leadership Initiative.

Cr Pamela Sutton-Legaud (Hobsons Bay City Council Representative) Cr Pamela Sutton-Legaud is the CEO of Homeward Bound, a leadership program for women in STEMM and has advised a number of non-profit organisations as a Strategic Fundraising Consultant working with AskRIGHT.com. Until early 2015, she was Executive Director of Zoos Victoria Foundation, a role she was delighted to take up in January 2010 after working in the non-profit sector with Plan International, Oxfam Australia and Bush Heritage Australia. She is recognised as a Certified Practicing Fundraiser with CFRE International. Pamela has held a number of board positions with Trust for Nature, Family Planning Victoria, Connecting Home and INTERACT.

Craig Bray (Parks Victoria Representative) Craig is the Manager of Parks Victoria’s Western Melbourne District. The district includes visitor attractions such as Werribee Park, Brimbank Park, Organ Pipes National Park, Woodlands Historic Park and various other parks and reserves stretching from Craigieburn in the north to Point Cook in the south. Together these parks and reserves attract over 500,000 visitors annually. Craig has over 25 years’ experience managing high profile parks, bio regions and other tourism assets across the state.

Asha Bee Abraham (Arts Industry Representative) Asha is the Industry Development Coordinator at Footscray Community Arts Centre (FCAC), and also coordinates Arts West, an alliance of artists and arts organisations. Arts West has an extensive and diverse reach, providing cultural services to over 200,000 people annually, collectively delivering the bulk of arts and cultural activities and engagement throughout Melbourne’s west. FCAC itself, makes a significant contribution to the Australian cultural footprint with an average visitation of 90,000 per year since 2015.

Robyn Grattidge, Zoos Victoria - (Industry Representative) Robyn is Director of Business Development at Zoos Victoria, a zoo based conservation organisation with three properties across Victoria including Werribee Open Range Zoo, Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary. Robyn’s portfolio includes Visitors, Tourism, Retail, Catering, Membership, Sponsorship and Philanthropy.

Anthea Dimitrakopoulos, Quest Apartments (Industry Representative)  Anthea Dimitrakopoulos is an inspiration leader that is passionate about bringing a company’s vision, mission and purpose alive through its people. A lifelong learner who has spent her career in numerous leadership roles across multi sector industries and in particular the last decade in the hospital and tourism sector. Currently the General Manager for Quest Apartment Hotels, where she is focused on delivering customer centric sales strategies that deliver profitable and sustainable outcomes for all stakeholders. She is passionate and enthused for having the opportunity to work alongside talented folk to share the best kept secret in Australia re the western tourism catchment.