Who we are

Our Board

Our board members are appointed for their skills and experience and do not represent any organisations for which they may be associated.

Kellie-Ann Jolly (Chair)

Kellie-Ann has worked in public health/health promotion for over 20 years as a practitioner, policy advisor, lecturer and manager. Kellie-Ann is currently the Director Cardiovascular Health Programs at the Heart Foundation (Victoria) where she was a strong advocate for creating urban environments that enhance health and well being through the promotion of Healthy by Design. 

Previously at VicHealth, Kellie-Ann was instrumental in developing the Leading the Way – Councils Creating Healthier Communities resource for local government, introduced the Walking School Bus program in 63 Victorian council areas, and initiated an effective partnership with the Planning Institute of Australia (Victoria) to create the Planning and Health initiative. Kellie-Ann played a key role in the development of Victoria Walks.

Pete Thiessen (Treasurer)

Pete is a qualified chartered accountant with over 12 years experience.  He worked in the business advisory divisions of BDO and Deloitte for over 10 years.  During that time he worked on a range of clients from small business to listed public entities. His experience includes business planning and strategy, financial modelling, taxation planning and preparation, management and statutory reporting, financial controller assignments and team leadership. In March 2008 he finished with Deloitte as a Client Director and moved out onto his own as an independent contractor where he currently works for a listed mining company.

Daniel King

Daniel has worked with national and international business, local, state and federal government to provide digital marketing services since the 90’s. He has worked with brands including GM Holden, Ford, Pioneer Electronics, Kraft, ING Superannuation, City of Melbourne, VicRoads, Skills Victoria, Department of Justice, CPA, HSBC, Unilever.

Daniel has played key roles and led digital agencies. He was Director of Digital at JWT and is now Director at Tongue, an innovative digital communications agency . He believes the use of communication technologies and the desire to communicate and connect with each other is never ending. He keeps one foot in the present mastering the common trends of communicating today and one foot in the future mastering the emerging trends of communicating tomorrow.

Sue Fitzpatrick

Sue has a background in communication and media as well as service development and delivery in the general and mental health and community services sector. She has held a number of communication and media Director level roles in Human services, Metropolitan Fire Brigade and Cancer Council Victoria, where she has developed a robust understanding of risk management and corporate governance, as well as a broad range of experience in integrated communication and marketing planning and implementation.

During her most recent role at Cancer Council Victoria, Sue was involved in a range of projects promoting cancer screening, research and client support services which has sharpened her knowledge about the importance of a healthy lifestyle in the prevention of some cancers, and the promotion of physical and mental wellbeing in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Associate Professor Trevor Budge AM

Trevor is an Adjunct Professor at RMIT University and the Course Co-ordinator - Master of Community Planning and Development and Bachelor of Urban, Rural and Environmental Planning at La Trobe University Bendigo. He is a geographer-planner who has worked in urban, rural, regional, statutory and strategic planning since 1975. He has undertaken studies throughout rural and regional Australia. He is widely acknowledged for his work in integrating land use planning, community development and natural resource management. He has worked extensively in the planning and development of many country towns.

Trevor has a National Lifetime Achievement Award (2008) - Planning Institute of Australia. He became a Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia  in June 2011 for service to town planning, particularly the development of regional and rural communities in Victoria, and to education.

Blayney Morgan

Blayney is a corporate finance and accounting professional. He has wide ranging experience with listed multinational companies, small businesses, large private companies, and not-for-profits. Some of the services he has assisted clients with include strategy, due diligence services, capital raisings, statutory reporting, budgeting, valuations including modelling and sale of assets.

Before working in finance and accounting Blayney was employed at Roy Morgan Research Australia’s best-known market and Public Opinion Survey Company for five years. He was primarily involved in project management, statistical analysis, questionnaire design and software program management.

Ben Rossiter (Secretary and Executive Officer)

Ben has a background in cross sectoral partnerships, research, policy and program development, community development and health promotion. He has a long interest in walking, sustainable communities and urban environments. He has presented papers and published articles and book chapters on walking and urban experience. The theme of his doctoral dissertation was walking in cities.

Ben is an avid walker who particularly likes the adventures and chance encounters that can occur while walking in ordinary neighbourhood spaces. He is a member of the Victorian Pedestrian Advisory Council (Department of Transport) and Cycling Reference Group (DoT). He has been a member of the: Victorian Bicycle Advisory Council (VicRoads); Hoddle Street Study Stakeholder Advisory Group (VicRoads); and Station User Panel (DoT).

Past Board members

Peter Gordon, inaugural Chair of Victoria Walks (Principal of Gordon Legal), Tim Lane (sports broadcaster and writer), Dr Sally Cockburn (GP, health advocate and media commentator) and Edwina Pearse (QUIT Media and Communications Manager).