Lecki Ord

"As Lord Mayor I had opportunities to try new experiences which gave me a better self-knowledge and which influenced my personal values."

She graduated with a Fellowship Diploma of Architecture from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 1975. A year later she also gained a Diploma of Education (Primary). These two disciplines were combined as she became involved in the use, management and design of community-based childcare centres in the inner-Melbourne area.

She has become involved and taken responsibility for community and public affairs and represented the community in a wide variety of contexts. In particular Lecki's experience of chairing committees of the Melbourne City Council, and then becoming Melbourne's first female Lord Mayor during the bicentennial year 1988 opened up opportunities to negotiate with governments, communicate through the media, show leadership in advocating human values, formulate and present ideas, participate in the management of a corporation of 3000 workers, host many events for thousands of international visitors, and launch Melbourne's 1996 Olympic Bid.

From 1989-96 she was involved in the setting up of the Queen Victoria Women's Centre in central Melbourne, salvaging part of the historic hospital building for a focal point for women to meet and exchange ideas in an inclusive and supportive environment.

Lecki and her husband have raised two children and developed an architectural and strategic facility planning practice. In twenty years this has become a leader in computer-based information systems for the building industry, particularly in database development. Currently, Lecki is a director of her own company which specialises in resource planning, pre-design analyses and other architectural services.