About the Victorian Skills Authority Advisory Board
The Victorian Skills Authority (VSA) Advisory Board provides independent advice to the Minister for Skills and TAFE and the VSA on:
- long-term strategic direction for the VSA
- maximising outcomes from state investment in the training and skills sector
- strategic reforms in response to industry and community needs
- relevance, quality and equity in the Victorian training system
- the Victorian Skills Plan(opens in a new window), ensuring it accurately reflects current and future needs
- delivering skills and training requirements to support government priority workforces
- any other matters referred by the minister.
The advisory board comprises members with a broad range of experience and expertise across the training and skills sector.
Learn more about the advisory board members below.
Lisa Line
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Enterprise and Digital, Victoria University.
Lisa has a strong reputation in the vocational and higher education sector, with extensive experience in expertly navigating complex operational environments.
Throughout her career, Lisa has focused on modernising education delivery in a dynamic and competitive environment. Her passion and commitment as a leader in the education sector are toward realising and maximising the vital connection between industry needs, teaching excellence and career pathways.
Recent roles include Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Pathways and Vocational Education) of Swinburne University of Technology and Chief Executive Officer of the Gordon Institute of TAFE in Geelong. She has also held other executive leadership positions at The Gordon and the University of Plymouth in the UK. Lisa is based in regional Victoria.
Neville Atkinson
Executive Manager, Programs and Policy, Victorian Aboriginal Education Association (VAEAI).
Neville is a Bangerang man from North-East Victoria. With VAEAI, he plays a key role in improving education, training and employment participation outcomes for Koorie peoples in Victoria.
Neville has worked in senior leadership roles within Aboriginal community-controlled and prescribed body corporate organisations.
He is passionate about working with the business and broader community to achieve economic and social change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Rebecca Casson
Rebecca is the President of Incolink, Australia's largest worker entitlement fund. She is also the Chairperson of the Victorian Government’s Building Industry Consultative Council, a forum for discussing economic and industrial relations issues in the building and construction industry. Rebecca is the first woman ever appointed to both positions and the first female president of a worker entitlement fund in Australia.
Previously, Rebecca was the CEO of Master Builders Victoria and was the first woman to be appointed to that position in the association’s 147-year history.
Rebecca is a published author and academic with a strong government, industry, and not-for-profit sector background.
In 2021, Rebecca was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
Lisa Fitzpatrick AO
State Secretary, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation (ANMF).
As the current State Secretary of the ANMF, Lisa is a strong advocate for the industrial and professional rights of the nursing and midwifery professions across Victoria.
Since her election as ANMF State Secretary in 2001, membership of the Victorian branch has grown significantly from 32,000 to more than 99,000.
Lisa has extensive clinical nursing experience, alongside professional roles which have included Trustee Director, Aware Super; Executive Member, ACTU; and currently Director, Western Bulldogs Football Club.
Elaine Gillespie
Vice President TAFE, and Adult Provision, Australian Education Union (AEU).
Elaine has more than 30 years of experience in teaching, managing and leading teams, curriculum development and implementing quality governance processes in the vocational education sector.
Elaine is a strong advocate for teachers and has extensive stakeholder engagement and conflict resolution skills.
She has extensive experience working in the Victorian education and training sector including previous roles at Melbourne Polytechnic and Victoria University.
William Hamill
CEO, Rural Industries Skill Training Centre, Hamilton.
Bill is the Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Industries Skill Training Centre; one of Australia’s largest non-public vocational training providers in agriculture.
Bill is an innovative and strategic thinker who is passionate about delivering training opportunities for disengaged learners in regional communities. He is a strong advocate for regional Victoria, where he is based, and has a keen interest in the millennial generation and how they wish to learn and be trained.
He has held CEO and senior management roles in national organisations including Elders Limited, First National Real Estate and Sanwa Australia.
Luke Hilakari
Secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council.
Luke leads the Victorian union movement in his role as Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council (VTHC), a role he has held for over 9 years. VTHC is the peak body for unions in Victoria, representing over 40 unions and 500,000 union members from every sector of the workforce, both public and private, across Victoria. Under his leadership, Victorian workers are taking unprecedented collective action to improve their working lives.
Luke represents Victorian workers on a number of boards and has extensive experience in workplace consultation, government relations, policy development, advocacy, stakeholder engagement and industrial relations.
Susie Siew Yuen Ho
Director of Enterprise Immersion, Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education) Monash University.
Susie has more than 15 years of experience and expertise in industry-focused science curriculum and course design, delivery, research and management, with a focus on employability skills and sustainability. She is a strong advocate for the benefits of engaging in non-traditional educational partnerships and pathways.
She is a proven leader with roles including Associate Dean (International and Graduate Education), Deputy Associate Dean (Education), United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) focal point, and Course Director and Environmental Security Specialisation Coordinator at Monash University. Susie is of Malaysian background.
Emma King, OAM
CEO, HumanAbility.
Emma brings a wealth of experience in the caring and social justice space.
Prior to working at HumanAbility, Emma served as the CEO of the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS), where she provided a strong voice of leadership and advocacy on social justice issues for the community sector.
Emma also has extensive experience in workforce and education issues. She worked as CEO of Early Learning Association Australia and has assisted in establishing initiatives including traineeships and partnerships with tertiary institutions.
Emma is the Chair of Farnham Street Neighbourhood Learning Centre, and a board member of the Portable Long Service Authority.
Fiona MacDonald
Chief Financial Officer, EIA Investments
Fiona has extensive experience in communications, strategy and planning, operations, financial management and systems, and stakeholder engagement.
Fiona is closely connected to the training sector through roles with the Victorian Government’s Senior Secondary Pathways Reform Industry Advisory Panel and direct industry involvement.
Maria Peters
Maria has had a significant career in education across schools, adult community and vocational education.
Maria is a member of RMIT University Council and was on the Adult, Community and Further Education (ACFE) Board as its chair from August 2018 to March 2023 and has been a member of the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) Board.
Maria has led significant educational innovation within the vocational education and training sector, aimed at improving participation and ensuring strong student and industry outcomes. She has been involved in reform and policy work across foundation skills, adult community education and vocational education.
She has extensive leadership experience in the vocational sector and was Chief Executive Officer of Chisholm Institute from April 2011 until December 2017. In 2017, Ms Peters was awarded the Lynne Kosky Memorial Award for Lifetime Achievement at the Victorian Training Awards.
Maria received an honorary doctorate from Swinburne University in recognition of her leadership and contribution to vocational education quality, student outcomes and industry work.
Des Powell AM
Most recently, Chair and board member, TAFE Gippsland.
Des has significant experience in senior executive and leadership roles in education, community and social services, transport and logistics sectors.
Des has held multiple board and advisory roles and currently is Director, Barwon Region Water Corporation; Director Ports Victoria; Director, Mercy Ministries Companions and Director, Emerging Futures Collaborative.
He was awarded the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2013. Des splits his time between metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria.
Gavin Smith
Chairman and President of Robert Bosch Australia
As Chairman and President of Robert Bosch Australia, Gavin heads one of Australia’s leading diversified automotive, industrial and consumer goods businesses. The company employs more than 1,600 staff and generates approximately $1.4 billion in revenue.
In addition to his Bosch roles, Gavin is a member of multiple boards and advisory groups including Australian Strategic Materials (ASX:ASM), Alkane Resources (ASX:ALK), The Yield, and the CSIRO’s Manufacturing and Science advisory councils.
Craig Robertson
CEO, Victorian Skills Authority (VSA)
Craig joined the VSA in August 2021 as founding Chief Executive Officer.
Craig brings a wealth of knowledge in the training and skills field to the role, with a significant career in the state and federal public sector and a reputation as a leader in vocational training policy and reform.
He has most recently held roles as Chief Executive Officer, TAFE Directors Australia, and Deputy Secretary, Higher Education and Skills, Department of Education.
Lill Healy
Deputy Secretary, Higher Education and Skills, Department of Education.
Lill joined the Department of Education as Deputy Secretary, Higher Education and Skills in April 2021.
Lill has worked across the community, private and public sectors and has held leadership positions in a diverse range of portfolios, all of which focused on greater economic and social inclusion for Victorian communities.
Previously, Lill has served as Deputy Secretary, Service System Reform, Department of the Premier and Cabinet; and Deputy Secretary Deputy Secretary, Policy, Programs, Small Business and Employment, Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions.
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