Board, governance, policies & procurement

Chair

Rebecca McKenzie

Rebecca McKenzie is an accomplished public sector leader with a successful career at executive level in Australia, UK and the Republic of Ireland. Rebecca joined the Zoos Victoria Board in July 2018 and has been Chair since 2021. Having recently concluded 13 years as CEO at Glen Eira City and Mitchell Shire Councils, Rebecca now provides advisory and consultancy services to the public purpose sector, with a particular focus on sector reform, individual and organisational capability development and good governance. She is a municipal monitor, executive coach and independent member and advisor to multiple public purpose organisations across Victoria. Rebecca has been named one of the Top 50 Public Sector Women in Victoria and Top 50 Global Government Innovators. Rebecca’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, Masters of Science and she is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Deputy Chair

Tony Hallam

Tony Hallam is a Chartered Accountant, whose career has included management and leadership positions over 20 years at PwC, including nine years as a Partner. He moved into the sports and major event industry in 2005 and has held senior executive positions within golf, football (FFA), and cricket, as well as his Chair and Board positions with Melbourne Stadiums Limited (Etihad now Marvel Stadium), Melbourne Boomers WNBL Club, and Yarra Bend Golf group of companies. He was one of the Founding Shareholders and Executive Chairman of Confirmations Asia Pacific that represented Confirmation.com (2013-2019) with offices in Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong.  He has also been a Board Director at the Brotherhood of St Laurence.

Members

Dr Jennifer Beer BSc BVMS (Hons) MBA CHIA GAICD

Jennifer is an accomplished executive, company director and veterinarian with extensive experience leading transformation, digital innovation and large-scale service delivery across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Currently Product Executive at Telstra Health, she is responsible for a broad portfolio spanning healthcare software, national government programs and strategic product innovation. Over her career, Jennifer has led complex organisational transformations, delivered more than 120 strategic initiatives and driven significant business and community outcomes through technology-enabled change.

A Non-Executive Director of Zoos Victoria since 2021 and Chair of the People, Culture & Safety Committee since 2023, Jennifer is passionate about building high-performing, purpose-driven organisations that create lasting impact. A proud First Nations woman, she brings a unique blend of governance, healthcare, technology and community leadership experience, underpinned by qualifications in veterinary science, business, health informatics and company directorship.

Dr Teresa De Fazio OAM (GAICD)

Dr Teresa De Fazio has extensive experience in inclusive leadership development, strategy and governance, as well as an academic in the field of education and educational leadership. She is the Director of Intersect Global Partners working with government, industry and community to lead and support a range of strategy, governance and equity practices. As an active academic, she has a strong speaker and publications background. Apart from being a Board member of Zoos Victoria, she is the former Chair of the Adult Community and Further Education Board. She served two terms as a Commissioner of the Victorian Multicultural Commission. In the Australia Day Honours 2021, she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to tertiary education. Among other roles, she is a freelance writer and journalist. She is the Victorian Editor of the Order of Australia Association. She continues to work closely with community and refugee organisations and is as passionate about the protection of wildlife as she is about contributing to a just and thriving society.

The Hon Marsha Thomson

The Hon. Marsha Thomson is a former Victorian Parliamentarian and former Minister for Small Business, Consumer Affairs and Information and Communication Technology. Elected in 1999, she represented Melbourne North Province and later the electorate of Footscray until 2018. Throughout her parliamentary career, she championed stronger communities, supported innovation, helped establish the Footscray Education Precinct, and advocated for multicultural communities. Since leaving Parliament, Marsha has worked as a strategic consultant and served on the Board of the National Ageing Research Institute. She has also served on the Zoos Victoria Board since 2021, supporting wildlife conservation and environmental stewardship.

Prof Brendan Wintle

Brendan Wintle is Professor of Conservation Science at the University of Melbourne, where he teaches Applied Ecology and Global Environmental Change. He undertakes research to support decision making and policy development for biodiversity conservation. For six years to the end of 2021, he was the Director of the Commonwealth Government funded Threatened Species Recovery Hub (NESP TSR) and was recently an ARC Future Fellow and Theme Leader in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions. His research tackles technical developments including species distribution and population modelling to inform conservation spending, management, and monitoring. He serves on the board of Zoos Victoria and was this year nominated a fellow of the Royal Society of Victoria.

Marg Allan PSM

Marg Allan has public sector experience, having worked at executive levels in state and local government, largely in central Victoria. Her background includes specialist knowledge of governance, strategy, people leadership and stakeholder relationships. She is passionate about seeing communities thrive and supporting healthy natural environments. Marg has extensive Board experience including on the Dhelkunya Dja Land Management Board, and former Chair of the Kyabram Fauna Park Committee of Management. She is currently a member of the Victorian Local Government Grants Commission. She joined the Zoos Victoria Board in 2023. Marg’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Business, Graduate Diploma of Public Policy, Master of Public Policy and Governance and she is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Dr Chloe Buiting

Dr Chloe Buiting is a wildlife veterinarian, conservationist, author and Founder and CEO of Global Protagonists, an organisation connecting people with frontline conservation projects around the world. She is also a conservation consultant to Fauna & Flora and an Earthshot Prize Ambassador. Chloe has worked on wildlife conservation initiatives across more than 40 countries. She completed a Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Melbourne, followed by additional training in wildlife and large animal medicine across Africa. She has also completed the Foundations of Directorship through the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Chloe serves on the Zoos Victoria Board and is a member of the Board's Science Advisory Committee.

Erin Lightfoot

Erin Lightfoot is an accomplished Board Director, CEO, and senior strategic advisor with experience across tourism, events, entertainment, arts and culture, marketing, and advertising. Throughout her career, Ms Lightfoot has held senior leadership roles including CEO of Grande Experiences, Magnum Opus Partners, and the Victorian Tourism Industry Council, and Executive Advisor at HERO Agency. She has also chaired St Kilda Tourism & Events and served on Tourism Australia’s Domestic Tourism Advisory Committee. Ms Lightfoot currently leads Lightfoot i1, her strategic advisory practice, and is also a current Independent Non-Executive Director of Crown Melbourne Limited and Vice-Chair of Cultural Attractions of Australia. She completed an AI Business Strategy and Transformation course at UC Berkeley, holds a Bachelor of Business in Tourism and Information Systems, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Zoos Victoria's Patron 

Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Margaret Gardner AC, Governor of Victoria