Dr Matt Brett (PhD. GAICD) is the child of Deaf parents. He's been associated with disability throughout his life. Matt has extensive experience in disability and equity in higher education. Matt has published widely on disability and equity issues and been involved with over $1.5 million in externally funded research grants. He's currently employed as Director of Academic Governance and Standards at Deakin University. He is a Graduate of The Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Andy is a veterinary surgeon who has spent the last 25 years working in executive management in medical research and education fields. He has more than ten years of experience as a Chief Executive Officer and has been a director of numerous boards for the last 15 years. Amongst these, he was Chairman of Australian Centre for Health Innovation and also Chairman of Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE. Andy has recently been working with the Living with Disability Research Centre to develop training programs for workplaces. He is a member of Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Professor Keith Houghton is the Chief Academic Strategist of the Higher Education and Research Group (HERG), and a director of other companies in the research, consulting, and healthcare industries. For 10 years from late 2002, Keith held an appointment as Professor of Business Administration at the Australian National University and Dean of the ANU College of Business and Economics. Keith is the Patron of the Melbourne based charity – SPELD. Much of his consulting and advisory work has related to corporate governance, financial management and organisational innovation. Keith joined the Melba Board in November 2021.

Natasha is a policy evaluator and research consultant and runs her own freelance practice, Ludowyk Evaluation. She holds degrees in Arts and Science and a Masters in Criminology. Natasha routinely works across sectors including health, mental health, disability and community development. Natasha lives in Ballarat with her partner and two children. She joined the Melba board in 2019.

Roger is an accomplished CEO, Non-Executive Director and Chair with experience in the health, human services, law enforcement, education, transport, and environmental industries – across private, public sector and not-for-profit organisations. He brings strong governance experience, along with commercial acumen, risk management and strategy skills combined with a passion for innovation and business development. He's also been Chair of numerous Finance, Audit, Risk, Investment and Community Advisory Committees. Roger's a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia. Roger joined our Board in November 2021.

Samantha joined the Karden Disability Services board in 2014. After the merger with Melba in July 2018, she joined the Melba Board. Samantha lives in Ballarat and has a Bachelor of Commerce. She runs her own businesses and has a background in both corporate and small business across a number of industries including retail, food, community and retirement living.

Shyam is a Certified Practicing Accountant with over 15 years of experience in both industry and public practice across various sectors including Education, Tourism, FMCG and Banking. Shyam currently leads the Corporate Finance division for La Trobe University including managing its Treasury Function and Asset portfolio. Shyam has been associated with Melba since 2018, when he first joined as a member of Audit and Risk Committee and has also served as a Director for the University’s recruitment franchise in Australia. In his spare time, Shyam loves spending time with his two boys and playing music.

Ms Tricia Malowney OAM is a senior member of the Disability Leadership Institute, bringing a gender lens to the disability sector and disability lens to mainstream services. Committed to human rights, she established a consultancy providing disability and gender advocacy advice to government and non-government agencies. Tricia also held the position of inaugural President of the Victorian Disability Services Board and Deputy Chair of the Victorian Disability Advisory Council. In 2013, she was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women for services to women with disabilities, and in 2017, was awarded a Medal in the order of Australia for her advocacy work for people with disability.