Ross Hepburn
Chair
Ross has been involved with the local community in Springvale and Dandenong for more than 35 years in areas including business, local government and sport. He became Chair of Cricket Victoria in 2022 and has served on its board for three years. He is a former general manager, consultant and company director, and holds degrees in Civil Engineering and Business Administration. Ross joined SCAAB as Treasurer in 2007, later becoming the Chairperson of SCAAB and a Life Member. Ross became Chairperson of SECL following the merger of SCAAB, DCAB and SEAAC in 2015.
Deborah Remfry
Vice Chair
Deborah holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Town and Country Planning. She has worked for local and state governments in planning-related fields for more than 20 years, notably in the Greater Dandenong region from 2002 to 2009 where she collaborated with community and government agencies on a range of infrastructure and community building projects Deborah joined the SCAAB Board of Directors in 2005 and was the Vice Chair of SCAAB until the merger, continuing on as a Board Member of SECL from 2015.
Mariam Ritchie
Treasurer
Mariam has around 17 years of experience across compliance, risk and governance within the financial services and banking industries. She has worked across the Asia-Pacific region for a combination of start-up companies and multinational corporations including Vanguard Australia, Bank of Queensland and NAB. She has completed industry qualifications in both Australia and Hong Kong to further complement her work. In her spare time, she coaches her son’s Under 8s soccer team.
Associate Professor Leanne Ngo
Director
Leanne Ngo, an Associate Professor at La Trobe University and Honorary Fellow at Deakin University, brings over 20 years of educational leadership experience across research, teaching, and industry partnerships in higher education. With a strong passion for enhancing digital literacy and cybersecurity resilience, she leads curriculum transformations and digital learning initiatives, earning national recognition for her innovative contributions to student learning and digital education. Leanne also mentors, supporting career growth in CALD, cybersecurity, STEM, and technology communities.
Luke Donnellan
Director
Luke Anthony Donnellan (born 26 March 1966) is a former Australian politician. He was a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly between 2002 and his retirement in 2022, representing Narre Warren North. He was the Minister for Child Protection and the Minister for Disability, Ageing and Carers in the Second Andrews Ministry from December 2018 until October 2021. He also served as the Minister for Roads and Road Safety and Minister for Ports in the First Andrews Ministry from December 2014 to December 2018.
Dara Tang
Director
Dara holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Diploma in Financial Planning. He has had an extensive career in Brand Management for more than 20 years in various roles across marketing, communications, product development and sales. Dara migrated to Australia in 1983 at the age of six from Vietnam and moved to Springvale. His strong ties with the local community include prior Board roles as Secretary of the Cambodian Association of Victoria and as Director of SCAAB from 2010 to 2013.
Rachna Bowman
Director
Rachna holds a Masters in Business and Diploma in Community Services (Financial Counselling). She is the Senior Practitioner in SECL’s Financial Wellbeing Program following a career in retail banking. Rachna is a consumer representative on the Australian Banking Association’s consumer outcomes group. She was formerly a consumer representative on the Financial Ombudsman Service consumer liaison group.
Knowles Tivendale
Secretary
Knowles runs a boutique transport planning consultancy based in Dandenong, working with stakeholders and clients to achieve a vision of more integrated, efficient and sustainable transport solutions. He was previously Strategic Planner at City of Greater Dandenong responsible for the initial stages of what became the Revitalising Central Dandenong project. He later became the Team Leader of Social Planning overseeing several projects related to the City’s diverse community. Knowles joined the SECL Board in March 2021.
Andrea Shepherd
Staff Representative
Andrea has a Bachelor of Design and a Graduate Certificate in Development Studies. She is currently studying her Master of Social Work. Andrea has worked with SECL for 8 years after starting as a volunteer with Springvale Community Aid & Advice Bureau in 2014. She is currently the Senior Practitioner – Inclusion and Family Violence Prevention in the Settlement and Family Violence Prevention team.