Our people

Our Trust

The Trust was established under the Queen Victoria Women’s Centre Trust Act 1994 to govern the Centre, which acts as a statutory authority consistent with the meaning of ‘public body’ in section 3 of the Financial Management Act 1994. The Trust comprises up to 12 members, appointed by the Governor-in-Council on the recommendation of the Minister for Women, to fulfil the following obligations as prescribed by the enabling Act.

Jennifer Kanis - Chair

Jennifer Kanis is a Principal Lawyer at Maurice Blackburn and leads the firm’s dedicated social justice practice.

  • From 2012–2014, Jennifer was the State Member for Melbourne, and held the positions of Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Justice and Mental Health and was Deputy Chair of the Victorian Parliament’s Accountability and Oversight Committee and was on the Independent Broad-based Anti Corruption Committee. Jennifer was a member of the Melbourne City Council from 2008 – 2012 and held the portfolio areas of community services and arts and culture. Other relevant experience includes Jennifer’s role as Director of Advocacy and Campaigns at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre and experience as a secondary school teacher. Previous directorships include: Housing Choices Australia, Victorian Legal Aid, Melbourne Health and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Dr Marcia Devlin AM

Dr Marcia Devlin AM is the Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership and has three decades of experience across the education and not for profit sectors.

  • She has served in three multi-sector institutions offering university, vocational and senior secondary education: as Senior Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Victoria University; as Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) at RMIT University; and as Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Quality) at Federation University Australia. Marcia has also served in senior leadership roles at Deakin University and The University of Melbourne. Until recently, Marcia served as a Non-Executive Director of the Board of Melbourne Polytechnic, where she also Chaired the Education Quality Committee and was a member of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee. Marcia was also previously a Ministerial appointee to the Board of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, where she served on the Board Executive, the Audit Committee and the Project Control Board delivering VCE and VACL, and as Chair of the Senior Secondary Certification Reform Committee. An Adjunct Professor, psychologist, teacher, keynote speaker, author and qualified Company Director, Marcia is keenly interested in improving gender equality and increasing the representation of women in all levels of leadership and governance. In 2023, Marcia was made a Member of the Order of Australia for services to higher education, and to women.

Merrin Mason, PSM

Merrin is the CEO of the Victorian Law Reform Commission and has many years of experience in legal policy and research with government agencies including both the Commonwealth and Victorian Parliaments.

  • Before moving into policy and research work, Merrin practiced law in positions with community legal centres in NSW and Victoria. She also worked for the Legal Aid Commission of Western Australia in Port Hedland, undertaking court circuit work in small towns throughout the Pilbara region. She spent two years working with the Vanuatu Women’s Centre, a family violence crisis centre. She has served on the management committees of two Sydney youth refuges and the Darebin Community Legal Centre. Merrin has a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in sociology and women’s studies) and a Bachelor of Laws from the Australian National University, and is admitted to practice law in a number of Australian states, and the Republic of Vanuatu. In 2021 Merrin was awarded a Public Service Medal for her outstanding contribution to Law Reform in Victoria.

Melanie Eagle

Melanie Eagle has over three decades of governance experience spanning local government, community services, health, disability, and violence against women.

  • In 2018 Melanie commenced as the inaugural Chair of Respect Victoria, a new statutory authority dedicated to the primary prevention of all forms of family violence and violence against women, with lead responsibility research and communications. The following year she became the inaugural Chair of the Disability Worker Registration Board, established in response to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into abuse in disability services. Previous governance roles have included Star Health, Hanover Welfare Services, Prahran Mission and the Women’s Information and Referral Exchange. She is also a former Mayor of the City of St Kilda. In addition to her governance experience, Melanie has worked professionally in women’s policy, law reform, equal opportunity, population health planning, and community engagement. Melanie Eagle has qualifications in Arts, Social Work, the Law, and International Development and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Melanie Collett

Melanie is a professional engineer with over 20 years of experience on major infrastructure projects in Melbourne and around Australia. 

  • She is an Executive Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Australia and is recognised as a Chartered Professional Engineer in Civil Engineering, Environmental Engineering and Leadership and Management. Melanie has worked on many projects across Australia and New Zealand including Christchurch NZ following the 2010/11 earthquakes, providing expert evidence at the Panel Hearing for the EES for the Westgate Tunnel Project & verification for the Melbourne Metro Rail Infrastructure Alliance She is currently the Director of Technical Practices for the Australia and New Zealand region of the large multinational consulting firm AECOM. Melanie is involved in her local community in the City of Port Phillip, previously holding positions on the boards of Bubup Womindjeka Family and Children’s Centre and Gasworks Arts Inc.

Jenna Davey-Burns

Jenna Davey-Burns was appointed Mayor of the City of Kingston in November 2023 and was Deputy Mayor November 2021 – November 2022.

  • A passionate gender and human rights policy specialist with experience across both Not-for-Profit and Government sectors, Jenna has worked closely with women affected by the 2009 Black Saturday Bushfires, undertaken inter-governmental policy work with the United Nations Inter-Agency project on anti-human trafficking in Bangkok and advised on implementation of the Royal Commission into Family Violence with Djirra. Jenna has completed the Cranlana Colloquium and holds a Masters in International Politics and a Bachelor of Arts (Criminology and Gender Studies) from the University of Melbourne. A passion for creating change has led Jenna to become a foster carer as well as mentoring through Leadership Victoria, teaching English at AMES and the Sudanese-Australian Integrated Learning School in Dandenong. Currently Jenna works in Aboriginal Health and is a member of the Victorian Gender Equality Advisory Committee in Local Government. Jenna was a Director on the board of Cambodian Kids Can from 2014 to 2018, dedicated to improving educational opportunities for young women in Cambodia

Dr Meghan Hopper

Meghan currently works as a Manager in local government and has also worked extensively in the not-for-profit sector. 

  • She has completed a PhD in Monash University’s School of Media, Film and Journalism, researching the mainstream print media’s reporting of women and men during Australian federal election campaigns. An experienced board director, Meghan currently also serves on the Victorian Government's Gender Equality Advisory Committee for local government and the Werribee River Association Board; she previously served on the Council of Monash University, the board of CERES Environment Park, and for four years was an elected Councillor in the City of Moreland, including one year as Mayor. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Victorian Government’s Women on Boards Leadership Program.

Kate Robinson

Kate Robinson is a family violence lawyer who has worked across community legal centres and public service. To process the inadequacies in the justice system, Kate loves to craft.

  • In 2020, she was the inaugural Feminist in Residence at Queen Victoria Women’s Centre, where she curated the community craftivist exhibition ‘Make a Fuss’. She also facilitates community craft workshops at St Albans Community Centre and Carlton Primary, and loves doing large-scale art projects and murals.

    Kate is Iranian/Australian and co-creates the podcast, Being Biracial. The podcast is all about navigating the world as a mixed-race person. She currently serves on the board for NextWave, and previously was an advisory group member for the Equality Rights Alliance and the Australian Women Against Violence Alliance. Kate has a Bachelor of Laws (Hons)/Bachelor of Asia-Pacific Studies from the Australian National University. Kate is also a graduate of the Joan Kirner Emerging Leaders Program, and the Change our Game Making the Call Program.

Susannah Day

Susannah is a Martu/Darlot woman originally from Western Australia, now residing in Naarm (Melbourne). She is currently CEO at The Torch.

  • Susannah is a Martu/Darlot woman originally from Western Australia, now residing in Naarm (Melbourne). She is the granddaughter of Ivy Kilmurray, a Stolen Generation survivor born at Wongawol Station near Wiluna.

    Currently serving as CEO at The Torch, Susannah oversees the organisation's financial health, fundraising, governance, people and culture, operations, and strategic vision. Her journey with The Torch began as Program Manager in January 2019, and she was later appointed as their inaugural General Manager in July 2022.


    Susannah is deeply committed to providing artists with the resources and platforms necessary to tell their stories and practice art and Culture. Susannah has seen the impact that First Peoples-led programs can have on communities, and she works at the coalface to close the gap.

    Prior to her tenure at The Torch, Susannah held pivotal roles including Head of Programs & Operations at Brunswick Mechanics Institute under Next Wave, Dance Massive Coordinator for the City of Melbourne and Producer at The Blue Room Theatre in Boorloo (Perth, WA).

Amy Hudson

Amy is a Chartered Accountant with over 20 years experience working in professional practice.

  • She served as the independent member of the FARG for over 5 years before joining the trust as a member. Amy is passionate about developing and supporting women in building strong careers and fostering equity in the workplace. Amy holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University, is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia and New Zealand, and is a Registered Company Auditor in Australia. Amy Hudson is Chair of the QVWC Audit & Risk Committee.

Angela Skandarajah

With over 25 years’ experience in the real estate sector, Angela has broad based expertise in property development, urban renewal and infrastructure projects.

  • She previously headed up Minter Ellison's National Real Estate, Environment and Planning team and has been a long term contributor to various industry bodies. Since joining Development Victoria in 2017 she has been part of the leadership of the organisation in various roles and was appointed CEO in February 2019. Angela is passionate about creating a learning environment at DV, where people are encouraged to develop and maximise their potential, whilst achieving great outcomes for the community.

Our STAFF

The QVWC staff is a small group that together strives to ensure the Centre is a safe and engaging place for resident organisations, their staff and all of our visitors.

Keryn Negri - CEO

Email: keryn.negri@qvwc.org.au

Keryn is passionate about progressing social justice and equity outcomes for women and comes to the QVWC with extensive leadership experience gained from working in government and higher education.

  • Keryn has a passion for driving organisational excellence and reform, underpinned by a shared strategic vision. Empowering workplace cultures and building strong communities is central to the way Keryn works. Keryn joins us from the University of Melbourne where she was the Executive Director of the Graduate School of Education. Prior to this Keryn worked in the Victorian Public Service where she held a range of senior executive management roles, across several departments and portfolio areas, driving complex legislative reform, implementing new policy initiatives and leading high performing teams.

MARIANNE DUVAL - QVWC SHOP Coordinator

Email: marianne.duval@qvwc.org.au

Marianne has built her career in the retail industry across buying, sourcing and product design. As a girl she loved playing shop and that passion lives on today in her role as QVWC SHOP Coordinator.

  • Marianne is an advocate for conscious consumerism and sees the value in connecting customers with the person and the story behind the products. She is passionate about supporting women and non-binary makers, and building an inspiring retail experience in Melbourne which provides a space for those stories to be shared and celebrated.

NATALIE FORDE -Communications Coordinator

Email: natalie.forde@qvwc.org.au

Natalie has worked in NFP and creative industries across strategic communications, project management and design. She has a passion for gender equality and social justice issues.

  • Natalie loves working at QVWC, she gets to apply her creative experience within a community organisation that advocates for women and gender diverse people of Victoria.

JENNY HUANG - QVWC SHOP Curator

Email: jenny.huang@qvwc.org.au

Jenny Huang is an artist based in Melbourne. She completed her Postgraduate studies in Master of Fine Art at RMIT University in 2018

  • Jenny is currently working as the QVWC SHOP! curator at Queen Victoria Women’s Centre.

JOHANNA REILLY - Facilities Coordinator

Email: johanna.reilly@qvwc.org.au

Johanna’s career is firmly steeped in social enterprises and NFP industry.

  • Committed to a healthier and happier society, Jo would like to see improvements in the accessibility of reproductive healthcare and financial literacy for Australian women, and desegregated industries – especially the pathways to. Fortunately, all of Jo’s niblings are nieces, so she’s excited to see a world where they can access the same sporting, education and workforce opportunities as the boys. Jo likes spending time under water or on top of mountains, including trail running & spearfishing.

BROOKE GILLARD - QVWC SHOP Retail Assistant

Email: brooke.gillard@qvwc.org.au

Brooke is a graphic designer and illustrator who loves to love colour. Brooke is currently working in the QVWC SHOP! alongside her own creative work.

  • She completed her Bachelors Degree in Communication Design at RMIT in 2023 and has deep appreciation for all things print and publication. Brooke is currently working in the QVWC SHOP! alongside her own creative work.

FIONA WILSON - Finance Manager

Email: fiona.wilson@qvwc.org.au

Fiona is a CPA with a background in the corporate and not-for-profit sectors. She loves that her work is part of the QVWC fabric of support for the women of Victoria

  • Fiona is also a mum to 3 young children and when she’s not balancing the books, she enjoys running and yoga (with or without her tiny entourage).