Helen Anstis joined Baw Baw Shire Council as its first female CEO on 5 July 2010.

Prior to her commencement, Helen was the Director Organisational Development at Hobsons Bay City Council, a position she held for the previous six years.  Helen’s responsibilities in this role were broad and included the overall responsibility for customer service, governance, communications, human performance, and Mayor and Councillor support at Hobsons Bay.

Helen’s diverse career, spanning 30 years in the private sector and across all three tiers of government, provides for wide ranging experience and includes roles such as litigation officer, investment manager and investigator. She also held positions at both Geelong and Hume City Councils prior to her employment with Hobsons Bay City Council. 

Helen’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Business Management, Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Master of Business Administration.

Helen is Review Chair of the West Gippsland Trade Training Alliance Project Management Group, Co-Chair of the Gippsland Integrated Land Use Plan (GILUP) and a member of the Latrobe Valley Roadmap Steering Committee.

Melissa has been Director Growth and Development since October 2010. Prior to this, she was Baw Baw Shire’s Manager Planning and Development. Her portfolio includes economic development, statutory planning, strategic planning and municipal building services.

Melissa has a Bachelor of Applied Science (Planning) and over 20 years planning and senior project management experience working in local and state government. She has previously worked at the Department of Planning and Community Development, the Department of Sustainability and Environment and the City of Port Phillip.

Phil has more than 25 years of leadership, management and technical experience in infrastructure in both local and state government environments.

He worked with the Tasmanian Department of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources from 1997 to 2012, most recently in the role of Director of Operations of the Roads and Traffic Division for the Tasmanian state government.

He was responsible for delivering Tasmania’s roads program and major infrastructure projects through a very challenging growth period, and has extensive experience in contract management, procurement and stakeholder engagement.

Phil has also worked at the New South Wales Road Traffic Authority and at the former Victorian Road Traffic Authority, now VicRoads, and Broadmeadows City Council.

Liana Thompson’s local government history spans 20 years, with experience as both a Councillor and in senior Management.

Liana was the last Mayor at the City of Port Melbourne, the first Mayor of the City of Port Phillip (following amalgamation), and a founding member and the inaugural president of the Victorian Local Governance Association (VLGA).

Liana also has vast experience in local government administration, working in community development, human resources and as General Manager City Governance at the City of Ballarat for thee and a half years.  She joined Baw Baw Shire Council as Manager Governance and Compliance in October 2011 and commenced her current role of Director Community Care and Strengthening in August 2012.

Liana previously ran her own management consultancy specialising in local government, covering strategic planning, facilitating women’s participation in local government, community engagement and governance. She has a lifetime membership to VLGA, honouring her outstanding commitment to the local government sector.

Liana is currently undertaking a master’s degree in Business Administration, which she is scheduled to complete in 2013.