BOARD MEMBERS

Our Board are responsible for the governance and stewardship of Amber Community. Each Board member brings a diverse range of skills, expertise and experience to their role, and meet regularly throughout the year.

Xander Alpherts

Xander Alpherts - Chair

MA (Oxon), GAICD

Xander is an experienced professional having worked in industry and, for the past 20 years, investment banking and mergers and acquisitions. Xander is a partner in M&A at a big four professional services firm and has extensive experience in advising small, medium and large size companies across several industries, with a specialisation in healthcare. Appointed 2018.

Why I am passionate about Amber Community? My family and I have experienced the worst of road trauma when our beautiful daughter Freya died after being hit by a car at the tender age of four. I have personally benefitted from the services of Amber Community since then. I am particularly passionate about the preventative and educational work we do so that as few people as possible ever have to go through similar pain.

Merryn Wallace

Merryn Wallace - Deputy Chair

Merryn is a creative business strategist in the highly regulated, pharmaceutical industry.  In a professional life spent in the Australian market, Merryn has worked in a range of organisations; large and small, established and start-up, and has also spent time as an industry consultant and leading volunteer organisations.

Merryn has guided established organisations into new strategic directions, rebranding and reimagining their futures.  She has also been an integral member of start-up organisations, driving rapid sales growth and returns.

Her life sciences background in nursing provides clinical insight which has been integrated successfully with postgraduate qualifications in information services and marketing and a certificate in management.  Appointed 2019.

Johan Meyer

Johan Meyer - Treasurer

For over 15 years, Johan has built and led high performing teams across various industries including professional services, hospitality, entertainment and leisure. With an extensive business background, Johan has an accomplished record of delivering results through changes in organisational culture, drawing on his cross-sector experience. Johan is an energetic, values-driven executive with international expertise in leadership up to CEO level, specialising in revenue growth, strategy, business improvement, commercial activities and transformation. As a non-executive director, Johan contributes to strategy, navigate risk and provide independent leadership to the organisation. As Chairman of the Audit and Risk Committee, Johan leads financial governance and compliance. Appointed 2020

Why I am passionate about Amber Community?
Amber Community provides support and counselling to any person impacted by road trauma and fits a space where other groups may not. Amber Community has a very personal approach with volunteers meeting with victims of road trauma. Many of the volunteers experienced similar traumatic events previously and benefitted from the services Amber Community provide. Also, Amber Community offers educational programs to prevent these horrible events from occurring. I want to be part of an organisation that brings hope when the unthinkable happens where one road death is one too many. So I am using my talents in a particular way to make our roads safer.

Nadine Goldsmith

Nadine Goldsmith - Secretary/Public Office

Nadine has held multiple Senior Executive positions in global financial services businesses at ANZ Bank during her near 30-year career, including a Director position in a subsidiary operation. She has also led significant business transformation and crisis management response and recovery for the higher education sector, partnering with governments and health agencies. Nadine is currently Chief Executive at Housing Industry Australia, driving their digital strategy and culture. Appointed 2020

Why I am passionate about Amber Community?
Amber Community provides an incredible lifeline of community support, connecting with those who have been impacted by road trauma through compassion, understanding and vital service pathways. I look forward to supporting the incredible efforts of the team.

Robin Bowerman

Robin Bowerman

Robin brings a wealth of corporate affairs knowledge to the board. He specialises in strategy development, corporate affairs, market development, marketing, corporate communications, investor education, funds management, product development and industry regulation. Appointed 2019

John Fitzpatrick

John Fitzpatrick APM

John Fitzpatrick is a Superintendent with Victoria Police; he is the Divisional Commander of Road Policing Operations and Investigation Division. Day-to-day, John manages Road Crime Investigations comprising of the Major Collision Investigation Unit, Heavy Vehicle Unit, and the Heavy Vehicle Criminal Investigation Unit.

After seeing firsthand the impact families and communities experience after losing a loved one or being injured through road trauma, we know everyone can play a role in changing the culture around road safety. I have witnessed the educational and counselling services Amber Community provides to those involved in road trauma and the genuine care they provide. I could not think of anything more rewarding than helping Amber Community in the vital work they provide for our community. Appointed 2023.

Sue Hansford

Sue Hansford

B.App.Sc, MAICD, GAICD

25 years experience in the Medical Technology Industry, and for the last eight years has held the position of Managing Director for Australia/New Zealand of a listed US medical device company focused on the neurosurgery market

Versatile and adaptable within a team environment, having successfully managed and provided leadership to small and large organisations. Sue has also managed regional business initiatives across diverse product portfolios and prepared and delivered strategic revenue forecasts and market insights at a senior corporate level.

Experienced in commercial leadership for sustainable and profitable growth, strategic marketing and business planning, M&A projects, change management and culture transformation, quality compliance and risk management

An active member of her employers’ Women’s Leadership Council, which promotes diversity, inclusion and career advancement opportunities for women in the workplace. Appointed 2019.

Stuart LeGrand

Stuart Le Grand

Stuart has worked in road trauma for the last 20 years. Stuart spent a considerable part of his career representing the Transport Accident Commission, in claims brought against it under the Transport Accident Act (Vic). Over the last decade, he has represented Victorians who have experienced traumatic injuries.

Stuart has held senior management positions in two large ASX firms. He has acted in a number of high profile cases, including the Christchurch earthquakes, Ravenhall prison riots and Bourke Street terror attacks. He is an Accredited Specialist in Injury Law and legal media commentator. Appointed 2019