Board members

Gary Glover BSc (Hons)

Chair of BCYF Board | Member of Audit & Compliance, BCYF Capital Planning Working Party, Investment Committee, Nomination, Remuneration and Governance and Quality & Risk Committees

Gary has over 35 years’ experience in the Victorian Public Sector. This includes his senior experience with the Public Service Board where he provided the secretariat function to the Remuneration Review Committee of Cabinet and was Manager Executive Classification and Review for the public service.

More recently Gary has had over 20 years’ experience with Victoria Police as an Assistant Director, with nine years in People Management and 11 years with Business Management (capital infrastructure, fleet and logistics).

Gary was a member of the voluntary Board of Time for Youth for 12 months prior to the formation of Barwon Child, Youth and Family where he was an inaugural member and has continued since its inception. Gary was appointed Chair of the Board in July 2019.

Jim Rutherford BA LLB

Deputy Chair of Board | Member of the Nomination, Remuneration and Governance Committee

Jim is a director of Harwood Andrews, specialising in workplace relations law and criminal law. He was a founding member of Barwon Community Legal Service and was on the Board of Time for Youth since 1998.

Jim is also a member of the Deakin University Academic Advisory Board for the School of Law and a member of the Law Institute of Victoria’s Workplace Relations Advisory Committee.

Christine Heath BA, Grad Dip IFP

Chair of Investment Committee | Member of BCYF Board, Audit & Compliance Committee and BCYF Capital Planning Working Party

Christine has broad professional experience including a 15 year career as a Corporate Superannuation Manager for large corporates including Westpac Financial Services and Aon Consulting. More recently, she has spent the past 15 years managing business and finance at Pace Advertising Pty Ltd in Geelong.

Christine’s involvement in the community has seen her fill roles including as a past Board Member of Anam Cara Foundation and presently on Anam Cara Project Appeal Committee. She is also a Community Mentor through Volunteering Geelong, a Community Member on Word for Word Festival and an Advisory Committee Member of Rotary Club of Geelong Central.

David McDonald BCom, CA, Dip FP

Chair of Audit & Compliance Committee | Member of BCYF Board and Investment Committee

David has over 20 years’ experience providing tax and business services to a wide range of clients across diverse industries including the not-for-profit sector.

He has been a Director of West Carr & Harvey for over five years and has developed a loyal following through his honest and trusted advice.

David’s passion for giving back to the community has seen him act as a Director on the Board for the Geelong Kindergarten Association. He is also the current Treasurer at St Joseph’s Football and Netball Club and regularly provides honorary (pro-bono) services and financial assistance to several local not-for-profit organisations.

Jenny Acopian BSc, DipEd, MA

Member of the BCYF Board and Nomination, Remuneration & Governance Committee

Jenny has worked in education for more than 40 years, both in Australia and overseas, as a teacher, university administrator and consultant to the higher education sector.

She is a published author and served on the reference group that guided publication of the history of BCYF and its predecessor organisations.

Jenny is a committed Rotarian and enjoys her community involvement.

John Frame APM, BA, Dip. Crim

Member of BCYF Board, Nomination, Remuneration and Governance Committee and Audit & Compliance Committee

John has extensive experience in professional practice including a 32-year career with Victoria Police where he attained the rank of Deputy Commissioner (Operations). Additionally, he has extensive consulting experience and was the Director of Security and Loss Prevention at Coles Myer Ltd.

A recipient of the Australian Police Medal and Commonwealth Centenary Medal, John has considerable Board and committee experience, including as a previous Board member at Barwon Health, the Metropolitan Ambulance Service and Ambulance Victoria and as a former member of Barwon Health Foundation Council, the Geelong Gala Day Committee and the Greater Geelong Safety Committee.

Dr Lloyd Owen PhD, MSoc Wk, BA Dip Soc Studs, Grad Dip Human Services Research

Member of the BCYF Board and Quality & Risk Committee, Director of BAYSA Ltd

Lloyd has vast professional experience including more than 20 years working in senior management and chief executive roles in reception and youth training centres, youth welfare division management and adult correctional services. A further career with La Trobe University as a social work teacher, staff and student supervisor, researcher and consultant continued beyond another 20 years.

Lloyd completed a PhD on finding good practice and optimal services for young people with complex needs in 2007.

Aligning with his professional career, Lloyd has also had considerable involvement in the wellbeing of young people and social welfare, including voluntary work setting up a youth hostel, overseeing welfare activities state-wide and providing Foster Care for two teenagers.

He has also undertaken a series of honorary roles in the not-for-profit sector. These include President of the management committee Nunawading YAB “drop in” at the Forest Hill Shopping Centre, Honorary Editor for 16 years of the refereed National Child and Family quarterly journal “Children Australia” auspiced by Oz Child, Board member Kildonan Child and Family Services, Board Member Time for Youth.

Lloyd currently holds an appointment as an Honorary Fellow at Deakin University.

Adjunct Professor Lucy Cuddihy, BAppSc (Adv Nursing), DN, MBA, GAICD

Chair Quality & Risk Committee

Dr Lucy Cuddihy has held senior roles in health management in Victoria for over 20 years. Most recently, she was appointed to the position of Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer at Barwon Health, Geelong, Victoria in 2005 and is an Adjunct Professor in the Deakin University, School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Lucy worked for 23 years in paediatrics and holds post basic qualifications in Paediatric Intensive Care and Neonatal Paediatrics. She completed a Doctor of Nursing at La Trobe University, Melbourne in 2005 and holds graduate qualifications in Organisational Change and Development and a Master of Business from RMIT, Melbourne, Victoria

Dr Cuddihy has served on expert advisory panels to the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services, advisory boards within the Deakin University, Faculty of Health and was a member of the Victorian Health Service Review Council. At Barwon Child and Family Services she chairs the Quality and Risk committee.

Suzanne Higgins RN; RPN; RM; B.App.Sci (Ad Nurs); MEdSt; MMH (PIMH); PhD

Member of BCYF Board and Quality & Risk Committee, Director of BAYSA Ltd

Suzanne has an extensive health background with qualifications in nursing. For the past 25 years, she has worked with families with young children, with particular interest and passion for mental health.

She led St John of God Raphael Centre for almost 15 years and currently still works in the field as a private practitioner.

Suzanne’s Board experience spans almost 30 years across youth services, community health, women’s health services and for the past decade in Geelong with Barwon Youth and since the merger, BCYF.