Melanie Raymond BA (Hons) MA (Hons) MAICD.
Chairperson, Youth Projects Inc.

Melanie Raymond has been on the Board of Youth Projects since 1998 and has held the position of Chairperson since 1999.

Melanie also chairs the Liquor Licensing Council for state of Victoria and is a Director of the Inner North Committee Foundation. She is a member of the Emergency Management Planning Committee for Moreland and chairs the Connected Communities Project in partnership with the Bendigo Bank.

Melanie served six years on the Board of Directors of the Melbourne Metropolitan Fire Brigade, where she was a member of the Governance and Risk Committee and chaired the Country Fire Authority-MFB Joint Activities Committee. She is a former chair of the Victorian government’s Prostitution Control Ministerial Council and served on the Community Advisory Board and Quality and Safety Committee of the Melbourne Health Network from 2001 to 2007 and has been a local government councilor.

Melanie has worked in media and public relations for 15 years and has completed the Executive program in labor-management relations at Harvard University. In March 2008, Melanie was awarded "Woman of the Year" by Moreland Council for "outstanding achievements in advocacy and representation in advancing the status of women." In June 2009 Melanie received the Rotary Club Jim Esslemont Award for Community Service.

Onofrio Deserio
Deputy Chair

Onoforio lives in Pascoe Vale. Formerly a trainer with the Department  of Social Security (now Centrelink), Onforio has also worked for the Australian Securities Commission (now ASIC) in human resource and  organisational  development. He also has experience in business  systems design and project management.

Onofrio has also worked in the Victorian government as senior advisor and Chief of Staff to the minister for Community Services as well as in the TAFE sector. He is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts in addition to his role as Deputy Chair of Youth Projects.

Monica Gould
Board member

Monica Gould, joined the board of Youth Projects Inc. in 2007. In 1993 Monica was elected to the Victorian Parliament in the Legislative Council at a by-election representing the seat of Doutta Galla for over 13 years. She held various appointments while she was a Member of Parliament including Minister for Industrial Relations (1999-Feb 2002), Minister of Education Services, and Youth Affairs (Feb-Dec 2002), Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council (1999-2002), Shadow Minister for Aged Care (1996-1999) and Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council (Feb-Oct 1999).

Monica Gould was elected 18th President of the Legislative Council of Victoria in 2003 and was the first female to hold this position. Prior to entering Parliament she held a number of offices in the union movement including a member of the ACTU Executive (1991-1993) and the General Vice-President of the National Union of Workers (1980-1993). Monica also serves on the Board of VicForest.

Non-parliamentary memberships and interests include the Australian Human Rights Society, Heidelberg Emergency Housing Group and Australian Rules Football.

Bruce E. Riseley Med
Board member

Born in Melbourne and raised in Fawkner, after finishing school Bruce was employed as a Cadet Manager with Elders and worked with them for five years. He later joined Ciba Geigy and also worked in the Western Highlands of Papua New Guinea in the plantation industry.

Bruce has also worked with the Office of Corrections then began teaching at Swinburne TAFE.
He is now a training co-ordinator with the Department of Human Services.
Bruce is also a member of the Board of Friendly Pharmacy and has just completed his Masters of Education (Education and Training).

 

Last updated: 8th July 2009