Kidsafe Victoria Board
The Kidsafe Victoria board is comprised of representatives from Deakin University, Monash University’s Injury Research Institute (Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit), Caulfield Krivanek Architecture and a number of individual community members.
Erica Edmands – President
With degrees in law and labour relations/economics from University of Melbourne, as well as coaching certifications, post graduate qualifications in finance and accreditation in Genos Emotional Intelligence, Erica has 20 years business experience spanning law, professional services, government, banking, financial services and manufacturing.
Commencing her career as an EEO and Diversity Lawyer with Freehills, Erica later held Head of Human Resources roles with Comalco Smelting and Minter Ellison and was Associate Director of Australia’s leading work life and diversity consultancies, working within Australia and Asia. Erica is also an Associate Director of mental health at work (mh@work), a successful mental health education company.
A sought after facilitator, commentator and speaker on diversity, self leadership, mental health and resilience, Erica has appeared on ABC radio and television; written many opinion pieces for major newspapers and journals and is contributing author to published texts on mental health in the workplace and resilience. She has particular expertise in discrimination and harassment investigations, cultural workshops (harassment, bullying, discrimination), resilience and mental health.
As a mother of three young children, she also has a keen interest in child safety.
Robert Caulfield LFRAIA – Vice President
CK Designworks
Beginning with an RAIA research scholarship in 1977, Robert Caulfield has been continuously active in conceiving and implementing a range of architectural services, products and ideas for the RAIA around Australia. He is the Founder and for 30 years was the Managing Director of Archicentre Limited – the building advisory service of the RAIA – and perhaps the only architectural advisory service of its kind in the world. Robert is the recipient of several industry awards, including the RAIA VIC Chapter’s President’s Award in 1987. He served as RAIA National President in 1990-1991. Robert is also the founding partner and CEO of CK Design Works, a progressive, medium-sized architectural firm in Melbourne.
During the course of designing buildings, Robert realised the importance of good design in creating safe environments for children and older citizens. This led to his long and dedicated involvement with Kidsafe.
Dr Mark Stokes – Board Member
Deakin University
Mark is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at Deakin University. In 2000 Mark was appointed Director of the Victorian Injury Surveillance and Applied Research unit at Monash University. Here he undertook development of multivariate and univariate statistical models to forecast injury epidemiology and the impact these would have on population quality of life. At this time Mark was elected to the board of Kidsafe Victoria, which he remains actively involved with to date.
Martin Botros – Board Member 
Martin Botros has qualifications in law and physiotherapy. As a physiotherapist he previously worked with Yooralla, Scope, EPIC, and DHS solely in the area of paediatrics, assisting children with specific developmental needs reach their maximum physical potential and increase their independence with everyday tasks.
Martin is also a Board Director of Eastern Health, a hearing panel member for the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency and a Tribunal Member with Football Federation Victoria. In his spare time, Martin delivers medical law lectures and tutorials to undergraduate medical students at Monash University and international medical graduates.
Dr Steve Reynolds – Treasurer
Steve has formal qualifications in Accounting, Computing and Business Administration. His 2013 doctoral thesis focused on effective corporate governance in not-for-profit organisations. He is a Fellow CPA (Certified
Practising Accountants) and a member of the Governance Institute of Australia. He has over 25 years experience as a senior finance executive and company secretary, working with not-for-profit organisations, professional service firms, schools and private companies. His most recent experience has been with not-for-profit membership charities and organisations whose mission has centred on health promotion. Steve’s interest in Kidsafe is fostered by such an interest in health promotion, as well as child injury prevention and his grandson, Billy.
Dr Janneke Berecki-Gisolf
Janneke is a Senior Research Fellow at the Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) and Director of the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU).
With a medical degree and PhD in physiology, Janneke’s research interests include injury epidemiology, injury outcomes, comorbidity and administrative data research methodology.
Janneke is the lead investigator of an ISCRR (Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research) data linkage study of compensation claims data and administrative health service records.
She is a Kidsafe Board member and Compensation Research Database Steering Committee member.
Brooke Disney
Brooke Disney is the Associate Director of Development at the University of Melbourne, where she leads the University’s philanthropic and engagement activities in North America.
Prior to joining the higher education sector, Brooke held various senior development and marketing communications roles in some of Australia’s leading not-for-profit organisations.
Brooke completed her studies both in Australia and abroad at the Kanton Schule Schaffhausen in Switzerland, the University of Missouri-Columbia in the United States and Monash University in Melbourne.
Over the span of her career, she has worked in animal welfare, homelessness, politics, medical research and child injury prevention.
Brooke is a Board Director at Kidsafe Victoria, and a member of its Marketing and Fundraising subcommittee. She is the Honorary Secretary of the University of Melbourne USA Foundation.
She lives with her husband and two daughters in Melbourne, travelling regularly to North America.
Julia Sheehan
Julia is a Group Account Director at Leo Burnett Melbourne, working across various categories namely retail and FMCG to produce advertising and communications. Completing a Masters of Communication, Julia has enjoyed working with many client businesses over the span of her career including Telstra, Devondale, Don Smallgoods, 7-Eleven, Kraft, ahm Health Insurance and notably Kidsafe, where she led the Unconventional Oven campaign back in 2015.
She joined the Kidsafe board in 2017 and is also a member of its Marketing and Fundraising subcommittee.
Secretariat
Melanie Courtney- CEO
Melanie Courtney has been employed in varying roles within Kidsafe Victoria since August 2006. While completing her degrees in health promotion and psychology, she spent her early years working with children as an integration aide, swimming teacher, netball coach and full-time nanny.
Melanie successfully established a transcription business in the market research industry in 2003, a business which she sold in 2009 in order to take on the CEO role at Kidsafe. She is passionate about the not for profit sector and was fortunate to serve on the board of Gordon Care during their transition from a service delivery organisation to a venture philanthropic foundation.
With two active toddlers, she strongly believes that all children have the right to grow up in a safe but appropriately challenging environment.
Jason Chambers- GM
Jason’s degree in health promotion and Masters degree in public health have put him in good stead for his work with Kidsafe. His studies fuelled his passion for providing communities with the knowledge, resources and tools to enable them to make safe and healthy choices.
Jason commenced with Kidsafe Victoria in late 2009 initially as an intern, which fostered his interest and knowledge of childhood injury prevention. He currently sits on the Standards Australia Toys Committee as the national Kidsafe representative and recently presented his pram safety research conducted in partnership with Deakin University at the Australian Injury Prevention Conference.
He has a Level 2 Certificate for Playground Inspection and is Kidsafe’s resident statistics expert. He is a keen sportsman and loves getting along to any game, whether it is watching his beloved Magpies, the Victory or the Storm.
Holly Clark – Project Officer
Holly has developed a keen interest in child health and wellbeing from her Bachelor’s degree in Public Health and Health Promotion. In 2017 Holly went on to complete her Honours degree in Public Health at Deakin University and shortly after, joined the team at Kidsafe Victoria.
Holly aspires to create awareness and educate people about child safety to reduce the prevalence of preventable injuries in children.
Jenny Newton – Media Communications Officer
Jenny is the newly appointed Media Communications Officer at Kidsafe Victoria who is a dynamic brand, marketing and communications all rounder with experience in digital, social and mainstream media across the retail and finance sectors. With a bachelor degree in Media/Marketing and qualifications in digital marketing, she is a creative thinker who is always open to learning and loves to be challenged.
She is a mum of three young children and is passionate towards the goal of creating an injury free world for all kids. She loves reading, summer time, traveling and sharing adventures with her family.
