Our Board
The Board is the legal authority for our organisation. Board members are trustees representing the interest of WIRE’s key stakeholders, both constitutional and moral. As such, both the Board and its members are entrusted to ensure that the organisation is soundly managed for the benefit of all Victorian women, non-binary and gender diverse people.
Our Board draws on the talents of people from various backgrounds, including law, industrial relations, education, academia, accounting, public service, corporate business and community services and leadership.
board members
Emilie Perrot - Chair | she/her
In 2018, Emilie founded WeInclusive: an inclusion & innovation consultancy whose aim is to create an inclusive future where everyone thrives. She helps organisations and individuals embrace diversity to increase their performance. Passionate about gender equality and social change, Emilie is also a volunteer mentor with Fitted For Work, a Not-For-Profit organisation which supports women who experience disadvantage.
Red Dearnley - Deputy Chair | they/them
Red’s 15+ years executive and non-executive leadership experience extends across strategy, governance, advocacy and communications, in the for-purpose sector.
Their varied work extends across intersectional inclusion, gender equity, modern slavery, child protection, LGBTIQA+ rights and international and community health sectors.
They are currently the CEO of Birth for Humankind and the Founder and Principal Consultant of Influence Global (both part-time). They are a trustee of the Influence Global Impact Fund; and an Institute of Community Directors Australia Certifies Community Director; and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Melbourne Women’s Fund and Globe Victoria.
Niva Sivakumar - Secretary | she/her
Niva is an experienced corporate lawyer and company secretary. She is currently senior legal counsel and joint company secretary at an ASX and Nasdaq listed company. She brings to the Board her experience in managing legal risks and facilitating good governance practices. Niva was included in The Legal 500’s Guide to Australia’s Rising Stars 2019.
May Zhong – Treasurer she/her
May Zhong (she/her) serves as the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee Chair and Treasurer of WIRE, leveraging 20 years of finance and commercial experience in the property and construction sector. In addition to her expertise in finance strategy, management accounting and business advisory, she is passionate about mentoring women and is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion.
Beverley Kliger | she/her
Previous Chair, Bev is an experienced for-purpose organisational leader, as well as a social policy and strategy consultant. Bev has a Master of Social Science and extensive policy and strategic experience in housing, planning, financial services, gambling and social and community service development, and has expertise in financial support responses to disasters for communities and small business. Bev was a founding board member of a range of non-profit organisations including Financial Counsellors Australia and Women’s Property Initiatives. She was also the establishment Chair of the Consumer Law Centre Victoria (now Consumer Action Law Centre).
Bev has held senior positions in a range of non-profit organisations focused on social change, advocacy and action to achieve systemic reform to eliminate discrimination, oppression and abuse including establishment executive officer of Social Security Rights Victoria and Financial Counsellors Victoria. Bev has been acting CEO of the Victorian Council of Social Service (VCOSS). For several years Bev was an n Adjunct Research Fellow at the Institute for Social Research, Swinburne University of Technology undertaking research into the impact of poker machine gambling in local communities.
Cass Read-Hamilton | she/her
Cass has had a 25-year career in business and technology management, working across sectors, including state government, enterprise private sector and community sector roles. Previously Head of Delivery Operations at Infoxchange, she is now Director, Advancement Operations, University of Melbourne. Cass is a creative and inclusive strategy, transformation, and operations executive, with a focus on service delivery and operations. Experienced in complex business transformations, she is passionate about the intersection of organisational strategy, operations excellence, and social impact. Cass is deeply committed to feminism and social justice and seeks to contribute to solving the structural inequalities driving increased poverty for all Australians, but particularly the escalating rate of poverty being experienced by Australian women over 45+.
Michaela Moloney | she/her
Michaela has more than 20 years’ experience as a lawyer practising in all aspects of employment, discrimination, industrial and safety law. She advises a cross section of clients including in the public sector, health, sports and education sectors. Michaela has significant experience advising on diversity and inclusion in the workplace and transgender participation in sport.
Sam Nixon | she/her
Sam Nixon is a communications and branding leader & has worked across not-for-profit, tertiary and government sectors. As a proud black migrant, Sam advocates for family violence prevention, social justice and equality.
