Our Kindergarten Board

GAICD, MPH, ProfCertHS, GradCertCommNur, BNurs, DipAppSci (Nurs)

Robyn Hayles is the CEO of Meli. Robyn brings extensive executive and CEO experience across complex organisations in health and community services. She has dedicated her career to improving wellbeing through high-quality support and care, with a strong focus on strategic leadership, governance, and empowering teams. Robyn is committed to driving meaningful outcomes for individuals and communities through inclusive, person-centred approaches.

Anthea has worked in community development for 18 years, including 7 years’ working and living in remote Aboriginal communities in the NT and WA, and 1 year working in the Pacific.  Anthea is skilled in program management and design in early childhood, youth, family support and community based programs and has worked across private, local government and community sectors.

BA, LLB

Tara is a lawyer with over 13 years of experience in professional practice. Tara has extensive experience in family law and enjoys being able to give back to the community in her board roles. Tara was a Board Member of Geelong Kindergarten Association prior to joining both the Bethany Community Support Board and the Bethany Kindergarten Services Board and now Meli Community and Meli Kindergartens. Tara is the Deputy Chair of Meli Kindergartens and also sits on the board of Meli Community’s subsidiary BAYSA.

Tara currently works as a Principal Lawyer in Family Law with Harwood Andrews. In her spare time Tara enjoys spending time with her family and travelling.

Geoff has a Chemical Engineering degree and retired in 2015 after being employed in the Oil Industry for nearly 40 years in a range of senior management positions. He is returning to the Meli Kindergarten Board having previously been on the Bethany Kindergarten Board including a period as Chair. He is involved in the Geelong community through the Kardinia Rotary Club and Give Where You Live.

B.Comp (Info Systems), Dip Proj Mgmt, Grad Cert Bus Admin

Zane specialises in Technology solution design and project management.  Zane has over 14 years’ experience in the health and aged-care sectors supporting numerous organisations such as Barwon Health and Epworth Health Care in Technology Leadership roles.

Zane enjoys keeping active through sport and spending time with his family.

Helen has held a number of senior management roles in communications, marketing and stakeholder management across a range of sectors including not for profit, local and state government and the health sector.

Helen is currently also Board Member of the Victorian Disability Services Commission and was a founding Board Member of Creative Geelong.

Jessica is a school Principal who has over 15 years of experience in school leadership across Geelong and surrounds. Jessica has extensive experience in working in marginalised school settings and has a passion for equity in education. Jessica holds a Masters in Leadership and specialises in inclusive education.

Jessica loves to be outdoors and active with her family and enjoys playing netball on the weekends locally.

B.Com, CPA, MBA, GAICD

Scott is an experienced business professional who is the Director of Business Performance at WorkSafe Victoria. With more than 25 years in diverse roles encompassing finance, information technology, enterprise performance, and reporting, Scott brings broad experience.

As a long-time resident of the greater Geelong area, Scott understands the significance of the work that Meli undertakes in assisting members of the community and is motivated to support this.

PhD, B.Occ.Thy, GCHE

Karen trained as an occupational therapist and has worked clinically in multi-disciplinary specialist paediatric teams in metropolitan, regional, and rural areas in Queensland and Victoria. In her clinical roles, she worked with kindergarten teachers, primary school teachers, families and their children in community-based settings.

In 2003 she was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy from LaTrobe University. Her research was the development of a norm referenced standardised play assessment. This research and clinical work led to the development of other play assessments and Learn to Play Therapy, a therapeutic play therapy for neurodivergent children as well as neurodiverse children. From 2005 she worked at Deakin University as Associate Professor, then Professor, and is now an Emeritus Professor. At Deakin University she was instrumental in setting up the Masters Degree in Child Play Therapy where professionals are trained in specific play therapies to support the mental health of children.