Our Kindergarten Board

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.

PhD; BA Hons

Karen is an Honorary Research Fellow at Deakin University. Karen’s research areas include: the politics and sociology of Mothering; Migration and Social Inclusion; and Maternity Care. Theories of Knowledge and Power; and Public Policy Analysis.

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.

BA(Ed), Grad Dip Sp Ed, Grad Dip Child Adol Psych, GAICD

Grant Boyd is the CEO of Meli. Grant has worked extensively in the not-for-profit, government and private sectors in the fields of education, community services, disability and health where he has held practitioner, leadership and consulting roles.