Board members

Dairy Food Safety Victoria's Board is an independent, skills-based board accountable to the Victorian Minister for Agriculture.

The Minister appoints the Chairman and may also appoint one member nominated by the Secretary of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources. The remaining five members are appointed by the Minister acting upon the recommendations of an industry selection committee.

Each member holds office for a term not exceeding three years and is eligible for re-appointment.

Anne is the former inaugural CEO of the Victorian government’s authority, Dairy Food Safety Victoria. She previously held senior executive positions in the Victorian public sector for 30 years working in food policy and regulation, public health, agriculture, minerals and petroleum, natural resources and environment, land administration and forensic science. Prior to this, Anne was a Senior Tutor at Monash University where she conducted biomedical research and lectured to science and medical undergraduates.

Anne is currently Chair of the Board of the Food Agility Co-operative Research Centre, the Sir William Angliss Institute of TAFE, the SafeFish Partnership, the Australian Industry Skills Council’s Food, Beverage and Pharmaceutical Industry Reference Committee and the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council’s Code of Practice Complaints Committee. She is a Director of the Australian Packaging Covenant and a member of Australia’s Health Star Rating Advisory Committee, and independent member of EnergySafe Victoria’s Audit and Risk Committee. In 2016, she was appointed as a Trustee of Kildare Ministries, elected to the Council of Catholic Social Services Victoria and appointed to New Zealand’s Food Safety Science and Research Centre’s International Science Advisory Panel.

She is the immediate past Chair and President of the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST), the Australia and New Zealand Implementation Subcommittee for Food Regulation (ISFR), CSIRO’s Agriculture and Food Advisory Committee and Wellsprings for Women Inc, She has previously held Directorships at Australian Dairy Farmers Ltd., Dairy Australia, the Melbourne Royal Botanic Gardens and until April 2011, was Chair of the Victorian Minister’s Women in Primary Industries Advisory Panel.

In 2016 Anne was awarded the John Bryant Gold Medal for outstanding service to the dairy industry. In 2011, she was awarded the Public Service Medal in the Victorian Division of the Queen’s Birthday Honours for her services to the dairy industry, national food regulation and rural women. In 2010, she was inducted into the Victorian Women’s Honour Roll for her work in biochemistry and as an advocate of women’s leadership, and in that year, was awarded the Australian Dairy Industry Council’s Outstanding Service Award in recognition of her leadership to the Australian dairy industry, the first woman to receive this.

 

Dr Michele Allan – B App Sc (Biomed), MMgmt Tec, MComm Law, DBA, FAICD, FATSE


Michele has an academic background in biomedical science, management and law, and held senior positions and directorships in food and agribusiness and as an advisor to government on a range of issues related to horticulture, food manufacturing and export. She is currently Chair of the Boards of Apple and Pear Australia Limited, Meat and Livestock Australia and Chancellor of the Board of Charles Sturt University. Michele is also a non-executive director of the Food Agility CRC, the Food and Agriculture Growth Centre, CSIRO, Nuffield Australia and Grain Growers Limited.

 

Dr Joanna Wriedt  MSc PhD JD GAICD


Joanna’s professional experience spans the commercial law, government and medical research sectors. She has completed a Juris Doctor in law and a PhD in medical research and is experienced in corporate governance. She previously worked as a commercial lawyer in the transport and shipping sector dealing with transport incidents and regulatory matters. Joanna’s work in the public sector includes as policy adviser to the Federal Health Minister from 1998 to 2001 and she currently sits on three government regulatory advisory committees. She is chair of the Victorian Government’s Radiation Advisory Committee, an independent director of the National Asthma Council and sits on a number of not-for-profit boards. Joanna is also involved in commercial scale farming in Victoria and Queensland.

 

Tracey Marsden - BVSc (Hons) GradDip Voc.Ed.Train., MBA, EMPA

Tracey has qualifications in veterinary science, business and public administration, adult education and has worked in the Victorian public sector since 2014. During this time she has led a number of significant legislative reforms relating to animal welfare and domestic animals and has previously worked in dairy industry, biosecurity and food policy. Tracey is currently Director Pets and Animal Welfare with Animal Welfare Victoria, managing both policy development and program delivery teams. Tracey’s professional experience spans the pharmaceutical, veterinary and education sectors.

 

Tania Luckin - AdvDip Ag, GAICD

Tania owns and operates a dairy farming business in South West Victoria. She has more than 20 years’ experience in the successful operation of small, medium and large-scale dairy farms in Victoria and South Australia. She has been involved in various industry organisations at regional and national levels and held a range of governance roles including Director of the WestVic Dairy Board, Director of the Bonlac Supply Company and is currently a Director on the Board of Dairy Australia.

 

Nicholas Renyard

Nicholas Renyard operates a 400-hectare, 550-cow dairy farm with his family near Timboon. He has served on various Boards including three years with DemoDairy Co-operative, five years with Australian Dairy Farmers Limited and has been with Corangamite Catchment Management Authority since 2013.   Nicholas has also served on the Policy Council of both United Dairyfarmers of Victoria and Australian Dairy Farmers.  Throughout that time, he was involved with many committees relating to animal health, welfare, technical issues and trade.

 

Peta Slack-Smith - BSc (Wool & Pastoral Science), Grad Cert, Rural Science (Cotton Production), GAICD

Peta has worked in not for profits, ASX listed corporates, industry associations, state and federal government departments, and as chief of staff to a federal minister. She has worked in numerous industries – cotton, grains, dairy, wool and livestock - with responsibility for corporate affairs, policy development, trade policy & market access, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Peta has advised CEOs, boards, ministers, companies and industries through threats to reputation, new operating environments, and changes to consumer and stakeholder expectations.  She is also a graduate of the Mt Eliza Business School, and Harvard Business School and the recipient of two prestigious awards including a Churchill Fellowship and the Fairfax Fellowship in Ethical Leadership. Ms Slack-Smith has strong knowledge of the dairy industry, including as Executive Manager of United Dairy Farmers of Victoria.   She is currently a director with the Commonwealth’s Cotton Research and Development Corporation and sits on its finance, risk, and audit committee.