It is with mixed emotions that we announce that Kim Scanlon, our Executive Officer, is leaving AVCL after 8 years with the organisation. Kim has been synonymous with AVCLP and AVCL over this time, and she has been successful in growing the organisation into the well-respected and well-known regional leadership organisation AVCL is known for.

In her time with AVCL, Kim has been instrumental in:

  • Increasing the educational rigor of the AVCLP and establishing linkages between AVCLP with further tertiary study opportunities through partnerships with regional universities.
  • Ensuring the financial sustainability of the organisation through successful government funding bids and grant applications. This has allowed the organisation to restructure and grow from 0.5 to 2.1 FTE.
  • Leading regional Victoria with the design and development of innovative leadership programs tailored for a range of program partners; including government and community organisations.
  • Providing mentoring and support in the establishment of the two most recent Victorian Regional Community Leadership Programs

We thank Kim for her contribution to AVCL and wish her all the best in her new role with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) where she will be designing and coordinating a state-wide leadership development program for women working in DELWP’s Forest & Fire Operations based in Benalla. This is an exciting new role and know that Kim will do a fabulous job in putting this program together.

 

Interim Executive Officer – Narelle Martin
We are pleased to announce that Ms Narelle Martin is joining us as the Interim Executive Officer to assist while the recruitment for the new Executive officer is underway.

Narelle is a graduate of AVCLP (2011-12) and is an active member of the local community. Narelle has a Bachelor of Economics degree, a Master of Environmental Studies and is currently three quarters way through a Master of Applied Positive Psychology degree at the University of Melbourne.

For over 25 years Ms Martin has worked professionally in the environmental field, both in Australia and in Canada and is particularly interested in assisting people to manage and thrive with the impacts of climate change in rural and regional Australia. She continues to work as a consultant with her own company, Regional Change Agency, located near Beechworth. Recently, Ms Martin was the Acting Executive Officer for the North East Waste and Resource Recovery Group while a new Executive Officer was recruited.

We are fortunate that, while not able to consider the permanent EO role due to her study and other commitments, Narelle is available to come and work with AVCL during this period of transition and providing us with her expertise while the recruitment for the permanent Executive Officer is underway.