The Western Integrated Family Violence Committee (WIFVC) is led by a part time, independent Chair. The Chair is a remunerated role, representing the WIFVC as a whole, not any one agency or member.

The key role of the Independent Chair is to provide leadership to assist WIFVC to achieve agreed strategic priorities. The Independent Chair is responsible for the support and supervision of the Principal Strategic Advisor.

The Chair also provides strategic planning to the Committee, leading them in identifying the most significant regional issues to be addressed in terms of integration, and developing, implementing and monitoring the progress of its strategic plan.  

The Chair plans and chairs the bi-monthly Committee meetings, supported by the Principal Strategic Advisor (PSA), as well as the monthly Governance Group meetings. 

Sandie de Wolf AM, joined the Western Integrated Family Violence Committee as the Independent Chair in July 2018.

The WIFVC Governance Group 2024–2026 is made up of the following members:

Standing Positions:

• Independent Chair: Sandie de Wolf, AM

• Auspice: Alice Coakes, General Manager of Safe Places and Recovery, GenWest

• DFFH: Carolyn Grant, Manager Agency Performance & System Support (APSS) Western Melbourne Area, Department of Families, Fairness & Housing

• Victoria Police: Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Farrugia, Westgate Family Violence Investigation Unit, Victoria Police

• Sexual Assault Services: Annette Vickery, CEO, WestCASA

• The Orange Door Hub Managers: Leanna Helquist, A/Hub Manager, The Orange Door, Western Melbourne

• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation: Ani Connor-Simon, Executive Manager, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA)

• Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation: Kellyanne Andy, Director of Programs & Services, Elizabeth Morgan House Aboriginal Women's Services

Elected Positions:

• Victim Survivor Position: Cleona Feuerring, Legal Director, Family Violence and Family Law Program, WestJustice Community Legal Centre

• Perpetrator Position: Stuart Deagan, Senior Manager - Western Melbourne, Relationships Australia Victoria

• Child & Family Services Position: Cathryn Ryan, General Manager, Integrated Place Based Services, VIC West & SA, Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand

• Diverse Communities’ Position: Miriam Silva AM, CEO, InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence

• Diverse Communities’ Position: Heather McIntosh, Family Violence Manager, Drummond Street Services

• Open Position: Marquita Nolan, Deputy Managing Lawyer, Victoria Legal Aid, West Regional Office

• Open Position: Lisa O'Brien, Senior Manager, Melbourne City Mission

• Open Position: Olivia Nichols, Operations Manager, Odyssey House Victoria

• Open Position: Vivianne Watson, Regional Manager, North and West Region, Relationship Matters

The Governance Group drives the strategic planning of the Committee along with its members and partners, developing and strengthening the WIFVC processes and relationships with other planning networks in the West. The Governance Group also oversees the work of the Principal Strategic Advisor and the Project Support Worker. 

The Governance Group is collectively responsible for advancing the best interests of the WIFVC and the people served by the family violence in the west, not as a representative body for decision –making on matters such as strategic priorities, which the members collectively determine.

View Governance Group Meeting Summaries.

The role of the Principal Strategic Advisors (PSA) is to support, inform and influence strategic integration initiatives and activities that work to achieve priorities set out in the WIFVC Action Plan. The plan is itself informed and developed by the PSAs, working closely within the governance arrangements described above, the wider membership of the WIFVC and state-wide stakeholders, including the other regional strategic advisors/integration coordinators. The PSAs report to the Independent Chair and is accountable to the Committee and Governance Group.
The PSAs also provide support and supervision to the Project Support Worker, MARAM Specialist Advisor, and Data and Communications Advisor.

Because the WIFVC covers two regions - Western Melbourne and Brimbank Melton - two part-time PSAs have been appointed.

The WIFVC MARAM Specialist Advisor leads the delivery of Multi Agency Risk Assessment and Management and Information Sharing (MARAMIS) alignment activities with stakeholders across the western metropolitan region as part of the MARAMIS Sector Support Program 2024 -25.

The Project Support Worker provides administrative, operational and project support to the Principal Strategic Advisor, independent chair and WIFVC (including the governance group) in line with the priorities set out in the action plan and family violence reforms. This involves maintaining strong relationships with a variety of communities of interest in the integrated family violence service system, in particular to WIFVC members, the chair and the governance group.

The Data and Communications Advisor supports the WIFVC’s capacity and capability to deliver quality, tailored, and relevant activities in partnership with the western metro service system agencies, through leading data strategy development and implementation, stakeholder engagement, and communications.