Our Board & Patrons

The primary role of the Board is to also determine, monitor, and strengthen the organisation's impact on the people we aim to serve in courts across Victoria and Queensland.

Board members must also act in accordance with Court Network's Statement of Purposes and Rules, which includes all relevant legal obligations and responsibilities, particularly with respect to offering proper financial oversight.

Our Rules prescribe the participation of Networker members on the Board to ensure that operational and front-line practice wisdom can be represented as part of the Board's strategic work. This also provides an opportunity for Networkers to connect with the governance side of running the organisation; and allows for greater accountability to the wider Networker community to know that Networker members are contributing to decisions that impact on the future of the organisation.

Board President | The Honourable Marcia Neave AO

Appointed AGM 2016, re-elected AGM 2019

Marcia Neave was a Judge of the Court of Appeal Division of the Supreme Court of Victoria from 2006 to 2015, until her appointment as Chair of the Royal Commission into Family Violence. Prior to those roles, she was a legal academic for many years, holding chairs at several Australian universities and was the Foundation Chair of the Victorian Law Reform Commission

Vice President | The Honourable David Harper AM

Appointed AGM 2015, re-elected AGM 2018

David was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria from 1992 - 2013, becoming a member of the Appeal Division of that Court in 2009. He was President of the Victorian Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (VACRO) between 1995 and 2012, and is now its patron. He became a Member of the Order of Australia in 2008 for service to law reform, the judiciary, international humanitarian law and the community. In 2015 David chaired a panel which advised the Victorian Government on the management of serious offenders. A result of the panel's report was the establishment of the Post Sentence Authority, to which David was appointed inaugural deputy chair for six months ending in October 2018.

Treasurer | Catherine Hopper

Appointed AGM 2019

Catherine Hopper is a finance professional with over ten years of experience in corporate finance within investment banking, funds management and Australian corporates. She brings a range of skills to the board, particularly strategic and financial expertise focused on strategic planning and financial governance. Catherine holds a Master of Applied Finance from Macquarie University and a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) / Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University. She is also a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) with a strong understanding of financial and tax matters for not for profit entities.

Secretary | John Albert

Appointed AGM 2018

John is a current Court Network volunteer at the Melbourne Magistrates, Children’s Court and more recently County Court and has volunteered with Court Network for three years. Since retiring John has also been involved as a mentor and committee member of Big Brothers, Big Sisters, refugee settlement assistance through the Brigidine Sisters. Prior to retirement, John was the global director for a multi-national textile company and has spent many years on boards and committees and been part of the decision-making process.

Nicky Bromberg

Networker & Member | Appointed AGM 2016, re-elected 2019

Nicky is a current Court Networker, working in the Sunshine Magistrate’s Court and the Family Court. Nicky is a trained Social Worker with a degree in Social Work and Criminology and has volunteered as a telephone counsellor at the Post Natal and Ante Natal Depression Association (PANDA) for a period of 18 months. Prior to social work, Nicky had a 25-year career in the publishing and communications industry, including working for ten years at Text Media as Publishing Director and Hardie Grant Magazines as Director of the business as well as serving on the Board. Nicky has extensive experience in the areas of staff and stakeholder management and in all facets of the publishing of printed and online content.

Brigita Cunnington

Member | Appointed AGM 2017

Brigita is currently the Acting Executive Director of the Magistrates Courts Service in Queensland. She has extensive experience in the justice portfolio working in various legal, policy and management roles. She was admitted as a barrister of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2000 and practiced in native title law including at Crown Law. She has been employed in various roles in Queensland Courts since 2006 including as Director of the Office of the State Coroner and Director of Courts Innovation Program.

Ian Lang

Networker & Member | Appointed AGM 2017

Ian is a current Networker at the Supreme and District Court in Queensland. He has had extensive experience in governance roles with other community based not for profit organisations, including sitting on the board of the Mount Gravatt Community Centre for twelve years, with seven of those years as president. Ian is a current member of the steering committee at the Mount Gravatt Police Citizen's Youth Club. Such positions have given Ian strong experience in governance, financial oversight and strategic planning as well compliance with legislation and service agreements. Prior to retirement Ian has worked as a project manager with the Queensland Government and as a Senior Policy Advisor to a Queensland Government Minister.

Neil Michael

Networker & Member | Appointed AGM 2017

Neil is a current Court Network volunteer at the Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court where he has been providing services to court users for the past seven years. Neil spent his working life in the service industry in Melbourne. Since retirement he has volunteered as a Community Visitor and a Panel Secretary for the Office of the Public Advocate (Disability Stream), a position he has held for nine years. He has also been the Coordinator of his local Neighbourhood Watch for seven years. Neil’s aim is to represent Metropolitan and Regional Networkers, in Victoria and Queensland, as he was born in Queensland, and give them a voice on the Court Network Board and achieve the best possible outcomes for everyone. Since retirement, Neil has devoted his spare time to volunteering and to giving back to the community by assisting vulnerable people who find themselves in difficult circumstances.

David Bartlett

Member | Appointed AGM 2019

David is a research fellow with the Griffith Criminology Institute and sessional lecturer with the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Griffith University. Prior to academia David had a 24 year career in the Queensland public sector, working in a range of frontline, research and management roles across justice and health sector agencies. He commenced his career in Queensland's Magistrates Courts Service, where he developed a strong appreciation for the important contribution made by court volunteers. David's last public sector role was Director of Governance of the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service where he supported the board and was also responsible for corporate governance functions. He is an independent member of the Australian Diabetes Educators Association's board complaints committee and member of the Gold Coast Community Policing Board. David holds degrees in psychology, criminology and management and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Karen Gelb

Member | Appointed AGM 2019

Dr Karen Gelb is an experienced criminologist, social scientist and researcher. She is passionate about the need for informed, data-led and evidence-based policy to underpin practice in the justice arena. Karen has spent 15 years researching courts, including more than eight years with the Victorian Sentencing Advisory Council and more than six years as a private consultant. Her key areas of expertise are courts, family violence, sentencing, public opinion, sex offenders, youth justice, female offenders and remand. She has extensive experience in critically analysing research material, quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis, undertaking stakeholder consultations and writing accessible reports. Karen is currently a Consultant Criminologist, a Lecturer at the University of Melbourne’s Department of Criminology and a Senior Research and Policy Officer at Penington Institute. As someone who has had her own personal experience with the Victorian courts – and the support offered by a Court Networker – Karen hopes to be able to contribute in some small way as a Board member for this valuable organisation.

Catherine Hopper

Member | Appointed AGM 2019

Catherine has firsthand experience of the essential service that Networkers provide to court users and understand the role of Court Network in maintaining a just and effective legal system. She believes it would be a privilege to make a contribution to this work via the Court Network Board of Directors. Catherine is an experienced finance professional, having held roles in a range of professional services and infrastructure companies. She can bring a range of skills to the board, particularly strategic and financial expertise focused on strategic planning and financial governance. She has qualifications in Law and Commerce (LLB, BCom, MAppFin) and is a Certified Practicing Accountant (CPA) with a strong understanding of the financial and tax matters of not for profit entities. Catherine grew up in Warracknabeal (country Victoria) and, having had experience at the Horsham Magistrates’ Court, she appreciates the different challenges that exist in regional and rural communities as compared to metropolitan areas. Catherine hopes to bring these perspectives to Court Network, alongside her professional skills.

Juan Munoz

Member | Appointed AGM 2019

Juan is passionate about the work of Court Network in supporting people to access the court system. He practices as a lawyer and was a former judge's associate. Juan has extensive experience advising boards and in relation to risk management and governance. Juan wants to serve on the Board because he understands how the courts work and he knows the vital role that the Court Network plays in assisting people during the court process. He is passionate about volunteering and wants to assist the Board in ensuring that Court Network supports its diverse users with its services. On a personal level, he is a first-generation migrant to Australia and this has given him an appreciation for the lived experiences of a broad range of people in the community. He enjoys spending time with his partner, family, friends and my two dogs.

Susan Wakeling

Member | Appointed AGM 2019

Susan Wakeling is a Victorian Magistrate of almost 20 years experience and currently holds the position of Regional Coordinating Magistrate of the court at Melbourne. In this role Susan is responsible to promote the fair and efficient operation of this busy Court, and to build relationships with community and court user groups. Prior to undertaking this role, Susan held the position of Regional Coordinating Magistrate at Heidelberg Magistrates Court for 7 years, and the Supervising Magistrate (joint) of the Victims of Crime Assistance Tribunal for 5 years. Susan is a member of the Court’s Family Law and Family Violence Portfolio Committee and the Sexual Offences Committee. Susan’s particular interest is in the challenge of facilitating a court experience which is safe and meaningful for each participant. Prior to her appointment as a Magistrate, Susan worked as a solicitor advocate in criminal, family law and family violence. Susan enjoys travelling, hiking, reading and time with family.

OUR PATRONS

We enjoy the support of the judiciary, court administrators and community agencies, and have the patronage of the Governor of Victoria Her Excellency, the Honourable Linda Dessau AM, the Chief Justice of the of the Supreme Court of Victoria and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Queensland.

CURRENT PATRONS