Our Committee
GLOBE Victoria committee members are professionals and small business owners. They selflessly volunteer their time to ensure that GLOBE Victoria operates efficiently and effectively, and they continually expand its projects and events.
Andrew is currently a Leader at insurance firm EBM RentCover. He previously held a number of leadership positions at global risk management firm Marsh and McLennan, most recently as a Project Manager and Vice President within their Mergers & Acquisitions Practice.
Andrew has always had a passion for giving back to the community. Prior to joining GLOBE Victoria, he was President of Young Insurance Professionals of Australia and New Zealand, a not for profit that runs networking and educational events. During his 4 years with YIPs he held various management positions. Andrew is also a mentor for both RMIT and Out For Australia.
Andrew has been a member of the GLOBE Victoria Committee of Management since July 2018, previously holding the roles of Events Director and Individual Membership Director. He became a member of GLOBE Victoria’s Executive as Secretary in November 2019 before being elected as President in April 2022. Andrew is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the organisation.
Lyall works for Rio Tinto Exploration as their Finance & Compliance Manager for Australasia. His job involves making sure all aspects of finance are managed properly in diverse countries such as Mongolia, India, Laos and China.
Currently based in Perth, Lyall supports GLOBE remotely as a group that he has enjoyed being involved with in the past. He is buoyed by GLOBE’s contributions to worthwhile causes through the annual Community Grants program and regular social and community events.
Lyall is working to help GLOBE become well recognised in the LGBTI community as an organisation that is valued through its professional membership and providing resources to other parts of the community.
Lyall’s expertise in financial management and compliance support GLOBE’s day to day running and enables the organisation to achieve its goals.
Jennifer has enjoyed an extensive and varied career over 25 years in marketing, communications and advertising. She’s run an Olympics media campaign for a global sports brand, marketed high-end Swiss watches, and more recently moved to the public sector. It is here she realised her passion for serving a community, where she not only gets to do good work while doing good, but is also supported as an active member of her organisation’s employee Pride Squad.
She jumped at the opportunity to bring her marketing skills to GLOBE in 2021. Jennifer is passionate about supporting women in leadership and a firm believer in representation: “you can’t be what you can’t see”. She is so excited to be working with the amazing GLOBE team and members and can’t wait to develop further the GLOBE community and brand.
Walter is a geriatrician – a doctor specialising in the care of older people. Walter is dedicated to his wonderful work and provides his services full-time through a public health service.
When he is not working, Walter packs his suitcase and travels the world to new and interesting places.
Walter is a long-term committee member of GLOBE. He loves to organise all kinds of events that members and guests enjoy. Walter gains immense satisfaction from managing our Community Grants program.
Gavin is currently the Chief Finance & Technology Officer and Company Secretary at Future Leadership. He has held senior leadership positions across multiple sectors in finance, risk & governance, technology, and corporate services.
Gavin has a passion for sustainability and giving back to the community, acting as mentor to finance professionals and led the BCorp accreditation at Future Leadership.
Gavin is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD). Gavin manages the risk and governance functions of the organisation.
Born and raised in regional Victoria, Jo Bangles has travelled the world in the name of diversity and inclusion and spoken on stages to thousands of people encouraging them to be their true selves.
Most recognisable as the longest standing president of Dykes on Bikes Melbourne, she has also served as President of Geelong Rainbow Inc where she was a founding producer of the Geelong Rainbow Festival and Geelong Pride March.
Jo is the owner of Splatters Cheese Bar based in Geelong and co-director at LinkedOUT an inclusion training provider.
A graduate of the inaugural Leadership Victoria LGBTI Leaders program and a former finalist for the GLOBE LGBTI person of the year – Jo’s passion for community and the unique lived experiences of regionally based LGBTQIA+ people see her advocating for and forging connections with community all over Victoria.
Hi, I’m a born and bred kiwi living in wonderful Melbourne. I have 20+ years of Procurement experience in diverse industries like FMCG, Construction, and Financial Services. Presently, I work as the Group Procurement Manager for one of Australia’s leading almond growers and processors, supplying almonds both domestically and internationally.
Outside of my day job, I am deeply passionate about supporting the LGBTIQA+ community and advocating for equality. I love creating welcoming and inclusive environments for everyone, and I believe that fostering a sense of belonging is essential.
In my downtime, I love traveling and exploring new places and cultures. I am thrilled to join the Globe Victoria team and contribute to making a positive impact.
Peter works for a leading non-bank commercial real estate lender based in Melbourne, managing the investment and fund operations function.
As GLOBE Victoria’s Partnerships & Corporate Membership Director, Peter strongly believes that continuing to develop and enhance these relationships supports GLOBE’s growth. In turn, it also enables the ongoing engagement with and commitment to the LGBTIQA+ community.
Peter seeks to collaborate with the broader GLOBE Victoria team to ensure it delivers to our members and community on an ongoing basis.
Angelo Baronessa is a Financial Adviser with well over a decade of experience. He’s worked in a range of firms in his time, and in 2022 started his business Divergent Wealth.
Angelo has a regular segment on JOY 94.9 for Joy Breakfast, as their in house Finance Guru. In 2018 Angelo recognised people taking the medication PrEP would have issues obtaining comprehensive life insurance and by using his extensive networking in the industry he found success working with select insurers to get a solution for the LGBTQIA+ community. This was again repeated in 2023 when HIV+ people could now get comprehensive cover where previously it wasn’t possible or prohibitively expensive.
Divergent Wealth became a small business member of GLOBE in 2022, with the goal to connect with community and help more people in the diverse LGBTQIA+ with their financial goals through making professional connections.
Angelo has a passion for connecting, growing and helping small businesses, and is always available to assist where possible to make sure you get the most out of the small business membership.
Daisy offers coaching and strategies for the inclusion and well-being of our LGBTQIA+ members and their intersectional, diverse communities. Daisy comes to GLOBE Victoria with dedicated community education, training and practice in inclusion, diversity, equity and access (IDEA). Daisy moved to Melbourne in 2019 with a goal to develop strong professional foundations in networks and communities similarly dedicated to inclusion and diversity. This practice began within their LGBTQI–GDTNB communities and has extended to intersecting cultural minorities, People’s with Disability’s (PWD), and the systems of resistance and influence that cause the most impact. This includes defining common ground for community building and creating value through co-design strategies and evidence-based practices. Daisy became a member of GLOBE Victoria in 2021 after uncovering its uniqueness through a research project conducted with ARCSHS. This research project traced the intersection between the growth of Midsumma festival and GLOBE Victoria’s role in solidifying inclusive communities and positive economic outcomes. Daisy is now proud to be elected to support this mission. As a recent graduate of RMIT (EMBA 2022), a graduate of La Trobe University’s Graduate Certificate in Sex and Society, and a current student of Curtain University’s professional Masters of Sexology, they are uniquely armed with complementing intersectional frameworks and practice in IDEA principals. As someone who is queer and also neuro-divergent, they offer GLOBE Victoria the benefit of a self-motivated, diverse thinker with unique analytical abilities, focused on people, innovation, and impact for the organisation. With GLOBE Victoria’s proven support in organisational practices, Daisy will be able to help refine their mission to support the core needs of all of our members and the communities at large.
Vikas has over 16 years of experience in Wealth Management & Superannuation. Working across Business Transformation, Strategy & Customer Experience, primarily developing and implementing business strategies. Vikas also produces a Melbourne based podcast “Let’s Talk, Melbourne”, showcasing the curious and informed voices from the city. He’s passionate about community engagement and cultural diversity.
James is an experienced communications advisor with an ever-burning passion about marketing, branding and events.
Born in New Zealand before traversing the Tasman for Queensland and Victoria, James has produced live and digital events across the Southern Hemisphere, centering LGBTQ+ networks, entertainers and experiences on screens and stages.
Formerly, James was the producer of international arts publication PASTEL — both a print product and series of networking events supporting a local and abroad artists’ collective, for which he was also the host. In activation for three years, PASTEL spawned an ‘All-Star’ special event series and locally-aired radio show, platforming LGBTQ+, BIPOC and diverse artists throughout.
James has also produced and presented several fundraising events, notably BLOOM Benefit — a Brisbane fundraiser supporting victim-survivors of sexual violence and domestic assault in partnership with DVConnect, starring local drag and burlesque entertainers.
Across these and other activations (including corporate events), James enjoys bringing a sense of humor, visual polish, and joie de vivre to all projects under his thumb.
Alastair has 14 years of marketing and communications experience, primarily in B2B agencies. Most recently, as Head of Marketing for a multicultural communications consultancy, his role was to inform and educate Australian organisations on the benefits of improving engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Now running his own marketing consultancy, Alastair helps small businesses and social impact organisations strengthen their connection with customers through clear brand storytelling and a results-oriented approach that combines creativity with analytical insights.
Joining GLOBE Victoria, Alastair is committed to promoting inclusivity and serving the community.
Alex Wilson is currently a Learning Delivery Manager working in ANZ Commercial Banking with over 14 years supporting Victorians achieve goals to start, run and grow their businesses. He brings a number of project management skills to the role and looks forward to the opportunity to get more involved with Melbourne’s LBTQIA+ community.
Having previously been involved in regional development programs and groups such as Northern Mallee Leaders and Mildura Young Professionals, Alex is excited to join with GLOBE Victoria to deliver a fantastic Victorian Pride Awards in 2024 with the VPA Subcommittee.
Em Ireland is known to many as the ChillOut festival director that bought the festival back to life in 2022 and 2023; she is deeply committed to promoting inclusivity and diversity in the arts. She has actively sought opportunities to support underrepresented artists and communities, such as initiating workshops for marginalized groups and implementing accessible programming at the recent Chill Out festival. She believes that the arts should reflect our community, and is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to arts resources and opportunities. She has also worked for Big Day Out, Bluesfest, The Push, and currently runs Words in Winter, Swiss Italian Festa and is the CEO of Women to the Front. Em will also be directing Bendigo Pride in 2025. She joins the GLOBE Victoria regional team happily to promote connection in LGBTIQ+ communities.
As a dedicated chartered accountant and Director of boutique accounting firm PGP Consulting, Rhiannon brings over 12 years of experience in accounting and taxation services, with a passion for mentorship and strategic guidance. Beyond her professional role, Rhiannon is deeply committed to supporting the LGBTQIA+ community. Her enthusiasm for volunteering and promoting inclusivity fuels her role Globe Victoria, where she strives to create a supportive and empowering community. Outside of her professional and advocacy work, Rhiannon enjoys exploring Melbourne’s culinary scene, going for walks in nature, and getting lost in a good LGBTQIA+ fiction novel.
Charlie is an aspiring graphic designer currently entering her final year of communication design at RMIT University. With passions in branding, publications, advertising and digital marketing, she strives to create empowerment and inclusivity in her visual communications.
Joining GLOBE Australia, Charlie is excited to use her graphic design skills to promote such a wonderful community and encourage others to be involved.
Hey there, I’m Mark McIntosh, originally from Adelaide, South Australia. I’m all about fighting for LGBTIA+ rights and proudly wear the title of Mother Major, Sister of Perpetual Indulgence.
When I’m not advocating for equality, you can find me geeking out over technology and diving into creative spaces. Let’s connect and make the world a more inclusive, tech-savvy, and creatively vibrant place together!
Mia is a seasoned professional in the arts and live entertainment industry, boasting over 15 years of expertise as a Stage/Production and Event Manager. Her career spans across Festivals, Theatre, and Musicals in Australia, NZ, and the UK, including notable contributions to Ticketing Management at AU/UK & NZ festivals and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In addition to her extensive career, Mia takes pride in her 20-year involvement within the LGBTQIA+ community. She has been an active ally, contributing to drag clubs, special events, and festivals. Mia’s volunteer work includes significant roles such as Stage Managing the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, serving as Entertainment Manager of Pride March Victoria for 3 years, and handling Stage and Event Management for the Darwin Pride Festival. She was also involved the inaugural Queens of the Galaxy Drag Pageant (which evolved into Miss First Nations) and has presented a segment of the Entertainment at a previous year’s Globe Awards. Beyond her professional and community endeavours, Mia is trained in Community Blind Sight Guide, Existential Well Being Counselling, and is currently pursuing studies in Mental Health.
Christopher trained and performed from a young age in a range of different dance styles including classical, theatrical and Latin styles. He spent years Dancing, Singing and Teaching in over 30 countries. Since graduating he has become one of Melbourne’s sought after male dancers, performing in corporate events, TVC’S, film clips, promotions and major theatre productions. Recently he has adjudicated eisteddfods and choreographed for major brands, Productions, Exam Syllabuses, Cabarets and corporate events across Australia. Chris currently plays the role of ‘The Bull’ in the touring production of Matador .