GLOBE committee members are professionals and small business owners. They selflessly volunteer their time to ensure that GLOBE operates efficiently and effectively, and they continually expand its projects and events.
Megan has been a strong supporter of GLOBE Victoria for many years, and has actively participated in the GLOBE networking series of events for over 10 years. She found GLOBE Victoria as an avenue to meet other professional like-minded people. After attending the 2018 Community Awards, Megan was inspired by the terrific advocacy being done for our LGBITIQ communities and joined the GLOBE committee of management , supporting and being responsible for the Corporate Partnerships portfolio, before being appointed in the President role. Megan, along with the fantastic team at GLOBE Victoria has championed greater diversity within the committee itself and GLOBE’s members and has tried to ensure that by continuing to hold events virtually, during this pandemic that GLOBE Victoria has continued to be a place where all members of our LGBTIQ can come and connect with each other. Megan volunteers her spare time to GLOBE Victoria so that she can make a small but meaningful contribution to the advancement and betterment of our LGBTIQ communities.
In addition, Megan has worked in a number of professional services industries in leadership, business improvement and project management, roles which have a significant focus on stakeholder management and managing relationships with internal colleagues, external clients and other stakeholders.
Andrew is a relationship manager for Pride in Diversity (PID). PID is Australia’s first and only national not-for-profit employer support program for all aspects of LGBTQ workplace inclusion. PID are specialists in HR, organisational change and workplace diversity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ people by reducing exclusion, invisibility, phobia and stigma in the workplace.
Andrew is responsible for managing a portfolio of members, providing LGBTQ subject matter expertise through consultation and advisory services and develops and delivers LGBTQ content and training to organisations and workplaces.
As Vice President Membership, Andrew will focus on overseeing GLOBE’s individual, small business and corporate memberships ensuring the maintenance and growth of each portfolio.
Andrew is currently a Leader at 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, 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 Committee of Management since July 2018, previously holding the roles of Events Director and Individual Membership Director. Currently a member of GLOBE’s Executive as Secretary, Andrew is responsible for the strategic governance and risk management of the organisation as well as coordinating volunteer recruitment.
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.
Michelle Sheppard is a transgender woman, public speaker, diversity trainer, and radio presenter who has spent the last five years advocating for Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Non-Binary (TGDNB) people. She has worked with various organisations, including the AFL, Corporates, Local City Councils, Universities as small businesses, to help build inclusive and safe workplaces for LGBTIQ+ people. Michelle has received national recognition for her contribution to the LGBTIQ+ Community.
In a first initiative of its kind in Australia; transgender advocate, Michelle Sheppard joined Fitted for Work as a Transgender Community Liaison Officer to develop and deliver a pilot program to support 200 TGDNB (she/ her/ they/ them) jobseekers on their journey to finding employment. The program offers a suite of employment-related services tailored to help increase work readiness and self-confidence.
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.
Sally is a former gender studies academic who is passionate about developing leadership capability in the LGBTIQ + A communities. Sally works in Higher Ed as a strategic project manager. She enjoys making connections and is looking forward to growing the community engagement portfolio with GLOBE.
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.
Mariella comes with extensive events and digital experience – working across three continents of the globe.
From working for the world’s first gay dating app Gaydar, Gaydar Radio to well known digital agencies.
Her true love for seeing businesses transform through digital led her to create Made With Moxie – a digital commerce agency that focuses on results. Since then she’s worked with and promoted large scale events, luxury cars, wine, beer, festivals, cosmetics and even Kombucha.
In her spare time, Mariella is passionate about helping young women navigate their careers and building opportunities for them to practice public speaking, networking and assuming leadership positions.
Jack works within corporate deals within the KPMG Melbourne office. He also has financial experience at Taylor Collison and Blue-Sky investments.
Jack began his journey with GLOBE one and a half years ago and has since quickly grown to admire the organisation and its exceptional ability to impact the LGBTQ+ community. Jack has a history of giving back to the community and seeks to continue this volunteering capacity. Since 2015 he has assisted at the Hutt St Centre and from 2017 to 2019 was involved with DOXA supporting the organisation in a leadership role. Jack also has 3 years’ experience working within events and recruitment at the University of Melbourne.
Jack is excited to join the GLOBE committee and looks forward to supporting the membership base and expand its capacity to help young professionals.
Shae Louise Abel (she/her) has a passion for supporting our LGBTQIA+, Transgender, Gender Diverse & Non-Binary (TGDNB) Communities to succeed in Small Business throughout Victoria and, recognises that effective networking and professional relationship building is imperative to the success of any small business.
Shae has a strong vision for our Globe Small Business Members, with a commitment to ensuring that each Small Business Member has access to fruitful opportunities inclusive of referrals, small business education & support, building of strong business relationships & loyalties, as well as a clear visibility throughout the wider Globe Community.
The visibility of LGBTQIA+ and TGDNB run businesses also provides more spaces for our community to access an array of services knowing they are safe, accepted and included.
Shae has carried out this vision within her own Small Business and is the Founder & Director of With Pride – Inclusive Integrated Healthcare.
With Pride delivers safe, inclusive & confidential spaces to access Preventative, Holistic Healthcare Solutions & Health Management for the community in its entirety, with a focus on improving the health outcomes of LGBTQIA+ and TGDNB Communities. Services delivered through With Pride include Occupational Therapy, Nutritional Medicine, Exercise Physiology, Naturopathy, Acupuncture, Holistic Counselling, Performance Coaching, Hypnotherapy, Mindset Coaching, Personal Training, LGBTQIA+ and TGDNB Inclusion Training for Healthcare Practitioners as well as the broader community.
With Pride operates nationally throughout Australia with both in-clinic and online service delivery for Rural and Regional Communities, this to ensure equity of access to Preventative Medicine and Health Management regardless of location for our community.
Shae delivers Health Promotion through numerous media platforms inclusive of regular guest speaking on Joy 94.9 Breakfast Show, publication in the iconic Curve Magazine and through workshops in collaboration with organisations such as The Equality Project & Thorne Harbour Health.
Thomas has worked across various industries with the delivery of events and projects always being at the core at what he does. He currently leads the teams who look after communications, partnerships, fundraising and events at the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation. He has had similar positions in not-for-profits for the last ten years including Oxfam, Beyond Blue, Red Nose and Australian International Documentary Conference.
Previous to working in the not- for profit space Thomas worked in the arts, predominantly in a festival programming and artist liaison capacity on events such as Big Day Out, St Jerome’s Laneway Festival, Groove ‘n’ the Moo and Blues ‘n’ Roots. He also spent ten years as a pastry chef and was one of the original members of The Channel (now Give Out Day) Australia’s first LGBTQIA+ giving circle.
Hares and Hyenas is a sexuality and gender diverse bookshop, carrying a huge range of books, erotica, DVDs, cards and magazines from around the world, as well as tickets to all the main LGTBTI events. Hares and Hyenas has a café and a fully licensed performance venue called the Hare Hole, where they host shows every week.
JOY 94.9 is an independent voice for members of LGBTI communities in Melbourne, broadcasting hundreds of free community announcements, award winning music, news and current affairs and arts and cultural programs. JOY is fuelled by the dedication of almost 300 volunteers and just a handful of paid core staff. It is proudly self-funded through sponsorship, membership and donations.
Proud 2 Play helps to shape the landscape of sports inclusion for LGBTI+ people in Victoria, and parts of Australia.
We approach LGBTI+ inclusion in sport from all angles to provide grassroots organisations, clubs, state and national sporting organisations and other sporting associations with education, inclusive policy and procedure, inclusive events and improvements in LGBTI+ visibility in their sport.
Through these approaches, we estimate to have supported over 1,000 LGBTI+ community members in sports inclusion.
Star Observer has been setting Australia’s LGBTI agenda since 1979, with a long and proud history of independent journalism.
They have over 500,000 loyal readers who embrace their publications, which include a popular news website and social media channels, as well as their monthly Star Observer and Gay Scene Guide magazines.
Switchboard Victoria is a community-based not for profit organisation that provides a peer based, volunteer run support service for LGBTQI people and their friends, families and allies. Their services include:
