Strategic Advisory Panel

The strong regional support for the Mallee Regional Innovation Centre is reflected in its Strategic Advisory Panel (SAP). The SAP comprises local representatives who, both individually and as a group, bring a depth of expertise and knowledge that helps to guide MRIC's strategic direction, set regional priorities and endorse projects for the betterment of the region.

Leonie Burrows

Chair of the Strategic Advisory Panel

Leonie Burrows

Leonie Burrows is the inaugural Chair of the Strategic Advisory Panel. Leonie is a Mildura based professional manager and consultant.  She is currently Chair of Murray Primary Health Network , Chair of of the Loddon Mallee Regional Development Australia Board and Chair of the One Basin CRC Regional Advisory Committee (Mildura) and a member of the Mallee Regional Partnership.

She has 25 years’ experience in Local Government, including time as CEO at Mildura Rural City Council. She has held CEO positions at:

• Australian Tablegrape Growers Association
• Australian Citrus Industry
• Buloke Shire
• SuniTAFE

Previous roles include Chair of Sunraysia Community Health, Chair of SuniTAFE, Chair of the Victorian TAFE Association, Chair of Lower Murray Water Corporation, Chair of the Mildura Transport and Logistics Cluster and involvement in numerous other community organisations. For four years she was also Executive Officer of the Alliance of Councils for Rail Freight Development.

Anne Mansell

Anne Mansell

Chair of Northern Mallee Local Learning and Employment Network (NMLLEN) Anne is passionate about education and encouraging pathways for young people into employment. Anne is the former Chief Executive Officer of Dried Fruits Australia which oversaw research & development, marketing and promotion for dried grapes.

Anne served as inaugural Chief Executive Officer of Mildura Development Corporation from February 2009 to November 2013, overseeing a number of exciting projects including Olam’s $50million investment into an almond processing plant and facilitating the business case for the $120 million Sunraysia Modernisation Project.

Anne has over 35 years experience in the horticulture sector as a partner in a family owned citrus property, and served as a Board Director and President of Sunraysia Citrus Growers.

Her qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, Graduate Certificate of Business Management, a Diploma in Corporate Governance, and a Graduate Diploma in Planning.

Anne continues to stay involved in a number of local organisations including Sunraysia Community Health; La Trobe University Mildura Regional Advisory Board; Murray Valley Winegrowers Industry Development Committee and has been appointed to the Regional Development Australia Loddon Mallee Committee.

Jenny Collins

Jenny Collins

Committed to both her community and the environment, Jenny has a deep understanding of issues facing the Mallee. Jenny was born and raised in the local region and holds qualifications in geology, environmental education and governance.

Jenny has been the Chief Executive Officer of the Mallee CMA since 2006 and is actively involved in a number of committees and boards at regional and state levels, spanning the water, environment and industry sectors. Jenny is passionate about the Victorian Mallee and attracting strong investment in the region from Commonwealth and state programs. Jenny is Chair of the Victorian Catchment Management Authorities CEOs’ Forum and was named in the 2018 Top 50 Public Sector Women in Victoria.

Stefano de Pieri

Born in Treviso, Italy, 1955, Stefano migrated to Australia in 1974. He obtained a BA in Politics at the University of Melbourne. He was Editor of Nuovo Paese from 1975 to 1980 and a Ministerial Advisor to the Victorian State Government from the mid-1980s to 1991. Stefano moved to Mildura in 1991 and has been a restaurant owner since 1992. He has appeared on ABC TV in his own production ‘Gondola on the Murray’ and is a member of the Mildura Tourism and Economic Development Board.

Stefano is also a patron of the Institute of Post Colonial Studies, an Adjunct Professor for Architecture at RMIT and a contributor to Arena, a magazine of critical thinking.

Ross Lake OAM

LLB, BEco, Dip Ed

Ross Lake

Based in Mildura, Ross is a business operator, wine grower, community activist with a long-standing interest in Murray River water management and water politics. Ross trained as a lawyer, an economist and a teacher, and is now the Managing Director of Tasco Inland Australia P/L, a large fuel distribution and retail company.

Ross has held many roles in the local community, including chairperson, board member and supporter of Arts Mildura, SunRISE21, the Sunraysia Initiative for a Sustainable Economy, and is currently president of Mallee Family Care. Ross has been a driver in developing ambitious and far-reaching cultural programs in his region, many of which connect directly to underlying economic and environmental agendas.

Peter O’Donnell

Peter O’Donnell

Peter has been a CPA for over 25 years. He was the founder of Southern Cross Business Advisers in 2001 growing the company to a four partner, 30 staff organisation.

Upon selling in 2014 Peter took ownership of an associated business, Southern Cross Farms. Peter has been a Director of Southern Cross Farms for over 10 years and Managing Director since 2014.

Peter is the Chair of Mildura Airport Pty Ltd which he has held for the last 11 years, while being a Director for 14 years. Peter was also a board member of MASP (10 years), is a member of the NMLLEN board, Past President of Imperial FNC (4 years) a member the Sacred Heart Parish Council, a life member of the Mildura Settlers Cricket Club, Imperial FNC and the Workers Basketball Club, and spent over 25 years on the finance committee of the Mildura Special School. He is also Co-Founder of Kokoda Youth Mentoring Programme which is in its 14th year.

Peter has expertise in accounting and finance with particular skill sets around strategic planning, continuous improvement, business building and team development.

Richard Byllaardt

Richard Byllaardt

Richard Byllaardt is the former Managing Director of Seven Fields, and is based in Mildura, Victoria. He grew the company to become one of the largest and most successful citrus growers in Australia. As head of growing and marketing, Richard travelled regularly to South Africa, Italy, Spain, USA, China, Japan, United Kingdom, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia and Hong Kong, establishing an excellent network of people around the world in the citrus industry. In 2016,

Seven Fields was sold to The Nutrano Group. Richard currently is chair of Citrus Australia, the national citrus industry representation organisation, and he is also Chair of International Fresh Produce Association – Australia and New Zealand and also a director on the International board of International Fresh Produce Association. Richard also consults to a number of horticultural enterprises and believes it is essential for all industries to have strong organisations like the Mallee regional innovation centre as key drivers in the future direction of our region

Brett Millington

Brett Millington

Born and raised in Mildura, Brett has over 20 years’ experience at an executive level in the economic development and utilities industries. He was an inaugural Board member of Mildura Regional Development (MRD) following its formation in 2017 and was then appointed CEO in 2019. Prior to this, he spent several years as the Program Director for Intelligent Water Networks, the research and collaboration partnership supporting the Victorian Water corporations in their pursuit of innovation.

Educated with a Bachelor of Science with honours from the University of Melbourne initially, Brett also holds post Graduate qualifications in Business Administration from the University of Queensland and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Tim Jackson

Tim Jackson

Tim Jackson is the CEO of the Almond Board of Australia. Part of the ABA strategic plan is promoting regional development and opportunity across the Sunraysia where more than 60% of the nation’s almonds are grown.

Part of Tim’s role is dedicated to helping address the challenges faced within the region including a shortage of skilled and unskilled labour, promoting careers in horticulture, improved connectivity and embracing innovation that recognises the need to achieve positive outcomes for local people, the planet and profitability.