The Homes Victoria advisory board
The Homes Victoria Advisory Board is established under section 11A of the Housing Act 1983. The board provides strategic advice to the Minister for Housing and the Chief Executive Officer, Homes Victoria in relation to:
- the long term strategic direction of Homes Victoria
- the financial performance and stability of Homes Victoria; and
- strategic risks and opportunities and approaches to social housing and affordable housing; and
- the corporate plan and performance indicators of Homes Victoria; and
- any other matter referred to the Advisory Board by the Minister.
The board will strengthen governance and oversight of Homes Victoria. The board is independent, accountable to the Minister for Housing and will steer development of Homes Victoria’s Corporate Plan and Annual Reports in alignment with the organisation’s commitment to greater transparency and accountability.
As a non-binding advisory body, the board has no formal decision-making or own motion powers or responsibilities over policy, service delivery or public funds.

The Hon. Colin Brooks
Minister for Housing
Colin was first elected to the Victorian parliament in 2006 and represents the electorate of Bundoora in Melbourne’s north-eastern suburbs.
Since then, Colin has held the roles of Minister for Child Protection and Family Services, Disability, Ageing and Carers and was also Speaker of the Victorian Parliament for five years.
Homes Victoria advisory board members

Steve Gross
Chair
Prior to commencing in his current role, Steve held a number of senior positions within the Macquarie Group, including Head of Investor Solutions Group (Asia Pacific) and Chief Operating Officer, European Infrastructure Funds.
Steve has strong experience as a Board member with a range of not-for-profit organisations. He is currently a non-executive Director with Berry Street.
Steve holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Hons) from the University of Melbourne and completed his MBA at the London Business School.

Pat Cashin
Pat has a 40-year track record in the construction industry in both building and engineering infrastructure with extensive experience in the road, rail, defence, health, hospitality and social infrastructure sectors, across a range of procurement models including, PPP’s, design and construct, managing contractor and collaborative alliances. His career includes 25 years at Baulderstone (part of the Lend Lease Group since 2011), and 7 years in Ireland prior to coming to Australia.
As part of his current role, Pat brings his experience to alliance boards and steering committees for large projects being undertaken by Laing O Rourke and is a passionate advocate for reform in the construction sector.
Pat holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering from University College Dublin in Ireland and is a Fellow of Engineers Australia.

Sarah Clarke
Sarah leads the Mirvac sustainability strategy, “This Changes Everything”, and is also the current Deputy Chair of Sustainability Victoria. She has experience across multiple sectors and industries, including property, oil and gas, public transport, and social policy.
Sarah received a Master of Arts (Professional & Applied Ethics) from the University of Melbourne, is a graduate of the McKinsey & Co Executive Leadership program, the Prince of Wales Business & Sustainability Leadership program from the University of Cambridge, and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons, English) from James Cook University.

Danielle Dalby
Danielle has board experience as a former member and chair of the Volunteer West Committee and in providing legal advice and support in relation to corporate matters.
Danielle holds a Bachelor of Law from University of New England, and a Graduate Diploma in Property from Deakin University, as well as an Associate Diploma in Legal Practice and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance and Investment.

Jefa Greenaway
As a registered architect in private practice in both NSW and Victoria, he seeks to reveal layers of history and memory through connections to place, demonstrating the value of people centred design which interrogates one’s own philosophical or ethical underpinning and design responsibilities.
Over 2 decades he’s also championed Indigenous led design thinking, particularly through the International Indigenous Design Charter, as Regional Ambassador (Oceania) of INDIGO (International Indigenous Design Alliance) and sits on numerous boards that intersect with art, architecture and cultural heritage.
Jefa has extensive experience sitting on panels, boards and committees within the State Government, not-for-profit and educational sectors. Jefa is strongly committed to social issues, particularly around Aboriginal community engagement and empowerment, and has expertise in Aboriginal placemaking.
Jefa holds a Bachelor of Architecture (Hons) and a Bachelor of Applied Science.

Dr Tam Nguyen
Tam is also a health communications expert, with particular interest in culturally and linguistically diverse messaging to different communities, Indigenous health and intergenerational families. Tam comes from a culturally diverse background and is familiar with the social housing system in South Australia, bringing firsthand experience perspective of the social housing system.
Tam holds academic appointments as an Associate Professor at Melbourne Medical School and as an Adjunct Associate Professor (Research) at Monash Medical School.

Lucy Roffey
Lucy is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand’s Public Sector Panel, a member of the Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership and a member of the Telstra Regional Advisory Committee.
Lucy is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Graduate Diploma of Management from the University of NSW (AGSM).

Meredith Sussex AM
Meredith runs her own consultancy providing specialist expertise in public policy, planning, management and governance, specialising in city planning. She has also held senior positions in the Victorian State Government, including Deputy Secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
From 2002-2006 she led the Office of Commonwealth Games Coordination, for which she was awarded the Order of Australia in 2007. She was also a lecturer in the Masters programme on Urban Governance at the University of New South Wales.
Meredith holds qualifications from the University of Melbourne and the Kellogg School of Management in Chicago.
Ex-officio members

Chris Barrett
In his most recent role as Invest Victoria CEO, Chris led both the Victorian Government’s approach to investment attraction and the Economic Recovery Mission in response to coronavirus (COVID-19). Chris’ career includes nearly two decades in public service in both Canberra and Melbourne, including as Deputy Secretary, Policy and Cabinet in the Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet.
In 2011, Chris was appointed Australian Ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, where he led Australia’s engagement with the OECD and contributed to global best-practice public policy. Following on from his role with the OECD, Chris spent four years with the European Climate Foundation in Berlin, where, as Executive Director, Finance and Economics, he led an international philanthropic strategy on the economic and financial implications and opportunities of the low-carbon transition.