The Professional Standards Councils’ members come from a wide range of industries and specialities, including law, accounting, insurance, property management and company directorship.
This diversity and depth of experience makes it possible for us to work with all kinds of associations to protect consumers and strengthen professional standards across Australia.
John Vines OAM
MBA, BEc, Dip Civil Engineering, FIEAust, FAICD
Chair
John Vines is a Victorian representative to the Professional Standards Councils. John brings a wealth of experience in governance. He is the Chair of Coassemble Pty Ltd and is a Director of Carroll and Richardson Pty Ltd and Premium Plantations Project Pty Ltd. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Engineers Australia.
From 1984–2008, he was Chief Executive Officer of the Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia. He has been a member of a number of Government boards and inquiries.
John was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2001, and in 2003 he was awarded a Centenary of Federation Medal.
Catherine (Cate) Wood AM
BA (SocSc), Fellow AIST
Member: Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
Cate is Chair of the Centre for Worker's Capital Pty Ltd and has held many board positions in the profit to member superannuation sector, including as Chair of CareSuper and a director of the Industry Superannuation Property Trust. Cate has served on the boards of superannuation industry bodies including the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees as President and Industry Super Australia.
She was Chair of Women in Super (WIS) and a member of the WIS founded Mother’s Day Classic Foundation Board. Cate was a member of the Victorian Legal Services Board and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee.
Elizabeth Shearer
BA LLB (Hons) MLM CF
Elizabeth Shearer is a Brisbane solicitor, and a principal of Shearer Doyle Law. She has a strong interest in consumer protection and access to justice. Elizabeth is a former President of the Queensland Law Society and chair of its Access to Justice / Pro Bono Committee.
She is an Executive Director of the Law Council of Australia and a member of its Access to Justice Committee. She is a director of the Australian Pro Bono Centre, a member of the advisory committee of the University of Queensland Pro Bono Centre, and a director of Lexon Insurance.
Lisa King
B.A.Sc-Blt.Env.(IntDes), B.Arch, M.Arch
Lisa King is the Executive Director of the New South Wales Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architecture, having previously held the position of Policy and Advocacy Manager, New South Wales.
With extensive experience in small, medium and large architectural practice, Lisa has utilised this practical working knowledge in recent years to engage with government and key industry stakeholders on behalf of the architectural profession as the New South Wales Building reforms have come into effect.
Having previous research and teaching experience for the University of Sydney and the Henry Halloran Trust, Lisa advocates for policy outcomes which support consumer protection and equitable, sustainable built environments.
Dr Pam Montgomery
BA (Hons), PhD
Pam Montgomery has many years’ experience in developing and promoting robust professional standards in the health sector. She has held several Board positions with government, statutory and not-for-profit organisations. She is currently a member of the Medical Board of Australia, having been first appointed to that role in 2017. She also provides consultancy services in medical education and standards development.
Pam was formerly the Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Director of Fellowship & Standards at the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. She trained initially as a forensic psychologist, and worked in private and public clinical practice, and at Monash University.
Peter Martin
BA, DipEd, FIAA
Member: Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
Peter Martin brings actuarial expertise and experience to the Councils. Peter was the Australian Government Actuary from 2000 to 2017 and provided actuarial and related public policy advice to the Australian Government, all of its major departments and agencies and many minor ones.
Peter played a key role in the development of the Commonwealth’s public policy settings in contexts ranging from superannuation to medical indemnity insurance to disability support funding to name a few. He undertook several international assignments including leading a project to modernise Papua New Guinea’s insurance supervision regime. He held statutory appointments including Designated Actuary to the Future Fund and Reviewing Actuary to the National Disability Insurance Scheme. He is currently Fund Actuary to the Fiji National Provident Fund.
Rachel Webber
BJuris, LLB
Rachel Webber’s primary areas of expertise include corporate and commercial law, with an emphasis on ASX and Corporations Act compliance, financial services regulation, managed investments, and credit regulation.
Rachel is an executive member of the Business Law Section (BLS) of the Law Council of Australia. She also serves as a member of the BLS Corporations Committee and of the Commercial Law Committee of the Law Society of Western Australia.
Ross Springolo
FCPA, FAICD, FGIA, FCS
Member: Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
Ross Springolo is an experienced governance professional with a depth of transferable skills in administration, compliance and financial management in organisations operating in a highly regulated environment. In a working career spanning 30 years across various sectors, he has held management positions in both regional Queensland and the Northern Territory.
Ross has provided secretariat services to boards and committees for small and large organisations in a range of industries. He is an experienced board director having served on boards of private, government and not-for-profit entities in the Northern Territory.
Tiina-Liisa Sexton
BCom, FCA, FAICD
Chair: Finance, Audit and Risk Management Committee
Tiina-Liisa Sexton is a chartered accountant with a background in risk and financial management, governance, and ethics. She has worked in the private, public, academic, and not-for-profit sectors, and was the national Professional Standards Adviser in ethics and corporate governance at CPA Australia for 14 years until 2011.
Tiina-Liisa is a Community Member on the Paramedicine Board of Australia. She is a former director of St Giles Society, Housing Choices Australia, Aurora Energy Pty Ltd, Hobart Water and Connect Credit Union.
Timothy Mellor
LLB
Tim Mellor is a lawyer with over 40 years’ experience, specialising in litigation. As a partner at a leading law firm, he has developed an extensive practice with a focus on rural and environmental issues, and estate litigation. He also has a practice as an accredited mediator.
In 2018 Tim was the President of the Law Society of South Australia, having served for 15 years in various roles. He is also past state and national president of the National Environmental Law Association. Since 2019 he has consistently been awarded 'Best Lawyers Australia' recognition for Planning and Environment, Native Title and Commercial Litigation in South Australia. He is a serving officer in the Australian Army Legal Corps in which he holds the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.