Board of Management
Chairman- Mr Gordon Arthur
CEO- Derek Amos
Treasurer- Lisa Proctor
Dr Daryl Ham- Board Member
Dr Fred Edwards- Board Member
Neville Penrose- Board Member
Gayle Vinall- Board Member
Peter Wallis- Board Member
Harvey Pynt- Returning Officer
Gordon Arthur
CHAIRMAN
I gratuated from Melbourne University with a Medical degree in 1967 and obtained a surgical Fellowship in 1972. I then worked in Papua New Guinea for 12 months, United Kingdom for 3 years and Tonga for 12 months before arriving in Traralgon in 1978 to join the Practice of Mr Frank Keiller. My wife Sauni and l left Australia with 2 children and arrived in Traralgon with 4 children. We have worked hard in Traralgon and thoroughly enjoy the community spirit. We have a strong relationship with the Uniting Church where Sauni was previously an Elder and now l have been elected and held the postition for a number of years. We understand the personal tragedy of severe mental illness in our family and l am hopefully keen to redress at least some of the inadequacies of the system we encounter in Gippsland. Hence l look forward to serving with Barrier Breakers.
Derek Amos
CEO
Derek Amos, a co-founder of Barrier Breakers, is a former Victorian MP of long standing (representing the Central Gippsland electorate of Morwell) who held many leading positions, including Ministerial portfolios and Parliamentary Chairman of a number of all party Committees. For 20 years he was the principal of one of Australia’s leading corporate relations consultancies. Although now retired from professional life, he continues serve the community on government and non-government Boards and Committees.
Lisa Proctor
Treasurer
Dr Daryl Ham
Board Member
Dr. Daryl Ham graduated from Melbourne’s Monash University in 1978 and spent much of his early years as a Doctor working in a number of small hospitals as the resident Medical Officer.
Having a special interest in psychiatry, Daryl began work in psychiatry a Medical Officer in the Plenty Hospital in 1983 and in 1988 he entered a training program and degree in psychiatric medicine. Unfortunately, while the program was later abandoned, Dr. Ham became the first Doctor in Victoria to work on the crisis team (CATT Team), where he held the position for three years in the North East Metro region.
Moving to Gippsland in 1994, Dr. Ham commenced work at the former Hobson Park Psychiatric Hospital as a Senior Medical Officer, where he served two 12 month terms. He also commenced his work in general practice, first working part time until the closure of the Hobson Park facility. Currently, Daryl’s workload is shared between General Practice and the Latrobe Valley Community Mental Health Service, where he provides four sessions per week as a Senior Medical Officer.
Dr. Fred Edwards
Board Member
Dr. Edwards has had a long time involvement in the field of mental health. After qualifying in medicine from the University of Sheffield in England in 1983, Fred’ early career was spent in community medicine where he also gained experience in the management of hospital based mental health services.
He spent three years as a Unit General Manager in the National Health Service in the UK. during the period when the main thrust in mental health at that time was to de-institutionalise as many patients as possible and place them in supported community houses.
Migrating to Australia in 1990, Dr. Edwards has been involved exclusively with the Hazelwood Health business providing extensive family practitioner medical services to the Latrobe Valley and latterly in South Gippsland. This work involves a lot of day-to-day contract with people requiring support, counselling and treatment for a wide range of common mental health problems.
Neville Penrose
Board Member
Neville was raised on a beef property at Glenburn near Yea in NE Victoria.
He has tertiary qualifications in Agricultural Science, Geomorphology and Environmental Science, is a Graduate of the Gippsland Community Leadership Program, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has completed Department of Justice Mediation training.
He joined the Victorian Public Service with the Soil conservation Authority in the early 1970’s. He was conscripted fo fulfill National Service obligations with the Australian Army 1971-1973.
Following study leave from 1974-1977 he resumed work with SCA and has since worked in the VPS in field advisory, planning and management roles.
Neville has worked in every Region of the State including a period in Head Office.
With the formation of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) he became the Catchment and Agriculture Services (CAS) Manager for Gippsland.
With the split of NRE into the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) and the Department of Primary Industries (DPI), Neville became the Community Relationship Manager in DPI CAS. In 2005 he was appointed to the Regional Water Manager role in DSE and after long periods of Acting in the Regional Manager/Regional Director role, was appointed as Regional Director for DSE in Gippsland in April 2006.
Gayle Vinall
Board Member
Peter Wallis
Board Member
