Contacts and expert comment
Media contact
For media enquiries call:
John Fulcher
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03 9667 1388 or 0412 978 263
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Expert comment
VicHealth experts can provide media comment on alcohol, preventing violence against women, race-based discrimination, physical activity, nutrition, smoking, workplace health, UV harms, health inequalities and the economics of health promotion and illness prevention. See full list of topics.
Lyn Walker Executive Manager, Participation and Equity for Health
Lyn Walker
Lyn has a background in human service management and has worked in the public health field for the past 23 years. Lyn's predominant areas of focus have included development of gender-specific services and programs, and advocacy for legislative and policy reform in key areas. Lyn has written and co-edited a range of publications focusing on the social and economic determinants of health, and supported development of the first International monograph on Mental Health Promotion: Concepts, Emerging Evidence and Practice. She is a member of the Adult Multicultural Education Services Board and the Global Consortium for the Promotion of Mental Health, and supports the activity of a range of state committees and working parties.
Irene Verins, Manager of Social Connection and Economic Participation program
Irene Verins
Irene Verins has a 20-year background in the program design and management of community based initiatives within education, local government, the arts, health and workplace.
Irene is also responsible for the workforce development program at VicHealth which has designed and delivered training across Australia and internationally.
Irene has presented and published in the areas of mental health promotion, social determinants of health and workforce development.
Irene is a member of the Asia-Australia Mental Health Advisory Council and supports the activity of a range of state committees and working parties.
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Renee Imbesi, Manager of Preventing Violence Against Women program
Renee Imbesi
Renee has a Bachelor of Arts and Science, Diploma of Community Development and is currently completing a Master of Communication.
She previously worked at CASA House, the Centre Against Sexual Assault, coordinating a range of primary prevention programs, notably, the design and implementation of the Sexual Assault Prevention Program in Secondary Schools. This program is recognised as current best practice at both State and Federal level.
Renee has also worked at the Office of Women's Policy on the development of A Right to Respect – Victoria’s Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women.
She has a particular interest in preventing violence before it occurs by encouraging respectful relationships and positive attitudes towards women in schools, workplaces, sporting clubs and community organisations.
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Julie Woods, Manager of Nutrition and Food Systems
Julie Woods
As well as being a qualified dietitian, Julie has a Graduate Diploma in Health Promotion and is currently working on a PhD in nutrition policy for older people. Julie was integral to the work of the Victorian Food and Nutrition Program in the 1990s as the community liaison program officer.
She then worked on the National Specialty Program in Public Health and Community Nutrition where she investigated training and workforce capacity issues in public health nutrition She has been a lecturer in Dietetics at Monash University since 2000.
She is an Executive Member of the Public Health Association of Australia’s Food and Nutrition Special Interest Group.
Julie has a particular interest in food regulation issues, including labelling, novel foods and special purpose foods and the relationship between climate change and food systems.
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Cameron McLeod, Manager of Physical Activity
Cameron McLeod
Cameron has a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation Management and a Masters of Business Administration. A keen sports fan, Cameron is Vice President of the Melton South Football and Netball Club and sits on a number of sporting and health advisory boards.
He started his career as a project officer in the umpire’s department at the AFL and then moved on to the Ballarat Football League. Cameron worked at Sport and Recreation Victoria for six years and as the Manager of Rural Community Facilities he led a range of multi-million dollar community facility planning and development initiatives which aim to increase accessible participation in sport and active recreation. He has extensive experience in governance, strategic planning and policy development.
Cameron has been with VicHealth for two years and is passionate about increasing physical activity throughout the community and tackling health inequalities through sport.
Brian Vandenberg, Manager, Alcohol, UV and Tobacco
Since 2007, Brian has led VicHealth's tobacco control, alcohol harm reduction and UV protection programs. During this time Brian was also contracted as an advisor and policy writer for the National Preventative Health Taskforce’s discussion paper "Australia: the Healthiest Country by 2020" and the accompanying technical report on alcohol.
In 2011, Brian was contracted to the Commonwealth Department of Defence to assist with an independent advisory panel review of alcohol use in the Australian Defence Forces. Brian has previously been a senior advisor to the Victorian Premier's Drug Prevention Council, and has also worked for the Commonwealth Government to develop the National Alcohol Strategy 2006-2011.
In 2002-2005, Brian established and managed Living Room primary health service, a drop-in and outreach service for street based injecting drug users in the Melbourne CBD.
Plus a range of VicHealth Research Fellows and academics and members of the VicHealth board.