Our Board
Peter Edwards (Chairman)
Chairman
Experience
Peter is Managing Director of the Victor Smorgon Group. The Group’s ventures include Property, Consumer Retail, Recycling & Renewable Manufacturing, and Sustainable Agriculture. Peter is a Trustee of the National Gallery of Victoria and the Julian Burton Burns Trust. He is a board member of SECUREcorp Pty Ltd and Chairman of the Jewish Museum of Australia Foundation.
Susan Barton AM (Founder)
Founder, Member of Care Services Sub Committee and Governance Working Team
Qualifications
- Certificate IV in Youth Work, RMIT
- Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Certificate in Parent Effective Leadership Training, Swinburne TAFE
- Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment
- Accredited Business School for Entrepreneurs.
Experience
Susan is the founder of the Lighthouse Foundation and has been a Lighthouse Board member since 1991. Susan has developed the Lighthouse Therapeutic Family Model of Care for youth at risk, and has had significant experience in caring for young people for over 25 years. Susan is also the co-author of “Build Your Teenager’s Self-Esteem” and co-author of “Therapeutic Residential Care for Children: An Attachment and Trauma Informed Model for Practice”. Susan is currently on the board of MECWA and Patron of Victoria Day Council.
Steve Buxton
Director
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Business (Monash)
- Post Grad Degree in Property (RMIT)
Experience
Steve has been actively involved in the property development and real estate industries since 1990. Steve is currently the Joint Managing Director of Hamton Property Group, a highly acclaimed property developer specialising in Melbourne’s residential apartment and ancillary retail sectors. Prior to Hamton’s establishment in 2006, Steve was the founder of BDP and the co-founder of Red.C, both successful property development companies. Prior to that, Steve had development and sales and marketing roles at MAB Corporation and sales and leasing roles in both residential and commercial real estate firms.
Bernie Durkin
Chair of Care Services Sub Committee
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Social Work.
- Bachelor of Theology
Experience
Bernie is the General Manager, Regional Counselling Services, Health Promotion, Service Development, Youth and Bushfire Recovery for EACH – Social and Community Health. He has previous management experience across a number of sectors – Huntington’s disease, Sudden Infant Death, homelessness, street-based drug and alcohol work, neighbourhood renewal, victims of crime and problem gambling.
David Leeton
Chair of Finance Sub Committee
Qualifications
- B.Bus (Bkg & Fin); GradDip Acc; CPA member
Experience
David joined the Victor Smorgon Group in 1987 and was promoted to the position of Chief Financial Officer in 2002. David is directly responsible for the financial reporting, financing and treasury for the group. David sits on the investment board and is actively involved in all facets of the business. David is a Trustee of the Victor Smorgon Charitable Fund, a director of the Victor Smorgon Scholarship Fund trustee company, secretary for the Trustee of the Fouress Foundation, the Victor Smorgon Institute at Epworth and The Philanthropic Investor Club. David is the secretary of all Victor Smorgon Group entities.
William (Bill) Mountford
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Economics (Hons), Monash University,
- Masters of Philosophy in Economics, University of Cambridge,
- Advanced Management Program (AMP), Harvard Business School.
Experience
Bill has worked as a business strategy consultant for Pappas Carter Evans and Koop (now the Boston Consulting Group), Australian Consulting Partners and Arthur Anderson. He has run state and federal agencies, in particular the Australian Manufacturing Council and Victorian WorkCover Authority. He is a Director of a number of private ventures including, Qualistaff Pty Ltd and Insight Economics Pty Ltd. Bill is also a board member of Melbourne Health and a part time Commissioner of the Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission.
Sylwia Pichel
Qualifications
- Executive Master of Public Administration, Australia and New Zealand School of Government
- Graduate Diploma of Public Relations, Deakin University
- Graduate Diploma in Public Policy, Deakin University
- Bachelor in Social Science (Human Services), University of South Australia
Experience
Sylwia has held senior positions in government and the not-for-profit sector. She has extensive experience in people management, program and policy development and front line service delivery. Sylwia was responsible for managing corporate donations and liaising with private and philanthropic sectors at the Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority. In her career, Sylwia has primarily focused on development of operational policies and programs that fit service delivery for vulnerable people.
OUR LIFE MEMBERS
Vicki Vidor OAM
Director
Experience
Vicki Vidor is a Company Director of The Victor Smorgon Group and Co-Founder of Fouress Foundation. Vicki was first elected to the Lighthouse Board in 1994 and was Chair of the Board in 2007 and 2008. During her time with Lighthouse, Vicki has served on numerous committees with Lighthouse Foundation and is the Patron of the Vicki Vidor Home for Young Mothers and Babies. Vicki was elected a Life Member of Lighthouse Foundation in 2010 in recognition of her outstanding contribution to Lighthouse Foundation over many years.
Susan Barton AM (Founder)
Founder, Member of Care Services Sub Committee and Governance Working Team
Qualifications
Certificate IV in Youth Work, RMIT; Certificate in Counselling and Psychotherapy; Certificate in Parent Effective Leadership Training, Swinburne TAFE; Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment; Accredited Business School for Entrepreneurs.
Experience
Susan is the founder of the Lighthouse Foundation and has been a Lighthouse Board member since 1991. Susan has developed the Lighthouse Therapeutic Family Model of Care for youth at risk, and has had significant experience in caring for young people for over 25 years. Susan is also the co-author of “Build Your Teenager’s Self-Esteem” and co-author of “Therapeutic Residential Care for Children: An Attachment and Trauma Informed Model for Practice”. Susan is currently on the board of MECWA and Patron of Victoria Day Council.