About Us and Our Resources | Board

Our Board of Directors

The Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA) was established in 1978 as a Cooperative under the Victorian Cooperatives Act. As a Co-operative VACCA maintains a member register and it is the members who elect the Directors to the Board at the Annual General Meeting. Only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are eligible to apply for membership to the agency and to apply to stand as Directors.

Through Annual General Meetings and special meetings, the community and membership have the opportunity to provide direction to the Directors in performing their duties as elected representatives. As per the Organisational Chart and the Victorian Cooperatives Act, the Board of Directors are accountable to the membership.

VACCA has a Board of Directors comprising seven Aboriginal people. The Directors meet regularly and are responsible for the operations of the organisation. The Chief Executive Officer represents the staff and reports to the Board of Directors.

Current Directors of VACCA are:

Deidre King:

  • Has 27 years experience working within the Victorian Aboriginal community
  • Currently employed at the Aborigines Advancement League
  • Completed Year 1 Welfare Studies
  • Completed Certificate 3 in Governance Training
  • Director of the Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited, Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service, Aboriginal Community Elders Services and Chairperson of the HACC Metropolitan Network

Daniel Kelly:

  • Completed a Diploma in Aboriginal Welfare Studies
  • Was previously employed by VACCA for 10 years
  • Was employed with the Department of Human Services for 10 years
  • Was involved in the development and establishment of the Balranald, NSW Aboriginal Heath Service



Pam Aplin:

  • Currently employed at the Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited
  • Has 20 years experience working within the Aboriginal community
  • Completed an Associate Diploma in Social Science (Aboriginal Welfare Studies)
  • Completed a Diploma of Management (Governance)

Marg Stewart:

  • Retired from the Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Limited as Program Co-ordinator of the Bert Williams Centre, a position held for 10 years
  • Previously employed at the Melbourne Juvenile Justice Centre
  • Currently an Indigenous Analyst on the Victorian Child Death Review Committee



Ralph Bamblett:

  • Currently employed as the Koorie Home School Liaison Officer at the Department of Education
  • Completed a Diploma in Frontline Management
  • Currently deferred the Bachelor of Arts in Community Management (2nd Year)




Rodney Monahan

  • Currently employed as the Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer with the Northcote Police Complex
  • Was previously employed at the Aboriginal Community Elders Services and was employed at VACCA for 12 years




James Atkinson

  • Currently employed as Program Manager, Koorie Education with the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development
  • Was a member of the Koorie Leadership Program and has worked with a number of Aboriginal organisations across the state