Our Board

YACVic is governed by a volunteer board of governance that always includes four young people under the age of 26, as stipulated by the YACVic Constitution. The Board comprises three officers (chairperson, deputy chairperson and treasurer) along with four general Board members, including a rural representative, who are elected by YACVic’s members at the annual general meeting (AGM). At the first meeting after the AGM the board members decide the officer roles for the coming year.

YACVic’s Board guides the strategic direction of the organisation under its governance framework while the chief executive officer manages YACVic’s day-to-day activities and decisions, and reports back to the Board. The Board is the ultimate authority for the successful operation of YACVic.

Board members

Chairperson

Natasha Ritchie (she/her)

Natasha is the managing director of Titjimbat (Teachabout Inc.), a youth-led not-for-profit organisation that facilitates community programs in remote communities in the Northern Territory during school holiday periods. She has Bachelors of Law and International Relations and a pre-masters thesis focusing on human rights law. Natasha is a member of the Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Indigenous and Women and Girls subcommittees, and in 2017 was named a Young Social Pioneer by the Foundation for Young Australians.

Natasha is passionate about supporting and creating equal opportunities for all young people across Victoria, and she is currently working with the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA).

Deputy Chairperson

Kelly Phan (she/her)

Kelly's lived experience of being a young migrant in regional Victoria drives her passion for ensuring inclusive youth participation in all aspects of society. She is a current Legal Officer at the Department of Education. She has worked in community development for migrant and refugee youth in Bendigo and volunteered actively with youth organisations, which exposed her to the power of amplifying the voices of young people. This experience founded her passion for youth advocacy through being a board director of Youthlaw and YACVic.

Treasurer

Dr Eriny Azmy

Eriny is currently working as a Head of Modelling, Governance and Frameworks in the Finance sector where she specialises in policies, risk management, controls and frameworks development.She migrated to Australia in 2000, and has since earned a PhD in Mathematics and worked as an assistant lecturer at Monash University for 10 years, where she built her passion for mentoring students in developing their career opportunities. 

Other Members

Dylan Broomfield (he/him)

Dylan is currently the General Manager, Policy and Advocacy at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Dylan has several years’ experience in politics and public policy. In his current role Dylan is responsible for policy development and advocacy on behalf of Victorian businesses and industries to ensure that the right policy settings are in place for them to thrive in Victoria. Prior to this he was an adviser to the Victorian Treasurer with carriage of several portfolios. He was previously a Masters and Undergraduate lecturer at Monash University. Dylan has had an extensive interest in the youth sector stemming from his work as a lecturer and growing up in regional Australia where the lack of available opportunities for youth led to poor outcomes and further disadvantage. 

Husna Amani (she/her)*

Husna is currently studying a Bachelor of Social Work, and upon completion of her studies, she hopes to work with culturally and linguistically diverse people and their families, with lived experience of disability. She is currently volunteering with Democracy in Colour and is a member of Multicultural Youth Advocacy Network’s Youth CALD Disability Collective. Additionally, she works at Children and Young People with Disability Australia, where she engages directly with young people.

Husna has experience in both sides of co-design, and has also participated in various reference groups and advisory projects. Her work in these areas has focused on various issues, where she brings her lived experience, to improve existing services, making them more inclusive and accessible. She is passionate about improving the representation of young people from the communities to which she belongs, as well as other young people who may share intersecting, multifaceted identities similar to her own.

Jane Chen (she/her)*

Jane is a second-generation Chinese-Australian and a social policy thinker, researcher and public speaker. She currently works in state government by day, whilst moonlighting as a PhD student at the University of Melbourne. She has worked in various advisory and advocacy roles across the multicultural and youth sectors and is passionate about intersectionality in public policy.

Ali Al Lawati (he/him)*

Ali is a dynamic and dedicated professional with a strong background in finance, management, and community service. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne.

Ali has demonstrated exceptional skills in auditing, risk management, and financial accountability during his time working in financial audit. His commitment to supporting communities is evident throughout the roles he has taken up, such as playing a key role in the Yes23 Campaign in his region, his role as Listening Tour Coordinator for United Nations Youth, as Regional Advisory Group Member for the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and as Youth Advocacy Group Member for Headspace. Ali brings his governance experience, passion for community service, and financial expertise to the YACVIC board.

James Kyd (he/him)

James is currently a management consultant with over 23 years of leadership and board experience across not-for-profit, government, and private sectors. Specialising in strategy, governance, and strategic change, he has a proven track record in consulting and industry roles, with a unique perspective shaped by his experience as an ADHD individual.

His professional and voluntary work is driven by a passion for fostering strengths-based approaches to inclusion in the workplace and the broader community. James’ commitment to the youth sector stems from his own experience as an ADHD individual growing up in a rural area. He is an advocate for workplace neurodiversity and serves as company secretary on a not-for-profit board dedicated to promoting ADHD awareness and support.

Ryan Hale (he/him)

*Denotes young person