Board

 

COTA Seniors Voices Board consists of a number of dedicated people from a diverse range of backgrounds who bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience.

 

Current Board members are:

Margaret Chester
Margaret has been a member of the COTA Board since 2005. She has a strong commitment to the issues affecting older South Australians and to advancing their interests.

 

Margaret brings considerable experience in office management to the Board as well as knowledge of the role of volunteers within not for profit organisations. She has held voluntary roles within COTA, Payneham ladies Probus Club and McGuinness McDermot Foundation. She has been a COTA representative on the consumer advisory council of the Royal Adelaide Hospital.

 

Anne Edwards AO 

Anne was appointed to the COTA Board in January 2008 following her retirement as Vice Chancellor of Flinders University. Her research interests cover the fields of public policy, power and social control, women and gender, youth and ageing. 

 

Anne has held a number of key appointments over the last ten years including Professor of Sociology, FlindersUniversity; Head of the Department of Anthropology and Sociology at MonashUniversity and Deputy Chair, Victorian Casino and Gaming Authority.

  

Jim Hazel
Jim Hazel joined the COTA Board in mid 2007. He is Chair of Elders Rural Bank and former Chief General Manager of Adelaide Bank.  Jim also has senior Board director roles for a number of other companies.  He has experience in the aged care sector including six years as Executive Chair of Village Care Limited and Managing director of Primelife Corp. Limited.

 

Jim brings strong finance and management skills to the Board as well as a commitment to advance the interests of older South Australians.

Graeme Hodge - Treasurer
Graeme Hodge is a founding partner of the accounting and business services firm MHM. He specialises in providing personalised advisory services to significant corporate groups as well as family enterprises.

 

His areas of expertise include acquisition and divestment of businesses, business and management restructures, business strategy and operational planning and establishment of new business enterprises.

 

Graeme also manages a team of experts who help clients comply with statutory obligations and achieve better business outcomes through preparation of comprehensive and accurate financial statements and income tax returns.

 

Graeme works closely with clients in a range of industries including the health and retirement sector.

 

Chris Overland - President

Chris was elected President of COTA in November 2007. He has worked in the health and aged care industries for nearly 30 years occupying senior executive positions including Regional General Manager of the South East Health Region; Executive Director of the Office for the Ageing and Chief Executive, Repatriation General Hospital.

Chris has extensive knowledge and experience in areas of importance and relevance to COTA. He is committed to making a positive contribution to the work of COTA and brings valuable experience in policy development and program management to the Board.

Anne Megaw

Anne was elected to the COTA (SA) Board in 1997 and has served as both President and Vice President at various times during her tenure. She is a member of the Policy Council and has had considerable involvement with a number of other bodies such as Eldercare and Alzheimers Australia. 

 

Anne has a strong interest in aged care issues and has represented COTA on several organisations. She has experience in policy matters and is enthusiastic about building COTA’s projects and programs to benefit all older people. Anne was made an Honorary Life Member of COTA in May 08.

John Munchenberg
John has had significant experience working for the Commonwealth and State public service in senior roles. He was CEO of Bedford Industries for five years and CEO of the Real Estate Institute for ten years before officially retiring from full time employment. His is now an active managerial consultant and company director.

 

John has a strong interest in the welfare of Australia’s ageing population and the need for continuing strong advocacy to ensure the interests of the ageing are advanced. His wide ranging experience in both government and the private sector brings a valuable and impressive breadth of skills to the Board.

 

John Spencer OAM, RFD - Vice President

John has been associated with COTA since 1997. He was a Board member during 1999-2002 and was elected to the Board again in 2006. He has been a member of the COTA Policy Council since 2003 and the COTA representative on the Veterans Aged Care and Health Advisory Committee since 2000. 

John recently retired from the post of Executive Director of the RSL (SA/NT branch). He has prior experience in senior financial roles within the Department of Defence and he brings a wealth of experience in management to the Board. John was a member of the Australian Defence Forces and served in Vietnam and as part of the UN peacekeeping forces in Namibia.

 

 

Ian is also, among other roles, Chair of the Cancer Council SA; Deputy Chancellor and Resource Committee Chair of The Flinders University of SA; Deputy Chair of the SA Council of Social Service and a member of the SA Government’s new Health Performance Council. Ian has served Councils of Social Service at state, national and international levels over 34 years. He has been Deputy Chair of the Repatriation Hospital and a Director of the Southern Adelaide Health Service, and serves on a variety of state and federal government advisory bodies. He was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia in 2005.