Our governance

Board Chair

Sue Karzis held the role of Chief Executive Officer of State Schools’ Relief from 2018-2024. SSR is a Victorian based not for profit organisation that supports the needs of disadvantaged government school students by providing them with new school uniforms, school shoes and a range of other essential educational resources. Since her appointment in early 2018, Sue propelled the charity to record numbers of impact, assisting over 94,000 financially disadvantaged Victorian school children in 2023/24, with the number and value of items distributed exceeding 325,700 and $6.7m respectively.

Sue Karzis was previously the Associate Director, Student Services at Monash College and worked as the Director of Young Leaders Programs and Strategic Partnerships at Trinity College, The University of Melbourne. Sue has a passion for creating pathways for students to engage with education, regardless of their background and her career has had a strong focus on young people and education.

Sue is a passionate animal lover and has 3 rescue cats who rule the roost. Sue was appointed to the Board 20 September 2024.

Director

Sam is a veterinarian who moved into education after 17 years in private practice. He has had various leadership roles in TAFE including teacher, Head of Veterinary Nursing, Head of Animal Sciences, Head of Health Sciences, Faculty Dean and Director Academic Quality. He was also a staff elected Director on the Board of Box Hill Institute and Chair of the Institute’s Animal Ethics Committee.

Director

Joe is an experienced Director, having worked on the restructure of AuDA, Australia’s peak Internet Governance organisation. He’s served as Vice Chairman of other Digital NFP bodies as well as contributed as Board member within community groups and welfare organisations. Joe is passionate about positive corporate culture, and it being driven from Board level down.

Away from the board table, Joe runs a North Melbourne Digital Agency, SWiM Communications, and enjoys living in regional Victoria with his Border Collie, Zach, and attempting to keep bees. Joe was appointed to the Board on 26 November 2024.

Director

Kristine has general management and people leadership experience across a variety of roles. She is focused on leading and engaging people to transform an organisation – primarily in professional services and banking and across customer-facing roles, marketing and digital environments.

Originally from the US, Kristine has also worked in London and Vietnam. She has an MBA from London Business School and she is President Emeritus of London Business School’s Melbourne Alumni Club.

She is a leader in Beach Patrol Australia, where her dogs are honorary members. An enthusiastic dog lover, Kristine is passionate about improving animal welfare and briefly volunteered in South Africa for the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife.

She is looking forward to bringing her commercial acumen and her large-scale people/operations management skills to the Board.

Kristine was appointed to the Lost Dogs’ Home Board in July 2019.

Director

Lee-anne has more than 30 years of experience in the technology (CRM, GIS & NFP) industries, with a focus on customer, go-to-market and business strategy and building and leading high-performing teams across APAC and EMEA. Lee-anne is passionate about innovation and helping people and companies to think differently. She is the founder of the Workforce Women program, helping women in @risk categories into the Salesforce eco-system in partnership with Fitted for Work.

Passionate about animal welfare, Lee-anne is a life member of the Cat Protection Society, a regular donor (and now life member), and has also volunteered at The Lost Dog’s Home through corporate volunteering since 2010. Lee-anne has two energetic and gorgeous Cavoodles (Saffron and Cinnamon) and a ginger rescue cat Reg that is equally adorable and crazy. Lee-anne was appointed to the Board on 26 November 2024.

Director

Mitch Hancock is a Director at BlueRock, a multi-divisional professional services firm for entrepreneurial business’. Having spent 8 years in the role Mitch provides strategic advisory and compliance services for privately owned business and not for profit entities. Leading a team of accountants in the Melbourne based office, Mitch is actively involved in the business development strategy of the firm as well as business planning initiatives under the various strategic pillars of the firm.

Mitch has a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Business Management and is a qualified Chartered Accountant with a certificate of Public Practice. As an all round animal lover Mitch is looking forward to overlaying his experience in business and the not for profit sector to help achieve the vision of the home. Mitch was appointed to the Lost Dogs Home Board in October 2019.

Director

Rohan Filer is Chief Financial Officer of b.box for kids, one of the fastest growing Australian companies in the baby products industry. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of experience in finance, strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and international structuring.

Rohan was previously Head of Corporate Development at technology company MessageMedia, responsible for strategy and acquisitions. He also spent many years as a consultant in professional services firms in Australia and the UK advising clients on transformational projects, strategic reviews, corporate finance projects and taxation issues.

Rohan has Bachelors Degrees in Law and Commerce and an MBA from London Business School.

Prior to joining the Board of The Lost Dogs’ Home, Rohan was a Board Member and Treasurer of Jewish Care Victoria for 8 years. Rohan was appointed to The Lost Dogs’ Home Board in April 2020.

Director

Sarah has over 20 years of experience in executive leadership and management across various business functions, industries and sectors. She is passionate about delivering excellence in service, quality, and performance. A for-purpose advocate who particularly enjoys working in the NFP/Charity sector, Sarah has a strong track record of implementing and executing commercially sound strategies, improving business processes, and implementing technical systems that enhance operational efficiency and effectiveness.

Sarah is a life-long adopter of dogs and cats, including her dogs Eddie and Frankie, and Seamus the cat.

Director

Sue is a senior executive with more than 33 years’ experience in not-for-profit, membership, professional services, higher education, government and small business sectors. Her tertiary qualifications include an MBA, Graduate Diploma of Management, Graduate Diploma in International Trade, Graduate Diploma in Librarianship and Bachelor of Arts.

Sue is passionate about animal rights and welfare. She is committed to bringing her marketing, business development, volunteering leadership, stakeholder engagement, change management and governance experience to support the development and delivery of the Lost Dogs’ Home’s strategic plan.

Sue is the very proud owner of two miniature dachshunds, 10-year old Macy, who Sue rescued, and 3-year old Shadow, a very enthusiast and wilful teenager.

Sue was appointed to the Lost Dogs’ Home Board in September 2019.

Vicki is an academic leader and mental health professional with expertise in human–animal relationships and a strong commitment to animal welfare. Her academic career commenced at Monash University (Victoria) while completing her PhD in Applied Psychology, followed by a professorship at an Australian University College.

Her most recent research and published works focus on the human–animal bond, as well as the behavioural and physiological indicators of emotional capacity in animals. As part of her commitment to animal ethics and animal welfare policy, she serves on multiple Animal Ethics Committees, including the University of Melbourne, Monash University, and the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Vicki has chaired an Academic Board and contributed to community mental health services for many years. Her lifelong commitment to animal-adoption means her home is always busy with an assortment of animals, all with their unique personalities.

CEO

Tanya joined The Lost Dogs’ Home in October 2025, bringing with her more than 20 years of experience in animal care. Her lifelong passion for improving animal welfare began in childhood, inspired by wildlife programs and adventures exploring the local bushland with friends.

Her career has included a range of leadership roles across pet retail and customer care, experiences that ultimately guided her toward a vocation in animal welfare.

From 2013, Tanya commenced her journey in animal welfare at RSPCA Victoria in various roles. In her most recent role as Head of Operations, she provided strategic and operational leadership across animal care and rehoming services. She also oversaw the organisation’s response to animal cruelty cases within the Victorian community, ensuring the highest standards of welfare and compassion.

Driven by a strong work ethic and deep commitment to improving the lives of animals, Tanya continues this mission at The Lost Dogs’ Home. Her focus is on developing and implementing effective animal care strategies and upholding best-practice welfare standards to ensure every lost and abandoned animal has the opportunity for a better life.

Finance

Jeremy Huntley is the Chief Financial Officer at The Lost Dogs’ Home, a role he has held since 2022. Coming from senior finance roles in the public sector, Jeremy relished the opportunity to bring his extensive financial management experience to the animal welfare sector, combining his love of animals with his knack for financial management. He plays a critical role in ensuring the financial sustainability of the Home, providing strategic oversight and operational support to drive informed decision-making. With a focus on transparency and accountability, Jeremy leads the finance and information technology teams in providing the organisation with the support they need to look after the animals in our care. His leadership supports the ongoing delivery of vital animal welfare services while positioning the organisation for long-term success.

Amy was amongst one of The Lost Dogs’ Home’s most dedicated supporters. She started donating to the Home in the 1980s and continued supporting it for the rest of her life. During that time, her kindness and gifts touched the lives of thousands of lost animals.

Caring for others was in Amy’s nature. She spent her working life caring for new mothers and babies as a nurse in charge of the midwifery ward at Footscray Hospital.

Amy was also very passionate about the well-being of stray and abandoned cats and dogs. It was a passion inspired by the love of her own faithful cat, Buttons, who was a much-loved companion in her later years. Buttons provided her with much-needed comfort, warmth and friendship.

Amy chose to remember the Home in her Will by including a bequest gift to give future generations of lost pets the opportunity to be loved, and be able to love in return.

Legal and Risk

Louise is an experienced in-house legal practitioner, passionate about helping not-for-profit organisations achieve their mission and purpose by supporting commercially focused, risk-based decision making in compliance with the law. As the General Counsel, Director Legal and Risk at the Home, Louise provides the Home with legal services and legal compliance, risk management and governance support. She has adopted three rescue dogs from the Home over the years, which makes the Home feel like part of the family!

Operations Michael Vidovic is the Director of Operations at The Lost Dogs’ Home, leading the team responsible for providing compassionate, tailored care to every animal entering our North Melbourne and Cranbourne shelters. Michael oversees all aspects of shelter operations—from admission and daily care to foster, rescue, and adoption—ensuring each dog and cat receives the support they need throughout their journey. He also guides the team in assisting members of the community who are adopting, have found or lost a pet, or need to surrender an animal. In addition to his animal care leadership, Michael manages the maintenance and development of all shelter infrastructure, ensuring our facilities remain safe, welcoming, and equipped to meet the needs of both animals and people.

As Chief Operating Officer, Nadia Peiris is responsible for leading The Lost Dogs’ Home’s Shelter Operations, Veterinary Services, Behaviour and Service Delivery teams, ensuring the organisation delivers integrated, high-quality services that place animal welfare at the centre of every decision. She oversees the operational performance of the Home’s shelters while fostering collaboration across disciplines to deliver the best possible outcomes for animals, people and the community.

A passionate and experienced executive, Nadia works closely with the CEO, Executive Team and Board to deliver the organisation’s strategic priorities through strong governance, operational excellence and continuous improvement. She also partners with local councils, Victorian Government departments, regulators and sector organisations to strengthen animal welfare outcomes, support responsible animal management and help shape contemporary approaches to companion animal care across Victoria.