National Spokesperson
Mavis Robertson AM – National Spokesperson, Women In Super
Mavis Robertson AM became involved in the superannuation movement in 1984 when building and construction unions, with the support of the ACTU, campaigned successfully for a retirement benefit to be paid by employers into one of two industry funds, BUSS (Building Unions Superannuation Scheme) or AUST (Allied Unions Superannuation Trust).
Mavis was appointed a trustee director of AUST by the FEDFA (Federated Engine Drivers and Firemen’s Association), which later became part of the CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union). Mavis is a Life Member of the CFMEU.
Mavis worked full time first in Sydney in the then newly formed Superannuation Unit and later transferred to Melbourne where she became National Coordinator for Industry Superannuation at the ACTU.
Mavis was also Fund Secretary of BUSS and AUST, where she led the merger of these two funds to create Cbus, the first billion dollar industry fund.
Mavis became the CEO of Cbus and later its Chair. She became Vice President of ASFA (Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia) and later a Life Member.
Mavis has been part of a range of initiatives designed to enhance the work of industry funds and more generally the not for profit sector and the trustee system. These include participation in the founding of CMSF, AIST, IFS, ACSI, Women in Super and the Mother's Day Classic.
Mavis was awarded membership in the Order of Australia in 1994.
National Committee
Mavis Robertson AM - WIS Chairperson
Sharon Morris - WIS National Secretary
Mother's Day Classic/Women in Super
Sue Schlesinger
Motor Trades Association of Australia Superannuation Fund
Thomay Chalkias
Local Super
Having completed her university studies with a BA (Hons History) and returning from the post-university holiday to Europe, Thomay accepted a 3 month contract in superannuation administration. That was over 10 years ago!
Her career has taken her from super administration to the role of Client Service Manager with Local Super SA-NT where she has been for the past 3.5 years. Her role also encompasses the area of communications including the development of educational material for members.
She is the Chair of Women In Super (SA) and is on the Organising Committee of the SA Mothers Day Classic.
Keri Pratt
GMO Australia
Keri started her career in corporate superannuation administration over 20 years ago, and moved on to superannuation and investment consulting with MLC. In the mid-1990’s she moved into institutional investment marketing and relationship management with Lend Lease, NAB and GMO Australia (where she currently heads the Client Service team).
She was a trustee director of the Lend Lease Super Fund for over 4 years and very much enjoyed the experience.
She earned her MBA (Exec.) at the Australian Graduate School of Management and has a Graduate Diploma in Applied Finance from Finsia.
She lives in Sydney with her husband and two young children.
Susan Roberts
Lazards
Alison Dixon
HESTA
Alison has been a Client Service Manager with HESTA for just on ten years and moved to Hobart to open HESTA’s Tasmanian office in July 2003. She holds a Diploma of Superannuation Management, an Advanced Diploma of Financial Services (Superannuation) is a Fellow of ASFA and a member of the ASFA Executive (Tasmanian Sub-Committee).
She is Chair of the Women in Super Tasmanian Forum, also representing the group at national level and Chair of the Hobart Mothers Day Classic Organising Committee. The Mothers Day Classic has just been successfully run in Hobart for the first time and Alison describes her role in heading up the local organising committee as one of the most rewarding challenges she has undertaken.
Prior to joining HESTA, Alison managed the Victorian Branch of the Australian Nursing Homes and Extended Care Association (ANHECA) for eight years and ran her own business.
She is married with one daughter and two stepdaughters and with her husband Graham is STILL building that house down at Middleton, but assures us it will definitely be finished before the next MDC!!!
Kate Grant
QIC
Kate’s role is to oversee the implementation ESG and UNPRI broadly at QIC. Joining QIC in 1996, Kate has had a number of client servicing roles from client reporting and processes to managing many of QIC’s clients across all client segments namely superannuation, government, insurance and retail clients and as business relationship manager for the QIC Australian equities team.
Prior to joining QIC, Kate was the Property Accountant for the British Rail Pension Fund (Railpen Investments) and before that was employed by (then) Price Waterhouse in Brisbane with audit experience in various industries including superannuation for four years.
Kate holds a Bachelor of Economics (University of Queensland) and a Bachelor of Business (Accounting) from the Queensland University of Technology and is an associate member of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA). She has completed ASFA certificate courses – Superannuation for Trustees and is PS146 compliant. Kate is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Michelle Herbert
HESTA
Catherine Wood
AGEST and CARE Super
Amanda Field
Inalytics