Paul Linossier is the newly appointed CEO of the recently formed peak body, the Foundation to Prevent Violence against Women and Children.  He leads a small team dedicated to promoting best practice prevention strategies and developing strong partnerships with the corporate and philanthropic sectors, providing a focus for collaboration across the sector.

Paul sees the Foundation as having a real opportunity to build the fence at the top of the cliff, to stop hurt and trauma and is deeply committed to this.  He acknowledges that the job to deliver tangible change and prevent violence in the Australian community is a big job and looks forward to working in partnership with business, government and the broader community to ensure the achievement of the Foundations goal of a nation free from violence against women and their children.

Paul is trained in Social Work, and has an Executive Masters in Public Administration. His background and experience includes:

Dr Gael Jennings is currently Honorary Fellow at The Centre For Advancing Journalism at the University of Melbourne, where she researches the changing paradigm of quality journalism today, including action-research work in approaches to preventing family/domestic violence; the role of the media and media’s response to violence prevention – objectification and ‘victim blaming’ and the gendered nature of violence; and the use of social media to circumvent the current ‘blokey’ culture of newsrooms..

Dr Jennings is a research scientist by training, and has a 25+year career as a broadcast journalist on ABC TV and radio. She is Executive Director of MediaDoc, which specialises in executive media training and management, public speaking, facilitation and hosting. She on the Board of YMCA Vic,  is a recognised public commentator in the media, science, biotechnology, society, public health, current affairs, education, the not-for-profit sectors and is a regular on ABC1 TV News Breakfast, and occasional co-host of 774 ABC Radio's Conversation Hour.

Chief Commissioner Ken Lay APM was appointed on 14 November, 2011.

He started work with Victoria Police in 1974 and since that time has gained significant experience in a wide range of policing roles including operational, training and corporate roles as well as lengthy periods of service in both the rural and metropolitan areas. Ken's most recent roles include the Deputy Commissioner (Road Policing), the Assistant Commissioner with responsibility for Victoria's traffic and transit issues and as the Assistant Commissioner in charge of policing services for the north-west geographical area of Victoria, one of the largest police regions in the State.

Ken has been awarded a Diploma in Police Studies (Monash University, 1998), Bachelor of Arts (Monash University, 1999) and a Graduate Diploma in Public Administration (Charles Sturt University, 2000). He has successfully completed the Police Executive Leadership Program (AIPM, 2003), and the ANZSoG Executive Fellows Program (2006). He has been awarded the Australian Police Medal for distinguished service to policing.

Ken has, as Chief Commissioner, provided strong leadership about where responsibility for violence against women lies and the role of bystanders. This extract from an article he authored indicates the strength and significance of his message;

“So I have two challenges for you. The first is for all of you: when a woman is jeered, groped, bashed or raped I want you to consider the man who did it, and the culture which encouraged it. I want you to consider why we so ardently place the emphasis on the woman—why was she there? what was she wearing?—rather than on the man’s indecent entitlement, grubbiness and criminality. This doesn’t mean we stop talking about safety. That’s common sense. But I’m tired of how we talk about violence against women.

The second challenge is to blokes: I want you to help make indecency against women deeply shameful. I want you to understand that this is not solely a feminist issue. It’s a social issue, a moral issue and a men’s issue.”

Phil Cleary has a national profile as a speaker, social commentator, campaigner and author of books opposing violence against women. His sister was killed by her ex-partner in 1987. In 1992 he became the first person elected to the federal parliament in Victoria as an independent, winning former Prime Minister Bob Hawke's seat of Wills at a by-election. Before his four years in the parliament, Phil taught history and politics for thirteen years in the state secondary education system and was a prominent player and coach with Coburg in the Victorian Football Association. He has a passion for Irish history and music and plays the fiddle.