The Alumni Action Group (AAG) is a vibrant group of VU alumni who volunteer their time and expertise supporting the work of the Alumni Relations team.

The AAG helps to develop and deliver the alumni relations strategy which aims to both offer benefit to alumni and grow active support for VU; helping to ensure the student and alumni experience and perspective is central to these endeavours.

Through their own alumni networks, they also help to make important connections across the broad and growing VU alumni community.

 

Action Group Members

Andrew personally experienced the positive effect of an active and interconnected alumni community whilst studying on exchange in Canada. He also had a great student experience at VU and want to continue building that relationship with the University as an alumnus and ensure others have access to similar opportunities.

He was always thankful to the university for providing him with worldly opportunities and would like to return the favour by giving a leg up to the next generation coming through.

Qualification: Bachelor of Exercise Science & Human Movement / Bachelor of Arts (Sports Administration) at Victoria University.

Job: Accounts Manager, Prestige Global Events.

Additional Educational Background: Bachelor of Sports Management from University of Western Ontario, Canada.

Community Involvement: Andrew volunteered as the Marketing and Communications Adviser for Special Olympics Samoa.

As a graduate of Victoria University law school and Valedictorian, Ante remains connected with Victoria University Law School by mentoring current and recently graduated law students.

Qualification: Bachelor of Laws, Victoria University.

Job: Lawyer, Hall & Wilcox Lawyers

Awards: Young Citizen of the Year – Finalist, Brimbank City Council.

Industry experience: Ante completed the Hall & Wilcox Graduate Program in March 2017 and was admitted into the legal profession in June 2017.

Ante practises in the area of personal injury law where he specialises in defending worker’s compensations claims. Prior to commencing at Hall & Wilcox, Ante volunteered at various not-for-profit organisations located in the western suburbs of Melbourne, including WEstjustice, Sunshine Youth Legal Centre and Victoria Legal Aid.

Ante continues to volunteer at WEstjustice and enjoys offering his legal services to disadvantaged individuals.

VU involvement As a Victoria University student, Ante worked as a VU Rover, VU Ambassador and VU Mentor

Catherine is a VU lecturer in supply chain logistics within the Victoria University Business School, and the Project Manager for Victoria Business Confucius Institute.

She received her Doctoral degree in supply chain optimisation from Victoria Institute of Strategic Economics Studies in the (at that time) College of Business at Victoria University, and a Bachelor and a Master degree both in Applied Mathematics in Beijing. During her study at VU, Catherine was committed to advocating for postgraduate and international students.

She has served as President of the International Students Association, and Postgraduate Association, and was a national committee member of the Council of International Students Australia in 2013-2014; the Council of Australia Postgraduates Associations; and the Victorian Association of Chinese PhD Students and Scholars. In 2013 Catherine was recognised as the state of Victoria’s international postgraduate student of the Year for her many contributions to international students and her academic achievement.

Qualification: Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at Victoria University.

Job: Lecturer in supply chain logistics and Project Manager, Victoria Business Confucius Institute, Victoria University.

Additional Educational Background: Bachelor and Master degree in Applied Mathematics from Beihang University in China.

Awards and industry achievements: VU Outstanding Student Future Alumni Award 2015.

Community involvement: Catherine was heavily involved in international student advocacy where she took on executive roles at university-level and nationwide associations.

Cristyn has been involved with Victoria University for eight years. She was a student from 2008 to 2010, and following this an employee until October 2014 where she worked in Student Engagement.

Qualification: Bachelor of Sport and Recreation Management at Victoria University.

Job: Events and Projects Coordinator, Swinburne University of Technology.

Awards and industry achievements: Member of Golden Key International Honour Society.

Community involvement: Cristyn is a member of the Moonee Valley Netball Club where she plays as part of their Division 2 team at Parkville Netball Competitions. Working closely with Volunteer West, Cristyn has organised the University’s V4U event for two years running. Cristyn continues to be a champion for volunteering, providing support and advice to community organisations on best practice.

Qualification: Masters of Project Management, Victoria University.

Job: Senior Account Manager for Brand Events Australia, Founder of Andiamo Projects.

Additional Educational Background: Bachelor of Business in Tourism Management from Charles Sturt University.

Having completed a double degree in Law and Business, Kristina has been connected with Victoria University Law School through her past employment as a lawyer, where she was engaged in mentoring and offering work experience opportunities to law students in their final years of study.

Qualification: Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business (Marketing) Victoria University.

Job: Case Analyst, General Insurance, Financial Ombudsman Service.

Educational background: Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Leo Cussen Centre for Law.

Industry experience: Kristina has worked as a lawyer within the community legal sector where she undertook strategic project work. Kristina also has past experience working within the corporate sector and is currently working with the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Community involvement: Kristina currently volunteers with WEstjustice, a Community Legal Centre in Melbourne’s western suburbs.

Mark has been involved with Victoria University for over 21 years.

Qualification: Graduate Diploma in Management, Graduate Diploma in Marketing and Master of Business, Victoria University.

Job: Network Strategy and Regulation Advisor, AGL.

Additional Educational background: Bachelor of Engineering at Deakin University.

Industry experience: Mark has previously worked at the Australian Energy Market Operator, which operates the gas and electricity systems as well as the wholesale gas and wholesale electricity markets across South East Australia.

He has worked in the energy industry for over 33 years in both gas and electricity and has been involved in many aspects of energy market reform, including the introduction of the Victorian gas market in 1999, the development of the Australian National Gas Market and many changes relating to Metering Competition. Mark also lectured in marketing at RMIT’s Faculty of Business between 2002 and 2012.

Awards and industry achievements: Victoria University’s 90 Legends of the Faculty of Business and Law, in 2006.

Community involvement: In his early years Mark was involved with various Apex Club’s for many years holding roles such as Secretary and President, and is now involved in the backstage operation of many arts groups, including the Williamstown Little Theatre, various community choirs, such as Melbourne Singers of Gospel, the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic and the Melbourne International Jazz Festival.

Maxwell has been involved with Victoria University for over 10 years, previously as a student and now as Chair of the Alumni Action Group (AAG).

Job: Chief Executive Officer, Football Federation Victoria.

Qualifications: Master of Business Administration (MBA), and a Bachelor of Arts (Sports Administration) from Victoria University.

Industry experience: Maxwell is an experienced professional with a breadth and depth of expertise in business, and from the sports industry. Currently the Executive Director at Melbourne Queer Film Festival, some of his past positions include CEO of Football Federation Victoria, Basketball ACT, ComfortDelGro Cabcharge (CDC) Victoria Pty Ltd and NetSports Management Pty Ltd.

At present, Maxwell is also the National Vice President of the Graduate Management Association of Australia. Previously he had been involved with Minus18 (as a Board Member and Treasurer), and the Victoria University Student Union (Chairperson – Sunbury Campus), to name a few.

Awards & industry achievements:

  • Australian Institute of Management (AIM) Leadership Excellence Award, 2016 State Winner - ACT, for the Not-For-Profit category.
  • Victoria University, Young Achiever Alumni Award – 2015.
  • Victoria University, College of Business, Most Outstanding Student, Master of Business Administration, Class of 2012.
  • Australian Council for Health Physical Education and Recreation (ACHPER) Victorian Branch’s Most Outstanding Graduate in the Bachelor of Arts (Sports Administration), Victoria University, Class of 2004.

Community involvement: Maxwell is a donor of Victoria University through his philanthropic support of the Blue Diamond Society. He also has been involved with numerous community and sports associations.

With VU bachelor degrees in both Engineering and Law and as a finalist in the 2016 VU Alumni Awards, Rene brings substantial infrastructure knowledge and experience to the AAG. He is focused on assisting VU on its ongoing growth plans within Engineering and Law industry.  

Qualifications: Bachelor of Engineering and Bachelor of Laws at Victoria University.

Current Occupation: Contracts Manager, Rail Systems, Sub Alliance & Support Services, for the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Alliance, $1.6 billion worth of Infrastructure spend.

Community / Industry Involvement: Rene is focused on driving Social Procurement and Corporate Social Responsibility for the Caulfield to Dandenong Level Crossing Removal Alliance. This ensures there are major spend in areas within the community and local traders adjacent to the Project.

Rene has been admitted into legal practice in the Supreme Court of Victoria, but currently not a practising lawyer, he is also currently mentoring future VU law graduates in career paths, within a focus on infrastructure delivery.

Contact Us

To find out more about the Alumni Action Group and their activities, please contact alumni@vu.edu.au.