Melinda Brown
PRESIDENT
Melinda Brown GAICD
President
Melinda is a Senior Executive with thirty years of experience across a variety of industry sectors, as well as not-for-profit management and government relations. Specialising in marketing and communications to generate and drive income, she is an experienced leader and mentor, with extensive experience in strategy and policy at an organisational level, as well as working with governments in Australia and internationally.
Melinda has led projects around the world across sectors including disability support, aged care, community services, retail, sport & recreation and tourism & hospitality. The wide-ranging stakeholder collaboration during these projects has afforded her enormous insight and expertise in regard to the myriad issues impacting these sectors.
As well as holding a Bachelor of Arts (Tourism Management), she is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds a number of business and education qualifications.
Dividing her time between homes in Sydney and Jindabyne, she is a keen skier and is passionate about the vital role DWA, our staff and volunteers play in supporting our members to participate in all manner of snow and other alpine activities.
Melinda was elected to the DWA Board in 2019, succeeding Richard Rodd as Vice President and was appointed President in March 2023.
Paul Lamb
VICE PRESIDENT
Paul Lamb
SECRETARY
Paul has served on the board as an elected director and vice chairman for the past 2.5 years. Paul is an avid recreational skier and has served as a volunteer guide at DWA camps and as a volunteer carer with DWA member organisations over the past 5 years. Paul's business credentials come from over 30 years experience in the IT industry, working in senior leadership roles in Australia and internationally in marketing, sales and technical design and architecture functions. He has significant operational experience along with a strong background in the development of new business and in partnership and channels.
Ross Passalaqua
TREASURER
Ross Passalaqua
TREASURER
Ross is a company director and business consultant with broad leadership, commercial, operational, and technical experience ranging across multiple sectors including the tourism, safety, services, transport and logistics, oil, gas, and chemical industries in both Australia and internationally. Following an early career in consulting engineering and project management, Ross worked in corporate roles in Australia and expatriate postings in PNG, the UK and in the USA primarily with the Shell Group of Companies. Post Shell, Ross added tourism management and development in a role as CEO at the Falls Creek Alpine Resort.
Ross has been a member of the DWA Board since 2011. He is also currently Chair of Tourism North East and Chair of the People and Parks Foundation.
Danielle Green
SECRETARY
Danielle Green
BOARD MEMBER
Danielle has been a volunteer guide for six years and is in career transition following twenty years as a Member for the Victorian Parliament. As a member of the Victorian Government, she served as Parliamentary Secretary for Sport, Tourism and Regional Development. In Opposition she served in a number of shadow ministerial roles including disability, health promotion and women. Her previous board experience includes VicHealth (Victorian Health Promotion Foundation) and Affirmative Action In Training. A keen alpine skier, she is also a previous Patron of Australian Ski Biathlon. As a resident of regional Victoria, she is excited by the accessible accommodation opportunities and green season visitation that could eventuate given Victoria’s hosting of the 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Danielle joined the DWA board in 2022.
Jim Blackburn
BOARD MEMBER
Jim Blackburn
BOARD MEMBER
Jim is an experienced senior executive and corporate practitioner with broad leadership, operational and technical skills and experience across the investment, finance, corporate services and not-for-profit sectors.
He has represented SME entities across a wide range of international, national, public and internal forums, and is a recognised business leader in these forums. Jim has held key Board positions in the corporate and not-for-profit community sector.
Jim has been a member of DWA since 2001, starting as a volunteer guide. He has participated in the development and funding of the organisation over the past 20 years.
Joining the board in 2007, he was DWA Chairman until 2017. In this time, he remained actively involved in guiding and was one of the first accredited DWA Level 1 Trainers in 2009. Jim became a Life Member of DWA in 2018.
Elizabeth Adam
BOARD MEMBER
Elizabeth Adam
BOARD MEMBER
Elizabeth (Libby) Adam is a senior human resources professional specialising in Organisational Change, Development and Talent Management. She has a vast experience with multi-national corporations across the manufacturing and retail sectors in both specialist and generalist HR roles. Through the application of her specialty, Libby has helped focus strategic directions for both GM Holden and Target – improving their agility and training programs. Before working in HR, Libby acquired a BSc in Sport Science, an area of passion for her, and has a strong interest in golf, wakeboarding, AFL, and skiing.
Melanie Rigby
BOARD MEMBER
Melanie Rigby
BOARD MEMBER
Melanie is a passionate property professional - a Project Management leader with over 25 years of commercial contracting and consulting experience in the property and construction industry, across Australia and Asia, with a key emphasis on commercial, contract and stakeholder management.
A professional with great positivity, energy and drive, Melanie loves being involved in all aspects of the property sector, her current global role as Principal (Projects) for BHP Property & Workplace allows her to have a global oversight of the BHP Commercial Office portfolio projects.
Prior to BHP she performed a similar role for Australia Post, as well as 10 years with a national building contractor and 10 years as an Architect in Asia.
A keen cross-country and alpine skier as well as hiker, Melanie was able to continue a lifelong love affair with the Australian Alps after a chance introduction to DWA enabled her entire family to find their freedom on snow, including her son who lives with disability.
Murray Bartram
BOARD MEMBER
Murray Bartram
BOARD MEMBER
Murray joins the DWA Board with a deep understanding of winter snowsports and participating in those sports as a person with disability.
He is a project management professional with significant on-snow experience as a DWA guide across a range of adaptive disciplines and has participated in adaptive programs in both Canada and the USA.
A passionate skier and mountain biker, Murray has a unique perspective on adaptive sports, as well as a solid understanding of the snowsports industry. He brings a wealth of lived-experience knowledge and that of being a guide.
Murray is a strong advocate for the positive effects of recreational activities with the cerebral palsy community and is a Board and Committee Member of Cerebral Palsy Sport and Recreation Association.
He brings to DWA’s Board well-developed administration, communication, and project management skills.