Board & governance

Jan Edwards

Chair

Jan Edwards was appointed to the Board of RSPCA Australia in August 2022.

Jan is a recently retired CEO of a regional bank that traded as a social enterprise. She has held senior positions in insurance & superannuation, banking, manufacturing, and consulting industries in Canada, the UK, USA and the Middle East.

In addition to her RSPCA appointment, she is a Board Member of Social Traders Australia, Warringah Financial Services Limited and Dying with Dignity NSW. Her past Board and Committee memberships include Wingecarribee Shire Council Risk and Audit Committee, HarbisonCare Retirement Village, Southern Highlands Botanic Gardens, APRA Advisory Committee, Prudential Assurance Superannuation Co Pty Limited and Oxley College Private School.

Jan has an Honours degree in Psychology and Statistics and a Master of Business Administration. She is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Professional Accountant with membership with the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants and the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Jan is a member and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Jan is a committed proponent of purpose driven organisations where the mission, vision and values are focused on positive societal impact. She is also the proud owner of three delightful, if exhausting Kelpies.

Alexandra Garrott

Director

A member of RSPCA Tasmania’s Board, Alex joined the RSPCA Australian Board in April 2016. Alex is a change manager, working in strategic human resource, industrial relations and organisational issues. She has 15 years experience in consulting into and working within not for profit, government and commercial sectors in Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. Alex is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Alex is a graduate of UTAS in Bachelor of Arts (BA), Graduate Diploma of Science (Hons) and holds a Master of Business and Technology (MBT) from UNSW.

Alexandra Wedutenko

Director

Alexandra is the Board President of RSPCA ACT and joined the RSPCA Australia Board in 2019.

Alexandra is a leading Government and ICT lawyer and regularly presents on the latest developments in commercial law, contract management and cyber security and related topics. She has been voted by her peers as one of Australia's Best Lawyers: Government (2008-2019) and Information Technology Law (2015-2019).

She has served on the Board of Clayton Utz and been a member of its Finance Risk and Audit Committee. Alexandra has also held the role of managing partner of the Canberra office of Clayton Utz and is currently chair of the Clayton Utz Cyber Security Board (since 2014).

Alexandra has had diverse experience as a director of not-for-profit boards including the ANU School of Music and the National Foundation for Australian Women. Alexandra also has a strong pro bono practice in governance, corporate structuring and ICT.

She is an enthusiastic supporter of various charities focused on animals, medical/human health and human well-being. She has an interest in the arts and supports the work of the National Gallery of Australia and the National Library of Australia.

Alexandra has a strong interest in sporting activities and has represented the ACT in touch football and dragon boating and Australia in dragon boating.

Her current pets are two groodles named Remi and Oscar.

Danny Moore

Director

Danny has been a Director of RSPCA Northern Territory since 2015 and was Chair from 2017 to 2024. He is also RSPCA Northern Territory’s nominee to the Board of RSPCA Australia, having served since February 2018 with a short break in between.

Danny is an experienced executive and director with an extensive career in the energy and utilities industry as well as government, health and tourism. With a wealth of leadership experience across commercial, strategic, operations and transformation, Danny also holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in IT & Marketing, Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Engagement, Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance, Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Danny has been passionate about animals since a young age. Despite growing up inner city London, he has always had a range of pets including dogs, horses, goats and rabbits! Danny is owned by Buddy the dog who was adopted from RSPCA’s Darwin shelter in April 2020.

Danny was previously a Non-Executive Director of Red Lily Health Board, Government House Foundation of the Northern Territory, Mindil Markets Sunset Beach Association and an Independent Member of the Audit and Risk Management Committee of councilBIZ.

Ian Cowie

Director

Ian is the Chief Executive Officer of the City of Gosnells, a position he has held since 2009.

Previously, Ian was the Director of Governance and Strategy at the City of Joondalup for three years and a Director at the Department of Local Government for over 10 years, where he represented Western Australia on the Commonwealth Government’s National Consultative Committee on Animal Welfare and participated in the development of Australia’s first National Animal Welfare Strategy. Ian was also responsible for the development and implementation of Western Australia’s current Animal Welfare Act 2002.

Ian holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree with first class honours from the University of Western Australia and a Masters Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics.

In June 2014, Ian received the Public Service Medal in the Queen's Birthday Honours, for his outstanding public service, particularly to the City of Gosnells.

Jo McKennariey

Director

Jo McKennariey is an accomplished executive and board member with over 20 years of experience in leadership and governance. She is CEO of Pet Card, a start-up pioneering global standards for responsible pet care. Her dedication to animal welfare has been a lifelong commitment, leading her to join the RSPCA QLD board in 2017 and the RSPCA Australia board in 2022.

In addition to her deep advocacy for animal welfare, Jo brings expertise in strategy, governance, organisational design, culture, talent management, stakeholder engagement, communications, and community investment. She has applied her skills across diverse sectors, including financial services, energy, technology, government, and non-profits.

As an RSPCA QLD and RSPCA Australia board member, Jo has witnessed the importance of education and proactive support in preventing animal cruelty. This experience fuels her mission at Pet Card, where she is dedicated to advancing animal care and welfare standards.

Jo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Politics & Government from Griffith University, an Executive MBA from Melbourne Business School, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Karen Malzard

Director

Karen Malzard joined the RSPCA Australia Board in January 2024, and is the Chair of the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee. Karen has over 25 years’ experience in the Australian Finance Services Industry, focussed on life insurance and superannuation. She is currently the Chief Risk Officer for Resolution Life Australasia.

Prior to joining RLA in 2020, Karen held senior executive roles in the Wealth Division of the ANZ Bank, Zurich Financial Services and BT Financial Group. Karen holds an MBA and a B.Comm from the University of New South Wales and is an associate member of the Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand.

Karen has a passion for dogs and horses, having previously spent time as a riding instructor for Riding for the Disabled and currently has a very cheeky Jack Russell named Teddy.

Mark Steele

Director

Mark is a member of the Board of RSPCA NSW and is a life member of RSPCA NSW. He has undertaken pro bono legal work for RSPCA NSW for many years, is Chair of its Governance Committee and a member of its Animal Welfare Committee. Mark joined the RSPCA Australia Board in 2022.

Mark’s background is as a barrister and senior counsel at the NSW Bar, where he specialises in commercial disputes and corporate law. He has practised as a barrister since 1995 and was appointed Senior Counsel in 2013. Prior to 1995, Mark worked for ten years as an investment banker in London, New York and Sydney, for Salomon Brothers Inc and Goldman Sachs & Co.

Mark has a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a Bachelor of Laws (1st class Honours) degree from the University of Melbourne and a Bachelor of Civil Law degree from Oxford University. He is currently undertaking a PhD in Law at the University of Sydney, where he is also on the Editorial Board of the Sydney Law Review.

Mark and his wife, Mia (who is also a director and life member of RSPCA NSW) have had a succession of beloved RSPCA rescue dogs over the years and are currently fostering a pug for the RSPCA, who is called Dora (when she is good) and Gremlin (when she is not so good).

Neelesh Mehta

Director

Neelesh has over 25 years’ experience across the financial services and retail industries in Australia and overseas. He has extensive experience working in international markets and a passion for the benefits of education.

Neelesh is a Fellow of the Institute of Company Directors, and a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia. He has served as Futurity Investment Groups Deputy Chairman and is currently on their Noms and Rem Committee and also their Investment Committee. Having worked on their Audit Committee and their Risk Committee earlier. He is also the CFO and Board Member of Texas Peak Group, and Managing Director of Jaipur Asset Management Pty Ltd.

He has served as Chairman of The Gawler Cancer Foundation and as an Invitee to the Governance Committee of Samarinda Ashburton Aged Services, whose Board he served previously. He has also worked as founder Chairman of We Ride (Australian Cycling Promotion Fund) and Emerge Australia.

Neelesh is an animal lover and Board Member of RSPCA Victoria, and chairs their Audit, Risk, and Finance Committee.

Rob DiMonte

Director

Rob joined the RSPCA Australia Board in April 2022 and is the President of RSPCA South Australia, where he has served on the Board for 7 years. He is a chartered accountant and professional company director.

Rob has held many board roles over the past 38 years and is currently a director of The Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium of South Australia, Chair of Junction Australia; GP Partners Australia; Australian Grain Technologies Pty Ltd, RAA Board Nominations Committee; Credit Union SA Board Nominations Committee and PIRSA Risk and Audit Committee.

He is driven by purpose and is passionate about improving the social and economic wellbeing of South Australians, the importance of animals in people’s lives and consequently their wellbeing.

Russell Hunter

Director

Russell Hunter was appointed to the Board of RSPCA Australia in July 2023.

Russell has a genuine interest in contributing to impactful animal health and welfare programs, particularly in the context of animals in society and human-animal interactions. He brings to the Board unique skills, knowledge, experience and insight into the technical, political, strategic, legal and operational context of animal welfare issues in Australia.

He has worked at state and federal levels of government in Australia, in non-government organisations (both voluntary and paid), along with consulting to private companies, peak bodies and governments in Australia and South-East Asia. This has included grassroots animal welfare work with dogs and cats in developing countries, and in regulatory roles for livestock welfare in Australia.

Russell holds a Bachelor of Applied Science (Veterinary Technology) from the University of Queensland, a Master of Veterinary Public Health Management from The University of Sydney, additional qualifications in government and project management, and is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

RSPCA Australia is a federation, made up of eight state and territory RSPCA Societies and the national office, RSPCA Australia.

Member Society boards

RSPCA Australia board

Meet the RSPCA Australia Board

Jan Edwards

Alexandra Garrott

Alexandra Wedutenko

Danny Moore

Ian Cowie

Jo McKennariey

Karen Malzard

Mark Steele

Neelesh Mehta

Rob DiMonte

Russell Hunter

Stay informed on big issues and how you can help improve animal welfare across Australia.