The COTA Victoria Board’s dedicated members have diverse backgrounds and skills and bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our work.
Robert Caulfield
PresidentRobert has over forty years of experience as an architect, and has designed numerous aged care facilities and retirement villages. He has been founder and managing director of several large architectural companies and a former National President of the Australian Institute of Architects.
He is Vice President of Kidsafe Vic Inc; a director of Donwood Community Aged Care Services; Commodore of Albert Sailing Club and a Director of the Bulldogs Forever Foundation. Robert has also served on aged care boards. Robert holds a Fellowship Diploma of Architecture and is a Life Fellow of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects.
He received a Federal Government Centenary Award for services to architecture (2001) and a Victorian Premiers award for Volunteers (2016) for services to Child Safety.
Peter Condliffe
Deputy PresidentPeter practices as a Barrister and Mediator. His practice centres on conflict management interventions, including mediation, facilitation, investigation, restorative justice conferences, complaints management and conflict coaching.
Peter was formerly the CEO of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia and Director of Dispute Resolution Centres in the Department of Justice and Attorney-General, Queensland. Before this, Peter was Chief of Education, Training and Information with the United Nations Centre for Human Rights in Cambodia.
In addition, Peter was the founding President of The Victorian Association for Restorative Justice, a Director of the Mediator Standards Board, a member of the ADR Committee of the Victorian Bar and a VCAT mediator.
Kathryn Brown
TreasurerKathryn is a qualified Chartered Accountant and has extensive knowledge of accounting, funds management and banking sectors. Her work experience includes auditing, regulatory compliance and risk management roles. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
In addition to her role at COTA Victoria, Kathryn is a Director of Girl Guides Victoria and Honorary Treasurer and Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee. She also sits on the finance committees for both St Kilda Mums Inc. and Palliative Care Victoria and is on the Disciplinary Tribunal for Chartered Accountants of Australia and New Zealand.
Mary Downie
DirectorMary has a long and successful carrier in education, working with students from pre-school to tertiary level in the area of performing arts (music and drama). As a business owner, she has experience in managing and operating child care centres and retail stores. She has been a member of different committees, including owners’ corporations.
Mary has been providing an intergenerational interactive music program in aged care facilities and kindergartens and she also works as a musician in other aged care facilities.
Mary holds a Bachelor of Teaching Primary, Bachelor of Education, Masters of Educational Studies and Doctor of Education. Mary is an advocate for overcoming prejudice and discrimination against older people.
Hayley Hunter
DirectorHayley is a lawyer of over 11 years’ experience. Her practice comprises wills, estates, guardianship and administration, with particular focus on matters involving elder abuse. She is appointed as an Administrator for persons under a disability by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal – Guardianship List.
Hayley is the vice-chair of the Law Institute of Victoria’s Elder Law Executive Committee. She represents the Law Institute at the Elder Abuse and Safeguarding Roundtable, run by the Victorian Government’s Department of Families, Fairness and Housing and is a member of the Seniors Rights Victoria Advisory Committee.
Tanya O’Connor
DirectorThroughout her professional career, Tanya has worked at the intersection of psychology, technology, and healthcare. She is an accomplished global executive with over 10 years senior leadership experience and over 17 years’ experience in technology development and operational leadership of clinical research – specifically focussed on the measurement of cognition.
Tanya has spent the last 17 years working at Cogstate, a cognitive science company operating in the field of technology and neuroscience, with a specific focus on Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. In her most recent role as Vice President, Healthcare & Research Tanya was responsible for the strategic direction for the Healthcare business at Cogstate and lead the global strategic relationship with pharmaceutical company Eisai. Within this context, Tanya also oversaw operational delivery of computerised cognitive testing to individuals and physicians globally, as well as central nervous system disease research studies.
Tanya also serves as a Non-Executive Director on the Board of San Carlo Homes for the Aged and is Deputy Chairperson on the Board of The Haven Day Centre. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) degree and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mark Stokes PhD
DirectorMark Stokes is an Associate Professor in Psychology and a registered psychologist.
Mark was formerly the director of the Victorian Injury Prevention Unit at Monash University’s Accident Research Centre. Mark obtained a PhD from La Trobe University in 1996. Mark has had appointments at La Trobe, Monash, and Vanderbilt Universities.
In 2002 Mark was appointed to Deakin University, establishing the Healthy Autistic Life Lab (HALL), and has been involved in Autism research since. HALL is a globally leading lab and collaborates with numerous researchers, covering questions addressing many areas of autism across the lifespan including: female profile; intersectionality; mental health; suicide; LGBTIQ+ issues; sexuality; relationship development; neurobiology; and transition to adulthood.
In 2014 Mark joined the global burden of disease and has researched issues related to mental health across the life span. Mark’s research has been cited more than 50,000 times, is ranked globally among the top 100 autism researchers, has published over 340 research papers and presentations, and has supervised over 34 PhD students.
Mark has been active in Kidsafe since 1998, and has served as Treasurer, Vice-President, and President. Mark was a founder of and former president of the Australasian Society for Autism Research (ASfAR). Mark holds life memberships of both Kidsafe and ASfAR.
Gerard Mansour
DirectorGerard Mansour has forty years of experience as an advocate and public servant, working across government, not-for-profits and peak bodies. He possesses numerous governance qualifications and is a Fellow of Stanford University’s Executive Program for Non-Profit Leaders.
Gerard served as the Commissioner for Senior Victorians between 2013 and 2023, providing independent advice to the Victorian Government and creating submissions for enquiries and Royal Commissions. He was also appointed as Ambassador for Prevention of Elder Abuse (2016-2023) to promote the importance of addressing the drivers of elder abuse.
As Commissioner, he launched the “Ageing Well in a Changing World” report in 2020, and acted as the Chair for the Ministerial Advisory Committee for Seniors Victorians (2015-2016), the Deputy Chair of the Elder Abuse and Safeguarding Advisory Group (2019-2023), and as an Advisor to the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre (2020-2022).
Prior to his appointment as Commissioner for Seniors Victorians, Gerard worked as the CEO for peak bodies within the Victorian aged care and community care industries.
Ray Cummings
DirectorOver a 40-year career as a professional advisor, Ray Cummings has worked across the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors.
He holds formal qualifications in law, accounting and economics and is admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria. Ray has proficiency in a wide range of commercial, financial and legal issues including regulatory and reporting requirements, corporate governance, and legislative interpretation and policy.
In addition to his role at COTA Victoria, Ray is Honorary Treasurer and a member of the Risk and Finance Committee of Burke and Beyond Association Inc.