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Board of Directors & National Council

MEA Home About MEA Board of Directors & National Council

About MEA • Board of Directors & National Council • MEA Management & Branch Staff • Committee Roles & Responsibilities

Meetings & Events Australia Ltd is an independent non profit body with a national office and seven branch secretariats around Australia. Each branch runs an education program through out the year. Most activities are open to members and non-members. Contact the particular branch for further details.

National Council

The National Council is made up of representatives of each established branch together with five nationally elected members. The role of the Council is to provide strategic guidance to the Association.

Board of Directors

The Board of Directors consists of 5 members drawn from the National Council, inclusive of 3 office bearers and 2 additional Executive members

	Chair
Ms Rhona Walker AFMEA Managing Director - Solution RED View Bio Rhona Walker is the owner operator of Solution RED and Avantage and has a very strong background in event support within the hospitality and venue environment. Rhona played a major role in the induction of audio visual services into hotels in Victoria and around Australia during the early 1990's. In 2001 Rhona made the decision to open her own Audio Visual and Themeing company and in 2008 became the owner of Avantage along with the opening of new offices in both Sydney and on the Gold Coast. Although her business life is extremely busy, Rhona finds time to mentor and coach students from all major TAFE colleges and universities who are entering the meetings and events industry. In 2006 Rhona was recognised for her business success as a Telstra Business Womens Finalist and in 2009 was named Industry Person of the Year, Asia Pacific.
	Vice Chair
Mr Simon Baggs AFMEA CEO & Creative Director - Lateral Marketing and Management Pty Ltd View Bio Simon Baggs is the founder and CEO of Lateral Marketing & Management, which for the past 14 years has been producing upscale life style events, meetings and conferences for multinationals, associations and prestigious brands. Simon is the author of ‘Extraordinary Events,’ a book published in 2006 on relationship marketing through events. The second edition of the book is due to be published at the end of 2010. Prior to founding Lateral, Simon was the Director of Marketing of the ATP, the worldwide governing body of men’s tennis and Director of Marketing of Tourism NSW. Simon serves on the National Board of MEA and is a past Sponsorship Australasia Association National President.

	Treasurer
Mr Phil Holmes AMM, AFMEA Director - Convention Wise Pty Ltd Branch Chair – Tasmania View Bio Phil has been Director of *Convention Wise* in Hobart for almost 6 years. In his previous career in education he specialised in geography, tourism and outdoor education. He has a Master of Educational Studies from the University of Tasmania. He has travelled widely, managing a Swiss ski village, course directing at an Outward Bound School in USA and taking school trips to Nepal and all around Australia. He has served as a National Councillor for the Australian College of Educators, a Board Member of the Tasmanian Sail Training Association and is currently MEA State Chair (Tas) and a MEA National Director.
	Board Members
Ms Ruth Lilian OAM AMM Director - L & R Contract Business Services View Bio Ruth Lilian's world of conferencing and event management spans over thirty-five years and, during this time, she and a number of others have worked to grow the meetings and events industry to what it is today. She has been associated with Meetings & Events Australia since the mid eighties. She has worked across a wide range of conference areas and venues throughout this time and has tended to specialise in the medical, scientific, technical, educational and pharmaceutical sectors, together with industry exhibitions. She has had the opportunity to manage and work on some of the largest conferences to be brought to Australia as well as smaller corporate meetings, roadshows, campaigns, annual general meetings and social and special events. Her background also includes many years in association management. Ruth is an Accredited Meetings Manager and has worked with MEA to establish industry accreditation and continuing education programs. Ruth is currently Vice Chair of the National Board of Directors and is a Board Member of the Tasmanian Convention and Visitors Bureau. In the last eighteen months, Ruth has been involved in lecturing in Event Management at the International College of Management Sydney (ICMS) and more recently at Kenvale College, UNSW and as a guest lecturer at UTS. Ruth was awarded an OAM in the 2008 Australia Day Awards, part of this award being for her service to the event management industry and in 2009 was a recipient of a Tourism Australia Training Legends Award.
Mrs Rosemarie Sama Event Director - Reed Travel Exhibitions View Bio Rosemarie Sama has more than fifteen years experience in the business travel, incentive, meetings and events industry. Rosemarie is the Event Director for the multi-award winning event AIME, the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo held annually in Melbourne. Under her direction AIME has been recognised globally as a major international industry event and the most significant event of its kind in the Asia Pacific region. AIME delivers the best in business opportunities, professional education and networking opportunities. In addition, the event has become a platform for the industry to share ideas, for leaders to gather and a venue for the next generation of meetings and incentive organisers to learn key skills. Rosemarie is recognised by her peers for her impeccable business acumen, leadership skills, tenaciousness, passion, drive and commitment to the event, and indeed the industry.
	MEA Chief Executive Officer
Ms Linda P Gaunt Chief Executive Officer - Meetings & Events Australia Linda Gaunt is the Chief Executive Officer of Meetings & Events Australia - MEA (formerly the Meetings Industry Association of Australia). Linda has held this position for the past three and a half years, during which time she has driven a positive change management process for the association. As Chief Executive Officer of MEA, Linda is a member of the following Boards and Councils: • The Industry Advisory Board to Tourism Australia • The Industry Advisory Council to Service Skills Australia • The Virgin Blue Industry Advisory Board • The Business Events Council of Australia • The Federal Minister for Tourisms Business Events Strategy 2020 Group Linda is also a member of: • The Australian Institute of Management • International Special Events Society Prior to taking up her current position in 2005, Linda was the Deputy CEO and Director of Education and Training of the Australia Institute of Management. Linda is the Telstra 2005 South Australian Business Woman of the Year as well as the South Australian Hudson and Community Business Woman of the Year 2005. Born in Belfast Northern Ireland and completing her schooling in Adelaide, Linda holds post-graduate studies through to a doctorate in business administration. Linda is enjoying the challenges and rewards that holding the role of Chief Executive of MEA has brought, and believes her background working within Association Management with various industry bodies will assist her drive MEA to greater heights ongoing. One of Linda's key strengths is her understanding of membership organisations and the importance she places on maintaining and growing membership. Each of the organisations that she has worked for in the past have been membership based and she understands well the commitment necessary to represent members at all levels and to provide value to members to retain their commitment to the organisation.