Board of Directors Victoria

Paul Wheelton OAM - Chairman

Paul Wheelton OAM (B.Comm, CPA, FAIM, MCDA, FCEO) was appointed to the Life Education Victorian Board in April 2001. He is currently Chairman of Life Education Victoria’s Board of Directors, Deputy Chairman of Life Education Australia and a member of LEV’s Strategic Planning Task Force. Paul has been pivotal in the success of LEV’s fundraising events, profile raising activities and strategic direction.

Holding a Bachelor of Commerce, University of Melbourne 1978, Paul has been a member of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants for fifteen years. He was the Group Manager for Administration and Finance for the Budget Rent A Car Corporation, and for the last twenty-five years has been Managing Director and owner of the largest Budget Rent A Car franchise group in Australia. He is currently Chairman of the Budget Licensee Council. He was awarded the OAM for his service to the community.

Paul’s interest and involvement in the community is extensive. He has been the Treasurer of his local church for 16 years, currently on the organising Board for the Strathcona Baptist Girls’ Grammar Brownlow Breakfast, and was a Board Member and Deputy Chairman of Variety, the Children’s Charity of Victoria. He is a founding Board member of the Bali Children’s Foundation and, together with his family via The Wheelton Foundation, they have assisted in the rebuilding of three orphanages. He is also a Board Member of the Marsh Foundation, which distributes used medical equipment to Third World countries.

Mandy Banic

Mandy Banic currently holds the position of Head of Finance and Operations at Straumann Australia and New Zealand, a global leader in implant and restorative dentistry and oral tissue regeneration, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. Mandy holds very strong family values and a love for children.

Mandy was appointed to the Board in March 2012.

Lindsay Beer

Lindsay Beer joined the Board of LEV in 2008 and is founder and owner of Chatsworth Constructions, Roof Distributors and Majon Kitchens, all very successful Building Service Providers covering all aspects of residential and commercial building. The success of Chatsworth Constructions is due primarily to the skill and extensive industry acumen of Lindsay, being both a Master Builder and Master Plumber.

Lindsay has a special passion for water skiing and, through his love of water sports, his passion and instinctive leadership qualities have led him to an increased involvement in the water sports arena where he was voted to President of the Victorian Water Ski Association (VWSA). He is also the current Director and Life Member of the Victorian Water Ski Association.

As a Director of Moomba Masters, Lindsay has dedicated over thirty years of his time to children's waterskiing education and training and he also founded the Lake Cooper Training School of Waterskiing.

Lindsay's has raised over $500,000 single handedly with Variety, the Children’s Charity, over the past seven years through fundraising with his Bash car, a car rally touring throughout outback Australia to raise money for underprivileged children. Lindsay is also Director of Bali Children Foundation, sponsoring over two hundred children in orphanages throughout Bali.

Lindsay's vision is to proactively change the lives of underprivileged children and their families.
In his words Children are our FUTURE.

Andrew Bennetto - Deputy Chair

Andrew has a degree in Applied Science majoring in information technology and post graduate qualifications in management from the institute of Chartered Secretaries. He has held various Managing Directorships with the Thompson Corporation over a successful 17year career- his latest post was Managing Director of Centre for Professional Development covering compliance, accounting and legal information resources. His role has been one of transforming legacy publishing companies to the digital age.

Andrew is currently the Managing Director of Edsoft, a company that is instrumental in pioneering e-learning software and tools to over 15,000 schools across Australia and New Zealand.

Andrew was also President of Pied Pipers of 2 years, a charitable group helping the Children's Hospital and has contributed to the Lighthouse Foundation as well in various capacities. Andrew is passionate about personal development, enabling change and helping young people achieve their potential.

Stuart Bryce - Chairman Life Education Tasmania

Stuart Bryce retired from the RAAF as a Wing Commander in September 1986.  During his 24 year career he flew a variety of military aircraft, including C130E Hercules with No 37 Squadron and BAC1-11 VIP planes with No 34 Squadron.  He served in South Vietnam with No 37 Squadron and as an air support officer with the 1st Australian Task Force at Nui Dat.  Since his retirement, Stuart has worked in private school development at both Launceston Church Grammar School and St Michael's Collegiate in Hobart. He has been the owner of Providence Vineyards since 1980.

Stuart is the founding chairman of the second genesis of Life Education in Tasmania. He is passionate about the health and welfare of future generations, war history (particularly in Papua New Guinea), chess and viticulture. Stuart has a Bachelor's degree in Applied Science, is an honours graduate of RAN Staff College and was awarded a Graduate Certificate in Management Studies from the University of New South Wales. 

Caroline Evans

Educated in London, England with a joint Honours Degree in Marketing and Human Resources, Caroline Evans is a professional business leader with over 10 years senior management experience, primarily managing field marketing services to a variety of blue chip clients across many channels.

After relocating to Australia in 2009 to become the CEO of DemoPlus, the leading Face to Face Promotions Agency providing services to many household names, Caroline embarked on a successful program of operational change and improvement to afford the highest possible client service. Within this role, Caroline instigated support for a nation charity with retail product, fund raising and labour donations.

Caroline is an accomplished musician who has written, recorded and produced contemporary material. Caroline joined the Board of Life Education Victoria in April 2011. 

Paul Dellios

Paul Dellios L.L.B., FTIA, AI.Arb.A. was appointed to the board in September 2000 and is the immediate past Chairman of the board. Paul was a member of the Life Education Doncaster / Templestowe committee for more than eight years.

Paul holds professional standings in Bachelor of Law, University of Melbourne 1974, barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court (Vic) and Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of Australia. He has also been on the school board of Ivanhoe Girl’s Grammar and President of the Cooerwull Foundation. 

George Kalandadse

George Kalandadse was appointed to the Board in September 2000. George is a primary school Principal withforty years teaching experience and, for the past thirteen years, has held the positions of Assistant Principal (four years) and Principal (thirteen years) of St. Albans Heights Primary School.

George has been involved on many school councils both as a parent and staff representative.He first joined the Life Education Sunbury steering committee in 1988 and was elected chairman and remains the chairman of the Hume Calder Life Education Committee.

George is a keen supporter of his children and their activities, taking on the roles of basketball team manager/assistant coach and scout leader to support his children.

Peta Nowacki

Peta Nowacki graduated from Monash University in 1997 with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law. Peta was admitted to the Supreme Court of Victoria as a barrister and solicitor in April 1999 and has worked exclusively in the area of workplace relations since this time as a lawyer and senior associate in major Victorian law firms. She completed her Masters of Labour Law in 2004 at the University of Melbourne. Peta has worked as a lawyer and senior associate for Allens Arthur Robinson and Australian Business Lawyers. Peta has also worked as an employee relations manager in the education sector providing a range of advice on awards, agreements, industrial matters and discrimination.

Peta currently runs her own business providing workplace relations and industrial relations consultancy services throughout Australian and New Zealand. Peta is an accredited mediator with LEADR Association of Dispute Resolvers, is a member of the Australian Human Resources Institute and is a member of the Law Institute of Victoria. Peta speaks bahasa Indonesian and is studying Dutch and Spanish. She is an avid traveller. Peta enjoys playing basketball and competing in triathlons and half marathons.

Tully Smith

After completing his Bachelor of Arts in Management from the University of Ballarat, Tully started his career in the Education Training and Employment industry before moving onto the staffing and recruitment industry. Tully is currently an Advisor for the Office of Jaala Pulford MP, Chairman of 99.9 Voice FM (broadcasting to the Ballarat region), Director of Karden Disability Support and Committee Chairman of Life Education Victoria Ballarat and District.

Tully was appointed to the Board in September 2011.

Martin Williams MEI

Martin is a graduate of the Australian College of Natural Medicine. Following his graduation, Martin worked with the market leader of complimentary nutritional products, Blackmores. Furthering his interest in entrepreneurship, he graduated with a Masters of Entrepreneurship & Innovation - Swinburne, Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship.

In 2004, Martin established, evolve one80, a consulting practice that focused on helping businesses and people to innovate and grow. Martin, a father of two, has been involved with the Pied Piers for more than 25yrs. The Pied Pipers is a charity foundation, dedicated to fund raising for the Royal Children’s Hospital. In recent times, Martin has held the position as Chairman of the Mornington Peninsula division, of Life Education Victoria, aligned with Life Education’s core purpose; to empower children to make informed choices for a safer and healthier life.

Richard Williams OAM - Deputy Chair

Richard Williams was appointed to the board in November 2010. A successful business builder and owner, Richard's experience spans over 30 years in the financial services industry.

Throughout most of his lifetime, Richard has been an active participant in many charitable and sporting activities, including the RCH Pied Pipers, The Smith Family, Life Education and World Vision sponsorship. With a strong football interest in his beloved Melbourne Football Club, Richard played a major role in raising funds and sourcing kit and accommodation to allow the Samoan team to play in Melbourne in each of the past two AFL International Cups.

Richard was a founding member and is also an Honorary Life Member of the Pied Pipers fund raising group for the Royal Children's Hospital (RCH). Since inception in 1969, the Pied Pipers has raised over $6 million (approximately $14 million in today's values) for the RCH and Richard has had the major role organising and co-ordinating nearly all of the Pied Pipers' 41 annual Good Friday Appeals. Richard also initiated and, for 26 years, ran the annual Pied Pipers Sports & Comedy nights, raising almost $1 million.

Currently Vice President of the Tally Ho Fitness Group, Richard has been an enthusiastic member for over 20 year. On a personal note, Richard has completed seven Melbourne Marathons and was honoured to be an Olympic Torch carrier for the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Richard was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2012 for his services to community and the Royal Children's hospital.

Russell Wittick - Treasurer

Russell Wittick was appointed to the board in September 2006. Russ has held a variety of positions within share broking, as an Air Force officer and as an accountant/business manager in the private sector.

His major areas of expertise are within the accounting, finance and personnel management areas.

Russ holds a M.B.A. from Monash University, B.Bus(acctcy) and is a Fellow of CPA Australia. He is also a graduate of the RAF Staff College London.

Angela Young

Following a long career as a Clinical and Senior Dental Therapist, gaining extensive experience in the implementation and coordination of School Dental Programs in static and mobile clinics, Angela joined Ivoclar Vivadent, a leading global dental supply company in 1998. During this time she completed a Diploma of Business - Marketing in 2001 and then continued with an MBA at Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne at the Australian Graduate School of Management and Entrepreneurship, which she completed in 2005.

Angela managed the Straumann business as a distributor for Ivoclar Vivadent over a 5 year period and was appointed Managing Director of Straumann Australia / New Zealand in January 2005 when the company went direct to market and currently still holds this position.

Angela believes that education and learning is the lifelong process of acquiring vital skills and tools to build a sustainable, successful and prosperous life. As a leader, she strives to instil the passion of education and learning to give those the confidence and courage to embrace their dreams and turn them into reality. Ultimately, the cornerstone of life experience, work experience and education empower us with the capability to actively contribute to the growth and development of ourselves and others. All aspects of her past and current employment choices, professional associations and more recently, involvement in charitable organisations, have been driven by this philosophy.

It is the mission of Life Education to empower the young to make the best and educated choices for a safe and healthy life. Angela was appointed to the Board of Life Education in November 2010 and is very proud to support an organisation that values education and learning.