Building governance leadership in South West Victoria
Wannon Water’s Board Observer Programs continue to nurture the next generation of board directors, developing skills, experience, and confidence in governance across South West Victoria.
Many past participants have gone on to take up appointments as directors and committee members of local organisations, strengthening leadership capacity across our communities.
We offer two streams:
- The Observership Program, delivered in partnership with other local organisations, including South West TAFE, South West Healthcare, Brophy Family & Youth Services, Heywood Rural Health, and mPower.
- The Board Observer Aboriginal Scholarship, designed to support First Nations’ emerging leaders on their governance journeys.
Meet our observers: Josh and Jay
Josh Williams has recently started The Observership Program, a 12‑month initiative that provides future leaders with first-hand experience of board operations, along with training from the Australian Institute of Company Directors and The Ethics Centre.
Josh is an agribusiness executive with the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, working with farms and with agribusiness clients across the district to support sustainable regional growth. He brings more than a decade of experience in forestry project management, including environmentally sensitive operations, and today combines that practical experience with deep financial insight.
Holding a Graduate Certificate in Business Administration from Melbourne Business School and currently completing a Master of Applied Finance at UNSW, Josh is also active as a CFA volunteer and is working towards gaining his private pilot licence.
Through the program, he hopes to deepen his governance knowledge and apply his strategic and financial expertise to help strengthen community organisations.
Jay Britton is now halfway through his Board Observer Aboriginal Scholarship. A proud Peek Whurrong, Kirrae Whurrung and Gunditjmara man with strong connections to the lands and waters of South West Victoria, including Framlingham Aboriginal Settlement, Jay brings valuable cultural and community perspectives to the board table.
As the Parreeyt (Water) Team Lead and Water Corporation Partnership Officer at Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation, Jay works closely with water authorities operating on Maar Country to promote healthy partnerships and embed Eastern Maar values across land and water management. He holds a postgraduate diploma in Land and Sea Country Management from Deakin University.
Jay said his goal through the Board Observership was to “listen and learn from Wannon Water’s vast board experience.” He is keen to gain insight into governance practices at a higher level, to become a stronger leader for his community and contribute to the ongoing health of Country.
Pathways into governance
If you’re passionate about community leadership and would like to build your governance expertise, these programs offer an exceptional opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute.
Find out more including when applications open through our website.