The Board of Cooinda Benalla comprises of community members who hold skills and experience that provide strong governance across the organisation.
President
Doug Smith (joined 2011)
MIE Aust, CPEng.
Doug is qualified Civil & Municipal Engineer and a member of the Institute of Engineers Australia. He is the Past president of Rotary Benalla and Benalla & District Memorial Hospital and a life member and past president of Benalla Apex.
Vice President
Richard Rubia (joined 2015)
B.V.Sc, M.V.S.
Richard is a consultant/subject facilitator, Melbourne University Veterinary Facility, he works with Animal Health Australia and the Australian Federal Government, State Government and Hong Kong Government as a veterinarian. He is also a member of Rotary Benalla.
Maggie Fanning (joined 2019)
RN1, Grad Dip Ed
Maggie is a Registered Nurse with Grad Dip Ed who is currently Principal of EdSpace education and training centre, an independent specialist school in Benalla.
Maggie is also CEO of Capability Building Inc, who’s purpose is support families and people with a disability in our community.
Kelvin Hodge
BA, DipTh, Post Grad Community Development, Pastoral Care, Community Welfare, Prison Chaplaincy
Kel is a former small business owner supporting rural communities in NSW and Tasmania prior to moving to Benalla. Married with three children and several grandchildren, Kel enjoys working with community organisations and small communities. He is a member of Rotaract, the CFA and church minister with an interest in youth development.
Colin McDonald (joined 2002)
H.N.D. Mech. Eng. (UK) N.C.2.D
Colin is the past president of Cooinda, Rotary Benalla and is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Lula Mulligan (joined in 2021)
Lu moved to Benalla in 2020 after having lived and worked in Sydney, London and Hong Kong in recent years.
A Finance Director for over 40 years, Lu is now looking forward to settling into Benalla and currently volunteers with the Friends of Benalla Library and the Benalla and Historical Society.
Lis O’Halloran (joined 2020)
RN1, Post GradDip in Health Promotion, Grad Dip Paediatrics
Lis is currently a Nurse Educator at GOTAFE and continues to nurse clinically at Benalla Health.
She has worked within the health sector for 31 years, including Royal Flying Doctors Service, acute care, aged care, Royal Children’s Hospital Paediatrics and Community Health.
Lis is a mother of three children and lives on the family farm at Warrenbayne West which was established in 1870.
Margaret Richards OAM (joined 2020)
Margaret moved to Benalla 25 years ago, Prior to and in her retirement she has undertaken voluntary work in many different capacities including establishing a kindergarten and neighbourhood houses. For many years, she has been a telephone counsellor for people in crisis and more recently has been involved in the Benalla Rose Festival, is a friend of the Benalla Performing Arts and Convention Centre and is a board member of the Benalla Art Gallery.
Cooinda Village Inc