Marilyn Duncan

President

As President of The Youth Junction Inc. Marilyn is committed to supporting the development and delivery of programs that assist vulnerable members of the community and contribute to achieving better outcomes for those who may not have experienced the opportunities or level of support she has enjoyed throughout her career.

Marilyn has held senior executive positions within the Victorian state government, Statutory Authorities and the private sector. Post council amalgamations Marilyn joined the City of Brimbank as the Director of Planning and Statutory Services before taking on the role of Chief Executive Officer for a further 10 years. Marilyn now works as an independent consultant providing strategic advice and project management to a variety of clients in both the public and private sector.

Marilyn has confidence in the value of the The Youth Junction Inc committee members:

'The TYJinc. Committee members bring to the organisation a diversity of perspectives and experiences which provides for a robust and effective governance model coupled with a commitment to provide support to the organisation in achieving the strategic objectives.'

Dianne Semmens

Deputy President

Dianne has been a resident of the West and North West her entire life and has a deep interest in supporting marginalised communities to access opportunity to improve their quality of life. Her many years of experience as a tertiary education executive, has provided her with extensive experience in governance, government relations and organisational growth. Prior to her TAFE career, Dianne has worked as a youth worker, crisis counsellor and advocate for women and children experiencing sexual and family violence. Her involvement with TYJ is linked to her own values, career path and commitment to cultural diversity and equality. 

Heather Couper

Treasurer

Kerstin Hinrichsen

Member

Kerstin commenced hersocial work career in youth alcohol and other drug services and maintain a passionate belief in the importance of early intervention and support for youth.  Living in the western suburbs, she is proud to support a vital service that empowers and builds resilience in young people in the region.

Jane Schroder

Member

David Jones

Member

David is a recipient of the Australian Police Medal (APM) and has been a member of the Victoria Police for 36 years. He has served as the Divisional Commander for the areas of Brimbank and Melton and is currently the Emergency Management Superintendent for the North West Metropolitan Region. David holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences and a Graduate Certificate in Management. David's first experience in working with young people came in 1997 when as a Sergeant he was appointed as a Station Youth Officer. In 2005 David joined the Steering Committee for the Hospitality Employment and Training (HEAT) Program and following this in 2007, David joined the St Kilda Youth Services Ltd Board of Management ending as President in 2015.

Simon O’Brien

Member

Simon started his professional life in the Army leading teams of passionate young people from all walks of life in some of the most remote and demanding parts of the world. After 10 years away Simon moved back home where he's since spent most of the last 8 years working in the western suburbs of Melbourne, building schools and community facilities as part of local government and State-run programs. In more recent times, however, Simon has been working for a major financial institution. Simon's experience is diverse, however, his passion lies in helping teams work through complex problems. Simon believe's Youth Junction provides a vital service to the young people in our community and is thrilled to offer any experience or contextual understanding he has to help the organisation deliver on its long term goals.