Dr Georgina Phillips, Chair
Deb Itzkowic, Secretary
Joy Banerji
Kathleen Maltzahn
Natalie Susman-Pryles
Kim Low
Rebecca Preston
Vicky Deresa
 
Dr Georgina Phillips
Dr Phillips is an emergency physician from St. Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne. She has published research on vulnerable and complex people who attend hospital emergency departments for care and is part of a specialist multidisciplinary team that provides holistic healthcare for homeless people. Apart from providing medical care to and taking an active advocacy role for the vulnerable people who require acute health care, Dr Phillips has an interest in facilitating community engagement and linking up of services. She has been involved in advisory committees for local government and provided evidence for national government enquiries into mental health and homelessness.
 
Dr Phillips has a regional international focus in addition to her local work. She has been actively engaged in medical education and emergency department development in the Pacific Islands region and East Timor, and recently returned from a 6 month study visit to Papua New Guinea.
 
Dr Phillips brings her medical expertise and networks, health and well-being focus and extensive knowledge of community services to her position at Project Respect. She contributes a health perspective to the support and advocacy work of Project Respect, and considers the opportunity to do so an enormous privilege.
 
 
Deb Itzkowic
Deborah Itzkowic currently practices employment and anti-discrimination law and brings to Project Respect a variety of experience having worked as a lawyer in private practice, government and the community legal sector. She has represented disadvantaged women in a range of employment related matters, such as sexual harassment claims at the Australian Human Rights Commission. Most recently, she participated in the Labour Trafficking Forum 2009 held in Canberra. She is committed to access to justice and believes in the ethos of Project Respect in assisting women to make empowering life choices. In her free time she enjoys swinging on the flying trapeze.

 
 
Joy Banerji

Joy was born in New Delhi, India.  Her family migrated to Australia and they lived in South Australia from 1972-1992. Some of her hobbies and interests include pursuing a healthy lifestyle, keeping fit and staying active. Joy has always had a great interest in the arts both visual and performing. She also enjoys watching various sports.  Since the year 2000 Joy has lived in Burwood with her family: she likes the convenience of being close to good services, facilities and schools. Joy have three children; one attending university and two in secondary school.
 
Joy has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Adelaide University & a Degree in Community Development, Swinburne University.
 
Joy worked in the banking industry before returning to study and being more interested in community development, which prompted her move towards local government and representing my community at the local council level.  Currently, Joy is in her third term as a Councillor in the City Of Monash.  She was first elected in March 2003 and has been Mayor twice in 2004 and 2006

 
Kathleen Maltzahn

Kathleen founded Project Respect  in 1998. As Executive Director, she spearheaded the successful national campaign to put trafficking in women for prostitution on the national agenda. She was awarded the inaugural (2005) Dame Phyllis Frost Award from the National Council of Women of Victoria in recognition of her work on trafficking. Her book, Trafficked (UNSW Press) was published in July 2008.

Kathleen has also worked as the Executive Director of Women's Health In the North (2007-2010), Interim Director of the East Timor Human Rights Centre, and is a Patron of the Victorian Immigrant and Refugee Women’s Coalition.

She was a City of Yarra councillor from 2004 to 2008. During this time, Kathleen was the chair of the Finances and Human Services, Disability Advisory and Bicycle Advisory Committees, and initiated the Prevention of Male Sexual Violence Taskforce.

She is currently the Greens candidate for the state seat of Richmond.
 
Natalie Susman-Pryles
Natalie Susman-Pryles is an experienced consultant and project manager with a passion for the not-for-profit sector and social enterprise. Working for some of the country’s most recognisable NFPs including The Big Issue, The Alfred Foundation, The Alannah and Madeline Foundation and Very Special Kids, Natalie has a successful track record as a leader in this sector, overseeing major initiatives across marketing, media & communications, program development, commercial strategy, stakeholder engagement and events. 
 
In 2011, Natalie began Ruby Gambit Group, a boutique consultancy that works to bring brilliant ideas to life. Taking an integrated approach, Natalie and her team work with their clients to develop, plan and implement ideas that may have once seemed impossible. Basically, they make them happen! While Ruby Gambit works across most sectors and industries, their particular expertise and passion lies in not-for-profit, social enterprise, sport and arts and entertainment.  
 
 
Kim Low
Kim Low is a photographer who became involved in Project Respect after completing a series of portraits of women supported by the organisation. Kim majored in psychology at university and has had extensive experience in corporate public relations, communications and HR - particularly staff assessment, recruitment and development. Kim has two daughters and has been active in their school community through various events and committees. She thoroughly enjoys the sense of involvement, satisfaction and friendship that comes from participating in such activities and welcomes the opportunity to now be part of the Project Respect community.
 
Rebecca Preston
Rebecca is a lawyer specialising in the areas of employment and industrial relations. She is passionate about human rights and improving access to the law. As such, Rebecca has been involved in a range of pro bono initiatives including Youthlaw, the Homeless Persons Legal Clinic and also spent a number of months overseas researching international approaches to the protection of labour rights. Rebecca is grateful for the opportunity to participate in Project Respect, to which she brings a range of legal and industrial relations experience aquired in public, private and community legal sectors.
 
Vicky Deresa
Vicky comes to Project Respect with experience of being an outreach worker for Melbourne's Southern and Eastern regions. 
 
Vicky has a strong background in working within Chinese and Southeast Asian communities and has worked in China, India, Burma and Thailand. 
 
Vicky also completed a Masters in International Development focusing on counter human trafficking.