Our Board

YACVic is governed by a volunteer board of governance that always includes four young people under the age of 26, as stipulated by the YACVic Constitution. The Board comprises three officers (chairperson, deputy chairperson and treasurer) along with four general Board members, including a rural representative, who are elected by YACVic’s members at the annual general meeting (AGM). At the first meeting after the AGM the board members decide the officer roles for the coming year.

YACVic’s Board guides the strategic direction of the organisation under its governance framework while the chief executive officer manages YACVic’s day-to-day activities and decisions, and reports back to the Board. The Board is the ultimate authority for the successful operation of YACVic.

Board members

Chairperson

Ali Al Lawati (he/him)*

Ali is a dynamic and dedicated professional with a strong background in finance, management, and community service. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Melbourne.

Ali has demonstrated exceptional skills in auditing, risk management, and financial accountability during his time working in financial audit. His commitment to supporting communities is evident throughout the roles he has taken up, such as playing a key role in the Yes23 Campaign in his region, his role as Listening Tour Coordinator for United Nations Youth, as Regional Advisory Group Member for the Victorian Multicultural Commission, and as Youth Advocacy Group Member for Headspace. Ali brings his governance experience, passion for community service, and financial expertise to the YACVIC board.

Deputy Chairperson

Diana Amato (she/her)

Diana Amato brings over 30 years of strategic leadership across youth affairs, education, community development, and health. Guided by principles of social justice, equity, lived experience, and human rights, she has led initiatives at international, national, and local levels across government and non-profit sectors. Diana has led strategic planning, advocacy, policy and program design in senior roles for the Centre for Multicultural Youth, the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition and State Government Office for Youth.

Finally, she is passionate and deeply committed to collaborative and compassionate leadership as the driving force to improving outcomes for young people and communities. 

Board Secretary 

Sarah Faithfull (she/her)

Sarah is Operations and Governance Manager at Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA), the national representative organisation for children and young people with disability. Her background is in youth participation and organisational development in youth advocacy organisations in Australia and the UK. She is experienced in developing inclusive policies, workforce planning, and strengthening the systems that support values-driven organisations. Sarah is passionate about governance that shares power and meaningfully includes young people and communities in decision-making.

Treasurer

Position vacant, accepting applications soon.

Other Members:

Kelly Phan (she/her)

Kelly's lived experience of being a young migrant in regional Victoria drives her passion for ensuring inclusive youth participation in all aspects of society. She is currently a Lawyer at K&L Gates and previously worked as a government and health lawyer. She is also the current Board Chair of Youthlaw, Victoria’s statewide specialist youth community legal centre. She has worked in community development for migrant and refugee youth in Bendigo and volunteered actively with youth organisations, which enlivened her passion for amplifying the voices and interests of young people. Kelly has been on the YACVic Board since 2023 and previously served as Deputy Chair.

Jane Chen (she/her)

Jane is a second-generation Chinese-Australian and a social policy thinker, researcher and activist. She is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Melbourne, where she is exploring intersectionality and public policymaking in Victoria. Her research builds on her experience working in the Victorian public service, and in various advisory and advocacy roles across the multicultural and youth sectors. 

Sophie Farinacci​​​​*