Commissioners
The VMC comprises of twelve dedicated Commissioners who advocate the values of the Commission and act as a conduit between the community and the Commission. Our Commissioners have a solid understanding of the issues facing ethnic communities and are actively involved in the community, regularly attending events and playing a vital role in assisting networks and liaison between different faith and community groups.
The Commissioners are in constant contact with the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson and meet on a monthly basis to develop strategies and discuss community issues that require action. Commissioners are selected through a competitive interview process then officially appointed by the Governor of Victoria for terms of up to four years.
Commissioners
Mr. George Lekakis (Chairperson)
Mr. Hakan Akyol (Deputy Chairperson)
Ms Elleni Bereded-Samuel
Mr Joseph Caputo
Dr.Stanley Chiang
Ms Samar Mougharbel
Dr Linda Sydor Petkovic
Ms Marcia Pinskier
Mr Yasser Soliman
Ms Hang Thi-Bich Nguyen
Ms Elizabeth Drozd
Mr Jagdeep Singh Shergill
Mr George Lekakis
(Chairperson)
Mr George Lekakis has been the Chairperson of the Victorian Multicultural Commission since 2001. He is an experienced advocate for ethnic, religious and multicultural communities at the local, state and national levels; as illustrated by his tenures as both the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of Victoria’s peak multicultural umbrella organisation, the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV), and also as Deputy Chairperson of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA).
Prior to taking up the role of Chairperson of the Commission, Commissioner Lekakis was the Director of the South Central Region Migrant Resource Centre and the New Hope Foundation (between 1989 and 2001).
He has served on many government and community-based boards and committees of management, including the Victorian Industrial Relations Taskforce, the Community Support Fund Advisory Council, the Workforce Participation Program Advisory Committee and has also served as a member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal.
His current roles also include co-chairing the Police and Community Multicultural Advisory Committee (PACMAC) as well as being represented on Future Melbourne Leaders, Multicultural Arts Policy Advisory Committee, Centre for Dialogue Advisory Board and the Ministerial Advisory Council on Languages ESL and Multicultural Education.
Commissioner Lekakis has formal qualifications in social work and nursing.
Mr Hakan Akyol
(Deputy Chairperson)
Commissioner Akyol was appointed Deputy Chairperson and Director of the Commission in February 2005. Prior to this appointment he was the Deputy Director of the Victorian Office of Multicultural Affairs for approximately 4 years, the Executive Officer of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria between 1993 and 2001 as well as having worked in local government.
Over the years he has served on various boards and committees including on the South Central Region Migrant Resource Centre’s Committee of Management and the Board of Multicultural Arts Victoria.
Born in Turkey, Commissioner Akyol migrated to Australia with his parents in 1969.
Ms Elleni Bereded-Samuel
Ms Elleni Bereded-Samuel was born in Ethiopia. She has focused her life's work on strengthening education, training and employment for culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia. Elleni is now the Community Engagement Coordinator at Victoria University. Her dynamic leadership has resulted in new solutions for community to access and participate in society. Elleni is the first African Commissioner for the Victorian Multicultural Commission. She is on the Board of Directors of the Royal Women’s Hospital and chairs the Community Advisory Committee and SBS Community Advisory Committee and recently appointed to Board of Directors of SBS. Elleni is also on the Australian Social Inclusion Board.
Elleni was one of the recipients of the VU Vice-Chancellor’s Citations and Award for Outstanding Engagement with CALD communities in Australia. She also received Victoria’s Premier Awards for Excellence in Multicultural Affairs – Education and Prime Minster International Year of Volunteers Award. Elleni’s name has been included on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.
Elleni is also on 2006 “Who is Who Australian Women” among 4000 remarkable women in Australia. In 2008 Elleni has been selected as one of twelve significant women in Victoria as part of 100 years of women’s suffrage reflection and celebration and also participated at the 2020 Summit. Late last year Elleni won the 2008 Diversity@Work Individual Champion Award for Diversity and Inclusion.
Elleni was presented with her award by Sir Bob Geldof
Mr Joseph Caputo
Commissioner Caputo was first appointed to the Commission in 2001. He has demonstrated a commitment to multiculturalism over a long period working with diverse communities, in particular the East Timorese community. He is currently a Councillor with the Moreland City Council.
He has also had extensive experience in the private sector including as a Work Organisation Facilitator at Ford. His experience in local government is extensive having served both as Councillor and Mayor at the Brunswick City Council prior to amalgamations.
Joe holds a Graduate Diploma in Industrial relations and Human Resources Management and a Master of Business from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology.
Dr. Stanley Chiang
Commissioner Chiang was born in Shanghai, China and migrated to Japan with his parents in 1977 where he finished his high school. In 1980 he came to Australia to undertake his university studies and obtained degrees in biological sciences (B.Sc., Hon.) and medicine (M.B.B.S.) at Flinders University of S.A. In 1992 he came to Melbourne and started a general practice. He currently runs a number of medical clinics with his business partner as well as undertaking some research and teaching.
Dr Chiang was first appointed to the Commission in 2001 and has extensive involvement with ethnic communities, particularly the Chinese community in Victoria. He is also a Councillor with the Darebin City Council.
Dr. Chiang is also president of the North Eastern Melbourne Chinese Association (NEMCA), and president of the Pacific Art and Literary Federation. He has worked tirelessly to encourage the integration of new migrants into mainstream Australian society and promoted the benefits of multiculturalism at every opportunity. The Kite Festival, which NEMCA and the City of Darebin co-organises, has now become an annual event.
Ms Samar Mougharbel
Commissioner Mougharbel was born in Beirut (Lebanon) and migrated to Australia in 1987. She is actively involved and committed to promoting multiculturalism in the community, particularly with migrant and refugee women.
Ms Mougharbel has 10 years experience working in the community sector, both in voluntary and paid capacities. Since 2001 she has been committed to community development and social programs aiming to bring positive changes, improvement and empowerment to women from culturally and linguistically diverse background.
Samar is actively involved in various Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission forums and discussions regarding racial and religious discrimination against Muslim Women. She is currently the Springvale Neighbourhood House Co-ordinator (Nov 2005) where she involved with more than 50 community groups, in addition to a close association with the literacy centre and the Sumnation World Cultural Festival.
Dr Linda Sydor Petkovic
Commissioner Sydor Petkovic, with Ukrainian and Serbian heritages, has been actively involved with the Ukrainian and multicultural communities in Geelong over a number of years and has managed an after hours ethnic school in the region since 1992. She is currently the President of Geelong’s Diversitat (formerly the Geelong Ethnic Communities’ Council). Whilst studying for her Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) and Doctor of Philosophy degrees at Monash University she undertook research and Slavic language studies in Europe.
Ms Marcia Pinskier
Ms Marcia Pinskier was first appointed in 2005 and is actively involved in a number of leadership roles and communal activity in the Jewish community. She has experience working with various ethnic groups, particularly in facilitating capacity building and partnerships between such groups. Over the past three years Ms Pinskier has worked with Victoria Police and has been recognised for her contributions to their work in the area of promoting
multiculturalism. Ms Pinskier has a Bachelor of Arts, a Diploma of Education and is currently undertaking a Master of Arts in Communal Leadership.
Mr Yasser Soliman
Commissioner Soliman is the former President of the Islamic Council of Victoria and has worked closely with the Islamic community as well with Commonwealth, State and Local governments to strengthen partnerships across the community. He has actively worked in partnership with Victoria Police, local councils and Islamic youth to forge understanding and cooperation.
He continues to be involved in interfaith dialogue and community relations through the Islamic Council of Victoria and externally. He was a previous President and Treasurer of the Victorian branch of the Federation of Australian Muslim Students and Youth and a former member of the Police and Community Multicultural Advisory Committee (PACMAC).
He has been awarded the Police And Community Multicultural Advisory Committee (PACMAC) Exemplary Award and a recipient of a Centenary Medal in 2003.
He is currently an Australian Citizenship Ambassador, an Executive Committee member of the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria and is the President of the Islamic Family and Childcare Agency. He runs a consultancy called Diversity Connect International with a focus on diversity issues and developing understandings and relations.
Ms Nguyen is currently the Program Manager for Baptcare, and has a Masters in Arts (Communications) specialising in ethnic media. She is also a qualified occupational therapist and has been involved in the Vietnamese Student Association, serving as both President and Secretary. Ms Nguyen is fluent in Vietnamese.
Ms Elizabeth Drozd
Ms Drozd is the current CEO of Polish Community Services Inc, and has been actively involved in the Polish community for a number of years. Ms Drozd has considerable experience in local government, where she worked with the City of Brimbank in a variety of roles dedicated to access and equity issues. Ms Drozd is a member of a large number of community organisations and has been involved in Ministerial Councils of Health and Aged Care.
Mr Jagdeep Singh Shergill
Jagdeep is a member of the Sikh and Punjabi communities in Melbourne and has come to represent the two communities in many capacities over the years. This includes committee membership of the Multicultural Multifaith Youth Network (MMYN), Centre Of Melbourne Multifaith and Others Network (COMMON), Inter·Action Multifaith Youth Network, Sikh Interfaith Council of Victoria (SICV) and the Sikh Cultural Society of Victoria (Sikh Gurdwara, temple, in Craigieburn.
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