Hon John Hill
Chancellor
Member appointed by Council
John Hill’s Parliamentary career began in 1997. John Hill has served in a number of ministerial roles – including Minister for Environment and Conservation [2002–2006], Minister for Health [2005–2013] and assistant Minister and Minister for the Arts [2002–2013]. John retired from the Cabinet in 2013 and Parliament in 2014 and is a member of various boards – including: Bellberry Ltd and Private Healthcare Australia.
John was appointed as Deputy Chancellor in December 2018 and Chancellor in May 2024.
Professor David Lloyd
Vice Chancellor & President
David Lloyd is Vice Chancellor and President of the University of South Australia. A Dublin-born and educated chemist who specialises in computer-aided drug design, Professor Lloyd has re-focused institutional culture to position UniSA as Australia's university of enterprise and to shape its activities to better meet the challenges of the 21st century.
Professor Lloyd was a member of the South Australia Economic Development Board (EDB) from 2014 to 2018. A past Chair of the Australian Technology Network group of technology-focused universities, he is now Chair of Universities Australia (UA), the peak body representing the university sector, having previously served as UA’s lead Vice-Chancellor: Indigenous and lead Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation. He was previously appointed to the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) Advisory Council to provide advice to the ARC on key research policy issues, and to lend independent strategic guidance and experience that will strengthen the ARC’s ability to support research and innovation in Australia.
Before joining the University of South Australia, Professor Lloyd was Vice-president for Research and later Bursar and Director of Strategic Innovation at Trinity College Dublin. Professor Lloyd was Chair of the Irish Research Council and prior to academia, worked in the pharmaceutical industry in the UK. He holds an honorary Professorship from Tianjin University, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering.
Professor Lloyd qualified with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Applied Chemistry and a PhD in Medicinal Organic Chemistry from Dublin City University. He additionally holds an MA (j.o.) from Trinity College and an Honorary Doctorate from the late Sir Terry Pratchett’s Unseen University.
Mr Michael Abbott AO KC
Deputy Chancellor
Member appointed by Council
Michael Abbott graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Adelaide in 1964 and in 1966 was admitted to practice as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia. He has appeared in the High Court and in the Supreme Courts of all States and Territories of Australia and was initially appointed as Queens Counsel in South Australia in 1984. He has held the position of Chairman of the Legal Services Commission of South Australia, the Bar Association of South Australia, the Criminal Law Committee of the Law Society of South Australia and acted as Human Rights Observer for the Law Council of Australia.
Michael was subsequently awarded an AO (Officer of the Order Of Australia) for his services to the law, the arts and international relations, particularly international cultural relations.
Michael is an enthusiastic promoter of increased cultural contacts between Australia, particularly South Australia and India, Asia and South East Asia. Michael believes that increased cultural contact will not only lead to increased trade but will benefit South Australian Society in every way.
Ms Mary Patetsos AM
Pro Chancellor
Member appointed by Council
A passionate South Australian with strong national and global networks Mary is a professional non-Executive Board Director. Her extensive experience across the private, government and not for profit sectors has resulted in expertise in governance, strategy, stakeholder engagement and leadership. Mary’s leadership and skills in public policy and governance are linked with knowledge and experience in corporate and commercial enterprise.
Mary holds a range of Chairman and board positions including Chair of FECCA (Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia), Chair, St John Ambulance South Australia Inc, Board Director Northern Area Local Health Network - NALHN, SA Health, Board Director Consumer Health Forum, Council Member - National Aged Care Advisory Council, Board Director, CANDo for Kids, Board Director Glenelg Community Hospital, Member of the National Aged Care Alliance and Member, National Aged Care Quality Commission Advisory Committee. She is also the Chair of Audit, Risk and Finance Committees and Chair of Clinical Governance at NALHN.
In 2023 Mary became a Member of the General Division of the Order of Australia, for her contribution in the field of aged care and commitment to advancing multicultural Australia.
Ms Elaine Bensted
Member appointed by Council
Elaine Bensted is a University of South Australia alum and Chief Executive, Zoos South Australia.
Elaine has experience in the private and public sector in management, marketing and community engagement, with senior roles in the finance sector together with state and local government, including Chief Executive of TAFE SA.
She has an MBA and a Masters in Public Policy and Management as well as qualifications in finance. Her recognitions include an Australian Institute of Management Not for Profit Manager Award, a Telstra South Australian Business Woman of the Year Award for Purpose and Social Enterprise, and a UniSA Alumni Award.
Elaine is President of Zoos and Aquarium Association (ZAA) and member of its Finance and Audit Committee, a Board member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) and member of their Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Committee, and also a member of the UniSA Business School Program Advisory Board, The Australian Rhino Project Board, and a Board member and Treasurer of the Regional Development Australia Murraylands and Riverland Board.
Ms Ruth Blenkiron
Member appointed by Council
Ruth Blenkiron is an experienced management consultant who delivers executive coaching and organisational design and transformation services through her own business, with a focus on people management as central to change processes. Her clients are within the aged care, not-for-profit, health and defence industries.
Ruth chairs the SACE Board of South Australia, is the independent Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for the SA Department of Education, community member of the UniSA Student Appeals Committee and volunteers for Meals on Wheels.
Initially studying to be a teacher, Ruth’s appointment as Director of the Office of the Chief Executive for State Education in SA heralded a lengthy executive career. She has held executive roles within the Department for Education and Children’s Services, led the South Australian Centre for Leaders in Education, and was previously Executive Director: Human Resources at the University of South Australia, where she was awarded a fellowship. She has been Registrar of the Supreme Court of South Australia, Deputy Commissioner for Equal Opportunity in SA, and Deputy and Acting Principal of Seymour College.
Mr John Evans
Member appointed by Council
John Evans has extensive expertise in accounting, audit, assurance and risk management.
John worked with KPMG for over 40 years, including in Australia for the majority of this time, together with periods spent in Papua New Guinea, South Africa and Zimbabwe. He was appointed a partner in 1996 and retired from the firm in September 2020. He has also worked for Elders Limited as Group Manager Risk Compliance and Audit, and Secretary to the Board.
He is currently on the board of Beyond Bank Australia Limited, Health Partners Limited, The Australian String Quartet and is Chair of the Audit and Risk Committees of the South Australian Department of Health and Wellbeing and the South Australian Public Trustee.
Mr Terry Evans AM
Member appointed by Council
Terry Evans is a highly experienced lawyer and company director in the public, private and not-for profit sectors.
This appointment is Terry’s second tenure on the University of South Australia Council, following an earlier term of 12 years from 2005, which included serving as Pro Chancellor from 2010 to 2017.
Mr Evans began his career in a small legal practice before joining professional services firm Minter Ellison, where he specialised in commercial transactions and tax and led the Adelaide office for a term as Managing Partner.
He subsequently joined the South Australian Government as its Chief Commercial Counsel. In this role he was the senior government lawyer on the privatisation of the state’s electricity, ports, TAB and other smaller businesses, and on the outsourcing of water and bus services. He later became the Deputy Chief Executive and then Chief Executive of the Attorney-General’s Department.
Ms Vanessa Matthews
Professional Staff Member
Vanessa Matthews is the University's Students and Research Registrar and has extensive experience in student and academic services, human resource management, and customer service. Vanessa has a passion for supporting the academic and research success of UniSA's students, and currently leads a large student services portfolio, including scholarships, student services and support, coursework and research student administration, student reporting and systems, and graduations and records.
Vanessa has worked for the University for 20 years, and holds a Master of Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Arts.
Mr William (Bill) Muirhead AO
Member appointed by Council
Bill Muirhead is a Founder and Executive Director of the new Communications Company Act III. Prior to this he was a Founder and Executive Director of M&C Saatchi.
From 2007 to 2021 Bill was the Agent General for the Government of South Australia. He has been a Director of The Australia Day Foundation since it was formed in 2003.
Bill began his advertising career with Ogilvy and Mather before joining Saatchi & Saatchi. He became Worldwide Chief Executive and President in 1988 based in New York. When Bill returned to London in 1995, he co-founded M&C Saatchi.
In 2011 Bill founded the South Australian Club, an international community of people with an active interest in South Australia through business, politics, academia, media and the arts.
In 2023 Bill became an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia, for distinguished service to the business sector, to the community of South Australia, and to international relations. He has also been involved in the Mentor Me programme in South Australia, an initiative to help young Britons to develop useful skills and to find employment.
Mr Benjamin Opiyo
USASA Postgraduate Representative
Benjamin Opiyo is a Master of Communication student and is the Post Graduate Representative for 2024.
Benjamin holds a Bachelor of Journalism, specialising in Broadcast Journalism, from Kenya. He has had brief stints as a news producer and writer. Benjamin’s postgraduate studies focus on stakeholder engagement, issues management and communication planning. While he has a background in journalism, Benjamin has become drawn to the application of communication in a multilateral world. He sees himself as a global citizen and looks forward to a career in strategic communication, foreign affairs, and public service.
Benjamin is a student representative on the UniSA Creative Academic Unit Board and President of the African Society Club, a student-run club that fosters relations and engagements with various nationalities in a multicultural Australia. Benjamin has served in community and church organisations. He currently serves as a Subdeacon at the St Peters Cathedral Adelaide. He is trilingual. He brings to the board insights into international education drawing from his experiences and engagement with international students.
Mr Oliver Shephard-Bayly
USASA President, Student Representative
Oliver is a Social Work Student and the University of South Australia Student Association (USASA) Student President for 2024.
He brings a wide range of experience previously being Magill student representative and has a strong interest in governance and advocacy.
Oliver is also currently the State Branch President of the National Union of Students and is actively involved in the trade union movement having worked as a Union Representative for the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association.
He is also an active member of many student clubs, currently being the Treasurer of BET (Beer Enthusiast Team).
Mr Ian Smith AM
Member appointed by Council
Mr Ian Smith is the founding partner of corporate and political advisory firm Bespoke Approach. He is Senior Adviser to Albright Stonebridge Group, a Washington-based strategy consultancy. Ian is involved in refugee advocacy, chairing Barefoot to Boots, a charity assisting refugee camps and their host communities, and a director of Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia. He is a Director of Developing East Arnhem Limited, assisting the remote region’s economic development. Ian is the United Kingdom’s Honorary Consul for South Australia and the Deputy Chair of Prince’s Trust Australia, founded by his Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. He became a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in June 2018.
Professor Deirdre Tedmanson
Chair of Academic Board
Deirdre Tedmanson is a Professor of Social Policy and Dean of Programs for UniSA Justice & Society at the University of South Australia. She holds a PhD from the ANU, in addition to Masters (Policy and Administration) and Arts (Social Sciences) degrees. Deirdre is an active researcher with a strong focus on social policy, community development, homelessness, Aboriginal governance and wellbeing, and enterprise development. Her research has included ARC Discovery and Linkage projects; extensive CRC work and AHURI research projects, as well as a range of community and industry partnered applied research. Deirdre has had an extensive career at UniSA, with deep and ongoing connections across the sector both internally and externally, prior to which she worked in community development, research, policy and management positions in both the non-government sector and State Government, as well as working in Australia’s Commonwealth Parliament as a senior political advisor.
Professor Craig Williams
Academic Staff Member
Craig graduated with a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Zoology and a major in Microbiology from the University of Adelaide. After a few years working in research he took a Graduate Diploma in Education (University of Adelaide) and a PhD (University of South Australia), before working as a school teacher. After post-doctoral research work at James Cook University he returned to an academic position at the University of South Australia.
Throughout his academic career of more than 20 years Craig has combined skills in education and communication with his research studying the interface between environmental and public health. His particular focus is on mosquito-borne diseases. This academic work has been recognised through awards such as the South Australian Young Scientist of the Year (2007), an IgNobel Prize in Biology (2005, for science that makes you laugh, then think), and a Commonwealth Office of Learning and Teaching (OLT) Citation for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning (2013).
Craig continues to teach undergraduate courses, and manages postgraduate research programs. He has held a number of leadership roles at UniSA: as Dean of Research Education in Health Sciences, Associate Director of the Teaching Innovation Unit, and Associate Head of School for Pharmacy and Medical Sciences, in both the Research and Academic portfolios. Craig then spent a period as Dean of Programs in UniSA: Clinical and Health Sciences, with responsibility for degrees in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Science, Biomedical Science, Nutrition and Food, and Health Sciences. He is now Dean of Programs in UniSA: STEM (Science, Construction and Project Management).
