About us

Our Patron and Board

Lady Primrose Potter AC is a renowned patron for philanthropy in Australia. She has championed and continues to champion various issues from science and medicine to the arts, and through her patronage of The Lost Dogs’ Home, animal welfare. She has delivered significant support for programs that benefit the wider community, including The Love of Animals Campaign, raising philanthropic investment into specialised Lost Dogs’ Home programs and projects across vital animal welfare best practice growth areas such as Shelter Medicine and Post Adoption Behaviour training.
 
Lady Potter has spent her whole life surrounded by animals. She hopes through her patronage to encourage others to experience the joy animals bring into our lives and to love them and protect them.
 
“My intention as Patron is to promote and encourage others to seek out and celebrate the love of animals and experience the joy they bring into our lives. More than this, I encourage others to support The Lost Dogs’ Home to make sure they can not only continue to care for the thousands of animals coming through their doors, but so that they can grow and expand and lead in the field of best practice animal welfare, for the benefit of all animals”.

Ms Tanya Khan is an association executive and lawyer with 20 years’ experience in private, not-for-profit and public sector organisations. Tanya is currently Vice President & Managing Director, Australia and Asia Pacific, for the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC). In her role Tanya oversees all ACC operations in the region, including initiatives in the areas of membership growth, education, advocacy, development of resources and communications that support ACC’s members and advance ACC’s visibility and growth.

Tanya has a Bachelor of Laws, an MBA from Melbourne Business School and is a life-long animal lover. Tanya is committed to assisting organisations achieve superior commercial and strategic outcomes, and legal and risk profiles, and looks forward to using her extensive experience to help the Lost Dogs Home deliver on its Strategic Plan objectives.

Tanya was appointed to the Lost Dogs Home Board in April 2017.

Sharon Rowland is a veterinarian with over 28 years in clinical practice. She holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from Melbourne University and a Masters of Veterinary Studies from Murdoch University.

She has international experience, having practised in the UK, New Zealand and North America, both in private and not for profit practices. Currently, Sharon is a partner in a small animal clinic in inner Melbourne.

Sharon brings to the Lost Dog’s Home Board a strong passion for animal welfare and the human-animal bond. She looks forward to using her experience to advocate for the animals in the Home’s care, and assisting in shaping and guiding the strategy as a member of the Board. Sharon
was appointed to the Board in August 2018.

Sue is a senior executive with more than 33 years’ experience in not-for-profit, membership, professional services, higher education, government and small business sectors.  Her tertiary qualifications include an MBA, Graduate Diploma of Management, Graduate Diploma in International Trade, Graduate Diploma in Librarianship and Bachelor of Arts. 

Sue is passionate about animal rights and welfare. She is committed to bringing her marketing, business development, volunteering leadership, stakeholder engagement, change management and governance experience to support the development and delivery of the Lost Dogs’ Home’s strategic plan.

Sue is the very proud owner of two miniature dachshunds, 10-year old Macy, who Sue rescued, and 3-year old Shadow, a very enthusiast and wilful teenager. 

Sue was appointed to the Lost Dogs’ Home Board in September 2019.

Mitch Hancock is a Director at BlueRock, a multi-divisional professional services firm for entrepreneurial business’. Having spent 8 years in the role Mitch provides strategic advisory and compliance services for privately owned business and not for profit entities. Leading a team of accountants in the Melbourne based office, Mitch is actively involved in the business development strategy of the firm as well as business planning initiatives under the various strategic pillars of the firm. 

Mitch has a Bachelor of Commerce with a major in Business Management and is a qualified Chartered Accountant with a certificate of Public Practice. As an all round animal lover Mitch is looking forward to overlaying his experience in business and the not for profit sector to help achieve the vision of the home. Mitch was appointed to the Lost Dogs Home Board in October 2019.

Simon is an experienced Supply Chain and Manufacturing executive with extensive experience in large businesses.
 

He started his career managing beer distribution operations for one of the major brewers in the UK before moving to Australia. Subsequent experience has been primarily in the Chemicals businesses of Orica and Ixom.  He has had functional responsibility for Safety Health and Environment Management, and Business Improvement teams. He is commercially focused, having experience on senior management teams running business up to 1.5M turnover and control of large operating and capital budgets.

He has had a lifelong interest in the welfare of animals, is a self-proclaimed ‘dog’ person and has supported the Home for many years. He has two spoilt dogs, the second of which was adopted from the Home.

Craig is the Chief Information Officer for Yooralla with extensive experience in Information Technology, Digital Transformation and Cybersecurity.  Craig has worked various industry sectors ranging from non-for profit, defence, business process outsourcing, telecommunications and various government enterprises.  He is also a Fellow with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has an MBA and MTh.  Craig was appointed to The Lost Dogs’ Home Board in January 2020.

Kristine is a Senior Manager in ANZ, where she has focused on leading & engaging people to transform an organisation – both in retail sales and in Product / Strategy / Digital Marketing environments. She has recently spent several years as a District Manager, managing 100+ branch staff in regional Victoria. Prior to banking, she worked in organisational change and training.

Originally from the US, Kristine has also worked in London and Vietnam. She has an MBA from London Business School, and she is President Emeritus of London Business School's Melbourne Alumni Club. 

She is a leader in Beach Patrol Australia, where her dog is an honorary member. An enthusiastic dog lover, Kristine is passionate about improving animal welfare, and briefly volunteered in South Africa for the Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife. She is looking forward to bringing her commercial acumen and her large-scale people/operations management skills to the Board.

Kristine was appointed to the Lost Dogs’ Home Board in July 2019.

Rohan Filer is Chief Financial Officer of b.box for kids, one of the fastest growing Australian companies in the baby products industry. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant with over 20 years of experience in finance, strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and international structuring.

Rohan was previously Head of Corporate Development at technology company MessageMedia, responsible for strategy and acquisitions. He also spent many years as a consultant in professional services firms in Australia and the UK advising clients on transformational projects, strategic reviews, corporate finance projects and taxation issues.

Rohan has Bachelors Degrees in Law and Commerce and an MBA from London Business School.

Prior to joining the Board of The Lost Dogs’ Home, Rohan was a Board Member and Treasurer of Jewish Care Victoria for 8 years. Rohan was appointed to The Lost Dogs’ Home Board in April 2020.