Scholarship Council
Scott Chapman (Chair)
Currently, the CEO of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Victoria, Scott has held senior leadership positions in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors over many years.
Scott believes that everyone has the capability to achieve. And it is the opportunity to do so through higher education that the trustees celebrate with all scholarship awardees. He also believes everyone has a chance to give back to society. Alongside his professional career, he has always enjoyed the opportunities to be involved in voluntary positions across a wide spectrum. Scott is also currently involved as Chairman, Doutta Galla Aged Services, Chairman Western Melbourne Tourism, and on the boards of Cottage By The Sea Children’s camp and Awards Victoria.
Alan March
Dr Alan March is Professor in Urban Planning and Disaster Risk Reduction in the Melbourne School of Design at Melbourne University. His research and teaching includes urban planning law, disaster risk reduction and professional education.
Alan grew up on a farm in Western Australia and after studying urban planning was sponsored to continue his study and work in England.
Alan has practised since 1991 in a broad range of private sector and government roles including statutory and strategic planning, advocacy, and urban design, throughout Australia and in the UK. He has worked in Victoria since 1996 and now balances practice with research and teaching.
Alan was previously the Foundation Director of the Bachelor of Design degree, which spans the Faculties of Architecture, Building and Planning, Engineering and Victoria College of the Arts. He has supervised 15 PhDs and many more Masters research thesis students to successful completion. Alan has received numerous awards for his work on urban resilience. He is an active member of the Planning Institute of Australia and enjoys speed windsurfing.
Fiona Mckinnon
Fiona McKinnon is the General Manager, Allied Health and Community Services and Chief Allied Health Officer at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne.
With a clinical background in physiotherapy, Fiona has worked in Public sector health in a range of clinical and leadership positions in both metropolitan and regional health services over the past 35 years.
Her position focuses on leading the Allied Health and Community Services staff at St Vincent’s to ensure the provision of excellent clinical care, outstanding clinical education for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and innovative clinical research. Fiona is also a past National President of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and chairs the Physiotherapy Board of Australia (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency-AHPRA) Registrations and Notifications Committee. She also enjoys playing competitive tennis, reading, travelling and attending the theatre and ballet.
Nadeem Hekmat
Nadeem was a Dafydd Lewis Scholar from 2011 – 2015 and completed the Bachelor of Law/Bachelor of Commerce at Deakin University.
Nadeem is a Workplace Relations, Employment, and Safety Lawyer at Clayton Utz which followed a graduate-at-law position and clerkship at Clayton Utz and clerkship at Maurice Blackburn. He’s also completed a legal officer internship at State Revenue Office Victoria and Paralegal/Administrative Assistant position at Shine Lawyers. Nadeem understands the power of education and aims to continue his involvement in activities providing underprivileged public school students the resources they need to realize their potential.
Luke Sell
Luke is currently working within the Rail Industry as a National Key Account Manager and is a former Dafydd Lewis Trust Scholar.
Luke completed a Bachelor of Business & Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) at Monash University, and was awarded the Sir John Monash Medal from the Monash Business School. He spent much of his time volunteering in university initiatives while he was studying. It was through this and the Dafydd Lewis Trust Scholarship that he was exposed to the positive effects of both networking and mentoring. Luke is passionate about working with, and mentoring, young individuals as they start out in their careers so they can thrive in what it is they wish to pursue. He’s also passionate about continuing to create awareness for the opportunities being a Dafydd Lewis Scholar affords.
Derek Linsell
Derek Linsell is the founder of Apricot Consulting, a Global Consulting firm working with Leaders and Executives of organisations by leading programs and ideas that bring openness and transformation around Leadership, Change and ESG.
Before establishing Apricot Consulting, Derek worked with the Salvation Army for 15 years. He is passionate about the vision of Dafydd Lewis Trust as he has personally experienced its benefits. Derek was awarded the scholarship himself, and as a result, he was able to study Economics at Monash University. It was these studies that set him on his career. He firmly believes that education is one of the key enablers to escape poverty and injustice. He loves to provide opportunities for the marginalised to achieve and find fulfillment. Derek also holds degrees in Economics, Theology and a Master of Arts. At present, he is also researching a PhD.