Our Board

Josephine specialises in customer centricity, strategy development and assisting executive teams to better understand and enhance the customer experience within their organisation. Josephine has held a number of executive and leadership roles in prominent businesses in Australia, the UK and Europe and brings over 20 years commercial experience from a broad range of industries and business functions. Josephine’s key areas of expertise are in organisational alignment, customer strategy, digital technology enablement, innovation and cultural transformation. She currently consults to leading organisations to support them in delivering an exceptional customer experience to deliver business and customer benefit.

She is an active hiker and is passionate about helping communities thrive through active connection.    

Richard is a seasoned accounting and finance professional with over 19 years of experience spanning banking, fundraising consultancy, not-for-profit, and wealth management industries. A CPA, he currently serves as a Finance Business Partner at a Victorian government department, where he excels in financial budgeting, forecasting, business analysis, and delivering strategic financial insights.

His expertise encompasses project financial management, adherence to Australian Accounting Standards, and a strong focus on process improvement and service delivery.

Richard has previously held significant roles at Jesuit Social Services Limited, ANZ, and MLC Wealth Limited.

Known for his leadership, collaboration, and ability to manage complex financial issues, he is committed to fostering financial accountability and sustainable growth. Outside of work, he enjoys taking walks with his family.

Emma is a financial services professional with 20 years’ experience in business strategy and treasury operations in the highly competitive Australian banking industry. She has held a number of senior and executive roles within the funds management and banking sector, and has expertise in managing shareholder, regulatory and customer demands with a thorough understanding of financial implications.

Currently the Treasurer for a not-for-profit childcare provider, Emma is responsible for pricing strategy, budgeting, forecasting and cashflow management. Within this role on the Committee she assists implementation of the strategic plan. Emma is passionate about walking being part of every child’s day.

A believer in our collective ability to build a better world, Susan McNair has built a career around bringing people together and sharing stories to effect change.

Susan is a partner in Currie, a medium-sized sustainability communications consultancy that works at the nexus of food, people and the environment. She works with corporate and government clients to engage audiences mainly across rural and regional Australia.

Prior to public relations, Susan spent a decade working in media across Australia and New Zealand as a journalist, editor and managing editor.

Susan lives in regional Victoria and is an avid hiker. She is keen to see outer-suburban and peri-urban development and planning consider walkability as an essential ingredient in liveability.

Kathy Lazanas is an accomplished executive with more than 20 years’ experience. Having worked predominantly in the transport industry, Kathy has worked with multinational organisations including Transdev and Keolis Downer (Yarra Trams). Kathy has also spent four years working in the not for profit sector for organisations that are dear to her heart; Jamie Oliver’s Ministry of Food and Heide Museum of Modern Art.

Today, Kathy leads one of Australia’s leading sustainable transport consultancies, Urban Transit Solutions. Established in 2004, PBA is renowned as Australia's leading independent public transport scheduling and network planning organisation. PBA also helps shape sustainable transport policy and plans through providing invaluable insights that prioritse human movement over cars. Kathy is responsible for managing a team of multi-disciplinary professionals including urban planners, urban designers, engineers and public transport specialists. Kathy is passionate about walking and is committed to delivering sustainable transport outcomes for towns and cities across Australia. She is a strong advocate for highlighting that walking is its own dedicated mode of transport and should be treated as such.

Simone Rosel has 20+ years consulting and working for purpose driven organisations alongside corporates, trusts, foundations and individuals in securing income investment and impact across disadvantage, health and environment sectors. 

Simone is recognised as an Internationally Certified Fund Raising Executive CFRE, currently Philanthropy Lead at Climateworks Centre Monash University. Completed Oxford University Impact Measurement Program, complementing her philanthropic industry knowledge and best practice in communicating between delivery on purpose driven organisations ambitions while securing Philanthropic support. In 2022, she was invited on the Advisory Circle for the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) providing advice, mentoring and guidance for the AVPN Outstanding Young Impact Leaders across 10 Asian markets.

Simone is driven by the passion we can and need to do more to access, unblock, support, innovate and scale financial investment and impact to leverage lasting transformational change for the environment and people. Simone enjoys discovering the wonders of the ocean, while on land she loves the physical and mental health aspects from walking and embracing nature.

Ben Rossiter is the founding Executive Officer and has led a small but enterprising team of staff to see the organisation become the primary Australian organisation leading the move for walkable communities.   

Ben was the Vice President of the International Federation of Pedestrians 2015-2023 and his expertise is widely sought in Australia and beyond. He is an engaging speaker and his keynotes include Walk21 Rotterdam 2019, 11th Liveable Cities Conference Melbourne 2018, 2WALKandCYCLE Conference, Auckland 2016 and a plenary presentation at Walk21 Hong Kong, 2016. He spoke at the ADC Forum's Creating Healthy Cities Summit, Melbourne 2015. He has attracted significant media exposure to walking issues on National and Victorian TV and press. In 2019, Ben was awarded the Sir James Barrett Memorial Medal for a notable contribution to planning. The theme of his doctoral dissertation was walking in cities and he takes great pleasure in the simple joy of walking, getting lost in urban areas and exploring new places on foot.