About Us

Surfing Victoria is recognised by the State Government of Victoria and the Victorian surf industry as the governing and organising body for surfing in Victoria. Surfing Victoria conducts a range of age and discipline events, as well as educational programs to coaches, instructors, recreational surfers and competitors. Our services are delivered by a key network of regional coaches, affiliated clubs and surf schools. Benefits and Insurances are provided to our members, affiliated clubs and surf schools.

PURPOSE
To enrich Victorian communities through surfing.

OUR VALUES
Real
We have a passion for surfing

Respectful
We are appreciative of and celebrate our community, environment, indigenous culture and surfing history

Progressive
We are inclusive, innovative and embrace change

 

STRATEGIC PILLARS

Participation and Community
Grow an inclusive, safe and active Victorian community through surfing

Governance
Maintain a stable and compliant organisation focused on the delivery of our vision and values.

Indigenous
To be a leader in Indigenous sport participation of Victorian communities while fostering a love and understanding of waterways

Events
Deliver a portfolio of innovative and inclusive events in Victoria

Women and Girls
Support a diverse and inclusive surf culture and community with equality in and out of the water.

Sport Development
Supporting Victorian athletes to become the world’s best surfers and people

    OUR OPERATING PRINCIPLES

    • We build and value positive and respectful relationships
    • We are focused on core programs whilst staying flexible
    • We are proactive and strive to be at the forefront of surfing innovation
    • We connect through storytelling using digital media
    • We design for inclusivity and positive community and environmental impact
    • We promote care for Victoria’s coastline
    • We have fun

    View our full Strategic Plan here

       

      Board

      Ashleigh Wall

      Chair - Independent Director

      Ash is an experienced commercial lawyer and has been the Chair of Surfing Victoria since 2018. A lifelong surfer, Ash grew up surfing on the Bellarine Peninsula and has been a 13th Beach club champion in the past.

      A passionate advocate for creating positive change through business, Ash is also a Board Member of Genyus Foundation, Active Geelong and Carrie’s Beanies For Brain Cancer.

      Ash is a co-founder of Mast Lawyers. She holds a Bachelor of Law, a Bachelor of Arts (International Relations), an MBA from the Melbourne Business School and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

      Paul Robson - CA, GAICD, BBus, BComp

      Deputy Chair - Elected Director

      Paul is a KPMG Partner and an experienced Chartered Accountant. He has been a Surfing Victoria director since 2013. Paul is a passionate surfer and spends his spare time enjoying the surf with his family in the Bellarine Peninsula.

      Paul provides strategic and practical advice, focusing on business growth, financial reporting, governance, risk and taxation. Paul also has experience as a member of Audit and Risk Committees for local government and Victorian statutory authorities.

      He is a Leaders for Geelong graduate, registered tax agent, registered company auditor and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), Bachelor of Computing, Graduate Diploma in Accounting and Certificate of Public Practice.

      Glen Emslie

      Elected Director

      Glen is one of the longest ever serving board members, being on the board since 2004. A passionate longboarder  who grew up surfing the breaks of Phillip Island, Glen has been involed across all aspects of surfing from competing, to judging and boardriders clubs.

      Glen been Surfing Victorian Longboard State Rep, National Rep as well as team manager for the Victorian State Team at the Longboard Australian Titles.

      Carmen Clifford

      Elected Director

      Carmen has been on the Surfing Victoria Board since January 2020. She loves watching the community around me being enriched through surfing and the ocean.

      Carmen is the director of CC Virtually Admin and has over 20 years’ experience within local government and the private business sector which provided a high expertise across the areas of Office Management, Administration and Event Management which has led to assisting Surfing Victoria with its strategic objectives. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and walking our dog along the beach.

      Kate Sullivan

      Elected Director

      Kate is a committed surfer who started her journey on a knee board when she was 18, being located in Melbourne she moved to windsurfing for about 10 years and then later transitioned back to surfing after getting the longboard bug in her 30’s. She hasn’t looked back and has been actively engaged in the longboarding community since then, surfing as many times a week as she can as well as actively competing in state and local competitions.

      Kate is passionate about seeing greater diversity in surfing and particularly committed to increasing the participation of female and indigenous people in surfing, closely aligning with two of the pillars in the Surfing Victoria Strategic Plan.

      Kate is a strategic land use planner who has worked for over 30 years in the public and private sector, the last 15 of these have been in executive positions in state and local government within the Geelong region. She lives on the Surf Coast with her partner and daughter Sam and her family.

      Cal Viney

      Independent Director

      Cal is a lifelong surfer hailing from the Mornington Peninsula and was elected to the Surfing Victoria board in 2021.

      Cal holds an LLM (Public Law) from the London School of Economics & Political Science where he studied as a Chevening Scholar and was awarded the Stanley De Smith Prize for the best overall performance in the public law specialism. Cal has also co-authored book chapters on UK and Australian constitutional law issues for the Cambridge University Press. Cal is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

      Prior to being called to the Bar, Cal held the role of Deputy General Counsel to the Premier of Victoria, where he advised on public law, parliamentary processes, inquiries and royal commissions, commercial and industrial disputes and policy issues arising across the justice portfolios.

      Cal previously served in legal policy and constitutional recognition advisory roles at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and originally practiced as a lawyer in commercial litigation at Hunt & Hunt Lawyers.

      Emilie Cutler

      Independant Director

      Emilie is an experienced Tourism, Events and Business Development professional and has spent the last 12 years working in the beautiful Bass Coast/Phillip Island region. Holding a bachelor of business and tourism management, Emilie’s true love is distance running and is a proud member of the Traralgon Harriers Athletics Club whilst also dabbling in surfing in her adult life.

      Emilie is passionate about sporting events and strategic partnerships, particularly those that can be leveraged to increase visitation and provide economic and social benefit to regional communities.

      Chris Watson

      Elected Director

      Chris is a passionate surfer/bodyboarder who lives on the Mornington Peninsula with his two children and wife. He currently works as a Learning and Development professional specialising in technical capability and capacity for the Asia Pacific region. He holds an MBA from Torrens University/Ducere Business School.

      Chris competes in shortboard and bodyboard disciplines and regularly judges club events. Chris received the “Tom Wilson – Spirit of Bodyboarding Award” at the 2022 Australian National Titles for significant contributions to the sport. Chris is a 6-time Bodyboard State Title winner and current president of Bodyboarding Victoria. He believes strongly in creating an inclusive, diverse community of people who love the sport of surfing and hopes to increase participation and engagement with unique events and offerings catering for everyone from beginners to professional-level athletes.

      Staff

      Adam Robertson

      CEO

      Adam is a former professional surfer hailing from Portland in Victorias far south west. Robbo is best known for his power surfing at Bells culminating in a runner-up finish at the 2009 Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach against Joel Parkinson.

      Appointed the CEO at Surfing Victoria in 2015, he has coached some of the best in the world including world champions Kelly Slater and Carissa Moore whilst also guiding Surfing Victoria events and programs to commericial viability.

      Elley Harrison

      Head of Finance and Operations

      Elley Harrison is an experianced and respected sports administrator who has been at Surfing Victoria since 2002. Growing up in Cape Paterson, Elley graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Sports Adminstration/Business Management. Elley manages the day to day operations of Surfing Victoria with a focus on finance, administration and governance.

      Liam Robertson

      Head of Events and Programs

      Liam started with Surfing Victoria in 2008 as a trainee before obtaining a Bachelor of Sports Management / Business at the University of Ballarat. Liam started full time with Surfing Victoria in 2013 as the Marketing and Comms manager.

      He oversees all events, marketing, partnerships and government.

      Cahill Bell-Warren

      Head of Sport Development

      Growing up on the hill at Bells Beach, Cahill’s surfing has been honed on the long right hand waves in the area. As a junior Cahill was not astand out, but developed into one of Victoria’s top Pro Junior surfers, finishing the WSL series as the highest rated Victorian in 2008. One of Cahill’s career highlights was winning the Rip Curl Pro Trials and surfing in the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach mainevent in 2014.

      Post surfing career, Cahill worked under the tutelage of Adam Robertson to become Surfing Victoria’s High Performance Coaching Director. Since starting in the role Cahill has worked with athletes such as Carissa Moore, Ethan Ewing, Jarvis Earle, Connor O’Leary, Morgan Cibilic, Ellie Harrison, Mia Huppatz, Kehu Butler and more.

      Jordie Campbell

      Head of Programs / Indigenous Aquatics Manager

      Jordie is a Muna Muna man, who grew up on Boonwurrung Country at Sandy Point. Before starting with Surfing Victoria in 2015, Jordie participated in the Victorian Indigenous Surfing Program whilst also completing a carpentary trade.

      Since starting with Surfing Victoria as our Indigenous Aquatics Manager, Jordie has led the Indigenous Surfing Program expansion whilst also working on events and in the coaching team. Jordie also oversees all programs across the Surfing Victoria business

      Peter Murphy

      Major Events and Risk Management

      Pete (or Murf has he is known), started with Surfing Victoria on the Rip Curl Pro site crew in 2005, before coming on full time as our Operations Manager in 2007. Before arriving at Surfing Victoria, Murf had an extensive career in government and the surf industry.

      Murf leads the Rip Curl Pro site build and operations each year whilst also working on Surfing Victoria events, risk management, Surf School compliance and Boardrider Club compliance.

      Simon Parsons

      Core Events and Clubs

      Simon started with Surfing Victoria in 2017 in a casual role working and judging at events across the state. In 2019, he moved into a full time role as Events Manager. Prior to being a Surfing Victoria, Simon worked across the Surf Industry.

      Simon manages our calendar of state, national and international events throughout the year.

      Chad Butterworth

      Community and Participation

      Chad started a Surfing Victoria in 2018 and came to Surfing Victoria from the AFL. Chad has a Bachelor in Sports Management from Federation University.

      Chad leads the administration within Surfing Victoria whilst also delivering on Surf School, Club and Membership.

      James Wilson-Browne

      Program Delivery

      James hails from Phillip Island and started with Surfing Victoria as a volunteer at the Rip Curl Pro in 2018. James came to Surfing Victoria with a Bachelor of Human Movement.

      James helps deliver on Surfing Victoria programs across the state including the Indigenous, Multicultural, All Abilities and Women and Girls programs.

      Linda Morris

      Bookkeeper (Part time)

      Linda Morris is the stalwart of Surfing Victoria, having been with the organisation since 2000. Linda manages the day to day finances and previously worked in law firms as a Legal Secretary.  Linda resides on the Mornington Peninsula with the majority of her work conducted from her home office.

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