Chief Executive Officer
Chief Executive Officer, Gerard Menses
Mr Gerard Menses BA (Hons), MA, MAPsS, MAICD, FAIM
Vision Australia is Australia's largest blindness and low vision organisation.
Combining the skills and resources of five leading blindness organisations to create one national voice, Vision Australia is committed to delivering exceptional and efficient services that open up exciting possibilities for our community.
As CEO, Gerard works with 1,000 staff and 4,000 volunteers throughout Australia in a living partnership with people who are blind, sighted or have low vision who are determined to ensure that people who are blind or hve low vision can take part in every aspect of life.
He is on the Board of the Centre for Eye Research Australia and Vision 2020 Australia where he chairs the Corporate and Governance Committee. Gerard is a Trustee on the Advisory Board, Committee for Melbourne.
Gerard is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management, and was awarded their highest honour as the "Professional Manager of the Year Queensland 2001". He accepted the Prime Ministers National Employer of the Year Award 2006 on behalf of Vision Australia. Vision Australia was also one of five finalists in the Australian Sustainability Awards as the best practice NFP.
Previously, Gerard was CEO of Endeavour, working in Queensland with people with an intellectual disability. Endeavour was Australia's largest state-based charity. Whilst there, Gerard achieved an addition $30m recurrent funding from the state.
In Queensland, Gerard was on the Ministerial Committee reviewing disability funding. He served on the Commonwealth committee, implementing the Business Services Review. He was secretary of ACROD Queensland and on ACROD's national board.
Prior to Endeavour, Gerard was CEO of AnglicareSA - the largest community organisation in South Australia. Whilst in Adelaide, Gerard served on the Premier's Social Justice Advisory Committee, and the State Strategic Planning exercise, "2020 Vision" (1990-1993).
Gerard was Chair of the Child Protection Council of South Australia, a Trustee of the South Australian Employers' Chamber's Business Vision 2010 and appointed to the council of the Governor's Leadership Foundation. He also served on a range of Ministerial advisory committees. Gerard was a catalyst in forming Anglicare Australia. He was also a Development Assessment Commissioner, making planning determinations on matters of State importance.
Prior to Anglicare SA, Gerard was Executive Director of the South Australian Council of Social Service.
In Sydney, Gerard worked with young offenders and developed a residential program, known as "Contextual Residential Care" which is now used internationally. He founded an international professional journal for family therapists and for a brief period taught family therapy at the Dulwich Centre.
He has served as a Governor of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) (1988-1990 and1993-1995) and Deputy Chair of Anglicare Australia (1992-1998). Gerard is Associate Fellow of the CEO Institute and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Gerard was Trustee of the Committee for the Economic Development of Australia (2000-2003).
Gerard is married to Philippa and together they are enjoying raising three young boys.