Nerita Waight
Chief Executive Officer
Nerita Waight is a proud Yorta Yorta and Narrandjeri woman with Taungurung connections. She is CEO of VALS, and is an experienced solicitor with a demonstrated history of working in the legal and community services industry. Prior to becoming CEO, Nerita had experience across several teams in the organisation including family and children’s law, as well as policy and advocacy. In 2017, Nerita established Balit Ngulu, a specialist legal service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young peoples.
As CEO, Nerita has overseen the establishment of our dedicated youth legal practice Balit Ngulu and our Wirraway Police and Prison Accountability Practice which has supported clients on several high-profile Coronial Inquests, alongside the strengthening of VALS’ advocacy.
Nerita is also Deputy Chair of the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services (NATSILS), elected member of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria for Metropolitan Melbourne, Treaty Negotiator and Treaty Co-Convenor. She is an independent member of the Justice Policy Partnership (established under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap) and Victorian Representative on the Joint Council. She has served on the boards of several organisations including Elizabeth Morgan House, Bubup Wilam, and the Australia Community Support Organisation.
Trevor Plowman
Chief Financial Officer
Trevor Plowman has extensive experience in financial services delivery and administration and leads the VALS finance unit, encompassing all key financial and risk management review. Prior to working with VALS, Trevor worked with the Department of Justice, EPA Victoria, the Bureau of Meteorology, and Domain Caravans, within senior financial management roles. He served as the CFO of the Bureau and EPA, and Finance Director of Domain Caravans.
Amanda Dunstall
Deputy Chief Executive Officer
Amanda is a Gunditjmara woman. Amanda is the Deputy Chief Executive Officer at VALS, until recently, Amanda served as a Director on the VALS board of Directors for ten years. Amanda has extensive experience working with Aboriginal communities, particularly within the Child, Family and Welfare sectors, with a strong focus on best practice and building workforce capability. Amanda has, through her tireless work, shown she is passionate about social justice for Koori people.
Ali Besiroglu
Director of Legal Services
Ali is the Director of Legal Services at the VALS. He worked at VALS for 7 years in criminal and civil law before moving to Robinson Gill, where he practised in civil litigation against the State of Victoria. Ali has represented many First Nations families in coronial inquests into deaths in custody. He is a current Board Member of the Eastern Community Legal Centre and received the LIV’s Stephen Myall award in 2024 for outstanding contribution to social justice.
Emily Chauvel
Acting Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy
Emily has a settler and migrant background, being raised in Naarm and Indonesia. Emily is the Acting Director of Policy, Communications and Strategy at VALS, with almost fifteen years experience working in the ACCO sector. She is currently pursuing a Juris Doctor at RMIT, and holds a Master of Social Science (Policy and Human Services).
Marie Mitchell
Statewide Community Justice Program Leader
A proud Yorta Yorta woman, Marie completed her studies in Bachelor and Masters in Social Work in 2012, returning in 2022 to complete her Graduate Certificate in Family Therapy: First Nations.
Prior to working with VALS, Marie has worked in the community sector for nearly 15 years, across Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations (ACCO) and within Court Services Victoria, primarily in the Family Division of the Childrens’ Court, working to support the growth of the Marram-Ngala Ganbu Koori Family Hearing Day. Marie has extensive board experience in a voluntary capacity, including with the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS), Bubup Wilam and Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation across the last 10 years.
Amanda Jones
Director of Research & Evidence Development
Amanda has over 30 years’ experience in community-based research and evaluation in the child and family welfare sector. Amanda is a registered psychologist, and has a Master of Evaluation (Research) from the Centre for Program Evaluation, University of Melbourne. Amanda has previously worked in research and evaluation senior management for The Salvation Army, Berry Street, and more recently, VACCA. Amanda has also worked as a research officer in the Victorian Parliament, as a research associate in a private government relations consultancy, and as a managing psychologist for a community-based problem gambling counselling service. Amanda is passionate about supporting evidence and knowledge building by Community for transformational change.
Principal Managing Lawyers
Negar Panahi
Principal Managing Lawyer, Balit Ngulu
Negar Panahi is the Principal Managing Lawyer of Balit Ngulu Practice. Negar started her legal career at VALS as a volunteer in 2017. Since then Negar has worked as a criminal secretary, paralegal and a solicitor with the Criminal Law Practice. During her time with the Criminal Law Practice, Negar developed a strong passion for assisting youth in the criminal justice system and developed her youth crime expertise. Negar transitioned to the Balit Ngulu Practice as senior lawyer and assisted with the program’s relaunch in September 2021.
Grace Buschgens
Principal Managing Lawyer, Criminal Law
Grace is the Principal Managing Lawyer of the Criminal Law Practice. Grace has 10 years experience working in the criminal law jurisdiction having worked at the County Court and VLA as an associate, lawyer and manager before coming to VALS permanently in 2023. Grace has a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts and is currently undertaking her Masters in Human Rights Laws at Monash University.
Juergen Kaehne
Principal Managing Lawyer, Aboriginal Families Law
Juergen is the Principal Managing Lawyer for VALS Aboriginal Families Law. He was previously the State Manager for the Tasmanian Aboriginal Community Legal Service. It has been a privilege for him to provide legal service exclusively to Aboriginal people over the past 15 years. This service included complex child-related matters in both State and Commonwealth jurisdictions, and 10 years of remote circuit work through Cape York Peninsula. He holds a Masters degree in Family Law and is a registered Independent Children’s Lawyer, as well as a member of the Law Council of Australia and the Governance Institute of Australia
Raagini Vijaykumar
Principal Managing Lawyer, Wirraway
Raagini is the Principal Managing Lawyer of the Wirraway Practice. Prior to joining the Wirraway team to work on prison and police accountability matters, Raagini worked at a law firm representing clients bringing claims for compensation against police and prisons for unlawful conduct. Her background also includes working at the Coroners Court and within the Department of Justice and Community Safety. Raagini has a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Arts degree.
Siobhan Doyle
Principal Managing Lawyer, Civil and Human Rights
Siobhan is the Principal Managing Lawyer of the Civil and Human Rights Practice. She has worked at VALS since 2019, moving from Senior Lawyer to Managing Lawyer. Before finding her passion in the CLC sector Siobhan worked at a small commercial firm. She has a Bachelor of Laws and Business.