Working together.

We are delighted to share the news that key members of the Western Chances family, Steve Bracks and Gaye Hamilton, are taking on roles at Victoria University following the decision of the current Chancellor, George Pappas, to retire from his position at the end of 2019. Congratulations to Gaye and Steve. The Hon. Steve Bracks AC, husband of our founding Chair Terry Bracks AM, will take up the position of Chancellor from January 2021.

Prior to Steve’s commencement in 2021, the Chancellor role will be filled by current Deputy Chancellors Wayne Kayler-Thomson and Gaye Hamilton who will take up a co-appointed role as Chancellor for the 2020 academic year. Gaye, who is a long-term Western Chances Board Member, will hold the role for six months from July 2020 to December 2020.

Gaye has been a resident of Melbourne’s west for 45 years. As a former secondary school science teacher and Principal in Victoria’s state system, she is dedicated to education as a conduit for building and strengthening her local community.

As well as her Deputy Chancellor role, Gaye Hamilton is Chair of the Western Bulldogs Football Club Community Foundation. She started her professional career with 18 years of secondary science, maths and biology management and teaching in the Victorian State Schools system, including being school Principal. Gaye then moved to senior executive roles with Victoria’s major cultural institutions, including Museum Victoria’s Scienceworks, Melbourne Zoo and Werribee’s Open Range Zoo.

In her role as a director at Western Chances, Gaye has been a significant force in helping the organisation to grow and change over the years. For that, we are truly grateful. When asked what Gaye’s Big Dream was she says “I want the opportunity for every person, but particularly young people, across Melbourne’s west, to have access to the highest quality education to enable them to succeed in being their best, whatever that may be.”  We know Gaye skills and knowledge will be invaluable in the Chancellor role and keep the university in tip-top shape prior to Steve’s commencement.

Western Chances was founded by Terry Bracks in 2004, when Steve was Premier of Victoria. Having worked as a teacher in Victorian state schools; Terry knew the potential of young people was too often unfulfilled due to financial barriers to education.