Our team

Dugald Murray

Executive Director



Dan Mabilia

Director of Engagement and Member Services


Pam Jonas​

Senior Adviser



Andrea Newton​

Finance and Operations Manager


Lizzy O’Shea

Policy Manager



Dugald Murray

Dugald Murray is Executive Director of the Victorian TAFE Association. A passionate supporter of local industry and job creation, Dugald has worked in public policy for 20+ years across industry, political, NFP and public service roles in Australia and Canada.

Most recently, Dugald was a Director with the Victorian Skills Authority, Executive Director Advocacy at the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and a Director at Nous Group.  

He has an extensive career in advocacy and policy, having held senior roles with Victorian, Australian and Canadian governments. He has been a Chief of Staff and Senior Adviser to State and Federal Ministers, and Chief Economist at the Australian Conservation Foundation. Dugald was also a Non-Executive Director of the Australian Energy Foundation and ICN Victoria.

Dan Mabilia

Dan has worked in the education sector for over 30 years with the majority spent in the vocational education and training sector after commencing his teaching career in the secondary education system.

He has extensive experience in education delivery and in senior leadership roles in vocational and higher education operations in TAFE (both standalone and Dual Sector University). Most recently he was Director of Foundation Skills and Pathways at Bendigo Kangan Institute and prior to this at RMIT as Deputy Dean of Vocational Health, Sciences and Trades, and at William Angliss Institute as Associate Director of VET. He started as a VE trainer there and moved into senior management positions in program delivery and international education. 

Dan has a passion for leadership and a collaborative approach to problem solving. He joins the VTA with significant knowledge of the operational challenges faced in the TAFE sector and will strive to advocate on behalf of TAFE and Dual Sector Universities.

Dan’s qualifications include a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science Education.

Pam Jonas​

Pam has over thirty years of experience in the education, training, employment, industry, and community sectors in a variety of leadership, management, research, evaluation and policy adviser positions.

Pam has a comprehensive understanding of the Australian state and national education and training systems as they relate broadly to employment and training, and specifically to trade training. Through her global networks, Pam also has a broad knowledge and understanding of international education, training and employment systems.

She has worked across the vocational education and training sector as a Principal Education and Training Policy Adviser, Manager of Policy and Research; and researcher, evaluator and writer for a range of employer organisations including VECCI/ACCI, the Group Training Association of Victoria, TVET, and the Victorian TAFE Association.

Pam holds a Master’s Degree of Public Policy and Management, and is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

She has served as a board member on Statutory Boards including Chisholm Institute of TAFE, and the Victorian Qualifications Authority; and currently holds Board memberships in the NGO/NFP sector at a state and international level.

Andrea Newton

Lizzy O’Shea

Lizzy is a policy and strategy professional with public and private sector experience internationally. She brings broad subject matter expertise including education, economic, industry and social policy, climate adaptation, disaster resilience and how to deliver outcomes across governments and industry.

Most recently, Lizzy was a Policy Director working for the Australian Government in Canberra and leading economic and built environment policy within the emergency management portfolio. She has also worked as a management consultant specialising in higher education and workforce issues, and in advocacy roles on education, environment and social policy topics.

Lizzy has a strong track record gaining traction on complex reforms and enjoys finding creative and pragmatic solutions to tricky and systemic challenges. She is passionate about access to high quality and affordable education and holds a Combined Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science, majoring in Anatomy & Human Biology, Zoology, Italian and European Studies, as well as a Certificate IV in Celebrancy.