IPAA Victoria announces 2026 Victorian Fellows, National Fellow and First Peoples Leader Scholarship recipient

Tegan Smirl is a proud Narungga and Kaurna woman and the Manager, Partnerships and Delivery at DEECA. A respected and trusted advocate for First Peoples self-determination, she is committed to strengthening outcomes for Aboriginal communities through culturally informed, community-led approaches. 

Beginning her career as a trainee in government, Tegan has held a range of roles across the Victorian public sector, building expertise in community engagement, partnerships, policy delivery and program development. Since joining DEECA in 2022, she has led initiatives that strengthen relationships with Traditional Owner Corporations and Aboriginal communities, while advancing cultural capability, governance and self-determination across the department. 

Known for her collaborative leadership style, Tegan is passionate about building strong partnerships, supporting the growth of others, and creating opportunities for Aboriginal people to have a seat at the table. She is driven by a commitment to creating meaningful, lasting change for current and future generations. 

Simon Corden is an experienced public administration and regulatory policy leader with more than 30 years’ experience across Commonwealth and Victorian governments, consulting and regulatory bodies. He is Independent Board Chair of Energy and Water Ombudsman Victoria (EWOV), and a PhD Scholar at ANU’s School of Regulation and Global Governance where his thesis topic is ‘When do independent government reviews change regulatory practice and why?’ Simon has served as Commissioner at Victoria’s Essential Services Commission and held senior executive roles in the Department of Premier and Cabinet, Department of Treasury and Finance, Victorian Competition and Efficiency Commission, WorkSafe Victoria and the Productivity Commission. He has advised the OECD and drafted OECD guidance on governance of regulators. Simon is a 2023 IPAA Victoria Fellow and has contributed actively to IPAA Victoria through its Awards Advisory Committee and judging of the Leadership Awards and Top 50 Women Awards for 3.5 years.  

Frances Diver is a respected health sector leader with more than 20 years of senior leadership experience in Australia and New Zealand. 

Beginning her career as a nurse and midwife, Frances has worked in a range of roles across the health sector. She is currently Chief Executive Officer of Barwon Health, a major regional health service that includes a tertiary hospital and a broad range of community-based services. 

Before joining Barwon Health in 2019, Frances was Chief Executive Officer of the Country Fire Authority. She also spent more than a decade in senior roles with the Victorian Department of Health, where she held responsibility for the governance and performance of Victoria’s public health services, including policy, planning and funding. 

Throughout her career, Frances has contributed to stronger health services and improved outcomes for communities across Victoria. 

Elizabeth Langdon is Victoria’s Commissioner of Victims of Crime, an independent statutory position responsible for advocating for the recognition, inclusion, participation and respect of victims of crime in the justice system. 

Elizabeth brings extensive executive leadership experience from across the public and private sectors. Her career has focused on social justice and leading complex public sector reform. 

Before her appointment as Commissioner, Elizabeth’s roles included acting Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner, Victorian Public Sector Commissioner and Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Commission into the Casino Operator and Licence. She has also served as Deputy Commissioner at the Victorian Public Sector Commission and as a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Premier and Cabinet and the former Department of Health and Human Services. 

Before joining the Victorian Public Service in 2005, Elizabeth worked with the United Nations in New York and Geneva, was a visiting fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health and held a leadership role with the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. 

Elizabeth holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Political Science from Pierre Mendès France University.

Craig Robertson is Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Skills Authority, a role he has held since August 2021. 

Craig has extensive leadership experience across tertiary education, vocational education and training, and the state and Commonwealth public sectors. His previous roles include Chief Executive Officer of TAFE Directors Australia and Deputy Secretary in the Victorian Department of Education and Training. He also spent more than 30 years in the Australian Government, working across schools funding, employment services, and vocational education and training. 

Throughout his career, Craig has contributed to evidence-based skills policy, qualifications reform and stronger workforce planning. His leadership has helped education and training systems respond to emerging industries and deliver greater public value for communities across Victoria and Australia. 

Craig holds an Executive Master of Public Administration and a Bachelor of Education (Primary). 

Dr Phuong Pham is Executive Director, System Planning, Reform and Priority Communities at the Victorian Department of Health. He has held a range of senior policy, reform, strategy and operational roles across the Victorian and Commonwealth governments, the digital health sector, and the broader health system. His roles have included senior budget and health policy positions in the Commonwealth Government, Deputy Chief of Staff to Commonwealth Health Ministers, and executive operational and strategic reform roles in the Victorian Department of Health. He has also served as a Board Director of Western Health and of HealthShare Victoria. He has degrees from the Universities of Melbourne and Oxford and is a former Rhodes Scholar.