ZONE 8 REGIONAL COUNCIL

RC of Turramurra, NSW, Australia (D9685)

Currently serving as President of the Rotary Club of Turramurra in the northern suburbs of Sydney, Paul Harris Fellow Dallas Booth is trained as a lawyer and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has previously held the role of District Risk Management Officer and is the current District Insurance Officer for District 9685.

Having led multiple organisations as a Chief Executive Officer, Company Secretary and General Manager, Dallas has extensive experience establishing and operating organisations in both the public and private sectors. His career achievements include creating the Motor Accidents Authority of NSW (a NSW Government agency now known as the State Insurance Regulatory Authority), implementing the Asbestos Injuries Compensation Fund, and leading the National Insurance Brokers Association of Australia for ten years.

He is committed to working with the diverse Rotary and Rotaract clubs throughout Zone 8 to achieve the goals of the Zone 8 Regionalisation Pilot Project, and thereby to secure Rotary’s future in the Zone.

RC of Tawa, New Zealand (D9940)

Currently assisting three Districts as an Assistant Membership Coordinator, Tony has been a Rotary member for over twenty years. He has previously served District 9940 as a Membership Chair for three years, Membership Attraction and Engagement Chair and New Club Development Chair, and has also been President and Secretary of the Rotary Club of Tawa. He is the current Chair of the Rotary Club of Tawa Trust.

He is a trained facilitator, within both the Rotary Leadership Institute and Rotary Visioning programs.

Tony has a strong professional background in business development, sales and marketing, having honed his skills during his fifteen years at Air New Zealand. During his time in the airline industry, he played an instrumental role in managing a collaborative change process, necessitated by airline deregulation. He therefore understands the importance of meticulous planning and strategic thinking to succeed in challenging times.

Currently, he is the Principal of a successful Recruitment Agency working alongside both clients and candidates across New Zealand and Australia.

Tony looks forward to working closely with clubs and his fellow Regional Council members to chart a course towards a brighter, more sustainable future for Rotary in Zone 8.

RC of Norwood, SA, Australia (D9510)

In over forty years as a Rotarian, Past District Governor Euan Miller has held numerous leadership roles in Rotary, including being a current member of the Cadre of Technical Advisers for The Rotary Foundation and a former Assistant Membership Coordinator. He also led Rotary Down Under during its major restructure. He has served District 9510 in roles such as Learning Facilitator, International Service Chair, Rotary Foundation Chair and Paul Harris Society Chair. Since 2005, he has been a multi-District and national trainer of Rotary leaders.

Euan was previously a member of the senior executive service in the South Australian Government, providing policy advice that led to the establishment of Education Adelaide, and facilitating an agreement between three major universities in South Australia and nine universities in Germany. Currently he is Managing Director of g’day [sa], which works with Rotary clubs to help international students meet Australians, build networks and launch their careers.

He is committed to creating learning and development programs that cultivate leaders who can steer Rotary back to growth.

Rotaract Club of Subiaco/RC of Elizabeth Quay, WA, Australia (D9423)

Dual Rotaractor and Rotarian Eeshwar Rajagopalan is the 2023-24 Rotaract Australia MDIO Chair. He previously served as the Rotary International President's Representative to the 9620 District Centenary Conference, District 9455 Rotaract Representative, and was on the Rotary International Membership Growth Committee from 2020 to 2023.

Since joining Rotaract in 2012 as a university student, Eeshwar has directed his passion for learning and development to supporting his fellow members, from running public speaking sessions with his club and organising workshops for incoming Rotaract club presidents in his District, through to the delivery of leadership seminars for Rotaract members throughout the Zone.

Eeshwar looks forward to empowering and advocating for Rotaractors throughout Zone 8, supporting them to create positive change in their communities and themselves.

RC of Melbourne, VIC, Australia (D9800)

Former Assistant Governor, Past District Chair of Australian Rotary Health and Past President of the Rotary Club of Melbourne, Dr Peter Rogers AM has been a Rotary member for over thirty years. He facilitated the Council on Legislation’s approval for corporate membership, for which District 9800 received the Rotary Innovation Award.

Dr Peter was part of the Bid Team that campaigned for the 2023 Rotary International Convention to be held in Melbourne, and leads Rotary Melbourne’s efforts to eliminate trachoma in Australia. During his year as President, the Rotary Club of Melbourne raised $520,000 from over 160 individual donors and received a Rotary Presidential Citation.

Dr Peter is Emeritus Chair of Monash University’s Engineering and IT Foundation, and Board of the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute. Throughout his career, he has sourced millions of dollars of funding for important projects such as research into regenerative medicine.

Earlier this year, Dr Peter was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia for his efforts to encourage women to enter the engineering field, his work in Indigenous communities, and his use of engineering to facilitate medical breakthroughs.

RC of Burleigh Heads, QLD, Australia (D9640)

Past District Governor and current Assistant Rotary Coordinator Andy Rajapakse has held numerous District roles in Rotary, including New Club Development Chair, Public Image Chair, Global Rewards Chair and District Conference Presidential Representative. He is also a recipient of Rotary’s Service Above Self Award.

During his term as District Governor in 2020-21, Andy helped District 9640 grow its membership by 15%, while also increasing the number of female members and members under forty years old.

Since 2018 he has started nine new Rotary clubs, three Satellite clubs and three Rotaract clubs. This includes the Gold Coast Corporate Rotary Club, the world’s first Rotary club where all members work and meet in the same corporate building.

Andy has over twenty years’ experience as an international marketer and public image professional, having worked in twelve different countries with three of world’s largest marketing and media companies. He is also a member of the Gold Coast Central Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

RC of Wahroonga, NSW, Australia (D9685)

Neil first joined Rotary in 2001. Neil has served as Club President of the Rotary Club of Wahroonga and been a member of his District’s Foundation Committee for the past three years. He is currently the Chair of the Endowment Bequest Subcommittee for District 9685.

Neil has over 25 years of experience in senior executive roles, specialising in business development and change management in the not for profit, healthcare and education sectors. He has been the Chief Executive Officer of a number of organisations including the charitable foundation HeartKids Australia and nonprofit YMCA of Sydney. In his most recent role, Neil led an Australasian membership organisation as CEO for 10 years, implementing a range of measures that saw membership numbers triple.

Neil has extensive experience developing and implementing comprehensive marketing plans, rebranding organisations to ensure they are relevant and appealing to prospective members, and developing strategic partnerships with organisations such as government bodies.

E-Club of Melbourne, VIC, Australia (D9800)

Having been a Rotary member for more than twenty years and a Rotaractor for nine, Madhumita Bishnu has served as Chair and Secretary of numerous Rotary Fellowships, been a President of one Rotaract club and two Rotary clubs including the E-Club of Melbourne, served as Secretary of the Rotary Action Group for Endangered Species, and been a member of the Cadre of Technical Advisors for The Rotary Foundation.

As a Cadre Technical Coordinator for Basic Education and Literacy, she has reviewed the feasibility of over 100 global grant projects. Additionally, she has served as a Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) Counsellor, panelist and moderator at more than six Rotary International Conventions.

In her capacity as a Rotarian Madhumita has volunteered in Bangladesh and Taiwan, teaching communicative English to high school students and equipping them with the skills they need to become successful leaders.

Madhumita works in corporate social responsibility, specialising in children’s education, and health programs for women and children.

Rotary Club of Manukau City Sunrise (D9920)

Edith is a connector, weaver of people and leader of learning who officially joined Rotary in 2020. However, the Chaney whānau (family) has been actively involved in Rotary for forty years supporting the Rotary Club of Manukau City Sunrise, reflecting her family’s alignment to Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self. The Rotary experience has enriched her family’s life on many levels, particularly through Rotary’s youth programs.

During this time, Edith has been a committee member for the Match-Twin Australia NZ Exchange Program from 1989 – 1997, a facilitator for the Step-Up Young Adult Leadership Program Inaugural from 2006 – 2011, and a Camp Mum for Rotary Youth Program of Enrichment (RYPEN) from 2013 – 2014. She has hosted six Rotary Youth Exchange students, six Match-Twin Exchange students and participants of The Rotary Foundation’s Group Study Exchange (GSE) program from numerous countries, and has supported a child from Vanuatu sponsored by Rotary Oceania Medical Aid for Children (ROMAC). She has also assisted in running three District 9920 Conferences.

Edith’s recent leadership roles in Rotary include being the 2023 – 24 President of the Rotary Club of Manukau City Sunrise, as well as the 2020 – 2024 Leadership Development Chair and Learning and Development Representative for District 9920.

Her professional roles include working with educational leaders at the strategic level and facilitating regular Wānanga (workshops), giving her the knowledge, skills, and confidence to champion the benefits of a diverse and inclusive culture across Zone 8.

RC of Pukekohe, New Zealand (D9920)

Alan has spent thirty years of dedicated involvement in Rotary with the support of his wife Claire.

He has been part of the leadership team in District 9920 for almost twenty years, serving as District Governor in 2011-12 and continuing as Chair of the District Finance and Administration Committee. He has a deep understanding of the diversity throughout District 9920, which spans much of Central Auckland City and the rural South, as well as seven Pacific Island countries.

Alan is a Chartered Accountant with postgraduate qualifications in commerce and management, and he has worked in a range of industries including dairy, meat and steel. His current role is in energy policy, industry, and new energy opportunities for one of New Zealand’s largest industrial companies.

Alan has spent much of his working life in company secretary and finance manager roles, and has experience managing a diverse range complex financial, commercial, regulatory, and policy matters.

He looks forward to being part of Rotary growing and thriving in the South Pacific.

RC of Melbourne, VIC, Australia (D9800)

Chartered Accountant David Carruthers has served as Treasurer for District 9800 since 2022, been a member of the Rotary Club of Melbourne’s Investment Committee since 2002, and served on the club’s Board for eight years – including seven years as Treasurer.

His previous roles include Managing Director of the Treasury Corporation of Victoria, Director of Finance and Liability Management in the Treasury and Finance Department of the State Government of Victoria, and Chief Executive Officer for BP Finance Europe. He has also held several non-executive directorships.

David has significant experience in the not-for-profit sector, having spent nine years on the Board of Red Cross Victoria, and being responsible for consolidating the Red Cross’ national investment strategy.

He looks forward to helping the Regional Council maximise their impact through the efficient management of funds.