Coleen Clare – Chair
When people ask me when I became a feminist I answer at about the age of 
4! I grew up in a very sexist home, schools, and local environment. From this very young age I knew it was wrong that I had to wait on my two brothers and my father, that I could not ride my bike outside the gate but they could, that they could eat ice cream to ‘build muscle’ but I couldn’t because I would get ‘fat’! Etc.! Etc.! It was the same at my school – so nothing else for it – I became a rebel known for my ability, still in evidence today, to ‘talk-back’! It was many decades later before I knew this was the roots of the radical feminism I cherish today.
I have devoted a large portion of my life to bringing up four children with feminist values, and now work to similarly influence my 10 grand-children, and 3 great-grand-children. At the same time I was a member of the Women’s Electoral Lobby in Canberra, and later and currently in Matrix Guild in Victoria.
My career has been devoted to the welfare of girls, women and their families. I have been a teacher, psychologist, community leader, advocate, CEO and manager; working for decades in child development, stopping violence against women, work and family balance, adoption support services, foster care and residential services, and within the disability sector. Currently I volunteer for the Office of the Public Advocate in mental health facilities.
I have worked in New Zealand, Western Samoa, Australia and the Maldives. I have worked with Aboriginal colleagues and families and I deeply respect Aboriginal sovereignty and have a strong commitment to First Nation’s peoples and all diverse cultures and lifestyles.I became a lesbian in 1980 and have worked for radical feminist lesbian causes for 40 years now. It is an honour to continue this work with my colleagues and members in Matrix Guild
Mobile: 0411 696 601
Email: chair@matrixguildvic.org.au
Liz Smith – Secretary
Liz Smith has been a radical lesbian feminist activism for over twenty-five
years. She believes lesbians have a unique perspective and culture that needs protection. She joined the Matrix Guild Committee to help organize club events. She brings creativity and planning skills to the committee.
Mobile: 0421 236 895
Email: secretary@matrixguildvic.org.au
Catherine Lavars – General Committee member
Catherine lives in Melbourne. She is experienced in health care practice and policy mainly in the palliative care, public health and aged care sectors.
She has many interests and enjoys life. She is a yoga and book enthusiast. She also enjoys opera, plays, art, walking, swimming, nature, gardens and gardening.
She is semi-retired and has started doing some travel in Australia with her friends. She has thoroughly enjoyed this, and is planning to do more.
We are looking forward to her contributions to our lesbian community and the Matrix Guild Committee
.
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