LGP Board
John Truman
Chair
Chairman John Truman has served on the LGP Board since 2005 and was appointed chair in 2018. He is a former National President and NSW President of the Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia, having been elected a NSW IPWEA Director for 15 years. John was the founding chair of NSW Roads Directorate. John has worked in NSW local government sector for more than 25 years and is currently the Director Civil Services at Ballina Council.
John’s professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Masters in Business Administration. In 2021 John was admitted as a lawyer in the Supreme Court of New South Wales. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course and was awarded an Emeritus Membership of IPWEA in 2015. John was also a founding board member of the Australian Centre for Excellence in Local Government.
Elizabeth Henderson
Director
Elizabeth is an executive, lawyer and sourcing & procurement professional with 20+ years’ experience in the banking & financial services and professional sectors. She was a senior manager and commercial director at Westpac, including Director of Strategic Sourcing, Director of the WorkSMART Program and Chief of Staff to the Chief Operating Officer. Previously she worked in both investment banking and as a Senior Associate at major Australian law firm Freehills (now Herbert Smith Freehills). Elizabeth is currently Commercial Director at boutique advisory firm Nyungga Black Group.
Elizabeth works as a consultant to the business and legal sectors in venture capital and business start-ups & expansions. She also has over a decade of direct experience working with Australian Indigenous organisations, focussed on commercial and economic development. She was previously a director of the Australian Indigenous Chamber of Commerce.
Penny Holloway
Director
Penny has served on the LGP Board since 2018. She has 30+ years’ experience at senior executive level in state and local government in Victoria and NSW, including CEO of Lord Howe Island Board, General Manager at North Sydney Council and CEO at Latrobe City Council. She is currently a Board member on the Victorian Planning Authority, Alternate Chair of Local Planning Panels at Woollahra, Burwood and Hornsby Councils, a State Member on the Northern Regional Planning Panel and a Member of Northern Sydney Local Health District Audit and Risk Committee.
Penny’s professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Social Work, Graduate Diploma in Public Policy, Master of Urban Planning and Diploma from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Peter Dennis
Director
Peter is an engineer with over 35 years water industry and local government experience. His is currently the Managing Director at Hunter H2O. His previous roles have included CEO at Seqwater, CEO at Armidale Regional Council, General Manager System Strategy at Hunter Water Corporation and Chief Operating Officer at Hunter Water Australia. His Board experience includes ICON Water, Australian Water Association, Mackay Regional Council Water Board and Newcastle Institute of Energy and Resources. Peter is also currently an Adjunct Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Newcastle.
Peter’s professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Engineering, Master of Environmental Studies, Postgraduate Diploma of Management and Corporate Director’s Diploma. His major awards include being named in the ‘Top 100 Most Influential Engineers in Australia’ by Engineers Australia in 2014 and 2015, and ‘Professional Engineer of the Year’ by the Newcastle Division of Engineers Australia in 2009. As a leader in community education, Peter established the ‘Water For Life’ program for South East Queensland.
Robert Lagaida
Director
Robert has served on the LGP Board since 2018. He has 25+ years’ experience in the NSW public health system managing delivery of health services, undertaking procurement and management of assets, goods and services for NSW public hospitals. He was Director of Clinical Operations and Director of Finance and Commercial Services in a number of NSW Health entities, and also held senior policy positions in the NSW Ministry of Health. Robert is currently a Board Director of Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District, NSW Board of Psychology of Australia and LiveBetter Pty Ltd. He is also a NSW Government Trustee for the Responsible Gambling Fund, and a member of the NSW Medical Council. He acts as Independent Chair of Audit and Risk Management Committee for a number of NSW Government agencies. Robert also serves as an independent member of the Audit and Risk Committees at Blacktown City Council, Willoughby City Council and Blue Mountain City Council.
Robert’s professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Economics, Master of Commerce, Fellow of Certified Practising Accountants and Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. In the Australia Day 2018 Honours List, Robert received a Public Service Medal (PSM) in recognition of his financial management contributions to the NSW public hospital system.
Cr Phyllis Miller OAM
Associate Director
Cr Miller OAM is a tireless advocate of rural issues.
Cr Miller is:
- A Board member of Local Government NSW
- Convener of the NSW Natural Resources Advisory Council
- The Mayor of Forbes
- A Board member of the Lachlan CMA
- Chair of Central West Organisation of Councils
- A past member of the Murray-Darling Basin Community Advisory Committee
- A member of the National Parks and Wildlife Advisory Council.
She has devoted considerable time with State and Commonwealth Ministers to raise the political radar on natural resources.
Cr Miller has worked as a partner in a successful stock and station agency, in real estate, an auctioneer business, and dry land and irrigation farming enterprises for 27 years.
She was the first woman to be elected as President of the NSW Shires Association in its 100-year history. Cr Miller has succeeded with these, and many other achievements, while raising five children. She is always up for a challenge, gives her time freely to others, and loves having fun with her family and friends.
Scott Phillips
Associate Director
Scott Phillips is the Chief Executive of Local Government NSW (LGNSW), with 27 years’ experience in the local and state government sectors developing and leading high-performing and multi-disciplinary teams.
Scott’s extensive career in local government has included appointments as the General Manager at both Sutherland Shire Council and Hornsby Shire Council. Scott’s public sector career includes several executive roles at a State and local level in the planning and development profession. Scott has been a member of and continues to serve on a number of industry Boards, Ministerial Advisory Committees and Panels.
Scott considers his commitment to a strong workplace culture, together with his extensive industry and operational experience with a proud record of outcomes focused success, will complement the existing expertise and commitment to the sector shared by the Local Government Procurement Board.
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