Our leadership
Find out about our divisions and branches, their responsibilities and who leads them.
EPA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is Lee Miezis. Reporting to the Governing Board, Lee leads EPA and is responsible for its day-to-day management and operational performance. In association with the Board, Lee also sets the organisation’s strategic direction.
Lee was appointed to the role of CEO in May 2021 following three months as interim CEO. Before joining EPA, Lee was the inaugural CEO of Bushfire Recovery Victoria. Before that, he spent 15 years with the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, most recently as the Deputy Secretary of the Forest, Fire and Regions Group. Lee holds a Bachelor of Forest Science and a Master of Business Administration and is a Victorian Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration Australia.
Suzy Neilan is Executive Director of the Strategy Division and joined EPA in August 2021. Suzy was previously Executive Director, Service Delivery with the Victorian Building Authority where she oversaw Licensing & Registration, Customer Service and Quality. During her time at VBA she led the operationalisation of new legislation including the Plumbing Regulations 2018 and Professional Engineers Registration Act 2019 and worked with DELWP on various amendments to the Building Act 2018 such as Trades Registration (deferred until 2022) and the Building Amendment (Cladding Rectification) Act 2019. Before joining the Victorian Public Sector in 2018 Suzy worked largely in Business Process Outsourcing, most notably as General Manager of Infringement Management Enforcement Services at Tenix Solutions which managed the outsourced systems and services of Civic Compliance Victoria for Department Justice & Regulation.
Mark Rossiter is Executive Director of the Operations Division. Mark has been with EPA since late 2019. Before joining EPA, Mark was Executive Director Operations and Chief Corporate Officer at the Victorian Building Authority, Manager Stakeholder Strategy and Manager Air Navigation Service Strategy at Airservices Australia, Head of Safety at Jetstar Airways, Manager Safety Oversight at the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, and Human Factors Specialist at Qantas.
The Operations Division leads EPA’s frontline regulatory response to detect, prevent and investigate harm to the environment and human health from pollution and waste. The division does this by engagement and education; inspections and monitoring; surveillance and investigations; and enforcing duty holders to comply with the law.
Several branches manage the division’s work: Metropolitan Melbourne Area Branch; Regional Victoria Area Branch; Regulatory Programs Branch, Environmental Crime Branch and Regulatory Services Branch.
Professor Mark Patrick Taylor is Victoria's Chief Environmental Scientist, and leads our Science Division. Professor Taylor joined EPA in 2021. Before joining EPA, Mark was Professor of Environmental Science and Human Health, specialising in environmental contamination at Macquarie University. His achievements include his advocacy regarding the lowering of the National Health and Medical Research Council’s national blood lead intervention level and his support of thousands of Australians in understanding and addressing trace metal exposure risks in their homes and gardens via his citizen science programs.
The Science Division is a critical enabler of regulatory excellence at EPA, delivering innovative and targeted scientific advice to support strategy and policy development, and strategic and operational decision making about how EPA prevents and regulates environmental and human health harm. The division comprises both the Environmental Sciences Branch and the Environmental Public Health Branch.
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The Corporate Services Division defines and drives the corporate, people, finance and information technology priorities for EPA, and importantly plays a key role in enabling high performance in the delivery of regulatory functions. The division partners across the organisation to understand and meet operational requirements, supporting and enabling EPA’s people to be at their best in preventing harm to Victorian communities and the environment from pollution and waste.
Several branches and units manage the division’s work: Business Strategy and Operations Branch; People and Culture Branch; Information Technology Branch; and the Board Secretariat Unit.
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Matt D'Abbs is our Chief Quality Officer. Matt joined EPA in 2018 as Director Regulatory Approach and Capability. Before this, he worked at Transport Safety Victoria as Director Strategy, Policy and Corporate Services and General Counsel, Director Policy and Legal and previously as Senior Policy and Legal Adviser for the Department of Transport. Before entering the public service, he spent 15 years in offshore commercial fishing and maritime tourism.
The Quality Branch is responsible for driving and enabling the quality of regulatory and enterprise decision making and operations through an independent quality and assurance function that works across the EPA.
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The Legal Branch is headed by General Counsel Greg Elms. Greg started in the role of General Counsel at EPA in 2019. Before joining EPA, Greg spent 16 years at Victoria Police in general duties, criminal investigations, as a prosecutor and discipline adviser. Following that, he worked for eight years at the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office providing specialist advice and advocacy to a broad range of government regulatory clients both directly and as a team leader. He then returned to Victoria Police for two years in the role of Principal Legal Adviser.
The Legal Branch is EPA’s legal centre of expertise, responsible for defining and overseeing legal policies and processes, providing legal advice and support on regulation and enforcement matters, and for managing EPA’s legal obligations, including privacy and freedom of information.
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Cathy Heycock is the Director of the Public Affairs Branch. Cathy joined the EPA in 2021. Before joining EPA, Cathy headed strategic communications at the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Cathy also brings a wealth of experience in the environment and health portfolios, with vast experience leading strategic communications and major campaigns.
The Public Affairs Branch is responsible for ensuring that effective communications, engagement with communities, government and industry are a critical component of EPA’s regulatory approach. The branch promotes understanding and compliance with the environment protection laws and increases awareness of the role of EPA as Victoria’s environmental regulator.
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Find out more about our governance
Reviewed 16 March 2023