The Board has nine Directors elected by the voting membership. These Directors are elected to three-year terms, with three of the seats open for contest each year. In addition to these elected Directors, the Board can co-opt up to three additional Directors.
CHOICE is committed to ensuring that the Board has the right mix of skills to guide the organisation on behalf of voting members. Each year, the Board identifies the skills it believes are required, so that these can be used as a guide for voting members in the election of Directors.
As well as meeting the skills identified by the Board, Directors must be free from conflicts of interest, to ensure the organisation’s continued independence from industry, business or government interests.
The Board Charter explains how the Board goes about its role as defined in the constitution.
Nic Cola – Co-chair
Nic is currently the CEO of RMIT Online and also acts as Chair of Picaluna, a disruptor in the funeral industry.
Nic has over 25 years of CEO experience in high growth, with expertise in delivering revenue and share growth across a diverse range of business models in traditional and digital media, education and e-commerce. His key strengths are strategy, mergers and acquisitions, operations, digital transformation and change management.
His previous roles have included General Manager of Retail and Digital at Helloworld Ltd, CEO of Open Colleges and CEO of Marketplaces at Fairfax Media where he was one of the founding executives of Fairfax Digital.
Nic was active in building the digital industry in Australia having been on the board of the Australian Interactive Multimedia Industry Association (AIMIA) as well as serving as Chairman of the Australian Internet Advertising Bureau. He has a Bachelor of Business from UTS and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.
Nic joined the CHOICE Board in November 2019 and from November 2022 assumed the Co-Chair role. Nic is also Chair of the Commercial Committee and a member of the Finance, Risk & Audit Committee.
Fiona Jolly – Co-Chair
Fiona is a Non Executive Director and former CEO and lawyer who works with boards and businesses undergoing change and growth and operating in highly regulated areas. She brings government experience along with expertise in communications, traditional and digital media advertising and marketing, stakeholder engagement and international trade. Fiona’s executive career spans significant work on regulation reform with both the government and private sector.
Fiona is Vice Chair of Goodwin Aged Care Services, Deputy Chair of the ACT Cemeteries and Crematoria Authority, Rural Financial Counselling Service (NSW), a Director of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors and Freshmark Fresh Produce, and is an elected Councillor for HCF. Fiona has previously served as president of the YWCA of Australia and the chair of Australian Business Volunteers.
Fiona was elected to the CHOICE Board in November 2020 and was appointed Co-Chair in March 2025. Fiona is Chair of the Technology Committee and a member of the Governance, Culture & Ethics Committee.
Samantha Challinor
Sam brings over 20 years of experience in senior accounting and leadership roles, excelling in financial, risk, information technology, and project management oversight and governance. Her extensive commercial experience spans the technology industry, for-purpose organisations, and public health government sectors. Notable positions include Interim CEO at Arthritis NSW, Director of Corporate Services at the Agency for Clinical Innovation (NSW Health), Deputy CEO at Sydney North Shore and Beaches Medicare Local, and Chief Accountant at Lexmark International (Australia). As an experienced Board Director and Committee Chair, Sam has proven expertise in governance, financial, and risk management.
She also serves as a director of the National Affordable Housing Consortium Group, RSL LifeCare and Sydney North Health Network. Additionally, she chairs the Finance, Audit & Risk Committees for these organisations. Sam holds a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) from QUT and is a Fellow of CPA Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Sam joined the CHOICE Board in November 2020 and is Chair of the Finance, Risk & Audit Committee.
Julia Davis
Julia is the Senior Policy & Communications Officer at the Financial Rights Legal Centre, where she has been working to help advise and empower consumers in financial stress since 2013. She is passionate about social justice and helping vulnerable consumers catch a break. She has been a leader in the consumer advocacy sector for over a decade.
Julia has a Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida and a Masters in human rights law from the London School of Economics. She was admitted as a practicing solicitor in NSW in 2013 and completed the full AICD Company Directors Course in 2022. She has over 8 years of governance experience in the not for profit sector.
She is currently a consumer representative member of the Australian Financial Complaints Authority Panels where she has been helping adjudicate complex consumer finance disputes since 2022. In 2025 she was appointed the Consumer Member on the Code Governance Committee for the General Insurance Code of Practice.
Julia was appointed to the CHOICE Board in October 2025.
Melissa King
Melissa is a practised CEO, senior executive and advisor, with experience spanning corporate, government, the arts, sport and not-for-profit sectors with organisations including Surf Life Saving Australia, Sydney Opera House, Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet – APEC Taskforce.
As CEO of the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2022, Melissa delivered the most attended Women’s World Cup in the history of the competition and the first carbon-neutral event. Currently, Melissa is the CEO of the Australian Veterinary Association and serves as an Independent Director of ASX-listed cyber risk firm WhiteHawk (WHK) and the NSW Institute of Sport. Melissa strongly aligns with CHOICE values that promote fairness, and empower consumers.
Melissa was appointed to the CHOICE Board in November 2023 and is a member of the Governance, Culture & Ethics Committee, the Commercial Committee and joined the Technology Committee in May 2025.
Jamie Pride
Jamie is a Partner at Humanly Agile, an organisational design and change management consultancy focused on helping clients unlock innovative ways of working and maximising the potential of their people. In addition to his consulting work, Jamie serves as the Chief Entrepreneur in Residence at Western Sydney University, where he supports the next generation of innovators and business leaders.
With over 27 years of experience in senior leadership roles across global consulting, advisory, and technology organisations, Jamie has built a career on driving transformation and growth. His corporate background includes serving as the Australian CEO of realestate.com.au, where he spearheaded significant digital advancements, and as a Partner at Deloitte, where he advised on complex business transformations for some of the world’s leading companies.
Jamie joined the CHOICE Board in November 2021. He serves on the Finance, Risk, and Audit Committee and the Technology Committee, where he has played a critical role in overseeing the transformation of CHOICE’s technology platforms.
Melinda Rich
Melinda has extensive governance experience in not-for-profit organisations, across the campaigning, community and creative sectors. She is currently chair of Market Forces and also sits on the boards of the Victorian Pride Centre and Photo Australia.
Melinda’s senior executive roles have been in enterprise shared services, leading diverse functions including finance, risk, quality, procurement, property, technology and corporate communications. Her experience spans the financial services, transport, mining, agribusiness and manufacturing sectors.
Melinda is currently Chief Operating Officer with Sacred Heart Mission, a large not-for-profit operating in social services and aged care. Prior to this, she was Executive General Manager Corporate Services at RACV, Victoria’s largest membership/mutual organisation.
Melinda holds degrees in Engineering (Mechanical) and Arts (Politics/Philosophy), and a Master of Business Administration. She is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.
Melinda was elected to the CHOICE Board in November 2025.
Anita Tang
Anita has a strong background in public policy reform and community organising across a range of social justice and community service areas. She is currently Community Organising Director at the Centre for Australian Progress, building the capacity of civil society for systems change, following five years running her own advocacy and campaigning consultancy. Her other experience includes more than a decade at Cancer Council NSW where she led the transformation of its advocacy work, and senior roles in statutory bodies and in NSW Parliamentary Committees.
Anita has completed nonprofit leadership programs at Harvard and at Stanford, and served on the Boards of numerous non-profits that focus on rights and justice particularly in the disability and racial justice areas.
She is a longstanding member of CHOICE, and while at the Cancer Council, led a number of collaborative projects with CHOICE, including campaigns against junk food advertising to children and the regulation and eventual ban of commercial solariums.
Anita joined the Board in March 2017, was appointed Chair in 2020, and in 2021, became part of an inaugural new leadership model of Co-Chairing. Anita stepped down as Co-Chair in March 2025. She is Chair of the Campaigns Committee and a member of the Governance, Culture and Ethics Committee.
Chris Whitehead
Chris has a career background in financial services and information technology. He is a Director of IMB Bank, where he also chairs the Board Risk Committee. He also undertakes occasional consulting relating to strategy and governance. In addition to banking, his financial services experience includes executive and board roles in payments, general insurance, health insurance, financial advice and funds management. He has a deep appreciation of the importance of financial services in people’s lives and the serious impact of poor or unsuitable products, services and advice.
He has held senior roles at BankWest, Bank of Scotland and Credit Union Australia. In 2016 he was appointed as Managing Director and CEO of FINSIA , the leading professional body in financial services. Over the period of the Hayne Royal Commission FINSIA advocated for the professionalisation of banking, with individual accountability for competency and conduct in addition to that of licensees. FINSIA introduced Australia’s first professional banking qualifications in 2018 and developed a range of ethics education and other professional development programs.
Chris was elected to the CHOICE Board in November 2024. Chris is a member of the Governance, Culture & Ethics Committee and the Commercial Committee.