Heidi Gan OLY
President
Appointed to the SLSWA Board in September 2017 and elected President in September 2023. Heidi is a two-time Olympian in the sport of open water swimming, has competed at the world championships in both surf lifesaving and swimming, and is a multiple medallist at both the State and National Surf Lifesaving Championships. She has been an active patrolling surf lifesaver since 2005 and has most recently been a member of the City of Perth SLSC.
Heidi is currently Senior Legal Counsel and Assistant Company Secretary at Lynas Rare Earths Limited. She was previously an Associate in the Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice of Clifford Chance, a leading international law firm.
Heidi has extensive experience in the not- for-profit sector and is a passionate advocate for community clubs and grassroots sports. Heidi is currently a tribunal panel member of Football West and a Community Representative Member of the Australian Bravery Decorations Council.
Heidi was named the 2020 Women Lawyers of Western Australia Junior Lawyer of the Year, 2020 Law Society of Western Australia Lawyer of the Year (< 5 years PQE) and 2021 Asian Australian Lawyers Association Diversity Leader of the Year.
Jack Dowie
Board Member
Appointed to the SLSWA Board in September 2023. Jack is Senior Project Manager primarily within the Western Australian resources sector. His skills as an effective leader, manager, facilitator, and a proactive communicator, complement the responsibility as a Board member as well as an approachable peer club member.
Joining the Surf Lifesaving community in 2006 as a Nipper parent, Jack progressed to Board level at Fremantle SLSC in 2010, including the role as President from 2019 to 2023.
Vicki Rassmussen
Board Member
Appointed to the SLSWA Board in September 2023, Vicki’s passion for surf lifesaving is a testament to her commitment to ensuring that the iconic past time of being at the beach, is safe for all to enjoy, as well as a commitment to community service, and developing our youth members and pathways within surf lifesaving.
Since 2010, Vicki has been a member of the Mullaloo SLSC. Her journey began when she joined the club to support her children. However, her dedication quickly became apparent, and she assumed the role of Club Director from 2012 to 2019. During her tenure, Vicki played a pivotal role in shaping the club’s success.
From 2017 to 2021, Vicki served as the Chair of the SLSWA’s Development Committee. Her leadership in this role facilitated the implementation of many member development initiatives, ensuring the continued growth and sustainability for members and the movement.
Her enthusiasm for surf sports knows no bounds. As a qualified Senior Official, she contributes her expertise across all aspects of surf sports.
Beyond her surf lifesaving roles, Vicki is a leading not-for-profit CEO and a skilled fundraising professional. Her dedication to fundraising earned her the prestigious Arthur Venn Fundraiser of the Year award from the Fundraising Institute Australia in 2018.
Richard Elderfield
Board Member
Appointed to the SLSWA Board in September 2023, Richard has been an active and dedicated surf lifesaving volunteer since 2009. In this time, he has earnt a reputation as a versatile and skilled leader; developing qualifications and experience across the full spectrum of surf lifesaving activities. As an active trainer, assessor, member of the Emergency Response Team, Development Ski Coach and surf sports competitor, Richard has a strong understanding of the rich diversity to the movement and is deeply committed to continuing to provide the community with contemporary, capable and sustainable surf lifesaving services.
Richard and his family are active members of Sorrento Surf Lifesaving Club. Together with his daughters he proudly represents the club as a surf ski paddler, developing board paddler, and between injuries as a beach competitor in Masters and occasionally Open competition.
Beyond surf lifesaving, Richard has considerable senior leadership experience delivering vital operational and technology services in large and complex organisations. Following more than 16 years’ service as an Australian Army Officer, he went on to lead commercial businesses servicing the resources, government, commercial and construction sectors with mission-critical telecommunications capabilities. More recently he has applied his broad skills as a senior public servant in the Western Australian State Government, and in the delivery of transformative technology projects in the utilities sector.
Dr Leesa Equid
Board Member
Appointed to the SLSWA Board in June 2019. Leesa is SLSWA’s Honorary Medical Officer and 2015 SLSWA DHL Lifesaver of the Year. As an active member of Swanbourne Nedlands SLSC since 2009, Leesa has held Higher Education, and First Aid Officer positions at her club, and was a member of the SLSWA Lifesaving Advisory Committee from 2015-2016.
In addition to her lifesaving duties, Leesa has also been a fierce surf sports competitor, achieving 9 gold, 2 silver and 2 bronze medals at WA Championships and bronze at a National Level.
Leesa is an Emergency Doctor working for the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Joondalup Hospital Emergency Department as an Emergency Specialist. Leesa has completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery (HONS) in 2012 at the University of Western Australia and has since gained her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment; her Certificate of Clinician Performed Ultrasound (CCPU) AAA and eFAST (Australasian Society of Ultrasound in Medicine) and most recently completed her Fellowship in Emergency Medicine in mid-2020 (FACEM – Australasian College of Emergency Medicine).
Mike Shaw
Board Member
Appointed to the SLSWA Board in September 2022. Mike is 2022 SLSWA Assessor of the Year, 2019 SLSWA Volunteer of the Year and 2019 Trainer of the Year. Mike has been the Chair of the SLSWA Education Advisory Committee since 2016. An active patrolling surf lifesaver since 2011, after gaining his bronze medallion at Fremantle SLSC. Mike was President of Fremantle SLSC from 2013 to 2017 and has been the Club’s Education Manager since 2019. He is an active trainer of Bronze Medallion, Advance Resuscitation and First Aid and, conducts commercial training in Surf Rescue Certificate and First Aid for a number of schools.
Mike gained his Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours) in 1980 from Sydney University and was employed in the oil and gas industry, working in Australia and overseas for 27 years for majors Exxon and Woodside, before becoming an industry consultant in petroleum engineering for the next 10 years. Mike retired from paid work in 2017 to focus his efforts on member training in surf lifesaving. He gained his Certificate IV in Training and Assessment in 2016.
Sarah Leonard
Board Member
Appointed to the SLSWA Board in October 2014. Sarah is the Group Legal Counsel at Monadelphous and was formerly a partner at the national law firm, Corrs Chambers Westgarth.
She is an experienced projects lawyer who has worked on some of Western Australia’s largest resources projects, including the Ichthys LNG Project and the Roy Hill Iron Ore Project. She has strong experience in contract negotiation and risk allocation.
Sarah was recognised in the “Best Lawyers” peer review in Construction/Infrastructure in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. Sarah was formerly the Education Officer at the City Of Perth SLSC and was a participant in the SLSA National Leadership Development Program.
