Board Members

Dan Poynton is the Chair of the Board at RSV. Dan has been a part of the community sport sector for over 20 years with qualifications in business, sports management, Not for Profit Governance and Executive Coaching. He has been working with GippSport for over ten years and their Executive Officer since 2018 – with a short hiatus working for Sport & Recreation Victoria from 2017-18. Dan is passionate about the role of community sport in Regional Victoria in its ability to drive social change and improve community wellbeing.

Carissa Harris is the Associate Principal at MI Global Partners with more than 20 years’ experience delivering major events. Carissa was most recently employed by Cricket Australia for over 9 years leading the national event delivery team. Here she planned and delivered 60 days of Men’s and Women’s International Cricket in Australia annually, the largest being the Boxing Day Test. This was a multi-disciplinary operations team, supporting innovative and creative approaches to engage more fans. As part of this role, Carissa developed a strategic approach and critical path planning in conjunction with international venues across Australia. Prior to Cricket, Carissa was a core member of the Operational Readiness team for the London 2012 Olympic Games, delivering the departmental operational readiness program - integrating existing venue staff, venue teams, utility providers, contractors, key stakeholders and the Games C3 structure to ensure the effective implementation of LOCOG’s venues program. Carissa has also held various senior positions at several international sporting events including the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, 2006 Asian Games, Australian F1 Grand Prix, Red Bull Air Race and 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.

Having grown up in a small regional community and still living in regional Victoria, Rick Bell is passionate about the role sport plays in regional communities. Previously as Head of AFL Victoria he had primary responsibility for working with the AFL Victoria Board and growing the game across the state. Rick’s current role with Sports Facility Advisory firm, Waypoint, involves him working with a variety of sporting and government clients, advising on the planning and delivery of key sporting infrastructure. Whilst he has been fortunate to have worked professionally within the sports industry for more than 20 years, Rick has a range of volunteer experiences in local sport as a coach, committee member and various game day volunteer roles, providing a first-hand experience on the opportunities and challenges at that level.

David Quinn is a Director at RSV. David has also been a part of Valley Sport (Goulburn Valley Sports Assembly) for over fifteen years and is currently their Executive Officer. David holds a Diploma of Sport and Recreation, Advanced Diplomas in Human Resource Management & Management and a Bachelor of Applied Management. His deep connection to the Goulburn Valley is evident from his experience aiding community clubs and individuals within Valley Sport, ensuring improved access to sports and recreation for all local members.

Brooke Connolly is the Manager - Sport, Recreation and Health at Leisure Networks. Since graduating with her Human Movement Degree, Brooke has had almost twenty years of extensive experience working in the Leisure Networks Team. She has a strong regional focus, particularly across the Barwon Region. Brooke's experience and extensive expertise as a determined leader have enabled her to excel through participation and volunteering across the sector. In 2018 Brooke also graduated from the VicSport LEAP Female Leadership development program to enhance the capacity, availability and performance of female leaders in the Victorian sporting industry. She also completed the Foundations of Directorship from the Australian Institute of Company Directors in 2021.