Executive Manager, Community AOD Programs

Peter has worked in the Health and Welfare field for over 35 years. Initially trained as a Social Worker, he has completed a Psychology Degree, and more recently a Health Services Management Diploma. He has worked in the areas of child welfare, general counselling, training and a significant time in the Men’s Behaviour Change area. He was one of the original members of No To Violence & the Men’s Referral Service.

Peter joined Odyssey House Victoria, 20 years ago as a Senior Therapist at the Residential Rehabilitation Program. Since then his career at Odyssey House has been wide and varied. In addition to his role as therapist, he managed the Supported Accommodation, Financial Counselling and Employment programs, to name just a few, and more recently was the North West Catchment Manager for our AOD Programs. Peter says ‘I have loved working with some of the most amazing non-judgemental people and I have enjoyed supporting staff to grow and develop their own skills and confidence.’

Executive Manager, Residential Services

Eric has been the Executive Manager of the residential services at Odyssey House Victoria for over 15 years. Eric established the award winning Circuit Breaker program in North East Victoria in 2005. Eric is a board member and past president of the Australasian Therapeutic Communities Association which seeks to promote quality treatment services throughout Australia and New Zealand. Eric has contributed to a variety of reference groups and his expertise is regularly called on by other residential programs from around the country where he offers secondary consultations. Eric has an MBA and qualifications in community service management, quality auditing, and drug and alcohol.

Executive Manager, Finance and Company Secretary

Jeff is a qualified accountant with some 45 years experience in financial operations, management accounting, project management, general management and administration. Most of this experience having been gained in senior executive finance positions in the public sector. Additionally, Jeff has substantial experience in major project work and business strategy development gained both locally and in South East Asia.

Executive Manager, Community Programs and Odyssey Institute

Neos is a registered psychologist and has worked in the alcohol and other drug field for over 30 years.Neos oversees the Odyssey Community Services and the Odyssey Institute (Training Unit). Odyssey Community Services offers a range of programs targeted to Alcohol and Other Drug Users and their families. He has developed and implemented programs tailored to a variety of needs including parents with addiction and working with disadvantaged youth in educational settings. Neos has also worked in a range of other roles including as a consultant and as a community development worker in assisting both place-based and ethno-specific communities develop community responses to alcohol and other drug issues within their communities. Neos is recognised as highly knowledgeable in the areas of addiction and treatment and has worked in advocacy roles. Neos sits on various State, National and Industry reference groups, committees and steering groups.

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Stefan Gruenert is a registered psychologist with more than 18 years of experience in the drug and alcohol sector as a clinician, researcher, and manager. He is currently the CEO of Odyssey House Victoria and the immediate past President of the Victorian Alcohol and other Drug Association. Stefan has worked as a senior counsellor in a range of settings and has conducted research on alcohol use, treatment effectiveness, intimacy, family work and fathers.

Stefan has contributed to several resources for workers around parenting and family violence, and he regularly provides advice to government and delivers presentations at national and international conferences.

In 2008, Stefan was invited to a meeting on global drug policy held at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna, and he received a Harvard Fellowship to attend Harvard Business School in 2014.

Stefan has two teenage sons and enjoys travel, renovating, sport, gardening and cooking.

Director of Development

Janet was born in Liverpool, England and migrated to Australia in 1998. Janet has worked in Fundraising and Development in the not-for-profit sector for more than 20 years. Originally from a corporate background, she entered not-for-profits in 1994 becoming the CEO of Liverpool One Parent Families Trust. Janet was also on the Board of the National Council for One Parent Families and a member of WARM (Women as Role Models). Since then Janet headed up the Red Cross Calling Campaign for a number of years, was Head of Fundraising at Jewish Care and joined Odyssey House Victoria in 2008. Janet is an executive member of the Fundraising Institute of Australia.