I was born in Chile, brought up in San Carlos and educated at the Chillan Ignacio de Loyola School, Talca High School and the University of Chile, receiving a Degree in Business Administration and a Diploma of Social Science. After my arrival in Australia, I attended Monash University and then the State College of Victoria where I obtained a post graduate Diploma of Education. I began my career in Local Government in 1976 working initially at Fitzroy City Council in Victoria and then Alice Springs Town Council in the Northern Territory.
My work experience range from community development abroad and in Australia, also in the areas of services for children, youth, aged people, people with a disability, Aboriginal people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds , libraries and cultural facilities. Other areas of work includes social planning, community consultation and research, policy development and administration, project management and executive organisation.
At present I work as Director of Community Services at the Kiama Municipal Council , a coastal and rural community with just over 20,000 people about 120 kilometres south of Sydney in the State of New South Wales, Australia.
I was also the President of the New South Wales Local Government Community Services Association for the 1996/97 period. This is the peak professional body representing over 2,000 community workers in Local Councils.
I live also in Kiama and I welcome any comments and enquiries.
Mario M Vallejos