Bowls SA Board

BOWLS SA BOARD MEMBERS

Tim Dodds – President

Tim, like many, started his bowling career as a ‘night-owler’.

Tim is a Life Member of the Henley Bowling Club and recently completed 20 years of continuous service to the club as a board member – the majority as greens manager and two stints as president. As greens manager, Tim developed an eagerness to learn the craft from respected green keeper Paul Harby and built a sound knowledge of greens and green maintenance. Ironically, this has led to him to be currently looking after the greens at the Lockleys Bowling Club, under the watchful eye of Paul.
Tim is a retired police officer, having served 31 years with the South Australian Police. His posting prior to retirement was with SAPOL’s Media and Public Engagement Section. 

Tim served 13 years in local government as a Ward Councillor with the former City of Henley & Grange and the amalgamated City of Charles Sturt. He remains heavily involved in the community as a current director on the board of the West Beach and Districts Community (Bendigo) Bank.

Tim is married to Vicki and they are proud grandparents to four future bowlers!

Tim joined the board of Bowls SA in 2016 as an independent director and with a passion for the game of bowls and a strong work ethic, he will ensure the member clubs and its members are well represented and consulted as they go about their chosen sport.

Isidoro Belluzzo – Director

Isidoro (or Issy as he is better known) was elected onto the the Bowls SA Board for a two year term at the 2018 AGM. 

Issy is a qualified panel beater and former owner of a crash repair business. He purchased a farm in 1982, and to this day he continues to run farms in partnership with his son. Issy is a past board member of the Bordertown Hospital, a past board member of the SE Regional Development Board, a past Councillor of local government, and has served two terms as Chairman (Mayor).

Issy is a past board member and President of Bordertown Bowling Club and a past President and Vice President of the Upper South East Bowling Association. He has been playing Bowls for 30 years and during that time has been a fours, triples and singles champion.

Issy’s aim as a Board Director of Bowls SA is to strengthen relationships between Bowls SA and regional clubs, to explore the benefits of a Country Bowls Association, to acknowledge the contribution of senior players to bowls, and to attract members that are unable to play more vigorous sports.

Karen Gatto – Director

Karen Gatto joins the Bowls SA Board with a lengthy list of achievements and accomplishments both on and off the green.

A member at West Lakes, Karen won their 2019/20 women’s singles and pairs club championships, while she is a current member of the state women’s squad.

Karen has also been part of the SA Super League and was named winner of the 2018/19 South Australian State Women’s Player of the Year.

She was secretary of the Hindmarsh Bowling Club in 2014 and is a current member of the Bowls SA Events Committee.

Karen is an accredited lawn bowls marker, measurer and umpire.

Throughout her 30 years of employment with Department of Human Services Karen has successfully completed numerous relevant training courses and programs, included but not limited to the following:

  • McKinsey & Company – Critical thinking, analysis and decision making
  • McKinsey & Company – Transformational Change Management
  • Systems Applications and Products in Data Processing (SAP) – training
  • Department of Human Services (DHS) Senior Leadership program
  • Creating Mentally Healthy Workplace training
  • Managing for Team Wellbeing – Black Dog Institute
  • Delivering Staff Coaching & Performance program
  • Strategic Planning course
  • Learn to Lead program
  • Mentor Program – ICT Mentee placement
  • Human Resource Management – Early Intervention program/portfolio

Karen has a strong passion for the game and believes her experience/insights can be a valuable source of knowledge and utilised by the board in understanding and addressing issues arising from a player/sporting perspective.

Kay Matthias – Director

Kay has been involved with sport almost all her life as a player, coach, umpire and administrator.

Kay is skilled in corporate governance and has been a director of a number of boards including the Premier’s Council for Women RDA, NRM and currently the Energy and Water Ombudsman Board, Bowls SA and the Veteran’s Advisory Council.

Experienced in sports administration, including Secretary/Manager the Mount Gambier Basketball Association, Secretary of the Kensington Gardens Tennis Club and administrator of several netball clubs and President Elect of the Watervale Bowling Club Kay is currently Vice President of the Woodside Bowling Club.

Previously as a CEO Kay is well versed in the legal and finance knowledge required to manage an organisation. Kay is currently a member of the Bowls SA Audit and Risk Committee and the Remuneration Committee of the Energy and Water Ombudsman.

As a previous senior manager in both the public and private sectors Kay has been responsible for leading a team strategically and is experienced in the development of strategic plans, including risk and marketing.

Kay worked in Ghana, and the USA assisting women to establish business management practices. Experienced in stakeholder management, particularly with the three tiers of government and corporates, Kay is a qualified journalist and has a Diploma of Community Services (Financial Counselling), while she is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Graham Houston – Director

Graham Houston Board 2023

Graham’s business and sports administration skills included finance strategic planning along with legal and law competencies when developing policies and procedures, negotiating long term contracts for
supply of materials and warehousing/distribution facilities worldwide.

Over 35 years in sports administration at club, association and state level in tennis, Australian Rules and lawn bowls has given Graham the opportunity to make progressive improvements in their policies, procedures and processes.

45 years in private business with international companies, Graham has a successful track record of planning, communication, project management, international auditing (ISO), and developing policies and procedures.

Currently, Graham is Secretary of Great Southern Bowling Association, proudly promoting the game of lawn bowls through the local news papers and radio station.

Nominated in 2022 and 2023 for the Bowls SA Media award Graham was successful in winning the award in 2023.

Pia Bentick – Independent Director

Pia joined the Bowls SA Board as an Independent Director in January 2020.

A Company Secretary with extensive experience in corporate governance, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance in public listed, private and not-for profit organisations in the UK and in Australia, Pia is also a Barrister (np) and currently employed with Energy and Water Ombudsmen (SA) Limited as a Company Secretary and Corporate Counsel.

Born in Finland, Pia studied and spent her early career in the UK, qualifying as a Chartered Secretary in London, becoming an associate member of the Chartered Governance Institute in 1992, and a Fellow from 2000.  Pia went on to hold senior company secretarial roles across London and Luxembourg, including Kleinwort Benson Group plc and Guinness Brewing Worldwide Ltd and Elders Limited, Internode Systems Pty Ltd and AGL in Australia.

Pia has always held a keen interest in sports, including swimming, golf and lawn bowls after being first introduced to the sport while in Tocumwal, NSW.  She played occasionally over the years until joining a Night Owls team at the Sturt Bowling Club in 2017 and was attracted to the Independent Director position with Bowls SA as a move toward a future career as a Non Executive Director.

Pia’s aim is to contribute to the governance of Bowls SA, by sharing her experience and knowledge, while also learning more about and increasing her involvement in the bowls community.