Structure and Commissioners
The Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner is led by the:
- Information Commissioner;
- Privacy and Data Protection Deputy Commissioner; and
- Public Access Deputy Commissioner.
See our organisational structure.
Rachel Dixon, Information Commissioner (Acting)
Rachel Dixon was appointed as the Privacy and Data Protection Deputy Commissioner on 28 November 2017 and was reappointed for a further five year term in November 2022. She was appointed as the Acting Information Commissioner in August 2023.
Ms Dixon has served in senior roles in Government and the private sector and has a wealth of experience in IT, telecommunications, big data, and biometrics.
Joanne Kummrow, Public Access Deputy Commissioner
Joanne Kummrow was appointed as the Public Access Deputy Commissioner on 14 May 2019. Ms Kummrow practices across a range of government law areas and is a Law Institute of Victoria Accredited Specialist in Administrative Law.
Ms Kummrow has significant experience in all aspects of Freedom of Information from advising government clients on processing FOI requests and the application of exemptions, to conducting complex FOI review and appeal matters before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal and Supreme Court.
Cara O’Shanassy, Privacy and Data Protection Deputy Commissioner (Acting)
Cara O’Shanassy was appointed as the Acting Privacy and Data Protection Deputy Commissioner in August 2023. Ms O’Shanassy has been the General Counsel at the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner since May 2022. In her role as General Counsel, she is responsible for OVIC’s legal team, which provides legal advice across each of its functional areas (freedom of information, privacy and data security) and its executive and corporate functions.
Ms O’Shanassy has practised in the areas of professional discipline, working at both the Victorian Institute of Teaching and the Legal Services Board + Commissioner, in between which she worked in energy regulation at the Essential Services Commission.
Rachel Dixon, Joanne Kummrow, Sven Bluemmel (former Information Commissioner)