Our CEO
Mark Painting
Chief Executive Officer
Mr Mark Painting joined NAATI as Chief Executive Officer in July 2015 and has overseen the organisational transformation of NAATI, including the implementation of the national Certification System.
Mark is the chair of the Australian Mirror Committee (CS117) to the ISO Committee on Translating, Interpreting and Related Technology (ISO TC37/SC5). He is also a member of the Judicial Council on Cultural Diversity and the Industry Advisory Board for Monash University’s translating and interpreting program.
Prior to joining NAATI, Mark held several corporate and operational roles at senior executive levels in the Australian Public Service. In addition to his public sector career, Mark also has experience as Board Director and sat on several governance and audit committees. He has also been a lecturer/tutor at TAFE and university levels.
Mark holds a Master of Public Administration, a Graduate Certificate in Management and a Bachelor of Business. Mark is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Fellow of the Institute of Management and Leadership and an Executive Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).
Voula Messimeri AM
Chair
Voula Messimeri AM was appointed to the NAATI Board from 1 November 2014, bringing to the Board significant experience and skills as an executive and non-executive director.
Ms Messimeri has had roles as a non-executive director including as chair of the peak multicultural national body, the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA); deputy chair of the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria; inaugural chair of Women’s Health in the North; and chair of InTouch Multicultural Centre Against Family Violence.
Ms Messimeri was appointed to the RMIT University Council, serving two terms and representing the council as a board director on the RMIT Training Board, a controlled entity of the RMIT University. With a strong interest in language services, she was appointed as a director on the Victorian Interpreting & Translating Service (VITS) Board, a state-owned enterprise, where she served for 15 years and occupied the role of deputy chairperson twice in that time.
Major contributions to policy combined with her advocacy roles led to appointments on a wide range of ministerial state and federal advisory structures across diverse areas, including health, ageing, income support, media and as a member on the Australian Multicultural Advisory Council.
She is a Fellow of the Williamson Community Leadership Program and has been awarded honorary life membership for significant contributions and leadership by FECCA and serving as a non‑executive director and Vice President on the Board of PRONIA, where she was a long‑standing CEO. The Greek Government recognised her service to the Australian Greek diaspora in 2009.
Ms Messimeri was inducted into the Victorian Honour Roll of Women and recognised under the Order of Australia for her contribution to refugees, migrants and women. She is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and currently serving as a non‑executive director on the board of PRONIA and as chair of the Board of Settlement Services International (SSI).
Ms Messimeri’s term expires on 30 June 2024.
Dr Adolfo Gentile
Board member
Dr Adolfo Gentile was appointed to the NAATI Board from 31 July 2020.
He brings to the Board significant experience as a consultant, teacher and researcher in the translating and interpreting field. He was also a member of the Refugee Review and Immigration Tribunals.
Dr Gentile has a PhD in Translation Studies, a Master of Educational Administration and is a NAATI Certified Advanced Translator in Italian (both directions).
He is an Affiliate of the Interpreting and Translation Studies program at Monash University and is widely known as an expert in his field, having researched and published extensively on translating and interpreting matters.
He is a former President of the International Federation of Translators (FIT).
Dr Gentile has a long-standing relationship with NAATI, including being a former Board Chair.
Dr Gentile’s term expires on 30 June 2024.
Josephine Buontempo
Board member
Josephine Buontempo was appointed to the NAATI Board from 1 December 2020.
Ms Buontempo has, for over 25 years, been in executive, legal, government and social sectors. Her experience in executive leadership and management is coupled with roles as an experienced non-executive and independent director.
She has developed and managed services in the areas of housing, education, training, family, youth and children’s services, community law, community development and humanitarian and refugee resettlement.
Since 2008, Ms Buontempo has been the Managing Director of Kasali Migration Australia, a global migration practice. She also provides training and consulting services in corporate governance, organisational and board development and strategy.
Her current governance and advisory roles include Deputy Chair of Foundation Housing Ltd in Western Australia, Chair of the Australian Scholarships Foundation Assessment Panel, and Deputy Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation Advisory Council.
Ms Buontempo has postgraduate qualifications in migration law, is an alumna of the International Fellows Program of the City University of New York Centre for Philanthropy and Civil Society, a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Ms Buontempo’s term expires on 30 November 2023.
George Bisas
Board member
George Bisas was appointed to the NAATI Board from 1 September 2023.
He brings to the board more than 30 years of executive management experience in Australia and abroad within the government, private and non-government sectors.
Mr Bisas has worked for the last 15 years in senior roles within the language services industry. As Chief Executive Officer for LanguageLoop, the Victorian Government owned language service provider, from 2009 to 2015, he managed a major change process resulting in significant commercial success for the company. He returned to the company as CEO from 2021 to August 2023.
In November 2015 he was appointed as Director of Language Services for the NSW Government where he managed a major review of the industrial award covering NSW Crown interpreters and translators. He was responsible for the development of key policy related to language services and also implemented a number of key initiatives aimed at ensuring the sustainability of the industry in NSW.
Prior to his involvement in the language services industry he was with the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, where he managed the Commission’s education, community relations and commercial operations. Between 2000 and 2005 he was appointed to a senior advisory position with the Hong Kong Government through the Hong Kong Equal Opportunities Commission.
He has been appointed to a range of government and non-government boards and advisory committees.
Mr Bisas’ term expires on 31 August 2026.
Jeff McAlister
Board member
Jeffrey McAlister was appointed to the NAATI Board from 1 September 2023.
Mr McAlister is a senior government executive with extensive experience in trade, investment, and international relations across multiple jurisdictions as well as Australia’s major overseas partners.
Since graduating with an MA (Hons) in Languages, Mr McAlister has had a lifelong interest in language and knows firsthand the value of quality translation and interpretation services to help business and people access services and reach agreements. Mr McAlister has worked on a range of Indigenous projects and is encouraged by the renewal of First Nations languages.
Mr McAlister is currently the Chief Investment Officer for the City of Gold Coast where he attracts and drives public and private investment into Australia’s fastest growing major city. He also does pro bono work providing migration advice for vulnerable migrants, and sits on the Board of the Licensed Immigration Advisers Association of New Zealand.
Mr McAlister’s term expires on 31 August 2026.
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About Us
NAATI is a public, not-for-profit company that is jointly owned by the Commonwealth, state and territory governments.
Projects & investments
Learn more about how we re-invest into the translating & interpreting profession.
