Kathy Mitchell was appointed as Chief Panel Member with Planning Panels Victoria (PPV), for the Victorian State Government in June 2004. Amongst a range of PPV matters, her role requires her to chair matters of State and regional significance.
Kathy is the immediate past President (2004 – 2011) and a Fellow of the Victoria Planning and Environmental Law Association (VPELA) and has been a State Judge for the Urban Development Industry Association (UDIA) – Victorian Chapter Awards of Excellence since 2003.
In 2008 Kathy was the recipient of the Raymond J Peck award for services to industry by the UDIA. In 2011, she was the recipient of the Richard J Evans award from VPELA for her services to planning in Victoria. In 2012, Kathy was a judge for the Planning Institute of Australia (Victoria Division) (PIA) Awards. In 2013 Kathy was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from PIA for her contribution to planning in Victoria. In 2017 Kathy received the UDIA Distinguished Service award and in 2018, the Paul Jerome Award from VPELA for excellence in public service
Kathy has a Bachelor of Arts in Planning, a Graduate Diploma in Urban Sociology and a Master of Arts in Planning (Research). She has previously worked in the private sector, local government, and as an academic.