Register of Interest(PDF, 226KB)
First elected: 2024
Councillor Mellissa Holzheimer is a dedicated community leader with more than two decades of experience working across disability, child protection, and mental health. Her career has strengthened her belief that resilient, inclusive communities are built when people are empowered to reach their potential, and when governance is grounded in fairness, transparency, and accountability.
As a councillor, Mellissa is focused on shaping a future-ready region that balances liveability, sustainability, and opportunity. She is committed to ensuring that Council meets the highest standards of service delivery, with transparency as the foundation for building trust between Council and the community. By asking strategic questions, seeking clarity, and openly sharing information, Mellissa works to make decision-making accessible and accountable.
She is equally focused on sustainability through efficiency, recognising that long-term community outcomes depend on delivering high-quality services in the most effective way. She encourages innovation, challenges existing processes, and supports a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that resources are used wisely and with impact.
Mellissa’s leadership is defined by her ability to connect, listen, and create space for diverse voices. Her guiding theme of “Community Matters” reflects her belief that every decision must be centred on people, place, and future outcomes. She believes strong communities are built through collaboration and transparency, while also valuing the traditions and strengths that give the Gladstone Region its character.
Her leadership is underpinned by a strong foundation of governance and professional development. She has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, holds a Diploma of Youth, Family and Child Interventions, and a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, alongside additional qualifications in coaching and mindset development. This background has strengthened her ability to lead with accountability, best practice and a focus on enabling others to grow.
Her passion for lifelong learning continues to shape her leadership, and she is about to commence a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching to further strengthen her ability to empower others and lead change. For Mellissa, community leadership is about more than governance; it is about creating the conditions where people, families and local communities can thrive today and into the future.
Boards, committees and groups
- Audit Risk and Improvement Committee (ARIC) – Council Representative
- Gladstone Local Disaster Management Group (Environment) – Chair
- LGAQ Waste Management & Circular Economy Advisory Group – Vice-Chair
- Local Authorities Waste Management Action Committee (LAWMAC)
- Regional Arts Development Fund (RADF) Committee.