Paul Klisaris was first elected to the Monash Council in 2000 and has previously served as Mayor in 2008, 2009, 2014-15, and 2017-18.
Paul represents the new Wellington Ward.
He has been elected as Mayor of Monash Council for 2024-25, the first year of a new council term.
For many years, Paul and his wife owned and operated a childcare center in Monash and now run a center in Docklands.
Beginning his career as a secondary school teacher, Paul has devoted much of his life to educating and supporting children. A notable experience in his career was working with Sudanese migrant children, teaching them English and helping them adapt to Australian culture.
As a seasoned Councillor, Paul advocates for open and transparent governance and envisions a Council that actively communicates with residents. “Creativity, innovation, and partnership should be at the heart of local government," he says. "Our City's approach must generate local solutions that honor the unique character of our community.”
Paul is committed to strengthening his engagement with community groups, aiming to work closely with them to understand their issues and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. He has a particular passion for supporting children and their advocacy groups to reach their full potential as members of the Monash community.
Paul is married with three children and three grandchildren. He holds a degree in Social Sciences and a Diploma of Education.