Our CEO

Paris Aristotle AO

Paris Aristotle AO is the founding Chief Executive Officer of The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (Foundation House) and has more than 30 years’ experience in the field of supporting refugees and asylum seekers.

Paris has served on a wide range of state and federal government bodies advising on policy and multicultural affairs, particularly the provision of services to refugee background survivors of torture and trauma.

Currently Paris is the Chair of the Refugee and Migrant Services Council. In 2012, he was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Expert Panel on Asylum Seekers, and he was Chair of the Minister’s Council on Asylum Seekers and Detention from 2009 to 2018. He is also an executive member of the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT).

In 2017, Paris was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) and named the 2017 Victorian Australian of the Year. In the same year, Paris was presented with an Honorary Doctorate from RMIT. His Doctor of Social Science Honoris Causa is in recognition of his passion for, and contribution to, specialist refugee services.

Paris is supported by the Board of Management and our Management Team