These appointments were made at a Special Council Meeting on Tuesday night, following the local government elections held in October.

Cr Simone Zmood — a returning councillor from the 2020–2024 term — enters her first term as Mayor, and Cr Luca Ragni is Glen Eira’s youngest ever Deputy Mayor.

Mayor Cr Simone Zmood is humbled to be elected as the Mayor of Glen Eira and excited to represent her community.

“As we begin this new chapter, I pledge to lead with integrity, transparency, and compassion,” Mayor Zmood said.

“Together, we will write a story of progress, resilience, and unity—a story that future generations will look back on with pride.”

There are nine newly elected representatives who will serve our community for the next four years: 

• Bambra Ward: Margaret Esakoff  
• Booran Ward: Jane Karslake  
• Caufield Park Ward: Sam Parasol  
• Jasper Ward: Arabella Daniel  
• Mallanbool Ward: Kimberley Young 
• Moorleigh Ward: Kay Rimbaldo  
• Murrumbeena Ward: Luca Ragni  
• Orrong Ward: Simone Zmood  
• Wattle Grove Ward:  Li Zhang  

The new councillor group celebrated the declaration at Glen Eira Town Hall on Tuesday 12 November and were sworn in on Monday 18 November.

Gender equality and diversity in local government is important because varied perspectives and representation of our community deliver better outcomes.

We are proud that in the 2024 local government election, Glen Eira has the third highest representation of women in the state on our elected Council with seven out of nine councillors being women.

To view recordings of the swearing-in ceremony and the Special Council Meeting, visit our Council meeting webcast page.

New ward structure

A new electoral structure and new ward boundaries took effect from October 2024.

The Victorian Government’s electoral changes moved Glen Eira City Council from the existing three wards, each represented by three councillors, to nine wards, each represented by a single councillor. 

For more information about the new wards, visit our Ward map page.