Families Australia

National Families Week Ambassadors

This year we are delighted to announce the following 36 prominent Australians, with varied interests, who have agreed to promote National Families Week 2008. Please click on their names to go to a brief biography.

Peter Anderson, Acting Chief Executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).
ACCI is Australia’s peak national body of business and employer organisations.
Peter is a specialist in public policy, particularly in employment law and industrial relations. His career of nearly 25 years has spanned work at senior levels in the private and public sectors, at both national and state levels. In the private sector, Peter has been Executive-Director of the Retail Traders Association of South Australia and a partner in the Adelaide commercial law practice, Fisher Jeffries. In the public sector, Peter was a senior policy adviser to the South Australian government between 1993 and 1995, was Chief of Staff to the South Australian Premier in 1996 and then Senior Adviser to federal Ministers between 1997 and 2001. Since his return to work with private sector employer bodies in 2002, Peter has been the Director of Workplace Policy with ACCI, until his appointment as Acting Chief Executive in January 2008. His academic and policy work has established specialist capacities in employment law, industrial relations, health, safety and workers compensation law and practice, comparative international law, constitutional law and federalism, administrative law and trade practices. He is a judge for the National Work and Family Awards and a member of the Steering Committee. He is also the Australian employer representative at the International Labour Organisation, was elected to its Governing Body in June 2005 and sits on the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association. Peter is a member of the management committee of the International Organisation of Employers, the executive board of the Confederation of Asia-Pacific Employers and the board of the International Institute for Labour Studies. Peter has an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Laws from the University of Adelaide, and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. He is also a contributing author to a national teaching publication on Business Law. He has a strong commitment to the values of entrepreneurship, social well being and risk taking, which may also explain his enjoyment of recreational cycling. back to top

Michael Bevan, Australian Cricketer,
Canberra-born Michael Bevan’s first class cricketing debut was in South Australian colours in 1989-1990. Hitting a century in his very first innings, Bevan paved the way for what will be regarded as one of the most successful cricketing careers in Australian history. In 1990 Michael relocated to play for New South Wales where he became the Blues most prolific run scorer and was Player of the Year 2000/01. Proving to be a safe pair of hands in the field, as well as a notable left-arm wrist spinner, Michael made his Australian debut in One-Day cricket in 1993/94, and shortly after this in Test cricket in the series in Pakistan in 1994/95. As the world’s premier ODI batsman, Michael has a batting average of 53.58 in 232 One-Day Internationals. Moving to Tasmania to play Michael notched up an impressive array of 100’s and guided Tasmania to an unexpected win of the One Day series in 2004 season and won PURA Cup Player of the Year in 2004. He is a great example of how focus and determination can achieve so much. Michael’s consistency, and his ability to produce winning cricket when it is needed most is what keeps him in the forefront of Australian cricket history. But his love of the game and the pride he takes in playing for the country will ensure that he remains a role model to all aspiring Australians. Michael is a gifted speaker and an accomplished performer in the media. An accredited level 3/high performance cricket coach. In his 3 years as an assistant and batting coach with the Tasmanian squad Michael helped them win their first one day competition in 27 years and their first ever Pura cup. Currently the head coach of the Chennai Superstars in the Indian Cricket League he helped guide them to two straight victories in the first two competitions of the newly formed 20/20 league. Using his experience both as a high performing individual and being part of one the greatest sporting teams ever Michael has transferred his knowledge across to the business world. Michael has recently created Michael Bevan Mortgages a franchised based mortgage broking company and Michael Bevan Business Performance a coaching/consulting company that helps businesses motivate and train their employees to become successful in their working careers. As a keynote speaker Michael talks about his challenges whilst playing for Australia, what it was like playing in one of the most successful sporting teams in history and how they achieved this. His topics include how individuals and teams attain success. back to top

Mark Brooke, Playgroup Australia
Mark is Chief Executive Officer of Playgroup Queensland. A major focus of Mark’s work has been working with children, young people and their families including six years as CEO of Playgroup Queensland and 11 years as Deputy CEO of Police Youth Clubs in both Queensland and New South Wales. Mark is a past President and Treasurer of Playgroup Australia, a Board Member of the Queensland Minister for Communities’ Child and Family Forum, and was appointed to the Australian Families and Children Council in 2007. Mark is also the past Chairperson of the Mainstream Youth Organisation’s Crime Prevention Task Force. Mark is the recipient of the Queensland Police Service Medal for Diligent and Ethical Service; the R.M. Hanlon Public Sector Award for Executive Leadership; and his qualifications include a Bachelor of Arts and an MBA (Public Administration). He resides in Brisbane with his wife and two young children. back to top

Sally Capp, Chief Executive Office, Committee for Melbourne
Sally Capp commenced her role as the Chief Executive Officer of the Committee for Melbourne in August 2007. Sally started her working life as a solicitor in commercial law and practiced for ten years, the last four of which were in Perth where she specialized in mergers and acquisitions. In 2000, Sally established and then floated an ASX-listed investment bank. Sally has also acted on a number of ASX-listed public company boards. In January 2004, Sally returned to Melbourne and became Senior Executive at ANZ Bank working directly with John McFarlane on ANZ Group issues and then as a corporate banker. Additionally in January 2004, Sally became Director of the Collingwood Football Club, the first female board director in the 112-year history of the club. In 2006, Sally became a Trustee of the National Breast Cancer Foundation and joined the Golf Australia Foundation. Sally and her husband, Andrew Sutherland, have two sons, Nicholas (9) and William (8). Sally is a graduate of the The University of Melbourne in Law (Hons) and Commerce. She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has lectured for the Securities Institute of Australia. back to top

Sandie de Wolf, Chief Executive Officer, Berry Street Victoria
Sandie is a member of the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Child and Family Support; the Department of Human Services Sector Development Plan Reference Group; Chair of the Workforce Working Group; and Secretary of the Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia. Sandie works for Berry Street Victoria which is now the largest independent child and family welfare organisation in Victoria, providing services across the State. In all her roles, Sandie has always demonstrated a strong commitment to working together and a passion for improving life opportunities and choices for children, young people and families. back to top

Professor Allan Fels AO
Best known as former Chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and currently Dean of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government has been married for 39 years and has two children in their 30s. He has a strong interest in mental health. His daughter Isabella has schizophrenia. His family has been the subject of a program by Australian Story in 2002. back to top

Judi Geggie, Family Action Centre, University of Newcastle
I worked part-time until my youngest child was six years old when I commenced working full-time. My work and family balance has been enhanced by the supportive parents-in-law and flexible work arrangements. Being able to negotiate work hours that were mutually beneficial to my work place and my family has strengthened my ability to be an effective parent and employee. back to top

Jennie Hannan, Family Relationship Services Australia
Representing Family Services Australia, Jennie has worked as a therapist (child and family) for over 25 years with particular areas of interest in child inclusive practice and family court associated services. Prior to joining Anglicare she was deputy CEO for Relationships Australia in WA and has worked in family relationship services for the past 15 years in SA and WA. Jennie is currently employed as Executive General Manager, Services, at Anglicare WA, an organisation which provides Family Relationships Services Program funded services. Additionally, Jennie is currently responsible for Anglicare WA's other services including youth, housing, employment, aboriginal and foster care services as well as other State funded counselling and support services across WA including Victim Support Services and domestic violence perpetrator and victim services. back to top

Dr Jeff Harmer, Secretary, Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs
I am the eldest son in a family of four. I am married with three children all of whom have now left home to pursue their careers. My wife is a secondary school teacher in the Catholic Education system. Personally, I am an early starter and like to do some exercise every morning before work. I firmly believe that I won’t be effective the next day unless I get a reasonable amount of relaxation. I believe that spending quality time with family is very important. My staff know that I will be more impressed by how effective they are at work rather than how long they spend there. back to top

Lin Hatfield Dodds, National Director, UnitingCare Australia
Lin Hatfield Dodds is the National Director of UnitingCare Australia. UnitingCare is the community service network of the Uniting Church. It is one of Australia’s largest non-government providers of community services, with 400 community service agencies located across every State and Territory, providing services to 1.8 million Australians each year. UnitingCare employs 35,000 staff and 24,000 volunteers nationally and provides services to children, young people and families, people with disabilities, and older Australians, in urban, rural and remote communities. UnitingCare Australia is committed to values based advocacy, speaking with and on behalf of those who are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, for the common good. Lin is President of the Australian Council of Social Service, and chairs the ACT Community Inclusion Board. She serves on the Board of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture. She was a member of the National Youth Advisory and Consultative Forum which advised the then Federal Minster for Children and Youth Affairs. She has given expert testimony to Federal Parliamentary inquiries into poverty and disadvantage, welfare reform, community service delivery, taxation and income support, refugee policy, mental health and other issues. Lin’s background includes working as a counselling psychologist and policy advisor. She has worked in government and community settings, including in drug rehabilitation and with young people at risk, with a particular interest in trauma and abuse. She has worked as a public policy advisor on health, health ethics, and community services within federal and state governments. Her contribution to the community was recognised by an International Women’s Day Award in 2002, and in 2003 she was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study anti-poverty strategies and issues associated with the delivery of welfare services in North America and Europe. In 2008 Lin was a finalist for Australian of the Year and is the current ACT Australian of the Year. back to top

Professor Alan Hayes, Director, Australian Institute of Family Studies
Professor Hayes took up his appointment as Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies in September 2004. He is currently a member of the Australian Families and Children Council (AFCC), and was an Ambassador for National Families Week 2007. With qualifications in Psychology, he has longstanding research and policy interests in the pathways children and their families take through life, and the role of families in supporting and sustaining development across life. The role of vulnerability and resilience in shaping developmental pathways has been a particular focus. Much of his work has focused on disadvantage, with a longstanding interest in prevention and early intervention. The impact of relationship breakdown on children is a particular interest, and the factors that impede access to opportunity continue to be a key focus. Alan is married, and is a very proud father whose life has been infinitely enriched by the love of his family. back to top

Barbara Holborrow OAM
Barbara was the first woman recipient in Australia of the Jean Harris award for promoting the development and progress of Women and Children’s issues in Australia. This is the highest award given by Rotary both in Australia and internationally. Barbara graduated from Sydney University and went immediately into private practice in Glebe. At that time Glebe was the working man’s suburb and it was here she honed her courtroom skills. Always interested in children’s rights, Barbara was integral in the establishment of free legal aid for all children in 1973. From then on she championed the cause of children, working almost exclusively in the Children’s Courts. Barbara despaired at the inadequacy of the justice system as it related to children. She fought to bring about changes and is proud of what she achieved. Barbara was instrumental in setting up the only Care Court in Australia, matters involving crime were not heard at the Care Court, and it was devoted solely to the hearing of complaints of the neglect of children. In 2002 Barbara received an OAM in recognition of her work with children and their families. On a more personal note, Barbara has fostered eight children over the years, her daughter Louise is now married with her own family, her aboriginal son Jacob lives with Barbara in Sydney. back to top

Divonne Holmes à Court, Chief Executive Officer of Smart Population Foundation, Executive Director of the Raising Children Network
Formerly a corporate lawyer, Divonne Holmes à Court, is also the mother of two sets of twins — boys aged eight and four-year-old girls. She is an active supporter of translating early childhood and education research into innovative and universally accessible tools and resources for parents, students and the broader the community. Originally from New York, Ms. Holmes à Court immigrated to Australia in 2000 and became an Australian citizen in 2004. In 2002 she founded Smart Population Foundation (SPF) to help prevent harm and neglect and improve long term outcomes for children, especially by making trusted, practical information more accessible to parents via the internet and other digital media. SPF is a founding member of the Raising Children Network (RCN), a consortium of child health and parenting research organisations which includes the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute's Centre for Community Child Health and the Parenting Research Centre. RCN was appointed by the Australian Government to develop and manage the pioneering national parenting website, raisingchildren.net.au. Commissioned by the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FHCSIA) at $6 million over six years, the Raising Children website has become the definitive online child health and parenting resource in Australia, recently winning multiple digital media industry awards including NetGuide 2007 Site of the Year and AIMIA Best Learning and Education. SPF has recently produced the Raising Children DVD, a companion to the website and a world first. The DVD is a comprehensive audio-visual parenting resource which is distributed by the federal Government to all families in Australia upon the birth of their child — over 250,000 copies will be distributed by the Government via a new Parent Pack through hospitals and midwives each year with the $5,000 ‘Baby Bonus’ application form. Ms. Holmes à Court has a psychology degree from New York’s Columbia University, a Juris Doctor from Boston University School of Law and is a member of the New York Bar Association. back to top

Joan Hughes, Chief Executive Officer, Carers Australia
Joan is CEO, Carers Australia. She has a Bachelor of Education and a Graduate Diploma in Social Sciences, Human Resource Development. In 1999 Joan became Honorary Associate in the Department of Nursing Research Centre, University of Sydney. In 2000 she reached the finals for the Telstra Business Woman of the Year Award. In 2003, she was the runner up in the National CEO Awards sponsored by Equity Trustees. Joan was awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2004. Her research about ageing parents of people with disabilities was carried out in Canada, USA and UK. From 1993 until 2006, Joan was CEO Carers NSW, which has won many state and national awards including one of three International Caregiving Awards in Washington DC, USA. In 2003 Joan was an expert panellist in a forum in Washington DC, USA on Intergenerational Caregiving. In July 2006 Joan was appointed CEO Carers Australia. back to top

Graeme Innes AM, Human Rights Commissioner, Commissioner Responsible for Disability Discrimination, Commonwealth Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Lawyer, Mediator and Company Director Graeme Innes has been a Human Rights Practitioner in NSW, WA and nationally for 25 years. Graeme was a member of the Australian delegation to the United Nations developing a Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. Graeme has been active in the disability field for thirty years. He was Chair of the Disability Advisory Council of Australia for four and a half years. He was the first blind President of Royal Blind Society of NSW, and the first Chair of Vision Australia, Australia's largest national blindness agency. Graeme has been one of Australia's delegates to the World Blind Union, and the President of that Union's Asia-Pacific region. Graeme has been a consultant to organisations such as Westpac, Qantas, and Sydney Water, on disability issues. Graeme has been a Member of -

the NSW Administrative Decisions Tribunal;
the NSW Consumer, Trader and Tenancy Tribunal; and
The Social Security Appeals Tribunal;
As well as a Hearing Commissioner with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

He has also been a Councilor on Ku-ring-gai local Council. In 1995 Graeme was admitted as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his contribution to the development of Commonwealth disability discrimination legislation. He was a finalist for Australian of the year in 2003. Graeme is married with an adult son and a daughter in primary school. He enjoys cricket (as a spectator) and sailing (as a participant) and relaxes by drinking fine Australian white wine. back to top

Steve Larkin, Principal, Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies
A Kungarakany man from Darwin, Steve Larkin has been the Principal of AIATSIS since June 2004. Prior to this, Mr Larkin acted as Principal for nine months and was Deputy Principal for two and a half years. Mr Larkin has also been Adjunct Associate Professor in Indigenous Health at James Cook University since 2002, and maintains both an ongoing personal and professional interest/involvement in Indigenous Australian health. He spent more than 17 years working in health and community development programs in urban, rural and remote Aboriginal communities throughout the NT. Mr Larkin’s previous positions include National Aboriginal Health Adviser to the Australian Medical Association, inaugural CEO of the Secretariat of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO), Assistant Secretary in the Commonwealth Office of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (OATSIH), and a short stint managing the national Indigenous Employment Program within the Department of Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. back to top

Dr Marie Leech, Principal, Sancta Sophia College
Marie is currently the Principal at Sancta Sophia College at the University of New South Wales. Marie has a PhD in Social Policy from the University of Sydney and a Masters of Science and Society from the University of New South Wales. Her business achievements were recognised as a NSW Finalist in the 2005 Telstra Business Women’s Awards. Marie was appointed to the Federal Government’s Stronger Families and Communities Strategy Partnership, was a member of the Board of Directors of the Australian Institute of Family Studies; and on a number of Committees, including Working Groups of the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth (ARACY). Voluntary work has included the development of strategies to provide access to education for disadvantaged girls and women, especially Aboriginal women. Previous roles include the position of General Manager, Community Services, at Mission Australia, and Senior Policy Advisor at Uniya, the Jesuit office for social justice research. Prior to her career in social policy and research, Dr Leech taught senior chemistry and biology at Kincoppal Rose Bay and was an educator at TAFE and university levels. back to top

Wendy McCarthy AO, Chief Executive Officer, McCarthy Mentoring
Wendy McCarthy began her career as a secondary school teacher and remains passionate about the power of education. For 40 years she has been a teacher, educator and change agent in Australian public life. In 2005 she was nominated by the Sydney Morning Herald as one of Australia’s Top 100 Public Intellectuals. She has held executive and non-executive director roles in many private and public institutions including the Australian Federation of Family Planning Associations; the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC); the Australian Bicentennial Authority; the National Better Health Program; the National Trust; Star City; the Australian Heritage Commission; and Symphony Australia. Currently she is Vice-Chair of Plan International; Director and Immediate Past Chair of Plan Australia; Chair of Circus Oz; Chair of the Accreditation Advisory Board of the Advertising Federation of Australia; Chair of McGrath Estate Agents; Chair of NSW Sustainable Access Priority Taskforce; Chair of Sydney Community Foundation, Member of the NSW Health Care Advisory Council and Patron of the Australian Reproductive Health Alliance. Her corporate advisory practice specialises in providing mentors to major corporations and the public sector and assisting these organisations with issues around diversity, leadership and work life balance. Wendy McCarthy has published many articles and is the author of five books including her autobiography, Don't Fence Me In published by Random House in 2000. She enjoys public speaking and is an experienced speaker and facilitator. In 2005 she completed a decade as Chancellor of the University of Canberra and she was a founding member of the Australian Chancellors’ Conference. Her advocacy and leadership have been recognised nationally and in 1989 she was appointed an officer of the Order of Australia for outstanding contributions to community affairs, women's affairs and the Bicentennial celebrations. In 1996 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of South Australia and in 2003 she was awarded a Centenary of Federation medal for business leadership. She has been married to Gordon for 43 years and they have three adult children and three grandchildren. back to top

Anne McLeish, Director, Grandparents Australia
Anne is currently National Director of Grandparents Australia and state director of Grandparents Victoria. Recent national work includes a national survey of grandparents from every state and territory and all walks of life to determine their views about the future for their grandchildren and the conduct of a campaign to highlight the need for better childcare provision as an issue of national significance. back to top

Rona Mellor, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Medicare Australia
Rona Mellor formally commenced her role and Deputy CEO in August 2007 after being outposted to Medicare Australia from the Department of Human Services where she was Deputy Secretary. Rona’s focus has been on delivering electronic Medicare claiming to increase patient convenience and electronic capability in the profession. Before joining Medicare Australia, Rona worked at the Australian Taxation Office for 20 years, 13 of them as a Senior Executive. From 2001-2006, Rona was the First Assistant Commissioner of the Policy Management Division. In this position, she built strong relations for the Tax Office with Treasury, Ministers, and other Government agencies with whom the Tax Office worked and was responsible for input to tax policy, revenue forecasting, issues management and strategic planning. Many of Rona’s other roles at the Tax Office involved leading change. These included establishing the complaints service (one of the public sector’s best), new working arrangements in the implementation of the GST, client interface design work – the basis of the channel management strategy, and design leadership in the early stages of the ATO’s change program, with a particular focus on listening to the community. Rona has also had a strong technical career at the ATO as a Senior Tax Counsel and is an advocate for collaborative working arrangements – within teams, across teams and across agencies. Rona and her partner Neil have 4 children – a daughter aged 12, a son aged 9, and identical twin boys aged almost 8. They have a busy life where one of the greatest challenges is punctuality! Her household is a busy and noisy one – with 4 children and two working parents, finding time to chill out is hard. All of the children love to play sport, so like many families, weekends are spent admiring the skills of children as they dream of being superstars in their chosen activities – rugby, AFL, athletics, ballet and tap dancing. The children have a passion for involvement so there are also many school related activities such as choirs, and participation in music, trivia tournaments and sports carnivals and clinics. Beyond that, catching a movie or a meal, or simply walking the dog are the things they do for fun. Balancing work and other activities is a daily challenge – when they all go to bed at night, Rona knows it is a good day if everyone is happy and safe. Sleeping in is a bonus! back to top

Voula Messimeri, Chairperson, Federation of Ethnic Communities Councils of Australia (FECCA)
Voula has been involved in the community services field for nearly 25 years, with a particular focus on multicultural affairs and women’s issues. As Executive Director of the Australian Greek Welfare Society Ltd (AGWS) she manages an agency with a diverse range of programs including aged & disabilities, childcare, training, counselling and community education. Voula has a strong commitment to social justice and community building and to this end she has served on a number of Boards and advisory bodies. back to top

Bob Nicholson, Chief Executive Officer, YMCA Australia
Bob has forty years employment with the YMCA movement in Australia. He also has extensive experience in Not-for-Profit Management, Voluntary Board Development, community programming and service development. YMCA Australia is a federation of 37 independently incorporated Associations, each governed by a voluntary Board of Directors. The YMCA operates in more than 400 communities across Australia, and each week provides programs and services to more than 500,000 people of all ages. The YMCA Mission is to provide opportunities for all people to grow in body, mind and spirit. back to top

Tony Nicholson, Executive Director, Brotherhood of St Laurence
Tony Nicholson is Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence, an independent organisation with strong Anglican links and a history of developing and delivering wide-ranging and vital services to disadvantaged individuals. Nicholson has worked in the field for almost 25 years. He spent 14 years as Chief Executive Officer of Hanover Welfare Services, a Melbourne-based service for the homeless. With the Brotherhood, he has a strong record of innovation, research, policy analysis and advocacy. back to top

Bev Orr, Chair, Australian Foster Care Association
Bev represents the Australian Foster Care Association which is the only national representative body for foster carers and foster care associations throughout Australia. The membership of the Association is comprised of the peak foster care association of each Australian State or Territory and through them in excess of 12,500 Australian carer families from throughout Australia. back to top

Nicole Quinn, National Convenor, Defence Families of Australia
The life of an ADF spouse began for me over 13 years ago when I met Andrew, who is in the Navy. Since then have quickly experienced the highs and lows of ADF life and I, like all ADF partners, quickly discovered that my husband’s work had a large impact on my and now my children’s daily lives. It was the impact on my children’s life, especially the impact of education inconsistencies across the states that first led me to DFA. I was pleased to discover that an independent group was representing my concerns on this topic. As I further become involved in DFA, I was impressed to see an active and professional group lobbying both Defence and Government on issues affecting my life as an ADF family. As National Convenor I will endeavour to represent the views and issues effecting ADF families and with the continuing support of the National Executive and families within the ADF community provide a strong voice for all Defence Families. back to top

Paul Rajan, Department of Education NT
Paul is Director, Community Engagement in the Department of Education in the Northern Territory with responsibility for youth, women's, seniors' and multicultural policy areas. Paul has worked in both government and community sector human services agencies since 1975. As Principal Policy Officer and later Assistant Director Young Offender Services in the W.A. Department of Community Services and then as General Manager of Creative LINKS Foundation he has significant experience in policy development and analysis and in the practical application of policy in the development and operation of programs. back to top

Glenn Rappensberg, Chief Executive, Novita Children’s Services
Glenn Rappensberg was appointed Chief Executive of Novita Children’s Services (formerly the Crippled Children’s Association of South Australia) in January 2000. Born and educated in Queensland, Glenn moved to South Australia in 1983 to undertake nursing studies at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. He worked for 12 years as a Registered General Nurse, including several years as a Nurse Manager, while gaining a Bachelor of Management degree from the University of South Australia. Since then, Glenn has held a number of senior management positions within the South Australian health sector, including four years as Business Manager, Children’s Youth and Women’s Health Service (formerly the Women’s and Children’s Hospital) and two years as Chief Executive Officer for both the Naracoorte Health Service and the Kingston Soldiers Memorial Hospital. Nationally, Glenn is the Chairperson of National Disability Services’ (NDS) Committee on Children, Young People and Their Families, an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives and a founding Board Member of Ability First Australia. Locally, he is an active Member of National Disability Services, the Chairperson of NDS’s State Management Committee, Chairperson of NDS’ State Committee on Children, Young People and Their Families, a Ministerial Appointee and the Deputy Chairperson to the Children’s Services Consultative Committee of the Department of Education and Children’s Services, and Executive Director and Board Member of The Channel Seven Children’s Research Foundation of South Australia – positions that allow him to promote the rights, safety, welfare and wellbeing of children and young people in South Australia. back to top

Simon Schrapel, Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia
From May 1999 Simon has held the position of Executive Manager, Family and Community Development, at Anglicare SA, where he is responsible for a broad range of services from child care to out of home care, supported accommodation and housing, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, employment programs, refugee settlement services, financial services, youth services, disability support and mental health services, community development, community legal services, family relationship services and family support amongst other areas. These services are provided from a variety of locations across the Adelaide metropolitan area. Simon has worked in a range of policy, planning and management positions, principally focused on the funding and delivery of services by the non-government community services sector. This has included positions in the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka and Australia in state and local government as well as not for profit organisations.Simon has been a member of the South Australian Council of Social Services (SACOSS) Policy Council since 2000 and the Chairperson of SACOSS since July 2002. He has also been the Chair of the Child and Family Welfare Association of Australia since 2001. back to top

Tony Steven, Chief Executive Officer, Council of Small Business of Australia Ltd.
Tony Steven is the founder of “Association Offices” a business he started in 1998, it provides secretariat services to a number of associations. Tony is experienced in both Association Management and small business having been State Director of a political party for over 3 years and Manager of a health and fitness club along with being involved with many other organisations. He has over 15 years experience in Association management. back to top

Tony Stevenson, Mission Australia
Tony Stevenson is Mission Australia’s Queensland State Director. Tony was previously the Chief Executive Officer of Anglicare Central Queensland. He is committed to a viable and proactive non-Government sector which works alongside families, children and individuals to inspire self-confidence and hope, and enable people to tap their own resources to pursue a positive and independent future. His background of over 25 years in community services includes management, policy development and program delivery with Federal, State and Local Government, private consultancy and the non-Government sector. He was the principal consultant for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Reform of Children’s Services in Australia and a committee Chair of the Australian Health and Community Services Ministerial Council. back to top

Dr Lyndall Strazdins, Research Fellow, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University
Dr Lyndall Strazdins is a research Fellow at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University. Her research focuses on contemporary work and family life, including; work in a 24/7 economy and parent and child wellbeing; time pressures; job insecurity and mental health; the way high job quality (jobs with autonomy, security, flexibility and family friendly provisions) can optimize employed parents’ wellbeing, family life and children’s wellbeing. She worked for 10 years at the ‘coalface’, as a psychologist helping families, before developing a research career to address the wellbeing and social issues she saw. She has recently developed an index of working parent’s job quality that can be used by policy and workplaces for benchmarking, monitoring and evaluation of family friendly initiatives. She is also developing methods to address the time coasts of health and environmental interventions (for example, campaigns to increase exercise or use public transport) because time pressures are especially acute for working families. Lyndall is a mother of two (18 and 10 years). Her family, like all families, is precious and she lives, every day, the challenge of working and being there as a parent and partner. back to top

Prue Warrilow, National Association of Community Based Children's Services
Prue is the Deputy National Convenor of the National Association of Community Based Children's Services (NACBCS); she is currently the Deputy Convenor of the NSW NACBCS branch and was NSW Convenor for the past 4 years. She represents NACBCS on the National Children's Services Forum and the Commonwealth Child Care Reference Group. Prue is the owner and CEO of Families At Work. NACBCS' objective is to promote not for profit children's services in Australia. NACBCS is the peak representative organisation for all Australian community owned children's services. back to top

Sharron Williams, Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care
Representing the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, Sharron is a Narungga/Kaurna woman who has been the CEO of the Aboriginal Family Support Services in Adelaide for seven years. Sharron’s experience has included 15 years with Correctional Services through a range of strategic and policy development positions which included being the first Indigenous Public Relations Officer within the Correctional Services System within SA. The Aboriginal Family Support Services Inc (AFSS) was established in 1978 as the SA Aboriginal Child Care Agency Forum Inc (ACCA) in order to have an Aboriginal organisation involved in matters relating to child welfare. Prior to 1978, Aboriginal children were often being removed from their families and communities without the consent or even consultation with extended family members. back to top

Members' area:

National Families Week Ambassadors