2022 ELGP Spring Participants revealed

July 12, 2022 | PUBLISHED BY: Alicia

In our tenth year of the program, we are delighted to reveal the participants of the 2022 Emerging Leaders in Governance program (ELGP) Spring program for LGBTIQ+ women and non binary people thanks to funding from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women. As you’ll read below, this cohort has exceptional professional skills and a keen desire to contribute on a board in the aged care and community sector.

Thank you to all the organisations below too for offering your in kind support to this program. Together we are contributing to a world class aged care and community sector through strengthening governance and diversity on NFP boards.

2022 ELGP Participants revealed

We would like to warmly welcome this program’s cohort and we look forward to working with you!

Amelia (Milli) Seinemeier (She/her)

Milli is a passionate and driven community services worker currently employed at Carers WA. Raised in a small country town, since a child she has always had a strong sense of what is right. Her professional background in financial hardship, capacity building services, LGBTQ+ interests, and broader human services has allowed her to work with diverse people groups, not for profit organisations, and fantastic volunteers.

With interests in women’s and LBGTQ+ folks rights, Milli also has a real heart for those experiencing homelessness, addiction, FDV and any hardship. She has had a long term focus on supporting individuals by walking alongside, raising awareness in community, and promoting a systemic shift towards equity in government and workplace.

Milli believes that a society that protects and lifts the vulnerable is stronger for it. The not-for-profit sector has allowed her to help lead the shift towards accountability and equity on a wider level, and the privilege to support people on an individual level.

Annabelle Williams (She/her)

Annabelle has always been passionate about giving back to the community in any way that she can. Being an Aboriginal woman who has a disability and has always been an advocate of the LGBTQIA+ community, she herself has experienced and understands some of the many hardships of being part of those minority groups.

During law school, she has volunteered in multiple law firms, not for profits and government departments where she has assisted disadvantaged clients and minority groups in the community. Even in two of the top-tier commercial law firms she interned at, she sought out to be involved in the Pro Bono space to assist clients in need.

In her current role, she always finds the time to volunteer her time to support students in schools and universities with their career development and aspirations.

Ashara Wills (She/her)

Ashara is a multicultural young professional currently working in the community services and development sector, whilst operating a small LGBTIQA+ training and consultancy services business called Let’s Queer the Air.

Ashara has always been an advocate of the LGBTIQA+ community by engaging in meaningful conversations, passing on knowledge, consulting with the community and continually embracing differences. She is currently a Pride WA management committee member and a community member of the City of Stirling’s Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group.

Ashara is all about inclusivity, sharing experiences, advocating and supporting disadvantaged groups.

Ashlee Pitcher (She/her)

Ashlee has worked in the community services sector for more than 10 years across the refugee and asylum seeker, homelessness, children and family services, and disability sectors. In that time Ashlee has had the opportunity to work across Western Australia including the Great Southern, Pilbara, and Kimberly regions. This diverse professional experience has inspired Ashlee to focus on practice and community partnership in the not for profit sector.

Ashlee is currently employed at Avivo as their Shared Living Practice Lead, where she is enabled to exercise her passion for practice innovation and individualised supports working alongside Avivo customers and colleagues. Ashlee is also completing a Masters in Social Research, through which she was invited to participate in the Parliamentary Research Program, producing apolitical research and recommendations for WA Parliament into the gaps in mental health services in the Town of Newman, Pilbara.

Since 2020 Ashlee has served as a volunteer board member for Swan Friendship Club, exploring opportunities for the local disability community to engage and connect through yoga, community gardens, and employment initiatives. Ashlee is eager to continue to grow and strengthen her community contribution through the Emerging Leaders in Governance program.

Brooke Draper (She/her)

Brooke has been working in the not for profit sector for over 16 years, and 12 of those has been in senior leadership positions. She is currently employment at Ability WA as the General Manager of Social Enterprise and oversees commercial operations that provide meaningful employment for people with disability.

Prior to this position Brooke was a senior leader for Mission Australia as well as the Y WA, where she managed large portfolios of funded contract services for a range of sectors such as Drug and Alcohol, Youth Services, Family and Domestic Violence, Homelessness Services, Mental Health Services as well as commercial Childcare Centers and an RTO.

Brooke describes herself as a values driven leader, who is passionate about equality in all aspects of our communities, and her work has reflected this over the years.

Brooke has been on two Boards over the last 5 years, YACWA (Youth Advisory Council WA) to which she stepped off in 2021 and The Underground Collaborative to which she was appointed the chair at the beginning of this year.

Caro Duca (They/Them)

Caro is a theatre maker, producer, and inclusivity advocate who lives and plays on Noongar boodja. They have a passion for supporting artists and communities tell their stories.

In 2019, they founded Espacio Latinx Perth, an artist collective that shares Latinx Australian experiences in unconventional ways. This group also uses art as a means to explore what it means to be a migrant on Aboriginal land, and how to create safe spaces for queer people of migrant/refugee backgrounds.

Caro is currently the Community Engagement Producer at The Blue Room Theatre, where they work on access and inclusivity for communities wanting to engage in the performing arts. They are also a bicultural facilitator for the Association of Survivors of Torture and Trauma in Perth, where they co-facilitate sexual health workshops for young people.

Caro volunteers at WAAPA’s Equity and Inclusion working group, Sexual Health Quarters’ LGBTQIA+ Clients Reference Group, and the City of Perth’s LGBTQIA+ Advisory Group. As part of the latter, they helped shape the City of Perth’s LGBTQIA+ Plan 2021-2024, that focuses on increasing the visibility, social inclusion, health and well-being of the LGBTQIA+ community.

When they are not working in theatre or advocacy, you can find them playing soccer or hiking, or doing both at the same time!

Heather Preston (She/her)

Heather (she/her) works in Strategic Relationships Management at Edith Cowan University (ECU) and volunteers her time with Out For Australia as their Chief Community Officer. She holds a Master of Business Administration, specialising in Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is a Non-Executive Board member at The Equipped Centre.

Heather and her wife are parents to three young children and she is passionate about making sure the next generation have visible role models to allow them to be their authentic selves in every aspect of their lives.

Isabella Choate (She/they)

Isabella is a passionate young person who advocates for, and celebrates understanding intersectionality. Accordingly, Isabella works across several sectors, including Youth, Mental Health and Disability.

Highlights of Isabella’s career include being on the Youth Steering Group directing policy for the Young People’s Priorities for Action – Mental Health and AOD 2020-2025, and being Project Officer with People With Disabilities (WA) – employing 60 Youth Consultants with lived experience of disability to use their lived experience to help increase accessibility of local businesses throughout Perth, Peel, Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions.

Isabella also volunteers as: Vice Chair of Youth At Risk Network Action Group; an Independent Visitor to Prisons; and a member of Boorloo Justice. They were recognised for their volunteer contributions as a finalist in the WA Young Achievers Award 2022.

Jasmin Paunic (She/her)

Jasmin (she/her) is a 20-year Marketing and Customer Service professional. Currently, a Marketing Manager at APM, a multi-national human services provider focused on enhancing an individual’s employability, health and wellbeing, and social and economic participation in their community.

She has worked in for-profit and not-for-profit organisations in the Aged Care, Disability, and Human Services sectors and made volunteering contributions, including TEDxPerth.

Jasmin’s purpose is to serve for-purpose organisations where she gains the most motivation and joy by adapting commercial/for-profit strategies to achieve outcomes that improve the lives of individuals and communities.

Julie Ann (j.a.c) Chapman (She/her)

Julie Ann has had a hugely diverse background of careers starting out as an intensive care Nurse in London, spending time as a missionary and, later running her own catering business in Zimbabwe. The past 14 years has seen her in the not-for-profit sector in Perth, working for Avivo, with roles ranging from coordination to business systems, management and Coaching.

She has lived and worked on four continents and is proud to bring this breadth of life and work experience to her Coaching.

Bravery is one of her personal core values and she is always willing to try new ways of working. She has been supporting Avivo to form self-managing teams for the past 3 to 4 years. She is leading the “Managing Me” trial at Avivo, and has recently extended this offer to the Avivo customer network. This course supports self-development through reflection and meditation.
Julie Ann believes in community contribution and has volunteered as a coach for a UK charity, the Macmillan foundation, coaching people with a cancer diagnosis. She has also volunteered with Armana Living’s “No-one Dies Alone Project ” and is a passionate believer in people living and dying well. Julie Ann is currently on the Borad of Befriend.

Kayla Clemson (She/her)

Kayla Clemson is currently a volunteer with Activate Mental Health, this is an organisation that is working towards NFP status. In her profession experiences she works alongside the Founder, a strategist and a logistics support to help make this goal possible.

She is also very passionate and is working hard to establish a LGBTQIA+ Social Group to help the community with mental health.

Kayla Schembri (She/her)

Kayla is a values-driven professional with a focus on good corporate governance, policy and procedure. Practical experience of over 10 years working in legal professional consulting services in various capacities, Kayla is a skilled problem-solver attracted to working with complex and ambitious organisations with an appetite for change and growth. An ability to adapt and respond with resilience is well-illustrated throughout both her career and her personal life.

Kayla has experience on both sides of board directorship – through the company secretariat lens supporting the board of a government-trading enterprise by day, and then serving on the board of a mental health advocacy NFP by night. Kayla endeavours to serve additional NFP directorships with a view to feeding her intellectual fascination with strategic decision-making (especially those pertaining to ‘wicked problems’), as she hopes to pursue her PhD in this space in future.

Lara Silbert (She/her)

Lara is an NFP marketing and proposal management professional, with a background spanning housing & homelessness, gender equity, academic research, children’s safety and FDV.

She currently works at Noongar Mia Mia, Perth’s only Aboriginal Community Housing Organisation.

She has just completed an MBA (Social Impact) and looks forward to growing her social impact through a Board role.

Laurene Coller (She/her, They/them)

Laurene is a professional communicator with more than 10 years’ experience across the education, health and social service sectors.

Since 2017 Laurene has worked at the Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS) in communications, overseeing the organisation’s communications activities.

In 2018 Laurene completed a Master of Communication from RMIT University. Prior to her current role at WACOSS she volunteered in the queer arts and culture sector, giving back to the LGBTQIA+ community and helping to elevate queer stories and events into the mainstream, and giving visibility to the community.

In her spare time she participates in community theatre, which is currently taking a back seat, because she recently became a mum for the first time – an experience which is hilarious, messy, tough, inspiring, busy and sleep-depriving. Laurene would like to be able to give back to the community sector, and offer their unique perspective and experience in communications, and as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Louise Naylor (She, her, hers)

Louise has worked in the Community Housing Sector for 15 years, bringing 7 years’ experience from the UK. Over the last 6 years Louise has worked in management and leadership roles at Uniting WA, leading and managing a team of 9 staff to deliver an effective and efficient housing service.

Louise oversees the management and strategic direction of a diverse housing portfolio. Uniting’s housing services provides support and tenancy management to over 380 supported tenancies, spanning various human service areas including disability, mental health, homelessness, and justice. Louise leads a successful housing team, with a strong focus on building professional relationships with community sector partners, government, and the Uniting Church to achieve strategic and operational success.

Her interests in the NFP sector stem from a passion for Housing, and the keystone housing plays for individuals to improve their economic, social, physical, and psychological wellbeing.

Maeson Harvey (They/them)

With volunteer experience in community organisations, Maeson is always keen to use their skills for a social purpose. Maeson is a founding member of the Perth Hills Wellbeing Alliance, sits on the WA Ministerial Youth Advisory Council, and has been a member of the Embrace YRG for the Telethon Kids Institute.

Maeson began their career as a Human Resources Trainee at the Y in WA. Challenging the ladder model of career progression, Maeson now works as the Y’s Youth Advocate – a role that empowers them to embed the voices of young people at all levels of their organisation and engage young people in meaningful ways.

Maeson also sits on the Editorial Committee of national youth voice platform WhyNot, working to amplify the incredible creative work of powerful, inspiring young people. Maeson is passionate about providing safe platforms for young people to have a voice and be involved in their communities.

Natalia Moorin (She/her)

Natalia is an Industrial Relations & Occupational Safety & Health professional with a passion for social justice and inclusion.

Natalia has volunteered at Queer and Women’s Departments at UWA and ECU, helping to organise the National Organisation of Women Students Australia Conference in 2014. She volunteered on the Youth Mental Health Sub Network for the Mental Health Commission and provides input into how mental health care should be co-designed, with trans, queer, disabled and culturally and linguistically diverse people’s needs front and centre.

Natalia currently works for the Department of Communities as an Industrial Relations Consultant. Natalia’s previous role at Citizens Advice Bureau as an Executive Assistant gave her an insight into small NFPs and how they can provide opportunities for disadvantaged people as well as support those who need its services. She wishes to use her volunteering experience along with her work to reduce the barrier of entry to community services and create a safe and inclusive environment for all.

Natalie Tierney (She/her)

Natalie Tierney established Capital Review Group in July 2016 to provide specialist compliance consultancy services for various pieces of legislation and regulations within the education sector in Australia. Natalie has been in various compliance and policy roles during her career, with a focus on international education compliance. Natalie has also been an Executive Committee Member for the Multiple Birth Association for WA since 2018 and has volunteered with the association since 2017. She joined the committee after the birth of her twins and the amazing support she received through the NFP association, and the wish to provide that support to other parents of multiples.

Sam Gibbings (She/her)

Sam is dedicated to improving the lives of vulnerable people in the community. In order to make this possible, she has completed a Bachelor of Science (Health Promotion) and a Masters of Public Health at Curtin University.

Working closely with people who inject drugs, Sam has taken paid and volunteer positions at community based organisations such as the WA AIDS council (now WAAC) and Peer Based Harm Reduction WA.

Sam recently returned to her substantive position at the WA Department of Health’s Communicable disease Control Directorate focusing on blood-borne viruses. After a short deployment to the COVID-19 contact tracing response as a team leader.

In her spare time, she gives her time to the Not-For-Profit sector as Treasurer for Living Proud, and Vice Chairperson for TransFolk of WA. She is passionate about helping others, and makes that a part of her everyday life.

Stacie Mĕi Laccohee-Duffield (She/her)

I began my working life in customer service, volunteering in search and rescue in the UK. I became an Electrical Engineer and was a top 100 employee at BT before emmigrating to the UK. I have had to restart my career on the tools working up to becoming project manager in engineering.

Before Transitioning from Male to female and now restarting my career inline with my personal goals in Youth mental health supporting young LGBTIQA people. I currently volunteer for GRAI, Verdant Vista Community Garden, Rotary and Rotary fellowship.

Come to the ELGP Launch on the 17th August 2022

We welcome community partners, leaders, graduates and guests to welcome our 2022 ELGP Spring cohort at the Program Launch. You can register for this event here. We invite your organisation (whether you are an NFP or corporate organisation) to support this event.

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