Board and Executive

Jen Ehlers

Board Chair

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-ehlers/

Post nominals: BA(Curtin), GradDipEd(Sec)(ECowan), MBA (UWA)

Current role: Director, Consulting. Social Ventures Australia

Jen brings a strong focus on strategy combined with over twenty years of multi-disciplinary business acumen to the Ngala Board. She has a wealth of experience including Education, MBA, and Social Impact qualifications to support Ngala to develop and carry out strategies to improve their impact and performance.

As a mother of three sons, Jen is a firm believer in the importance of a supportive community to the health and wellbeing of our social fabric. In her role as Chair, she is committed to ensure that Ngala continues to respond to the changing needs of families and communities, to meet the challenges of raising children and young people.

Jen currently leads the Perth Consulting practice for Social Ventures Australia and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Curtin University, a Graduate Diploma in Secondary Education from Edith Cowan University, and a Master of Business from the University of Western Australia.

Michael Bisset

Deputy Chair

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-bisset-2340b32b/

Post nominals: BBus (LTU), GAICD

Most Recent Role: Group Executive Human Resources – Newmont

Michael brings a strong focus on Human Resources strategy and operational issues over a 38 year career in large corporate environments.

His Human Resources career spanned companies such as Newmont Mining, Rio Tinto, AXA Financial services and Exxon Mobil. Through these roles he also acquired HR accountability and knowledge in a range of countries such as Indonesia and Ghana.

He is a past Board member of Lifeline WA and the Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA).

He is currently retired from corporate life and spends considerable time on Rotary projects primarily related to education. He builds links with corporate and educational organisations to achieve positive outcomes locally and in PNG.

Stephen Strack

Board Member

Post nominals:  BBus, CA, GAICD

Stephen brings extensive financial and commercial skills to the Ngala Board. His career spans 30+ years across a number of industries including, professional services, hospitality, motor vehicle dealerships and property development.

He is currently retired from corporate life and is spending his time sitting on a number of Not-For-Profit boards.

Andrew Annand

Board Member

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewannand/

Post nominals: BBus (ECowan), FCA, GAICD

Current role: Managing Director and CEO, Inserve Australia Limited

Andrew brings extensive financial and commercial skills to the Board. Andrew was a senior partner at Deloitte for over 30 years (the world’s largest professional services firm) where he held senior leadership positions in Financial Advisory with a focus on advising private, ASX listed, government and not-for-profit organisations.

Since retiring from the Deloitte partnership in 2017, Andrew has been the Managing Director and CEO of Inserve Australia Ltd, one of Australia’s largest insurance building repair companies.

Andrew’s focus is ensuring financial, commercial and investment decisions are based on robust analysis to create long-term financial sustainability for Ngala.

Dr Vicki Banham

Board Member

Connect with me: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8032-4579

Post nominals: NZTC, DipEd., BEd., MEd (Murdoch), PhD (UniSA)

Current role: Associate Professor, Associate Dean, School of Arts and Humanities, Edith Cowan University , ECU Deputy Chair Student Appeals Committee

Vicki Banham is a leader, educator and HDR supervisor at Edith Cowan University, since 1992.

She has a commitment to leading quality teaching, research, and professional involvement in areas of: listening and acknowledging the voice of people and communities in society and pathways to active participation; rights of vulnerable groups; understanding the learning process of children and young people; project management; curriculum development; coordination and administration; literature reviews; report writing; proposal writing; qualitative research methodologies and methods; social program design and development; and strategic planning.

She has been awarded a Vice Chancellor’s Award for Teaching and Learning and in 2019 the Australian Award for University Teaching: Citation for outstanding contribution to student learning.

She has held a number of leadership positions within the University being: Chair of Department of Human Services; Head of School of Community Studies; and currently Associate Dean (Counselling, Social Work, Social Science, and Youth Work).

Her expertise has been acknowledged in appointments to Ministerial positions: Children’s Advisory Council Western Australia; Child Care Planning Committee Western Australia; and Chair of Australian Accreditation Decisions Review Committee (10 years).

She holds ongoing international collaborations with African Directions, Lusaka, Zambia; Royal University of Bhutan, Samste College; Moi University, Kenya; Catholic University of East Africa, Eldoret, Kenya

She is a supervisor for Doctoral and Masters by Research students (11 completions and currently supervision of 9 from Masters to PhD).

Mike Stephenson

Board Member

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrstephenson

Post nominals:  Dip IT, MBA

Current role: General Manager, Digital & Technology, Harvest Road

Mike is an operational and commercially focused senior Technology professional with 18+ years primarily working between the Technology, Marketing, Operational and Commercial parts small to large-sized companies. Mike has worked across retail, insurance, venue management and catering industries, currently leading the Digital & Technology elements at Harvest Road, UWA.

He brings a wealth of experience towards improving business operations by implementing solutions to operating inefficiencies or increasing revenue via the use of Digital & Technology products.

Mike completed a Master of Business Administration from UWA in 2016.

Rachel Ross

Board Member

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-ross-9ab483b9/

Post nominals: Bachelor of Laws (LLB)

Rachel is an experienced commercial litigator, having worked at one of Perth’s leading litigation firms for 10 years assisting clients negotiate and achieve pragmatic and commercial outcomes on complex and high stakes litigation matters.

Rachel’s dispute resolution experience enables her to assess risk at an early stage and consider strategies to mitigate and reduce exposure whist having regard to the ultimate commercial objectives of her clients.

Rachel is also a mother of two young children and past user of the wonderful services provided by Ngala.

Michelle Dillon

Chief Executive Officer

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-dillon-80062332/

Michelle is an accomplished health and community leader, deeply invested in reform, governance, and customer service. She is committed to effectively balancing strategic and operational priorities, while leading teams to drive cultural change.

Experience and Education

• Registered Nurse with postgraduate qualifications in Intensive Care, Clinical Education, and a Masters by Research
• Graduate Member – Australian Institute of Company Directors
• Has held leadership positions at Royal Perth Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Child and Adolescent Health Service, and Nursing and Midwifery South Metropolitan Health Service.
• Chair, Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (WA), Deputy Chair of the National Immediate Action Committee for the NMBA.
• Board member: Curtin University MBA Advisory Panel

Role at Ngala

• Guides operations and ensures alignment of services to values, vision, and mission.
• Strategic planning and development, contributing to Ngala’s mission and ensuring long term sustainability.
• Ensures that Ngala’s operations maintain an evidence-based, safe, and inclusive model of care.
• Advocacy, strategic partnerships and lobbying of Government and funders to ensure Ngala plays a proactive role within the community sector.

Julia Hannan

Chief Financial Officer

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-hannan-5b9882ba/

Julia is a Fellow Certified Practising Accountant (FCPA) with 30 years of experience in the commercial accounting sector, 25 of these in the not-for-profit healthcare and community industries. Julia brings expertise from her experience in senior finance and management roles possessing strong attention to detail, highly developed analytical skills, and a passion for educating managers and organisations in financial management including understanding key activity drivers of a business. She values the strong relationships built with peers in partnering to succeed and she is committed to continuous improvement and best practice, remaining agile and responsive to sector challenges.

Experience and Education

• Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) Curtin University
• FCPA
• Executive and Financial leader with expertise in governance, financial stewardship, budgeting, capital management, and modelling.
• Experience in leading Finance, Property, Administrative and ICT departments

Role at Ngala

Julia is the Chief Financial Officer at Ngala responsible for the corporate services functions of Finance, Property, and ICT. She is accountable for the overall financial management of the organisation and ensuring the organisation’s service delivery programs are supported by a robust and contemporary corporate service function.

Amanda Lovelock

Head of Operations

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-l-47183435/

Amanda brings over 30 years of experience in the human services sector. In addition to core competencies across Ngala’s operational functions, Amanda has cultivated a deep understanding of how best to align staff with an organisation’s purpose to drive a tangible impact on client outcomes.

Experience and Education

• Highly experienced senior leader across human services and community sector, including expertise across quality, safety and service development, in addition to continuous improvement and operational management.
• Qualified in Not for Profit Leadership and Management

Role at Ngala

• Amanda oversees all of Ngala’s operational portfolios across Western Australia, with a focus on ensuring services maintain our evidence-based, safe and inclusive models of care.

Brian Smith

Head of Business Enhancement

Connect with me: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-smith-728740b4/

Brian is a seasoned leader, experienced in guiding diverse teams across both operations and management. He brings a balanced perspective to strategy development, business development, change management, business analysis and contract negotiation.

Experience and Education

• Nearly two decades of experience guiding diverse teams, from teams dispersed across the state, through to smaller teams of managers.
• Brian has supported a range of iconic WA organisations to achieve core strategic outcomes.
• Graduate of Curtin University Major in Economics and Marketing.

Role at Ngala

• Leadership of Quality and Improvement, Marketing and Fundraising functions for Ngala.
• Oversight of key program development and change management initiatives.
• Business case development of new service models and commercial initiatives to drive fee for service income.
• Development of strategic initiatives and leadership of internal project management function.