meet our board members

Chair

Helen has held a number of senior executive roles in the NSW Public Service that focused on policy and program reform in the human services sector. She began her professional life as a secondary school teacher, which included two years working as an Australian Volunteer Abroad in Tonga. She has also worked for non-government organisations in the aid and development sector.  She is a graduate of the Australian National University and the University of Sydney.

Having retired from the full-time workforce, Helen currently works as a part-time consultant providing strategic support and policy advice for the not-for-profit sector. She also volunteers every week at the Addison Road Food Pantry. She joined the Board of Jannawi Family Centre in 2021.

Secretary

Prior to her retirement, Diana was Principal at Wangee Park School for Specific Purposes for 25 years, having spent most of her 40-year professional life in Special Education. Diana was part of a team that established the Work and Leisure Centre for Adults (with a disability) in 1984 and was Chairman of the Board of Management until 2018.

Diana was a Charter Member of the Zonta Club of Sydney West, which was chartered in 1980 and is a member club of Zonta International. She is currently its President. Zonta clubs are found in 66 countries, empowering women and girls through service and advocacy.

Diana is a committee member of the No Excuse for Abuse – Community Partnerships against Violence campaign, auspiced by the Campsie Police Local Area Command.

Diana joined the Board of Jannawi Family Centre in 2019. 

Robyn is a lawyer with extensive NSW legislative experience. Until her retirement in November 2019, Robyn was a senior executive lawyer in the State Government. Robyn has had more than 35 years’ experience in writing NSW legislation, including laws relating to working with children, mental health and public health.

Robyn has been involved in local community activities including as a member of the organising committee for the Arncliffe Festival, President and Deputy President of the Parents and Citizens Associations of Arncliffe Public School, Hurstville Boys High School and Oatley Senior College, and committee member of St George Junior Hockey Club. She joined the Board of the Jannawi Family Centre in 2018.

Treasurer

Veronica is a Senior Regional Program/Operations Manager, who has worked with Uniting for 15 years. She has skills in coaching, case management, child protection, strategic planning, finance and change management, and has worked extensively with families, young people and children, including in homelessness, early intervention and support for multicultural communities.

Veronica is involved in community events including Campbelltown Midnight Basketball, Bankstown Festival, Children’s Festival and Youth Week. In 2018 she initiated the Homelessness & Community Matters Network in the Macarthur region, connecting services to support people experiencing disadvantage. She holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Australian Institute of Business.

Antoinette Holt is an experienced Human Resources Professional with 20 years’ experience in Strategic HR and Corporate Development.

During her career she has worked in a range of sectors including consulting, higher education, retail and local government. Antoinette’s current role is focused on building strategic leadership, organisational development and culture change in the public sector.

She is a graduate of Macquarie University, an IECL-certified executive coach and an accredited psychometric consultant. She is currently undertaking executive management studies at the Australian Graduate School of Management, University of NSW. 

Antoinette is passionate about supporting local community interests and promoting diversity & inclusion.

Luke is a qualified social worker and senior executive within the NSW Public Service. In 2018, he led the NSW Government’s introduction of 10 days paid domestic violence leave for public sector workers, covering approximately 400,000 employees. He has also held senior roles in managing the whole-of-government response to domestic violence in NSW through the NSW Domestic and Family Violence Blueprint for Reform 2016-2021.

Luke is particularly interested in workplace and industrial responses to domestic violence, and during his time at UNSW’s Gendered Violence Research Network, he co-authored and published research on workplace responses to domestic violence, see: Breckenridge, J., Cale, J., Hameed, S., McCaskie, L., and Tzoumakis, S. (2015) Implementation of Domestic Violence Clauses: An Employer’s Perspective, ACTU, Melbourne.

Michelle is a Senior Executive in the NSW Public Health Service and Not for Profit sector shaping strategic, and sustainable change, supporting vulnerable people. Michelle has significant achievements in bringing together diverse stakeholders to collaborate, co-design and shape the social welfare, justice, health, and mental health ecosystems, delivering whole of system reform and innovation that is more accessible, inclusive, impactful, and effective.

Michelle is a Fellow with the ACHSM and a graduate of the ACHSM Health Service Executive Program and the Australian Institute of Company Directors AICD. Michelle holds postgraduate qualifications in Public Health and Psychology and undergraduate qualifications in Psychology (Honours). She has attained significant achievements comprising several nationally and internationally recognised awards, including the 2024 ACHSM Health Management Leadership Award in recognition of leadership in risk management and clinical governance, recognition by the World Federation for Mental Health, the Public Health Association of Australia and the NSW Premier’s Awards. Michelle is a 2024 Mentor as part of the Franklin Women Inclusive Leadership Mentoring Program, which supports women aspiring to leadership roles. On International Women’s Day 2019, Michelle was recognised as a female leader. She is published in peer review journals including the Clinician for my work with vulnerable families from diverse backgrounds.

Michelle has expertise in leadership, governance, financial and operational management of complex and strategic portfolios across dynamic services and agencies with state-wide impact. Michelle has served on the Board of Jannawi Family Centre as a Non-Executive Director since 2021 and is proud of the work of the centre to provide support to children who have experienced trauma through violence, neglect, psychological or sexual assault.

Dr. Michael Camit (PhD) has over 25 years of experience in developing award-winning communications and engagement with culturally and linguistically diverse and marginalised groups. His research interests are social and technological innovations as they apply to health, community engagement, empowerment of minority groups and social impact of not for profits. His international award winning work with the Pink Sari Project, increased breast screening rates in women from Indian and Sri Lankan backgrounds with very little paid advertising. Pink Sari is now run entirely by volunteers. In 2021 he was selected to be part of the inaugural Community Voices at the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas. He is an Honorary Fellow at the Business School at UTS.