Meet the Board

Our Board of Directors is our governing body and is responsible for our strategic direction, establishing goals for management and monitoring the achievement of goals directly through its committees.

  • Terry Lawler AO

    Chair of the Board

    Qualification

    B Com, FCA, FAICD, FAIM

    Experience

    Independent non-executive director since July 2002 and Chair since 2002. Extensive experience as a chartered accountant providing business, internal audit, operational and strategic advice. Chair of PKF Lawler Corporate Finance. Chair of Ampcontrol Group. Chair of Hunter Water Corporation. Chair of Hunter Water Australia.

    Special Responsibilities

    Chair. Member of the Finance and Audit Committee. Member of the Remuneration, Nomination and Succession Committee. Member of the Risk Management Committee.

  • Gillian Calvert AO

    Director

    Qualification

    MBA, BSW, BA

    Experience

    Independent non-executive director since February 2012. Extensive leadership in the human services sector, working across Government and non-Government, primarily in improving the lives of children and young people. Commissioner for Children and Young People, New South Wales 1999-2009.

    Special Responsibilities

    Chair of the Practice Governance Committee. Member of the Risk Management Committee.

  • Doug Dean AM

    Director

    Qualification

    BCom, FCPA, FAIM, FAICD

    Experience

    Extensive experience in business strategy and growth, Australia and overseas. Managing Director/CEO, Veolia Australia and New Zealand for 25 years.

  • Anthony Deegan

    Director

    Qualification

    B Com, LLB

    Experience

    Independent non-executive director since November 2004. Practising solicitor since 1978, a former partner at Sparke Helmore, providing commercial advice specialising in information communications technology, intellectual property and serving in various management roles.

    Special Responsibilities

    Chair of the Risk Management Committee. Member of the Remuneration, Nomination and Succession Committee.

  • Paula Head

    Company Secretary and Director Corporate Administration

    Experience

    Paula is Life Without Barriers’ Company Secretary and is a Chartered Accountant with over 25 years' experience, working in governance, accounting, consulting and commercial and not for profit organisations.

    Beginning her career with KPMG in the UK, Paula has worked internationally in both the USA and Australia across a wide range of business sectors. Through combining her interest in systems and data with her accounting background, Paula has have held some non-traditional roles that have expanded her understanding of the impact of systems and process improvements on business performance.

  • Graeme Innes AM

    Director

    Qualification

    AM LLB

    Experience

    Independent and non-executive director since May 2014. Lawyer, mediator and director. Human Rights Practitioner for 30 years in New South Wales, Western Australia and nationally. Australia’s Disability Discrimination Commissioner from 2005 – 2014. During that time served as Australia’s Human Rights Commissioner for three and a half years and as Race Discrimination Commissioner for two years.

    Special Responsibilities

    Chair of the Remuneration, Nomination and Succession Committee.

  • Jan Lowe

    Director

    Qualification

    BA, DipEd, FUNISA

    Experience

    Independent non-executive director since April 2004. Extensive experience in senior Government roles in community services, social justice, higher education and local Government. Currently runs JL Consulting, a business that works on organisational change, governance and international disability service relations. Has served on a range of not for profit boards and is currently a Director of Every Voice, Australia.

    Special Responsibilities

    Member of the Remuneration, Nomination and Succession Committee.

  • Tracey McCosker

    Director

    Qualification

    MAICD, MBA, B Comm

    Experience

    Independent non-executive director since July 2002. Extensive senior management experience in the public health sector. Chief Executive of NSW Health Pathology.

    Special Responsibilities

    Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee.

  • Dr Helen Szoke AO

    Director

    Qualification

    BA, GDip, PhD, Hon LLD, FIPA, GAICD, FAIIA, FIPAA

    Experience

    Independent and non-executive director since November 2019. Extensive experience in public policy, social justice, human rights and discrimination.

    Previously, CEO of Oxfam Australia, Race Discrimination Commissioner, Australian Human Rights Commission, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commissioner.

    Member of the Judicial Commission of Victoria.

    Special Responsibilities

    Member of the Practice Governance Committee.

  • Natalie Walker

    Director

    Qualification

    BA Psychology and LLB

    Experience

    Extensive experience across small business, government, not for profit and corporate sectors in various management and non-executive roles. Natalie brings deep knowledge and expertise in social enterprise governance, leadership and operations, social policy design, impact investment, and creation of social impact.

    Natalie founded Supply Nation (formerly AIMSC) helping Australian organisations award more than $50 million worth of business to Indigenous suppliers. Natalie is now Founder / Managing Director of Inside Policy. She is also a non-Executive Director of Evolve Housing, the Telstra Foundation Board and is the non-Executive Chairman of Evolve FM. Natalie also sits on the National Australia Bank’s Indigenous Advisory Board.

    Special Responsibilities

    Member of the Practice Governance Committee.