Nerida Ackerman - President Delegate
Eleonore Johansson - Treasurer
Eleonore has worked in the Community Services Industry for 30 years. Eleonore has a MA in Psychology, a Degree in Public Administration, and a Diploma of Frontline Management. She is the General Manager of Southern Youth and Family Services and brings a wealth of experience in contract management, financial accounts and policy development.
Lex Nadine Lutherborrow- CEO of Youth Off The Streets
Lex has extensive and diverse experience in the community services sector. Before becoming CEO, Lex was Deputy CEO and the Director of Sydney Homeless Services for Youth Off The Streets. Prior to joining Youth Off The Streets in 2012, Lex worked as a Unit Coordinator for the Department of Juvenile Justice, among other roles. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology and Criminology) and is undertaking an Advanced Diploma of Management.
Nigel Parker -Metropolitan Delegate
Nigel has been working with vulnerable children and young people since 2007. Passionate about advocating for the rights of homeless children and young people, Nigel began working at St Laurence House in 2009. He has consistently highlighted the need for the medium-term model of care and has had the opportunity to sit on several advisory panels. Nigel is also a founding director of My Foundations Youth Housing organisation.
Laurie Matthews - Metropolitan Delegate
Laurie began his role with homeless youth in 1977, founding Caretakers Cottage Paddington, and was also a founding member of the Youth Refuge Association (now Yfoundations). He is actively involved in policy development while participating in various government advisory bodies. Laurie is CEO of Caretakers Cottage, a provider of out-of-home care, crisis accommodation HYAP, early intervention programs and transitional housing.
Richard Ayoub - Metropolitan Delegate
Richard holds more than 22 years of experience working in a variety of roles including government, public and not for profit sectors. The variety of roles held has enabled him to shape and influence overall service practices including both internal and external policy reviews. Richard is self-motivated and committed to delivering improvements across the variety of multifaceted systems we work in to enhance service delivery to young people and build stronger community resilience.
Kellie Checkley - Education and Training Specialist Delegate
Kellie has been working in the youth homelessness sector for 15 years and the youth sector generally for over 20 years. Currently, Kellie heads up a national youth employment program working with young people at risk of long term unemployment to address any barriers to gaining and maintaining employment and then providing long term support to ensure a successful transition.
Alan Brennan - Regional Delegate
Alan has more than 40 years’ experience in establishing, consolidating and delivering refuges for homeless young people and families, Out of Home Care residential care, foster care, supported independent living programs, wrap around services, restoration, family support and child protection services to produce positive outcomes for children, young people and families in New England, North West Tablelands and Mid North Coast of NSW.
Alan is the CEO of Pathfinders, a not-for-profit involved in providing crisis accommodation, outreach services, refuges, short-term accommodation and supported independent living programs, Alan is committed to delivering safe and nurturing environments for children and young people. Alan is also a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Jody Pearce - Regional Delegate
Jody has worked in the not for profit sector in Western NSW for over 20 years. She has extensive experience working in leadership positions for community-managed NGO’s, who have a specific focus on supporting vulnerable children, young people and families. Jody has tirelessly advocated for quality service provision and sustainable funding in the organisations in which she has worked.
Lisa Graham - Metropolitan Delegate
Lisa has 30 years of experience managing at-risk youth programs in both the education and community service sectors. Prior to joining Taldumande, Lisa managed programs with young people in out-of-home residential care, young people within the Juvenile Justice system and managed community education programs in Sydney’s Western Suburbs.
Lisa is passionate about sustaining positive organisational culture and maintaining strong staff morale to ensure young people receive the focus and care they deserve and to which they are entitled.
Meena Johnson - Regional Delegate
Meena has worked in the housing and homelessness sector for over 22 years and in 2018 was one of the 5 finalists of Coffs Harbour Woman of the Year Awards. She has extensive experience in the governance of not-for-profit boards, committees and working groups including the Board of Homelessness NSW and Warrina Women & Children’s Refuge.
Meena brings extensive knowledge about the barriers and challenges that marginalised and vulnerable children and young people in rural remote areas face in trying to secure long term suitable and affordable housing. She is keen to contribute to this space of advocacy that influences, informs and enable government policy for vulnerable children and families in the community.
Daniel Roy - Metropolitan Delegate
Daniel has had an extensive career within the youth and community services sector for over a decade across Australia, in rural regions and remote Aboriginal communities. His career began in the sector after his own lived experience and adversity with childhood trauma and homelessness. Daniel has worked within crisis accommodation, residential care, schools, recreational services, youth development, and case management settings supporting young people to overcome the challenges they've been faced with to achieve their aspirations. In recent years, his focus has been on developing and delivering quality training solutions to current and emerging youth and community services workers. Before returning to New South Wales from Western Australia, Daniel was a Lecturer and former Board Director of the Youth Affairs Council of Western Australia. Daniel currently works at Headspace supporting young people with their mental health and wellbeing; and runs his own business, primarily delivering mental health first aid. Daniel is a strong advocate for issues being unfairly experienced by regional, Aboriginal, and LGBTIQA+ young people; and knows no bounds when it comes to ensuring their voices are heard.
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