The WACOSS Board consists of a President, Vice-President, nine elected Board Members and two co-opted Board Members.
Francis Lynch- President
Finance Committee Chair
Francis Lynch is the Chief Executive Officer of Ruah Community Services, an organisation that operates services in the areas of homelessness, mental health, domestic violence, and employment services.
Prior to joining Ruah Community Services, Francis had been with MercyCare for 10 years, Djooraminda for 2 years, and Anglicare for 6 years. Francis worked in management roles over most of this time, including the last 7 years at MercyCare as General Manager of the Family & Community Services Division. He has worked across a wide range of services types including children’s services, child welfare, youth services, AOD services, Emergency Relief, Community Development, Employment Services, Mental Health, Domestic Violence, Homelessness, and Counselling Services.
Louise Giolitto
Louise is the YMCA Executive Manager of Accommodation, Training and Youth & Community Services. YMCA Perth vision is to enrich WA community. The commitment, passion and innovation of our people and our partners will enable the YMCA to provide programs and services that build strong, sustainable and engaged communities.
Louise has over 19 years experience in the community services not for profit sector. Louise has a comprehensive understanding of the issues faced by young people at risk and homeless youth. Louise has helped establish environments in numerous community services, supporting the development of young peoples’ self esteem, confidence and learning ability. Louise understands, and constantly monitors, the increasing complexities faced by her staff in dealing with a more disadvantaged and volatile client group. Louise also takes an active role in policy reform, change processes, community development and believes the most pressing issue for the community services sector across the board is our sustainability. Louise brings a commitment to WACOSS and the broader community that she will share her knowledge and experience and will contribute to the WACOSS philosophy of collective strength.
Norma Josephs
Norma Josephs was CEO of the Association of Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors for 10 years. She has recently been appointed to the Council of Official Visitors where the role involves both individual and systemic advocacy was well as inspections of authorised mental health facilities. As well as progressing a PhD, Norma runs a consultancy service focussing on management coaching and strategic and operational planning.
Tricia Murray
Tricia has been the Executive Director of Wanslea Family Services since 2004. Wanslea provides family support, out of home care and a range of children’s services in metropolitan and regional areas of Western Australia.
She has worked in the community not for profit sector in NSW and Western Australia for twenty eight years, primarily in management positions, with a focus on child protection, homelessness, family violence and children’s services. Prior to taking up the position at Wanslea she worked with Anglicare WA for nearly ten years.
She is also the Chair of the Alliance for Children at Risk, a group of not for profit placement agencies seeking to improve services for children and families engaged in the sector; and secretary of WA NILS. She has a degree in Social Work, Master of Service Administration and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.
Veronica Rodenburg
Veronica Rodenburg is a resident of the Shire of Roebourne and since December 2006, Veronica has been employed with Yaandina Family Centre Inc. as Executive Director. Veronica has a working background in corporate management, communications, capacity building and business development skills and she has extensive experience in broadcasting and community services.
Daniel Morrison
Daniel Morrison (33) is of Noongar/Yamitji (Aboriginal) background. Daniel has grown up in Perth Western Australia and this is where Daniel proudly calls home.
Daniel comes with 14 years experience with both the Commonwealth and State public sector ranging from a number of positions around Aboriginal engagement and liaison type positions up to policy and project development and implementation.
Daniel is now the Chief Executive Officer of the Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Service Inc (AADS) in East Perth. Since taking up the position of CEO with AADS he has been very determined to rebuild the trust in AADS from all stakeholders from community to funding bodies by building positive working relationships/partnerships across the human services sector.
Daniel also holds a number of positions on the following organisation boards;
• Chairperson – Noongar Mia Mia Pty Ltd
• Board member - Nyoongar Sports Association
• Board member - Western Australian Network of Alcohol and Drug Associations (WANADA)
Daniel is extremely passionate with regards to the Aboriginal affairs agenda and looks forward to working in partnership with the Human Services sector and Government for the betterment of the Aboriginal community and also the wider community as a whole.
Steve Joske
Steve has been the Executive Director of Red Cross in WA for eight years and overseen a period of growth in services to vulnerable people. This is especially true in the progress towards serving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people in the Kimberley, the Goldfields and in Kwinana; and in areas of mental health, young people and families.
Steve has also held senior management positions in the Australian Army, the Resource sector and now Red Cross. He is on three non remunerated Boards or Committees – Leadership WA, AIF Malaya Scholarship Board and WACOSS.
Steve is also involved in national level discussions on Red Cross policy in the sector, and then responsible for acceptance and roll-out at the state level.
Steve has a Masters Degree in Defence Studies from Deakin university and his interests include all sports, but in particular Australians Rules and golf. He is an active surf live saver. He is married to Jill and has two daughters.
Kathleen Gregory
Kathleen Gregory is the Chief Executive Officer of Foundation Housing, one of the largest affordable housing providers in Western Australia.
Throughout her 25 years of experience working in the not for profit sector, Kathleen has developed strong knowledge and skills in the development and management of social housing and the provision of long term, secure and affordable housing for all members of our community.
Kathleen has held various roles within the sector including Board member, Executive Officer and now CEO, and has extensive skills and experience managing not for profit organizations.
Kathleen was presented the Australasian Outstanding Achievement Award for professional excellence in housing by the Australian Housing Institute in October this year.
Cheryl Cassidy-Vernon
Cheryl Cassidy-Vernon joined Youth Legal Service in June 1999 and is the Director of the Service. Cheryl’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Social Science, Master of Service Administration, and she is nearing completion of a PhD with the School of Social Work at UWA focusing on deconstructing the principles upon which youth justice is based in Western Australia.
Previously, she was the Director of the Social Justice Centre at the University of Notre Dame, and has had many years experience in the delivery of social work services to young people and the management of social welfare programs and services.
Cheryl is a past Chairperson of the Western Australian youth sector peak body, the Youth Affairs Council of WA, and is the current Deputy Chair of the Community Legal Association (WA).
Justine Colyer
Justine has over 20 years experience in strategic planning and project management, working in Europe and Australia in the private, public and non-profit sectors. She qualified with a BA Hons but has since undertaken a variety of additional professional studies and participated in WA's premier leadership programs. She has worked pro bono for over a decade to support the rights of marginalised people and is now very excited to be heading up one of State's leading not-for-profit organisations.