ABOUT US

Nina is a Company Secretary and governance professional with extensive experience in Board and executive level support and organisation compliance. She is currently independent contract Company Secretary for Bendigo Community Health Services and employed as Governance and Executive Support Officer with MCCC GP Training Limited, a Victorian Regional Training Organisation involved in general practice medical education. Nina has previously worked in the independent education sector, local government and the financial services sector and is a former employee of YWCA Hunter Region Inc. Nina holds a Diploma of Business Administration and qualifications in governance and risk management from the Governance Institute of Australia. She is the current Board President and Association Treasurer for YWCA Hunter.

Andrea is a values-driven, qualified senior manager with 15 years’ experience in the for-purpose sector. She is currently the Business Process Manager at the Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS), one of Australia’s largest youth specific community organisations that works with young people and families across Victoria. She has previously worked in employment services, fundraising, and education roles. Andrea holds an MBA, specialising in Social Impact, from UNSW. She also has a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce from Monash University, with First Class Honours for research on diversity and social inclusion. Recently, Andrea completed a placement with the Board of Infoxchange via The Observership Program, where she further developed skills in organisational strategy and governance.

Stephanie’s current professional appointment is as a Relationship Facilitator with Compassion Australia. Her role is to build and nurture relationships with influencers and organisations, creating strong and sustainable strategic partnerships. She has extensive experience in events, projects and relationship management as well as administration with a focus on building strategies for growth. Prior to landing in the non-profit space, Stephanie spent a number of years in the financial services sector in Direct Banking, team lead and business coaching & development roles. When she’s not occupied being a busy mum of three wonderful kids, she’s studying at Southern Cross University to complete her Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in Creative Writing and Social Sciences.

Alicia is a Senior Leader in the P-12 and Vocational Education sector with particular interests in curriculum, individualising learning pathways, and partnership approaches to real world learning.  She is currently the Head of Vocational Education Pathways at Arethusa College, a special assistance school with 6 campuses in South East Queensland. The College caters to marginalised and disadvantaged students who have disengaged from mainstream schooling. This is her first Board appointment. Alicia has also worked in international hotels and travelled extensively. She holds undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in Hotel Management, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages, Applied Linguistics and Education. In the vocational space, she has qualifications in Active Volunteering, Hospitality, TAE, and Career Development. Alicia and her wife live in Brisbane with their 2 adult sons, and 2 cats.

Alexandra is a passionate gender equity and social justice advocate with extensive experience in project planning, policy development and training. She is currently the Program Lead for suicide prevention projects providing operational and strategic leadership to four teams across the Hunter and New England Local Health District. A proud Novocastrian Alexandra has recently returned to Newcastle after six years working in Canberra leading federally funded suicide prevention and mental health projects. As a Board Member of YWCA Hunter Region Inc Alexandra is passionate about supporting gender equity across the Hunter and empowering people to connect further with YWCA Hunter activities and advocacy work. 

Angelina is a GP doctor with over 23 years of general practice medical experience and is currently the Director of Medical Education and Training with Murray City Country Coast (MCCC) GP Training. She has held senior positions with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners as National Manager for Educational Services, National Manager Assessment, and Education and Development Officer for Assessment and Practice Standards as well as being a member of the college’s Victorian Faculty Council, undertaking the role of Deputy Chair and Provost. Angelina is an executive member of the MCCC GP Training Board and was previously involved with the Victorian Metropolitan Alliance Board of Directors. She is a current member with the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has completed the AICD Foundations of Directorship program. Angelina brings governance knowledge, leadership and strategic planning experience to the YWCA Hunter Region Inc. Board as well as an understanding of female and marginalised gender health inequity issues from the perspective of a medical practitioner.

Anne is currently the Executive Director of YWCA Hunter. Anne has a diverse background in the community services sector and has managed a wide range of Services and Programs for Not for Profit organisations. She has assisted on two Boards previously to administer funding and identify most suitable applicants for Youth tenancies and homelessness prevention. Her experience has included interventions into drug and alcohol, mental health and homelessness issues, social housing, disability employment and assisting young people who have experienced poverty, abuse and neglect. Anne is motivated to address needs in the community and collaborate with other organisations and community members to meet those needs. She also has a background in advertising and promotion. Anne has a passion for bringing community together to connect and support people in all our diversity.

Shannon is a proud Aboriginal woman of Gamilaroi descent. In her role as Lower Hunter Firesticks Coordinator, Shannon is helping bring Cultural Burning to the forefront in the Hunter region. Shannon has a broad range of experience in project management and business administration across the land management, disability and healthcare sectors. Prior to her current role, Shannon was the Business Support Officer with a Local Aboriginal Land Council where she managed a three-year, multi-stakeholder NSW state government funded project focused on land revegetation & vertebrate pest control. Shannon holds diplomas in Project Management, Business Administration and Leadership and Management and is currently undertaking an Advanced Diploma in Leadership & Management.