A NSW free from poverty and inequality

  1. Home
  2. About
  3. Governance

Governance

The NCOSS Board guides and monitors the business and affairs of NCOSS on behalf of the members. The Board is elected from the membership at the annual general meeting and is accountable to members.

Candidates for the Board are drawn from a wide cross-section of expertise within the social and community sector in NSW.

NCOSS Strategic Plan: 2019-2022

Download the strategic plan 2019-2022.

NCOSS Strategic Plan Key Performance Indicators 2019-2022

Download the strategic plan key performance indicators 2019-2022

COSS Constitution

Download a copy of the NCOSS Constitution.

Current members of the NCOSS Board are:

President

David Fisher is CEO of HousingPlus. David has more than 25 years of experience in the Australian and UK community housing sectors at senior executive positions including one of the largest care providers in the UK. David has led and established a number of successful housing organisations’ diversification into new markets, including the provision of specialist aged care services at national and regional levels, and has expert knowledge in relation to governance, risk and financial planning.

Treasurer

Ying Zhang is a seasoned financial executive with more than fifteen years experience in Multi-National Corporations and Listed Companies across a variety of industry sectors. She has considerable experience in financial, commercial, operational and strategic management. Ying is a fellow CPA and a graduate member of Australian Institute of Company Directors. Having migrated from China, Ying is passionate about multiculturalism and diversity.

 

Directors

Marianna Brungs is a Director at Noverak, and an Associate Director of Community Hubs and Partnerships at Futureye. She has held a range of senior roles with nfp, government and private sector organisations in Australia, China, Thailand and the UK, including with Avaaz.org, Girls Not Brides (The Elders Foundation), Crisis Action and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. She has significant experience working with coalitions and membership-based organisations on human rights and social policy issues.

Wendy Foote is an Associate Professor, teaching and researching in social work and related areas at the Newcastle University. Associate Professor Wendy Foote’s social work research is inspired by years of practice and a profound desire to help disadvantaged children and families in Australia. Her work examines the complex interrelation of welfare decisions and practice, policies and funding regulations, drawing a confronting picture of the current system’s strengths and weaknesses

Rabbi Mendel Kastel is the Rabbi and CEO of Jewish House Crisis Centre, an independent, not-for-profit charity providing crisis intervention and prevention services. Rabbi Kastel has been providing Rabbinic expertise to the Sydney community for over 20 years. He has deep community and social welfare experience, and believes in collaborative approaches. Rabbi Kastel is well recognised for applying innovative best practices to the provision of expert crisis services in the Sydney community.

Dr Pauline Manley is a director at the Older Women's Network , delivery well-being services, community development and political advocacy for the older women of NSW. Pauline facilitates workshops for mature women, carers and those with mental health issues. She has 25 years experience as a performing arts academic and is now employing her creative skills to promote feminism and therapeutically assist those in need. 

Katherine McKernan joined Homelessness NSW as the Chief Executive in February 2015 and has been a member of the Homelessness Australia Board since 2016.  During this time she has overseen a number of research and policy projects including the Inner City Sydney Registry Week, A Plan for Change: Older Women and Homelessness, Debt, Set, Unfair and the NSW Homelessness Industry and Workforce Development Strategy.  Katherine has previous experience in working to end homelessness in NSW through having worked on the NSW Homelessness Action Plan and the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness NSW Implementation Plan as well as overseeing service delivery models such as Staying Home Leaving Violence and Way2Home (and earlier models of this).  She also has experience in working more broadly with the NGO sector and has experience in social policy areas such as mental health, preventing violence against women and disability. 

John Robertson, CEO of Foodbank NSW & ACT Limited, commenced full time employment at the age of 16 as an Apprentice Electrician and during his time, became an organiser for the Electrical Trades Union.

Moving into the Labor Council of NSW as an Industrial Officer in 1991, John’s career took off in the government sector, including his appointment as the NSW Opposition Leader and the NSW Minister for 11 portfolios.

With over 30 years of experience in stakeholder engagement and strategic development in government, and 7 years of volunteering at Foodbank NSW & ACT, John extended his career to the not-for-profit sector in 2017, appointed as the Executive General Manager of Foodbank NSW & ACT and became Chief Operating Officer in March 2019.

John’s vision for Foodbank NSW & ACT is to build a successful fundraising and partnership strategy with the corporate and government sectors.

Samantha Simmons is Manager - Education at Aboriginal Hostels Limited. She is of Wiradjuri descent with 20 years’ experience in Indigenous Affairs roles in policy development and delivery of social and economic programs in rural, remote and urban settings. She has held senior management positions in the public service, higher education and community sectors and is committed to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their respective cultures to fully participate, contribute and prosper in Australia.

Brad Webb is CEO of Samaritans. Prior to joining the community services sector in February 2017, Brad held executive roles in the private sector and health and medical research. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Board member of the Committee for the Hunter, and a committee member of the Newcastle Poverty Action Alliance. Brad is a passionate advocate for rural and regional NSW, and seeks opportunities to strengthen collaboration across sectors. His focus in advocacy is on rejecting the demonisation of disadvantage and poverty that pervades public discourse and promoting conversations that will support a fair and equitable society in NSW.

Login | Join

Follow NCOSS - NSW Council of Social Service on: