ACOSS Board
HANG VO, President
Hang has over 20 years’ experience in the for-purpose sector leading national and international services. Hang was appointed as CEO of Sacred Heart Mission in December 2022, an organisation that addresses deep social exclusion and homelessness. Prior to this she was CEO of Whitelion Youth for over four years where she led the organisation through transformational change and the COVID pandemic. Before this, she held various leadership roles at Australian Red Cross and EACH Social and Community Health.
Before her recent re-election onto the ACOSS board she served as Vice-President between 2014-2019. Hang is currently Chair of the Victorian Pride Centre and board director with Respect Victoria, a statutory agency focused on family violence primary prevention.
Having come to Australia as a part of the Vietnamese refugee ‘boat people’ seeking asylum in the late 1970s and being a member of the LGBITQ+ community, Hang has first-hand experience of dislocation and exclusion which drives her deep commitment to creating a more just, inclusive, and equitable society.
Her qualifications include executive education at Harvard Business School; Executive MBA; Graduate of Australian Institute of Company Directors; and degrees in Social Work and Arts.
VIOLET ROUMELIOTIS AO, Vice-President
Violet Roumeliotis AM is a social entrepreneur who champions the strengths of our diverse communities and is committed to take a leadership and pioneering role to elevate reconciliation. Through her C-suite and board roles, Violet uses innovation and collective impact to promote social justice and inclusion.
She is the CEO of Settlement Services International, a community organisation and social business that supports newcomers and other vulnerable individuals to achieve their full potential. During her ten years as CEO, Violet has taken SSI from a Sydney-based organisation with 68 staff to a 900-plus workforce that supports more than 52,000 people nationally each year.
Violet is committed to achieving equity and advancing diversity and inclusion in all forms. In 2020, she was made a member of the Order of Australia for outstanding service to the community. Violet is also a former Telstra Australia Business Woman of the Year, has been named one of AFR’s Top 100 Women of Influence in the category of Diversity & Inclusion, In Style Magazine’s Community Champion and was awarded the title of Community Fellow from Western Sydney University for outstanding service to the community.
Violet sits on the board of the Australian Council of Social Service as the Deputy President; and sits on the NSW Domestic and Family Violence and Sexual Assault Council. Her other appointments include Deputy Chair for the SBS Community Advisory Committee, she sits on the Australian Human Rights Commission’s Expert Advisory Group for the ‘Racism. It Stops With Me’ campaign, the NSW Council for Women’s Economic Empowerment, the University of Sydney’s Open Society, Common Purpose taskforce, the Leadership Council on Cultural Diversity, the UTS Business MBA Advisory Group, the Council on Economic Participation for Refugees, the International Metropolis Steering Committee, the Australian Defence Force’s Chiefs of Service Committee’s diversity and inclusion panel, and the NSW Government’s joint partnership working group overseeing refugee resettlement.
MATT GARDINER, Treasurer
Matt is the CEO of Cancer Council Queensland.
He has significant sector experience across the areas of child protection, family therapy, relationship counselling, mediation, sexual assault and violence prevention.
Passionate about social justice, improving systems and therapeutic practice, Matt is an experienced practitioner and has held senior executive roles in some of Australia’s leading not-for-profit organisations in a career spanning nearly two decades.
THOM CALMA
Thom Calma is a proud First Nations Australian and a member of the Kungarakan people from Darwin. As the Executive Manager, Disability Supports at SydWest Multicultural Services & Participate Australia, he leads a dynamic team that delivers high-quality disability services across Sydney. Thom is deeply committed to advancing human rights, with a particular focus on First Nations rights, disability rights, the rights of refugees and asylum seekers, and LGBTQIA+ rights. He also contributes his expertise through positions on several influential boards and committees, including ACOSS, the Welfare Rights Centre, Human Rights Watch (Australia), PrideAbility, and the Sydney University Settlement Neighbourhood Centre.
CHRIS CHRISTOFOROU
Chris is the CEO of the Victorian Alcohol & Drug Association, the peak body for the alcohol & other drug sector in Victoria. A Board Member of the Victorian Council of Social Service since 2021, Chris has broad community sector experience, including as former Director of Operations at the Yoorrook Justice Commission, Executive Officer at the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria and General Manager Education & Community Engagement at the Western Bulldogs Football Club. He is currently a member of the Victorian Government’s Anti-Racism Taskforce and Mental Health Ministerial Advisory Committee and is a Community Service Panel member for the Winston Churchill Trust.
JANA FAVERO
Jana is Director of Advocacy and Campaigns for the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC), where she has worked for 11 years.
Jana is a regular spokesperson in breaking news on human rights and refugee policy on and offshore. She contributes comment to major media publications and is a regular keynote speaker at conferences, roundtables and events on asylum policy.
With strong, varied global experience, from communications for the private sector in the UK to women’s social enterprise development in the steppe of Mongolia, to leading a campaign to increase the effectiveness and acceptance of women’s leadership in India.
Jana’s global social justice work has sharpened her social justice values and entrenched in her work a basic belief that collaborative effort is needed to end discrimination and disadvantage. Jana is committed to advocating for the fair, equal and respectful treatment of everyone in Australia.
Outside of work, Jana is a proud member of the Cloud Appreciation Society and in leisure time can be found on a flying trapeze or on a bike path with her three young children in tow.
JAYNE LLOYD
Jayne Lloyd has lived in the Northern Territory for over 40 years and worked in the social services sector for 28 years, the majority of this time as Director of CatholicCare NT. She serves on the boards of NTCOSS and NT Shelter. Jayne is a Social Worker by profession. CatholicCare NT is a significant social service agency in the NT with over 300 staff, delivering a broad range of services across regional and remote areas of the Northern Territory.
CHLOË POLGLAZE
Chloë (she/her) is a disabled graduate civil engineer and Director of Children and Young People with Disability Australia (CYDA), the peak organisation representing the rights and interests of children and young people with disability (aged 0-25) in Australia.
Chloë is passionate about universal design, disability justice and social justice more broadly. She works based on her own lived experience as well as participating avidly in the disability community. Although her qualification is in Engineering, she also has a communications background and previously worked at a university where she created and facilitated disability allyship training.
In 2021 she received the Disability Leadership Institute’s National Award for Disability Leadership in the Rights Activism category and was a finalist in the Victoria State Government’s Disability Awards Emerging Leader category. Chloë was part of CYDA’s first Youth Council, and a graduate of the first Young Leaders Program.
KERRY STAINES
Kerry is a proud descendant of the Wakka Wakka / Mandandanji peoples and has lived most of her adult life on Gubbi Gubbi Country. Kerry holds an MBA (Leadership) and a Bachelor of Science Psychology, is a graduate of the Australian Institute Company of Directors and holds multiple qualifications in community services and mental health.
With more than 30 years’ experience in the community and human services sector, Kerry Staines is a passionate and forward-thinking leader who strives to create positive social impact and address injustice.
As the Chief Executive Officer of First Nations Advocates Against Family Violence (FNAAFV), Kerry brings extensive expertise in strategic planning, policy development, stakeholder engagement, and business growth. Having delivered successful outcomes and best practices for diverse and complex organisations, for instance as the CEO of STEPS Group Australia, Policy Officer with Queensland Health, and the Chair of North Coast Aboriginal Corporation for Community Health, Kerry is passionate about addressing systemic challenges that adversely affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their families, and their communities, including those impacted by domestic and family and sexual violence.
“I want to be a part of, and work alongside a network of providers that honour our unique culture and respects the values and history of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.”
ACOSS Staff
DR. CASSANDRA GOLDIE AO, CEO
Cassandra Goldie is CEO of ACOSS and Adjunct Professor with UNSW Sydney. With public policy expertise in economic, social and environmental issues, civil society, social justice and human rights, Cassandra has represented the interests of people who are disadvantaged, and civil society generally, in major national and international processes as well as in grassroots communities. Prior to joining ACOSS, Cassandra held senior roles in both the NFP and public sectors, including with the Australian Human Rights Commission, Darwin Community Legal Service and Senior Executive with Legal Aid in Western Australia.
Cassandra has a PhD from UNSW Sydney and a Master of Laws from University College London. She is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and serves on the UNSW Law Advisory Committee and the Australian Climate Roundtable. Cassandra is Co-Chair of the ACOSS and UNSW Sydney Poverty and Inequality Partnership, a member of the Federal Government’s independent Economic Inclusion Advisory Committee and a member of Chief Executive Women.
Cassandra was recognised as one of the Inaugural Westpac Australian Financial Review 100 Women of Influence, has been recognised as one of Australia’s top 50 Outstanding LGBTI Executives by Deloitte, and has twice been voted one of the Impact 25 Most Influential People in the Social Economy. In 2021, Cassandra received the UNSW Alumni Award for Social Impact and Service, and, in 2023, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for distinguished services to social justice through leadership and advocacy, promoting the rights of marginalised and disadvantaged people
EDWINA MacDONALD, Chief Strategy Officer
As ACOSS’s Chief Strategy Officer, Edwina leads ACOSS’s external impact strategy, is the chief advisor and deputy to the CEO, and is a key spokesperson for ACOSS.
An accomplished national community sector leader with a strong human rights and legal background, Edwina brings over two decades of experience in research, policy and advocacy in government and the university and community services sectors. She has a strong track record in achieving change, with deep expertise in public policy, law, gender and human rights and experience in local and global advocacy, including at the UN.
Edwina is committed to working collaboratively for social justice, with a focus on putting people and communities at the centre of social change work.
JACQUELINE PHILLIPS, Executive Director Policy & Research
Jacqueline is an experienced and effective senior member of the ACOSS team. She manages the Poverty and Inequality Partnership, a major national research and impact partnership and leads the development of ACOSS policy.
She brings 20 years’ experience in social policy, research and advocacy and has represented ACOSS in major national policy processes and in the media. She is a highly skilled communicator and policy analyst and adept at building common ground across differences.
Jacqueline has managed ACOSS’ policy work for more than a decade and prior to that worked as National Director of ANTaR and as a policy officer at ACOSS and ACTCOSS. She has qualifications in Arts and Law and a Masters of Law.
CHRYL PERRY, Executive Officer Supporting the CEO
Chryl joined ACOSS in November 2018, after working for many years in the book publishing industry, where she developed and honed her communication, administration and project management skills.
An expat American with a Master of Arts degree in Social Anthropology, Chryl is thoroughly delighted to be supporting Cassandra and the ACOSS team as they work towards a more equitable Australia, in which everyone truly gets a fair go.
Policy & Advocacy
CHARMAINE CROWE, Program Director – Social Security
Charmaine joined ACOSS in June 2016 and leads ACOSS’s social security policy work. Charmaine gained her expertise in social security policy working for Combined Pensioners and Superannuants Association (CPSA), where she was a Senior Policy Advisor and Policy Coordinator. She has also worked as a legislative advisor in the NSW Parliament.
Charmaine has a Master’s in International Health and Welfare Policy from Oslo University College and her policy expertise also covers the areas of ageing, health and housing.
DR. PETER DAVIDSON, Principal Advisor
A recognised expert in social security, employment and tax policy, Peter’s research and policy interests include employment assistance, the labour market and unemployment, income support, poverty research, taxation and superannuation policy. He has served on a number of Government advisory bodies and contributed to major reform efforts in these areas.
ACOSS publications prepared by Peter cover such topics as reform of the personal income tax system, an analysis of tax concessions for superannuation and proposals to make them fairer, and reform of employment assistance for long term unemployed people. Peter completed his PhD at the Social Policy Research Centre at UNSW Sydney in 2018. His thesis was a history of activation policies for long-term unemployed people
in four countries.
KELLIE CAUGHT, Program Director – Climate and Energy
Kellie strives for a more sustainable and just future where planet and people thrive together. For the past 16 years, Kellie has specialised in international climate negotiations, domestic climate mitigation and adaption policy, community advocacy and campaigning, with a focus on social and environmental outcomes. Kellie has strong skills in policy development, advocacy, and cross sector collaboration, gained from working as a senior political adviser, climate change program manager at WWF and now as Senior Adviser with ACOSS. She has also worked at the United Nations, in government and in academia. Kellie has a Master in International Business and a Bachelor of Science. Kellie was named Energy Efficiency Champion in the National Energy Efficiency Awards 2020 for her outstanding contribution to the field of energy efficiency, management and demand response, including her advocacy work on the outsized impact poor energy efficiency has on vulnerable Australians.
PENNY DORSCH, Project Manager and Researcher
Penny is the project manager for the ACOSS/UNSW Poverty and Inequality Partnership. She also works on the Australian Community Sector Survey and Faces of Unemployment projects. She has been at ACOSS since 2009, first as librarian then in information and communications.
Penny has had previous roles at the National Parks Association, at Fairfax Media and various publishing companies. She holds a Masters in Information Management along with a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) and a Diploma of Design.
ROB STURROCK, Program Director – Community Services
Rob leads the community services and health policy work for ACOSS, having joined the organisation in 2021. He is passionate about improving the lives of disadvantaged and marginalised people, ensuring they can fairly and equitably access life opportunities. Rob wants to bring about systemic change to make Australia more equitable, compassionate and caring. Rob has been involved in public policy development, advocacy and research at various levels of government, as well as within the community and private sectors, including at the Centre for Policy Development as a Policy Director and at The Smith Family as Senior Manager Public Policy and Advocacy. Rob has expertise and experience in social policy, community service delivery, poverty, disadvantage and education. Rob also has a Master’s Degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and in his spare time is an author and commentator on gender equality, fatherhood and masculinity.
JAMES HALL, Senior Advisor
James is a Senior Advisor at ACOSS working across several areas of policy and advocacy. Previously, James worked as a parliamentary and campaigns advisor in the Senate, in a strategy role for a major philanthropic funder, and in law reform roles in NSW government agencies.
Before that, James founded a pro bono, university research service to support under-resourced community legal and advocacy organisations, which continues today.
James has also worked in advisory roles in charities, and is currently non-executive director at YLab, a social enterprise employing young people to better co-design essential services.
JOHN STAINSBY, Senior Advisor
John Stainsby joined ACOSS in March 2024 as Senior Policy Advisor in Employment. Prior to joining the team, John was an Economic Advisor at the Department for Work and Pensions in the UK Government where he worked in a variety of roles including advising on labour market policy and forecasting working age benefit expenditure.
He holds a Masters in Economics from Queen Mary, University of London.
Media, Communications and Engagement
STACEY BATTERHAM, Director of Media, Communications and Engagement
Stacey Batterham joined ACOSS in January 2021 as the Senior Campaigner on the Raise the Rate for Good campaign and has since excelled to the position of Director of Media and Communication.
Stacey has a background in digital campaigning, community organising and digital fundraising. Prior to joining the ACOSS team, Stacey was Senior Campaigner at Fair Agenda where she worked on campaigns to help secure additional funding for domestic violence services, and decriminalise abortion care in Queensland. Stacey was also the Head of Campaigns at Oaktree where she managed a team to create campaigns to promote global equality and climate justice. She holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Melbourne.
CAMERON LUM, Digital Communications Officer
Cameron has been with ACOSS since August 2019. His extensive background in Illustration, Visual Communication and Digital Design makes ACOSS a bigger presence in today’s digital landscape. Cameron aspires to apply his creativity, knowledge and skills toward a worthy cause. A strong belief in universal and equal rights for all has led Cameron to become the Digital Communications Officer at ACOSS
DANI PREVITERA, Marketing, Communications and Events Manager
Bringing significant expertise as a Public Relations
professional, Dani joined the ACOSS team in 2019, equipped with extensive
skills in events planning, strategic communications, media relations, consumer
campaigning, content creation, social media management, and crisis handling.
Dani is dedicated to crafting compelling events, content, and publications for
the ACOSS membership and the broader community sector.
Development and Operations
Crystal Fernandes – Director of Development and Operations
Crystal brings a wealth of community sector management expertise to the role having held leadership positions in both for profit and not for profit organisations in both Australia and the UK.
Crystal has experience as the Acting CEO and Chief Operating Officer for Stretch a Family, an Out-of-Home Care Housing Provider, and previously in similar leadership roles within social sector. Crystal reports to the CEO and provides leadership, planning and oversight of all aspects of ACOSS development and operations including business development, people and culture, financial management, risk, legal and compliance, planning and outcomes and impact measurement, business transformation and ICT. In addition to a deep commitment to supporting the work of the community sector, Crystal has a personal passion for both employment and housing policy areas.
Crystal holds a BA in Classics and Politics, qualifications in project management and is working towards the completion of an MBA.
RENATA FRANZ, Operations Manager
Renata joined ACOSS in 2012 July and currently holds the position of Operations Manager. She has global experience in Management, Customer Relations, HR and Administration and has worked in wide range of industries including construction, hospitality and sport. Renata studied Economic and Sciences at Technical School and holds an Advanced Diploma in Human Resources. She completed her Postgraduate Certificate in Management in 2011 and gained her Masters degree in Business Administration (MBA) in 2015. Renata is committed to the principles of equity and diversity and passionate about sport.
Melita Smilovic – Partnerships and Development Manager
Melita is a highly experienced senior manager with expertise in leading multi-stakeholder social justice initiatives. Melita worked as the Strategic Partnerships Lead at Host International where she established and expanded partnerships and funding for the organisation’s development and advocacy work in the Asia Pacific Region. Prior joining ACOSS, Melita has also worked for Settlement Services International where she co-wrote multiple winning grant and tender applications securing both government and philanthropic funding for SSI.
Melita is driving ACOSS’s Business Development work , overseeing and coordinating ACOSS pipeline of funding bids, drafting grant applications, managing day to day relationships with key partners and overseeing the compliance implementation of all funding agreements at ACOSS.
Michaela Sandy – Administrative Assistant
Prior joining ACOSS in 2023, Michaela worked in different roles in the UK and Australia. Michaela has a background in customer service and events, data analysis and team support and holds a BA (Hons) in Business Management and Marketing. At ACOSS, Michaela is supporting the ‘Enablers’ team work areas in project coordination, administration and provides high level support to the staff of the ACOSS National Office.