Our people and board

Tina Williams

Chief Executive Officer

Joining Volunteering WA in April 2016, CEO Tina Williams brings her management and leadership experience in the not for profit sector, in both health and community organisations. Tina’s skills and experience include Marketing & PR, Community Relations, Stakeholder Engagement and Business Development.

Her favorite pastime is teaching her two crazy Jack Russell's new tricks.

Traci Gamblin

Deputy Chief Executive Officer

As Volunteering WA’s Deputy CEO, Traci manages partnerships and sponsorships, marketing/communications, events and Volunteering WA’s leading corporate volunteering program. She is passionate about promoting the many benefits of volunteering, and partners with corporate and other stakeholders to facilitate their volunteering contribution to the community. Traci established Australia's first Corporate Volunteer Council with business leaders in Western Australia.

Outside of work, Traci enjoys spending time with her family (and dog), and playing her beloved soccer.

Jen Wyness

Executive Manager - Sector Services

As Executive Manager Sector Services, Jen oversees the services team, which includes the areas of membership, research, IT, training and development. She liaises with key stakeholders at a local, state and national level with a particular focus on Volunteering WA's core service delivery.

Jen's Scottish accent throws people so she now also answers to the names Jan, Jane and Janet!

Andrea Cole

Executive Manager - Finance & HR

Andrea is our Executive Manager for Finance and HR and joined Volunteering WA in 2018, bringing many years’ experience within the not for profit and commercial sectors. Andrea loves being part of an organisation that is making a difference to people’s lives. Outside of work she enjoys travel and spending time in the garden.

Tara Doyle

Executive Manager - Business Operations

Tara is on maternity leave until around February 2024
Tara oversees and leads special projects that advance and support VWA’s internal and external business system requirements. Working with developers, the VWA IT team and key stakeholders to deliver innovative projects and business solutions.

In her free time Tara enjoys spending quality time with her husband, catching up with friends and spoiling her fur-baby Rolo.

Meredith Blais

Executive Manager, Policy and Research

With a background in strategy, policy and community engagement, Meredith liaises with government, our members and the community to develop policy that supports the growth and development of the volunteering sector. Meredith’s contributions have strengthened Volunteering WA’s position with key stakeholders, through our numerous committees and in supporting many of our team in delivering programs and services. Meredith's leadership has led to advancements across the volunteering ecosystem and many improvements within the organisation.

Outside of work she loves yoga, travelling, time with family and friends and dabbling in her latest love, oil painting.

Melanie Baker

Manager Volunteer Management Activity (VMA) Program

Melanie’s role as Manager VMA Program involves liaising with the Volunteering WA Resource Centres to support the operations and growth of volunteering in both metropolitan and regional areas. Outside of work Melanie likes to get to as many exercise classes as possible and she also grows her own vegetables.

Cecily Clay

Corporate Volunteering Manager

Cecily overseas our dedicated Corporate Volunteering team offering support to corporate and community organisations and meeting their needs around team based and skills-based volunteering. This role includes working closely with  community member organisations to identify and scope suitable volunteering activities for teams of corporate volunteers such as environmental conservation, gardening, renovation projects, cooking meals, sorting donations, fixing bikes, working with wildlife centres and much more!  

Outside of work, Cecily enjoys swimming, running and playing netball. When she is not exercising you can find her watching TV and online shopping with a glass of wine.

Holly Hazel

Manager Marketing and Communications

Holly manages Volunteering WA’s largest calendar events and communications activities, including the WA Volunteer of the Year Awards, International Volunteer Day Garden Party and state-wide marketing campaigns. She is the contact for all marketing and media enquiries. Holly's previous experience is within the volunteer and not-for-profit sectors, specifically supporting WA's vibrant sport and social clubs community, and first aid volunteers. 

When she isn’t working, you can find Holly spending time with family and friends, or exploring the world.

Louise Giles

Training & Development Manager 

Louise’s role as Manager Training and Development is to design, deliver and implement training and development programs and resources for volunteer managers. Louise also coordinates volunteer manager meetings, networks and committees to share ideas, increase the skills and knowledge and to create and develop a stronger volunteering sector.

Outside of work, Louise is busy raising a young family and enjoys relaxing at the beach, swimming, socialising with friends and camping.

Donnelle Curnow

Assistant Accountant

Donnelle recently joined VWA as the Assistant Accountant, supporting the Executive Manager – Finance & HR and other team members. Donnelle enjoys the work/life balance available at VWA and the chance to work for a NFP organisation that has a positive impact in the community, after many years working within finance in the hospitality sector.

Outside of work, Donnelle is busy with her family and enjoys walking, swimming and catching up with friends.

Jane Mason

Member Services Manager

Jane manages Volunteering WA's member services and member relations. She is a point-of-contact for members and will steer you through the services and support available through VWA membership. Jane has a wealth of knowledge of the volunteering sector, issues and trends; and will assist with your queries, drawing on our collective expertise, wide range of services and networks. Jane coordinates our consultancy services, research digests, and volunteer manager query helpdesk.

In her spare time, Jane enjoys the outdoors, keeping active, dancing and volunteering!

Robert Solomon

IT Manager

Robert works behind-the-scenes to ensure all electronic systems are operating smoothly and efficiently. He also provides support to community organisations and Volunteer Resource Centres that utilise the VIRA and VIKTOR databases.

Robert is our team office foodie!

Antonia Taylor

Youth Program Manager

Antonia leads our youth engagement programs, working with Volunteer Resource Centres and volunteer involving organisations to grow engagement and meaningful experiences of youth volunteers. With her prior experience managing university-based volunteering programs for Volunteering WA, Antonia also oversees the WA Tertiary Volunteering Committee.

In her spare time, you will find Antonia in a park kicking a soccer ball with her kids, at yoga, baking sourdough and travelling to exotic places in the world.

Felicity Smith

Customer Support Coordinator

Welcoming a familiar face back to the Business Operations team, Felicity is responsible for providing customer support to users of various volunteering IT systems with a particular focus on INVOLVE and our emergency platforms.

Felicity will also assist with research, consultation and feedback relating to enhancing our end user experiences in using each of our volunteering IT systems.

Rhiana Robbins-Beattie

Services Support Officer

Rhiana provides technical support to the GoVolunteer and SEEK Volunteer helpdesk working alongside the IT team. She also provides support to our Member Services Team for all of our Volunteering WA members. She is the go-to girl for any of our member’s VIKTOR queries such as help in acquiring access to the online platform, help in posting volunteer positions, and any other needs they may have.

Originally from California, Rhiana loves spending time outdoors when possible and traveling back home to see family. In her down time you can catch her and her husband curled up with their three fur babies binging a series.

Alana Cox

Executive Assistant

Alana provides executive support for the CEO, board and senior management team as well as ensuring the office runs smoothly.

Originally from the UK, she has settled in Perth with her family and spends most her time looking after her crazy dog and shuttling her kids around to various activities.

Amy Johnston

Corporate Events Coordinator

As Corporate Events Coordinator, Amy’s main role is to coordinate team-based volunteering days and events for corporate members, and provide hands-on volunteering support to community organisations. The corporate volunteering team works closely with Volunteering WA’s community member organisations to recognise and scope suitable corporate volunteers.

Amy enjoys travelling and exploring new places as well as spending time with friends, family and fur baby. 

Catherine Kelly

Corporate Events and Skills-based Volunteering Coordinator

Catherine’s role as Corporate Events Coordinator is responsible for coordinating corporate volunteering team days and events, as well as connecting corporate volunteers to community groups for one-on-one skills-based projects. This role takes charge in planning, management and execution of corporate volunteering events, including event logistics and reporting. The role also works closely with VWA’s community member organisations to identify and scope suitable corporate volunteering activities. Catherine’s previous experience is in events and marketing within various member organisations, including the University Club of Western Australia and the Law Institute of Victoria.

In her spare time, you will find Catherine spending time with family and friends, or at the beach with her dog.

Olivia Boyle

Corporate Events Coordinator

As Corporate Events Coordinator, Amy’s main role is to coordinate team-based volunteering days and events for corporate members, and provide hands-on volunteering support to community organisation.  The corporate volunteering team works closely with Volunteering WA’s community member organisations to recognise and scope suitable corporate volunteers. Olivia’s previous experience is in the events field in hotels and member-based organisations.

Outside of work, Olivia enjoys travelling, spending time with her friends and family and training in taekwondo.

Steff Jacobs

Corporate Events Coordinator

The corporate volunteering team works closely with Volunteering WA’s community member organisations to recognise and scope suitable corporate volunteers. As Corporate Events Coordinator, Steff’s main role is to coordinate team-based volunteering days and events for corporate members, and provide hands-on volunteering support to community organisation. 

Kelly Nunn

Regional Community Engagement Coordinator

Kelly is based in the Pilbara region and her position covers both the towns of Port Hedland and Newman. As Regional Community Engagement Coordinator her role works closely with community organisations and groups to promote Volunteering WA programs in the area, and to identify, plan and deliver projects that enable meaningful engagement with teams of corporate volunteers, resulting in underlying benefit to both parties.

Monika Takkel

Regional Community Events Officer

Monika’s main role is hosting corporate volunteering events for our BHP Corporate Volunteering program in Port Hedland and Newman. She liaises with volunteer organisations and enables new opportunities of engagement between community groups and corporate employees. Monika identifies, engages, and builds productive, sustainable relationships with members of not-for-profit organisations interested in engaging corporate volunteers.

In her spare time, Monika enjoys keeping active, time with family and catching up with friends.

Karla Hitchcock

Regional Community Events Officer

Karla is based in Tom Price and coordinates the volunteering opportunities for Rio Tinto in Tom Price and Paraburdoo. As a Regional Community Events Officer, Karla's role is to engage with community organisations and groups to promote Volunteering WA's Corporate Volunteering Program, and to scope, plan and manage the volunteering opportunity. These opportunities provide a huge amount of support to the Tom Price and Paraburdoo communities and gives the corporate volunteers an opportunity to get involved with worthwhile organisations.

In her spare time, Karla enjoys spending time with her family and friends, training CrossFit and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.

Savannah Spence

Events Coordinator

Savannah Spence is responsible for coordinating our core events calendar, including our inspiring WA Volunteer of the Year Awards, International Volunteer Day Garden Party, and the State Volunteering Conference. Sav will also work to identify opportunities for new events and engagement activities to connect and celebrate volunteering across Western Australia.

To keep social and active, Sav enjoys indoor rock climbing and bouldering, and when COVID isn’t interfering, she loves going to music festivals and travelling throughout Europe and the Asia Pacific.

Jan Lucas

Project Coordinator - Volunteer Management Activity

As Project Coordinator for the Volunteer Management Activity (VMA), Jan supports volunteer involving organisations in the development and delivery of projects aimed at building the capacity of volunteer managers to engage volunteers more effectively.  With an extensive background in volunteer management and project coordination, Jan brings a wealth of knowledge and a passion for connections to the Volunteering WA team. 

When she is not working, Jan enjoys being creative with wood and metal, kayaking, playing with her fur (and non-fur) family and learning new things.

Sumayyah Ahmad

Emergency Services Project Coordinator 

Sumayyah is passionate about disaster risk reduction and volunteer management, and will lead the Spontaneous Volunteer Management System project for Western Australia.

Her research investigates how spontaneous volunteers use social media to participate in recovery and response efforts during disasters. With a strong background in organisational behaviour, management and volunteer coordination, Sumayyah will be working closely with local government, emergency response organisations and other key stakeholders to develop policies, procedures, and training resources to support successful implementation of the Spontaneous Volunteer Management System. She will support Volunteering WA’s role in disaster risk reduction, with an aim to achieve the 2030 Disaster Risk Reduction Goals for Western Australia, focusing both on community and animal welfare response and recovery activities.

Outside of work Sumayyah loves travelling, spending time with family and friends, and volunteering with her local community to make each individual thrive.

Claire Lawrie

Community Engagement Coordinator

As part of our Volunteer Management team, Claire, is responsible for engagement and support of volunteer involving organisations (VIOs) state-wide. This role includes establishing relationships with volunteer managers and other key stakeholders individually and on a sector scale, providing best practice volunteer management support and developing and delivering training and resources that help support and build the capacity of VIOs.

In her own time, Claire loves to dabble in art and creative writing. Her little dog Rosie, keeps her entertained.

Janna Parr

Administration Officer - Training and Membership Services

Janna provides administrative support to Volunteering WA, supporting member services, training, events, and volunteer management activity teams. Away from work, Janna enjoys travelling overseas, making pottery, watching foreign films, trying out new restaurants, and volunteering. She also likes to spend time with her family, friends and her two pugs.

Marlyse Manuel

Administration Officer - Training and Membership Services

Marlyse has worked in the non-for-profit space for many years, and provides administrative support to Volunteering WA. Marlyse also supports our member services, training, events, and volunteer management activity teams. 

In her spare time, Marlyse likes to walk with friends around the river, hang out with family and enjoys eating out. She love Thai food!

David Morrison

CEO & Managing Director NeonLogic
Chair

With over 20 years’ experience in the marketing and advertising field, developing and implementing strategies for clients across a wide range of industries, David will assist Volunteering WA in promoting the cause of volunteering and the benefits it provides to the community and individuals alike. David’s previous involvement with Volunteering WA included sitting as a Director for six years and being appointed the representative on the national Volunteering Australia Board. He plans to contribute to the Board by focusing on business strategies and operations with a view to creating a sustainable and diversified business model along with promoting volunteering through marketing strategy and partnerships development.

“I am a big believer in the positive impact of volunteering and am currently a Director of Meerilinga Young Children’s Foundation. I also regularly volunteer with my children’s sporting and school activities. This follows in the footsteps of my parents who were both heavily involved in the community through fundraising and management of community sporting events.”

Pat Scally

IT and Business Executive
Deputy Chair

I am an experienced business and IT executive with more than twenty years’ experience across a range of different industries, including public sector, professional services and mining as well as oil and gas.

Over the last seven years I have led IT teams for government agencies ranging from 3 people at the Department of Transport, through to more than 300 staff and contractors at the Department of Communities. Prior to joining the public sector, I worked as a Director within Deloitte’s consulting practice for seven years specializing in IT strategy, IT architecture and business transformation. Before Deloitte I was a technical team leader and IT architect for nine years at Alphawest (now Optus Business Services). Prior to my IT career, I served in the Australian Army for two years full time and a further ten years in the Army Reserve.

During my team in government, I have become increasingly aware of the role of the not for profit sector has in delivering critical services to the people of Western Australia, in particular those that rely on volunteers. This was particularly reinforced when I travelled to the Kimberley region and was able to see the degree of disadvantage, especially in the more remote towns. As I am now transitioning out of the public sector, I feel a need to contribute to the community and believe that a board position such as this will be the best way that I can contribute based upon my skills and experience.

I understand each of the principles of volunteering and am committed to ensure that they are used to guide decisions by myself in this role.

My vision for volunteering is the growth of corporate volunteering programs (including schools and university programs) through improved systems and user experience for the volunteers, administrators of the programs, and those organisations that rely on volunteers to deliver important services to the community. I believe that the growth of these programs will help sustain Volunteering WA and in some way insulate it from fluctuations in government funding.

Libby Hewton

Vice President - Treasury & Insurance, Woodside
Treasurer

Libby holds a Bachelor of Laws from UWA and has worked in a variety of positions in the legal and financial services industry. In 2014 she joined Woodside Energy Ltd as the Group Insurance Manager and has served as Vice President, Treasury & Insurance since November 2020.

Libby’s skills and experience bring strong commercial and financial risk management to the Volunteering WA Board.

Having been brought up in the Wheatbelt where her parents were very active in all areas of community service, Libby strongly believes in the importance of volunteering to create a sense of belonging and purpose.

Justine Colyer

CEO Rise
Board Member

Justine has held several senior leadership positions across various organisation in the not for profit, government and private sectors. Her skills and experience lie in the areas of community services, strategic planning; risk, project and change management; governance, policy and advocacy; people management; and stakeholder management and engagement. Justine will provide practical and hands on support in helping strengthen the sector through volunteering for grassroots causes to keep grounded in the reality of organisations which function wholly or mainly on the back of volunteer efforts.

“I believe that volunteers will play an increasingly important role in building a successful community, through the additional services that Not-for-Profits can offer via volunteer run programs, the value that volunteers bring to those they work with through social connection and kindness, and the value of volunteers themselves.”

Karess Dias

Solicitor State Solicitor's Office
Board Member (Youth Director)

Karess was born and raised in the dry 40-degree heat of Paraburdoo, Western Australia. Growing up she was actively involved in her local community. Karess attended high school in Perth and went on to complete a double degree in Law and Behavioural Science at the University of Notre Dame, Fremantle. During university, Karess was involved in the Notre Dame Volunteer Network, mentoring and the Notre Dame Student Law Society.

Karess graduated in 2018 and is currently a solicitor at the State Solicitor’s Office. Karess is also a member of Soroptimist International and is currently President of the Fremantle club. She is also a member of the Young Women's Advisory Group within the national Equality Rights Alliance. In 2019, Karess completed the Emerging Leaders in Governance Program.

Craig Spencer

Regional Manager St John Ambulance Service
Board Member

Craig is currently the Regional Manager Wheatbelt for St John Ambulance Service, leading a team of over 1,000 people of whom the vast majority are volunteer ambulance officers.

Craig has gained experience across diverse environments including retail, banking, telecommunications, not for profit, rural and regional, corporate/professional services, start-up businesses, volunteer emergency services and health services. He was previously a VWA Board member from 2013-2019 and is currently Chair of the Volunteer Community Reference Group- a position he has held since 2018. He has had a long-term commitment to community service, currently holding several board and community representative roles and as an emergency services volunteer for over 17 years in both NSW and WA.

Craig believes the economic, social and cultural value of volunteering is very significant and that volunteering is an important part of the strong social fabric of our society, particularly in Western Australia where the vastness of our state often means that vital community services are delivered by volunteers.

Craig remains a passionate volunteer with a number of organisations.

Vivian Molan

Senior Executive - WA Public Sector
Board Member

Vivian has worked across the WA public sector for over 15 years in a number of leadership positions, with a focus on embedding cultures of good governance and ongoing improvement using inclusive management and effective change strategies. With her strong background in public sector governance, administration and compliance she is keen to apply these skills in a NFP Board environment.

Throughout her time in the public sector she has seen the benefits that volunteering, particularly corporate volunteering, can make to the community and is keen to offer her skills to further grow this area.

Vivian brings experience in strategic planning; leadership; risk, project and change management; compliance; integrity and governance to the Board.

Professor Gary Martin

CEO, Australian Institute of Management WA
Board Member

Emeritus Professor Gary Martin commenced in the role of chief executive and executive director of the Australian Institute of Management Western Australia in 2012. He has overall responsibility for leading all aspects of the Institute's business, which is focused on building leadership, management and workplace capability both in Australia and internationally, and across the corporate, government, not-for-profit and community sector.

Prior to joining AIM WA, Gary held numerous executive appointments at Murdoch University, including the position of Senior Deputy Vice Chancellor.

Gary is a workplace specialist who focuses on key issues and challenges trending in our workplaces. He is a regular columnist in a variety of publications across Australia and internationally, and is the Education writer for WA’s Business News.

He was board chair of Telethon Speech and Hearing in Perth from 2016 to 2020, and a chair of Study Perth from 2008-2011.

A Fellow of the Australian College of Educators, Gary is Emeritus Professor of Murdoch University’s Business School and Zhejiang University of Technology in China, and Honorary Professor at Guangdong University of Business Studies, China.