Our people – 

Meet our team –

Amanda Kelly

Chief Executive Officer

Amanda’s (she/her) work is about looking at the context in which an organisation operates and creating a plan to achieve the organisation’s vision. She works within the community context where human rights are upheld, the under-served are nourished, asylum seekers are provided with a haven and those on the edges are heard and seen. She sees this as a place where creativity thrives and much is made out of very little.

Renata Lucas

Regional Manager

Working in health promotion and primary prevention for the past decade, Renata (she/her) has extensive and varied experience across a number of sectors, including women’s health, community health, primary care partnerships, and local government. Held since 2014, Renata’s current leadership position at Women’s Health Goulburn North East utilises her range of skills in strategic planning and stakeholder management to advance gender equity goals in rural communities.

Teresa Carney

Regional Manager - Strategies, Partnerships and Programs

With a background in health and international and community development, Teresa (she/her) has a wealth of experience in international aid, health and development programs. She enjoys working in cross cultural settings and has worked overseas and on refugee settlement programs in rural and remote Australia. Most recently she has worked with Local Government with a focus on addressing family violence. When not in the workspace you can find her walking in nature or doing yoga, often at the same time!

Shantelle van der Leeuw

Regional Coordinator - Strategy, Partnerships and Projects

Shantelle (she/her) has 5 years experience working in the family violence and sexual assault sector, where her passion for primary prevention and women’s advocacy led to her position at WHGNE. She has extensive skills in Quality Management and Evaluation and is also a qualified lead auditor.  She is a feminist and an advocate for gender equity and inclusion. Shantelle has a Diploma of Quality Auditing and is studying a Bachelor of Psychology. She loves spending time with her partner and 2 kids and enjoys her many pets, weightlifting and the ocean.

Dani Kline

Regional Learning Coordinator

Dani (she/they) is an Instructional Designer with a passion for women’s rights, especially in the LGBTQIA+ space.
Dani worked in the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector in customer service and compliance-based roles before moving into the Instructional Design space. Dani has a Graduate Certificate in Education, specialising in Innovative Learning Design. When they’re not busy designing our online courses, Dani is dinosaur mad (especially for the Triceratops) and enjoys spending time with their fiancée, their two cats, family and friends.

Danielle Rondinella

Administration and Project Worker

Danielle (she/her) is WHGNE’s administration and project worker. Full staff bio coming soon..

Katherine Keirs

Health Promotion Worker - Policy, Advocacy and Communications

Katherine (she/her) has a background in academic history, researching the development of women’s politicisation through class-based activism in Australia. She holds a PhD in Australian labour history and has published work on the impact of women’s advocacy on the mid-century equal pay campaign. Wanting to contribute outside of the archives, Katherine now applies herself to advocating for social equity and gender equality in regional Victoria. When she’s not crafting the perfect communique, you’ll find Katherine hiking with friends, drawing or enjoying time with her family.  

Nisy Jose

Health Promotion Worker

Nisy (she/her) has a background in Dentistry with extensive experience working in hospitals, research and community health centres. She has a special interest in health equity for vulnerable populations, especially women with cultural diversity. She holds a master’s degree in public health and health promotion which enable her to empower people and support evidence-based practices. She is determined to build a community that operates naturally to attain gender equity, inclusion and diversity. When she is not working with stakeholders and community members, she loves spending time with her family outdoors, exploring new cuisines and gardening.

Mary Reema Antony

Health Promotion Worker

Mary (she/her) is a recent graduate with an advanced Master’s degree in Public Health and a background in medicine, with substantial international experience in healthcare. She is committed to improving all facets of health through promoting systemic change towards gender and cultural equity within service delivery. She is passionate about reforming sexual and reproductive health services for rural and regional women and gender-diverse people to bring optimal health and well-being to their lives. When she is not at work, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, hiking in the mountains, and stargazing under a clear night sky.

Sharyn Jenkins

Health Promotion Worker

Sharyn (she/her) is a health promotion practitioner. Sharyn has 17 years experience in the family violence sector, 15  of these working with Aboriginal women , children and families. Sharyn is passionate about making society a safe place for all people especially woman and children.

Sharyn would love to live in a community of diversity, inclusion and gender equity.

Bhakti Mainali Dhamala

Bilingual Health Educator

Bhakti (she/her) has extensive knowledge of working with women whose native tongue is not English. With experience in community development and refugee health, Bhakti is competent in four distinct languages.  Bhakti has worked as an interpreter and translator for thirteen years, primarily in the fields of health, education, law, and employment.  Bhakti additionally spent nine years working at a refugee medical clinic, educating refugee women about women’s health and the healthcare systems in Australia.  Bhakti holds a bachelor’s degree in social work and community development. Bhakti likes going out and socialising with women.

Annika Stewart

Health Promotion Worker - Community Engagement

Since completing her Honours in Psychology, Annika has worked as a behavioural therapist with autistic children and as a disability support worker. When she felt like it was time to get her Master of Psychology, she pivoted and undertook a Graduate Certificate in Health Promotion instead. Annika fell in love with the preventative and holistic view of health which doesn’t shy away from big, complex issues. In her spare time, you’ll find her bushwalking, reading in bed or galivanting around trying to find the best sourdough.

Megan Hunt

Health Promotion Worker

Megan is passionate driver of community and regional development, stemming from over 15 years working in population health, government and place-based philanthropy sectors. Her current work focuses on strengthening the region’s food system and driving partnerships between different stakeholders and sectors. Megan takes immense pride and fulfilment in being able to make a meaningful contribution and creative social impact for her community. You will find Megan out and about across the North East enjoying the outdoors or spending time with her young family.

Our Board –

Trish Curtis

Chair

Trish works as coordinator for the Upper Murray Regional Neighbourhood House Network, supporting the community development work of 16 neighbourhood houses. She has qualifications in adult education and facilitation and is a member of the Hume Adult Community and Further Education Regional Council. She wants to live in a world where women feel enabled to be and do whatever they want.

Bek Nash-Webster

Deputy Chair

Bek works as the Coordinator of the Grit and Resilience Program across the Rural City of Wangaratta. As a qualified social worker for 18 years, Bek is passionate about social justice and working with communities to find their own place-based solutions to “wicked” complex problems.

Donna Marcus

Treasurer

Donna Martin joined the WHGNE Board in September 2023 and serves as Treasurer for the 23/24 period. A Business Services Accountant and Tax Adviser with over 15 years of experience, Donna brings a wealth of experience spanning diverse industries and is known for her exceptional relationship building skills. Donna is also the co-founder of the Female Accountants Network, a network designed to support female accounting professionals and provide them with opportunities to access the best experts in the industry.

Karen Taylor

Secretary

Karen Taylor is a highly skilled CEO/senior manager with extensive experience in strategic planning, change management and business growth and development. Karen’s most recent roles have been at the Executive director and CEO level within the VET sector at a state and national level. 

Katherine Allsop

Board member

Katherine Allsop served as the Acting Treasurer on the Women’s Health Goulburn North East Board, for the 2022-2023 period. Katherine will continue as part of the WHGNE team as a Board member in 2023-24.

Jacqueline Eckert

Board member

Jacqueline is a registered nurse and has a Graduate Certificate in Nursing (General Practice), Graduate Diploma Population Health, as well as qualifications in Flinders Model Chronic Disease Management and as a Nurse Immuniser.

Michelle Fleming

Board member

Michelle currently leads Eastern Health’s community and primary care services and is a Board Director of Alexandra District Health.  She has Bachelor degrees in Arts and Science, a Graduate Diploma in Health Promotion, and a Masters in Health and Human Services Management. Michelle resides in the Murrindindi Shire and is passionate about gender equity, women’s empowerment and service provision for rural women.  

Chris McInnes

Board Member

Chris (She/Her) works at Primary Care Connect as the Executive Manager Family Violence in Shepparton and lives in the Mitchell shire.  She has a Bachelor of Social work, Master’s in Social Work, Graduate Diploma in Community Mental Health, and Graduate Certificate in Family Violence/Mens Group Work. Chris is a feminist who is passionate about gender equity.

Zoe Delamare

Board Member

Zoe is the senior communications advisor to Sydney’s Lord Mayor, Clover Moore. She has extensive experience in policy and communications, and is a proud feminist. Zoe is a domestic violence survivor, and is currently navigating the complex family court system. Her lived experience adds to her professional experience as a communications expert and political staffer. Zoe holds a BA (Broadcasting) from WAAPA in Perth, and a Master of Policy and Politics from Macquarie University. She has three fabulous daughters who she’s raising in Darkinjung Country on the NSW Central Coast.

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