People and structure

Vanessa is an experienced Non-Executive Director and Chair with a background in both the NFP and corporate sectors in board and executive roles. Vanessa has a strong commercial, governance, risk management and industry transition background and has deep experience in regulated markets, with government regulators and with sectors in complex transition. Vanessa has deep ESG experience, having led EY’s Climate Change and Sustainability services team and currently chairing AGL’s safety and sustainability board committee.

Vanessa is a non-executive director of a number of entities including AGL and Port of Townsville and is an advisory member to one of Griffith University Business School’s advisory boards. Additionally, Vanessa chairs the Audit and Risk Committee at Port of Townsville and is a member of the sustainability committee. Her expertise in ESG and governance is valuable for organisations navigating industry transitions and complex regulatory landscapes. Vanessa is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of Chief Executive Women.

Appointed to Centacare Council in January 2020 and appointed Chair in January 2024
Member of the Centacare Finance and Audit Working Group

Matthew is an experienced executive and board member with a proven track record in strategy, innovation, risk and cultural change. With an ESG and Risk Management career grounded in the energy, resources and professional services industries, Matthew has driven significant improvements through several organisations. Following a life-changing illness in 2012 and a subsequent focus on using his personal experience in advocacy roles, Matthew brings a unique blend of corporate career and personal lived experiences that adds an impactful, strategic, risk-based contribution to board discussion and decision making. Matthew is involved in a variety of endeavours, serving on boards and steering committees for a number of organisations including Queensland Health, Hear and Say and Bionics Queensland.

Appointed to Centacare Council in 2018
Appointed Chair of the Centacare Practice Governance and Risk Committee in 2024

Bernard was appointed Financial Administrator of the Archdiocese of Brisbane in January 2020, a position he held in addition to his role as Director Finance & Accounting, Archdiocesan Services. Bernard held the position of Chief Financial Officer of the Archdiocesan Development Fund from 2011 to 2019.

Prior to that, Bernard held a number of senior finance roles in the commercial real estate and bio-science industries. He is skilled in business partnering, cash flow and financial management, leadership, innovation and risk management. He holds a Bachelor of Business with a major in Accounting and is a Fellow with CPA Australia.

Appointed to the Centacare Council in 2020

Fr Peter joined the Holy Spirit Seminary in 1973 at Banyo and was ordained in Brisbane in 1979. He has ministered in many Parishes in the Archdiocese including Wavell Heights, Zillmere, Surfers Paradise, Buranda, Southport, Ipswich, Murgon and as Dean at the Cathedral of St Stephen. Fr Peter has also held leadership positions as the Dean for the Central, South Country and South Coast Deaneries. He completed a Master of Arts at Boston College in 1988 in Pastoral Counselling.

In addition to his extensive ministry at various Parishes, Fr Peter has served as the Director of Centacare as well as being a member of the Centacare Council, and as a member of the Archdiocesan Development Fund Board and the Archdiocesan Finance Council over many years. He has also been a member of the Council of Priests from 2006 and was the Inaugural Chairman of the Archdiocesan Clergy Foundation from 2000 until 2005. During this period he also served as the Chairman for the Archdiocesan Evangelisation and Pastoral Planning Commission.

In 1994 Fr Peter was a member of the National Year of the Family Council and that same year was awarded the Advance Australia Award for his work with families and community. Additionally, Fr Peter was a founding member of the Management Board Queensland Financial Counselling Service. From 1990 to 2000 Fr Peter hosted a talk-back radio show for 4BC and 4QR in Brisbane. From 2005 to 2013 served as a board member on the Queensland Professional Standards Committee.

In July 2023 Fr Peter was appointed as the Vicar for Administration for the Archdiocese of Brisbane overseeing the governance of Agencies including Centacare, Brisbane Catholic Education, Evangelisation Brisbane, Archdiocesan Services and Legal, Governance and Risk within the Archdiocese.

Andrew has been actively involved with the Xavier Children Support Network since 1998, initially as a recipient of services before joining the Xavier Board in 2003. Xavier provides multidisciplinary disability support services to children, young people, and their families in the Brisbane area. Andrew served as Chair of the Board from 2007 to 2019, leading the organisation through significant periods of change.

In 2019, he joined the Centacare Council, continuing his commitment to community service. Andrew is a Certified Practising Accountant (CPA) and holds a Master of Management, with a specialisation in strategic management, corporate governance, and IT governance.

Jenny has over thirty years’ experience in the Australian Public Service including several years in the Senior Executive Service as State Director Immigration, Regional Director Customs and Area Manager Centrelink. In these roles Jenny had responsibility for large numbers of staff, significant budgets and operational outcomes. Jenny also managed a number of strategic national projects. As Centrelink Area Manager for South East Queensland, Jenny developed a good understanding of the needs of vulnerable members of the community.  She was appointed to the Migration Review Tribunal and Refugee Review Tribunal where she served for nearly four years. She is currently a member of her parish Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults Committee.

Appointed to the Centacare Council in 2016

Appointed Chair of the Centacare Finance and Audit Working Group in 2024

Marian has extensive knowledge and experience in the delivery of clinical services, management and leadership of hospital and health services and strategic planning and delivery of eHealth initiatives. Marian has worked as a Registered Nurse and Registered Midwife in a range of clinical environments across Australia and USA and has tertiary qualifications in Health Sciences, Education, Management and Information Systems.

Appointed to the Centacare Council in 2022

Member of the Centacare Practice Governance and Risk Committee

Virginia has over thirty years’ experience as a Brisbane lawyer. In the community legal centre sector, she has held roles at Caxton Legal Centre, convened the state association of community legal centres, and been a volunteer at other legal centres. She has been a Registrar in a federal court, and a member of a number of tribunals, both federal and state, including the Social Security Appeals tribunal and the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. She is currently a member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal Queensland, serving as Deputy President between 2017 and 2022. In this role she interacts with people who live with illness and disability, and those who support and care for them.

Virginia was appointed to the Mater Queensland Board in September 2019, becoming Deputy Chair in August 2020. She was appointed Chair of the Mater Foundation in August 2020, and a director of Loreto College Coorparoo in 2023. She is a former director of a Catholic primary school board, a Commissioner on the Legal Aid Commission of Queensland, and a board member of an Australian Health Practitioner Agency board. She has been an accredited mediator, and is committed to fair processes, collaborative decision making and transparency and accountability in governance.

Appointed to the Centacare Council in February 2024
Member of the Centacare Practice Governance and Risk Committee

As Executive Director of Centacare, including Catholic Early EdCare and Xavier, Peter directly oversees the operational areas of the Community Services, Family and Relationship Service and Catholic Early EdCare services. Peter is also a director of St Rita’s College Limited and the chair of the Advisory Council for Marist college Ashgrove. He is a former director Catholic Social Services Australia Ltd, a former director and audit committee chair of the Australian Catholic Superannuation & Retirement Fund, a former director of Mercy Health and Aged Care Central Queensland Limited as well as a former director of Yourtown. Peter was the Chair of the Marist Ashgrove Finance Committee for more than 10 years and formerly on equivalent committees at All Hallows School.

From a background as a registered nurse and midwife, care is embedded in my DNA.

Having also attained a Master of Public Policy & Management degree, Leadership Victoria Fellow and ACHSE Fellow, I’m well-equipped to guide service delivery across large and diverse organisations.

My passion for making a difference in people’s lives has driven my career, from frontline care to roles requiring broad experience and leadership skill.

Prior to joining Centacare, I was National Manager of the NDIS Clinical and Technical Advisory Branch. Before this, I served in numerous senior executive roles in state and federal governments, major hospital networks, healthcare and aged care services, leading innovation and reform in disability, mental health, allied healthcare, and practice governance.

At Centacare my goal is to ensure we place our clients at the heart of everything we do. In a constantly evolving legislative and regulatory environment, we will continue to improve outcomes for the more vulnerable members of our community. I’m committed to a consistent and well-defined service delivery approach, which seamlessly integrates our high-level expertise with our strong governance framework and the person-centred support systems we offer.

I’m an educator at heart. My mum was a childcare director and my dad was a teacher. I studied teaching at university and initially worked in the sector before moving into senior executive roles in retail.

It wasn’t long before I returned to education, leading several large, multisite childcare operators in Melbourne.

I’m incredibly passionate about the early years of education, as the foundation for every child’s future and am excited to lead the team at Catholic Early EdCare.

Across the Catholic Early EdCare footprint we support the aspirations of parents and families to watch their children grow through child led learning and play-based experiences at our kindergartens, long day care services and outside school hours care services. It’s important to me that we support the committed and talented staff working in those services in the very best way possible, so every child can benefit from the latest in early education research and the unique, values-based learning opportunities we provide.

I have a Bachelor of Teaching and an MBA. I love music and cooking low and slow on my offset grill.

I have spent the last decade of my career within large ‘For Purpose’ organisations in Queensland, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to contribute to the care and wellbeing of society’s most vulnerable members. Prior to this I was involved in commercial organisations spanning banking, FMCG, distribution and mining.

As Director of Strategy and Performance, my role is to help develop the strategic and operational plans of the organisation in ever-changing external environments and markets. My team develop and introduce tools and frameworks to help monitor our performance to plan, providing insights and advice to both my fellow Directors as well as the Centacare Council. I am also responsible for the Program Management Office that manage a range of cross functional strategic improvement projects.

Although the majority of my time is spent in Head Office, I regularly engage with all the exceptional people we have in our operational areas, which helps keep me up to date of emerging needs and issues.

I am a current member of the Association of Charter Certified Accountants (UK), and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Our people are at the heart of the service we provide, and that’s what motivates me in my role, leading the People and Culture team at Centacare.

I have more than 25 years of experience in strategic, operational and corporate service roles across Australia, the Americas and Europe and am grateful for the opportunity to share my skills and experience in leading and developing high performing teams with a people focused organisation who does so much good work in the community.

My operational management experience complements my collaborative approach and ability to develop strong relationships across all levels of Centacare from senior executives to those on our frontline who make a difference in people’s lives every day.

I am a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Course, the University of Michigan’s Advanced Human Resources Executive Program and a recipient of a Graduate Diploma in Strategic Human Resources from the University of Southern Queensland. In my off time, I enjoy spending time outdoors with the family, cooking, coaching Aussie Rules Football (go Kangas!), and shuttling kids around to various dance, swim, ballet and gymnastics events.

I am motivated by working for an organisation which is people focused, both from a service delivery perspective and also from the perspective of valuing its’ employees.

My passion lies in making our workplaces safer to support our employees so that they are able to deliver services to support the clients and children, who rely upon them on a daily basis.

As the WHS Director for the Archdiocese of Brisbane, I am responsible for leading the Work Health and Safety team who support Centacare. My role is to develop and deliver the strategy to address the health and safety opportunities and risks within our diverse organisation. In my role I am responsible for ensuring that we have an effective safety management system in place.

My passion for assisting others to achieve optimal health and safety commenced at university where I studied Physiotherapy and started my career working as a Physiotherapist. This provided me with a strong foundation for my current work in Health and Safety and Injury Management. I also hold an Advanced Diploma in Work Health and Safety, and a Diploma in Business Management.

As a migrant to Darwin Australia, I experienced a prolonged sense of alienation and marginalisation from the predominantly Anglo population. Coupled with a commitment to Gospel informed social justice, these experiences have given me a keener insight into social disorientation and marginalisation and empathy for people who find themselves there. This has driven me to work in organisations like Centacare across my career.

I am passionate about many areas of our sector, too many to mention; although I do gravitate to areas of unmet need. At present, how we as a society respond to increasing social loneliness across a range of different age groups is an interest.

The key task of my role as Director of Mission and Formation is supporting the organisation to align its client and back of house services with the organisations’ vision, mission and values.

I served as the CEO of three NSW/QLD faith based NGOs between January 2008 – October 2019. I have been registered as a psychologist for 20 years working across diverse psychological settings. I served as a Minister of the Word with the Uniting Church for 18 years, I relinquished my ordination and was received into the Catholic Church in 2011. Consequently, I have post graduate qualifications in psychology and theology.

I am really proud to be part of an organisation which is so embedded in serving the local community. Our support workers, counsellors, and child care educators do so much good for so many. It’s an honour to be able to support them in their work.

We are called to help others when they feel most vulnerable. This is at the heart of what Centacare does. I’m most passionate about our family counselling services, domestic violence assistance and prevention programs, and our mental health services. Those teams are so devoted to helping clients feel safe and healthy.

Our Communication & Engagement Team which I lead promotes the good stories happening each day within Centacare and connects clients to wider services. We also raise funds for areas of need which are not government funded but critical to supporting our clients to the fullest.

I have a master’s degree in Philanthropy & Development and a CFRE certification in fundraising. I also work closely with the parishes in the Archdiocese of Brisbane and other local Catholic charities.

As Director of Accounting & Finance for Centacare my role is to provide financial support and services to Centacare, drawing on extensive financial and systems experience gained across a varying range of industries.

What really motivates me in this role is the opportunity to support the business to operate with greatest efficiency, and to make sure we use the financial resources we have available to provide the best care and achieve best outcomes we can for the recipients of that care, in particular the most vulnerable members of our community.

Although mine is very much a ‘back office’ role, I really enjoy the opportunities I have to visit our services, meet our clients and see the wonderful work our teams do, first-hand. Those experiences are a great reminder of the important work we all have an opportunity to contribute to.

I am a current member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and have held various finance manager and director positions with organisations in commerce and Industry.

I’ve spent 25 years in information technology roles in higher education, and mining, energy and agribusiness industries, and it’s very gratifying to be able to apply my digital experience and skills in business engagement, to improve the services we are able to offer the community.

As the Director Information & Technology for the Archdiocese of Brisbane, a key focus is looking at the way technology can help us improve service provision and communication with Centacare clients, and support innovation in our service delivery. Making sure we have the right information technology strategies, plans and processes in place means better support for the good people who work on our front line, so they can maintain their focus on the thousands of clients, children and families we support every day.

The primary responsibilities of my team encompass a wide variety of strategic technology issues, including:

• governance and policy
• enterprise architecture al leadership
• resource allocation and service provision
• information technology project and program delivery protocols
• strategic business partnering and alignment
• support for all technology, delivery of IT infrastructure and services, information security systems and compliance, administrative systems, and client and customer support services.

My qualification include both a Bachelor of IT and Bachelor of Education as well as teaching undergraduate and post graduate qualifications.

Having been formed really all my life through a Catholic education and being raised in the Catholic tradition it is second nature to desire to work in some way in support of the Church’s mission. After working in Catholic schools and Catholic hospitals and in many areas of volunteering, it was an easy decision to accept the offer of employment with Centacare to work in such a hands on role growing and supporting the work of pastoral ministries.

I know from experience in the area of providing pastoral care in hospitals how powerful and how important this dimension of care is, both temporally and spiritually in the lives of people. The most powerful driver for my work in Centacare is working among people of faith on the coal face of service to the sick, the suffering, the imprisoned and those seeking mental well-being. In a nutshell it is participating intentionally in the Mission of God, and supporting the many pastoral carers and chaplains who share in this work.

My role as Director, Pastoral Ministries is very hands on with the chaplains and pastoral carers in recruiting, training, and providing ongoing formation and support for their work in hospitals, prisons and the mental health hub. It also involves a very close working association with Centacare’s post release prisoners’ support service. Other pastoral activity directed by this role includes the Stella Maris Mission to Seafarers and administrative support to Murri Ministry.

I have completed post graduate study in education, theology and pastoral care which contribute to the role. It has also been necessary to gain a Certificate IV in workplace training and assessment to teach and assess the accredited pastoral care training course soon to be delivered via the Archdiocesan RTO. I have ongoing and active connection with Public and Uniting Care hospitals, Queensland Corrective Services, The State Chaplaincy Board and Queensland Multifaith Healthcare Council.

I’ve experienced significant diversity in the course of both my working and personal life. From growing up in remote parts of Papua New Guinea, to going to boarding school in Australia, college in Switzerland, and operating and managing vast areas of remote cattle and sheep properties whilst raising and educating four children in the Australian outback, to a professional life in journalism, communications and senior political advisory roles in Sydney, Canberra, the Middle East, Korea, SE Asia – and now in Brisbane, I’ve been blessed to meet and learn from many, many different people and situations.

And each of these experiences have in some way enhanced my appreciation and understanding of social justice principles as the foundations for wellbeing, prosperity and the opportunity to pursue something more, for people from all walks of life.

My current role as Director of Government Relations for Centacare, allows me to pursue that passion for social justice through advocacy to government. I make the most of my extensive long standing relationships across all three levels of government and thorough understanding of political processes, public policy and government decision making that impact Centacare operations, to increase Centacare’s sphere of influence on policy making and programs for the better, and to the benefit of our many stakeholders and clients.