Governance
The Gowrie (QLD) operating as Lady Gowrie is a not-for profit organisation managed by a voluntary Board of Management. The Board is comprised of a mix of professionals and academics who offer a diverse range of skills and expertise relevant to the management of the Organisation.
The Board of Management
As the governing body of the organisation the Board of Management has the important leadership role in ensuring that sound governance practices underpin the operation of the Service and as Custodians enhance the operations that have been entrusted in to their care.
Each Board Member has a strong commitment to ensuring good governance practices and positive outcomes for children and families.
The Board regularly reviews its effectiveness in order to improve discussion and commitment and decision making, and has a robust succession planning process.
The Board of Management meets on a monthly basis and holds its Annual General Meeting (AGM) each May. The appointment of an external auditor is announced at the AGM, and financial accounts are audited annually.
The Board is directed and governed by the Constitution of The Gowrie (QLD). Annually the Board of Management conducts and reviews the Strategic Imperatives of the Organisation in line with the Operational Plan of the Services. This provides the Board Members the opportunity to discuss with the Executive Staff the full operation of the business and plans for the coming year and review relevant impacts and risks relative to the business.
The Board of Management’s governance is further supported by the Code of Conduct, Board Charter and Financial Delegation.
The function of the Gowrie Board of Management is to:
- Review and maintain the vision and the purpose set out in the strategic plan
- Approve short and long term strategies
- Approve annual budgets
- Approve expenditure over pre-specified limits
- Appoint CEO and evaluate performance
- Manage Risk
- Review the integrity of financial and non-financial reports
- Monitoring of organisational activities to ensure the management and sustainability
- Support effective and key engagements with key stakeholders
Our Board of Management delegates the management responsibilities of the daily operation to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), who is responsible for the overall management of a range of child related services and programs across Queensland.
Lady Gowrie’s Governance Framework complies with the ASX Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations and AICD Not-for-Profit Governance Principles, where relevant. In accordance with these Principles, the Board of Management also has three sub-committees comprising of Board members, external expertise and management to assist it in discharging its duties, namely the Finance Sub-Committee, the Governance and Risk Sub-Committee, and the Growth and Innovation Sub-Committee.
The Gowrie (QLD) Inc Constitution is available to download.
The Gowrie (QLD) Inc Board of Management Charter is available to download.
Annual General Meeting Reports
Ronnie Lake
Chair
Governance and Risk Subcommittee
November 2018
Ronnie is a Risk Manager with over 20 years working in risk and governance roles across the not for profit, government, telecommunications, defence, manufacturing and management consulting sectors.
Ronnie is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD), and the Governance Institute of Australia (MGIA). Ronnie has post graduate qualifications in science and executive leadership and is currently completing a post graduate qualification in applied risk management though the Governance Institute of Australia.
Ronnie has broad risk, governance and process improvement experience which he uses to help organisations to understand their risks and ultimately meet their strategic goals.
Kylie Kluger 
Vice Chair
Education and Innovation Subcommittee
April 2017
Kluger Haus Creative
Kylie Kluger is a communications professional, with 20 years experience in media and public affairs.
Kylie spent a decade as a producer and broadcast journalist with news agencies including Al Jazeera, BBC World and Sky News. Since 2007, she has worked with corporate, government and not-for-profit organisations, at both local and national levels, on media liaison, community engagement, publication management and events.
Kylie has worked for organisations including Reconciliation Australia and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation on public education and reconciliation in action. She also has a keen interest in the not-for-profit sector and is passionate about social inclusion and equality—particularly in early learning settings.
Julia Fenech
Treasurer
Finance and Sustainability Subcommittee
November 2018
Julia is a chartered accountant and finance professional with over 20 years experience in Australia and London. Julia has a commercial background, predominantly in the energy sector, with a focus on budgeting and forecasting, corporate reporting and process improvement. She also has a passion for being involved with not-for-profit organisations, having volunteered on Committees in the Arts and Education sectors, including her children’s’ own Lady Gowrie affiliated kindergarten.
Sarah Black
Royal Flying Doctor Service
Ordinary Board Member
Governance and Risk Subcommittee
April 2017
Sarah comes to the Lady Gowrie Queensland Board of Management with a 15 year history as an Executive in hospitals and healthcare, leading medical, nursing and aeromedical teams in both the private and not-for-profit sectors. More recently, Sarah has spent extensive time working with the rural sector in the area of junior medical training and nursing workforce with significant involvement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander healthcare. Sarah is currently the Chief Nursing Officer with the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Sarah has two young children who attend the Long Day Care program at the Lady Gowrie Love Street Centre.
Ventura Caso
Ordinary Board Member
Finance and Sustainability Subcommittee
April 2020
Ventura is a corporate finance professional with over 15 years experience.
He was involved in Mergers and Acquisitions, valuation, business modelling, and other corporate finance engagements in both Italy and Australia.
Key areas of expertise include financial and strategic analysis; business modelling and business valuations. Ventura completed corporate finance engagements for private, public, national and multinational clients across several industries, including infrastructure, agribusiness, resources and power and utilities.
Joy Brown
Ordinary Board Member
Governance and Risk Subcommittee
February 2020
Joy has extensive experience in corporate governance, internal audit, risk management, process improvement, project management and operational reviews. She has worked across a number off segments, including energy and mining, healthcare, private sector clients, transportation and utilities as well as financial services and logistics.
Joy has over 15 years experience establishing and managing internal audit and risk management functions for both top tier listed companies, state government-owned corporations and working with a diverse range of Boards (audit and risk management committees). She brings a wealth of experience in corporate governance, internal audits, risk management, process improvement, project management and ethics.
Joy commenced her career at Pricewatershouse Coopers. She then worked for Minter Eliison Layers, Ernst and Young, Downer EDI, Firstmac Limited and Rio Tinto Limited.
Joy is member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, CPA and Institute of Internal Auditors. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Business Management from the University of Queensland.
Mia Christensen
Ordinary Board Member
Education and Innovation Subcommittee
April 2020
Ed. D. Candidate, M. Env. Ed., B. Ed. (Secondary).
I have been a teacher for the past 25 years and I have taught within urban, regional, and remote Aboriginal communities, across Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. These experiences are reflected within my daily teaching, planning and assessment cycles that demonstrate inquiry-based approaches to both learning and teaching. For the past 12 years, I have worked at the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in the Faculty of Education, in the School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education (SECIE). During this time, my teaching has been focused on providing pre-service teachers both in undergraduate and graduate courses, in early childhood and primary contexts, with strong foundations in teaching science and health and physical education through the implementation of appropriate pedagogical approaches.
Lady Gowrie Qld acknowledges past members of the Board of Management and their contribution to the Organisation and Early Childhood in Queensland.
We are a not for-profit organisation with a strong heritage in early childhood education in Queensland and Australia. The Brisbane Lady Gowrie Child Centre was established in 1940 as a demonstration centre for excellence in early childhood education and care.
Lady Gowrie QLD acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which our Services are placed, and pay our respects to the elders, past and present, who have raised children, taught them about the world around them and bestowed on them the gift of culture and language.
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