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.

Shona Vasani

Secretary

Education and Innovation Subcommittee

March 2018

Shona Vasani is a solicitor with over 15 years commercial legal experience.

Shona commenced her career in private practice at Corrs Chambers Westgarth. She then worked in London for various organisations including Taylor Wessing, General Electric Commercial Finance and Interoute Communications Limited. Shona returned to Brisbane in 2014 and is working as Legal Counsel at Telstra.

Shona has broad corporate and commercial experience and has worked closely with organisations on issues involving regulatory compliance.

Shona’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Business Management, Bachelor of Laws with Honours and a Graduate Diploma in Professional Legal Education and Training programme. Shona is a member of the Queensland Law Society and a member of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (England and Wales).

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.

Subcommittee Members

Kelly Burmester

Education and Innovation Subcommittee Member

Finance and Sustainability Subcommittee Member

November 2019

Kelly Burmester has more than 18 years’ experience working in a variety of fundraising and communication roles for health related and children’s charities. She has worked in Australia and the UK for the Royal Children’s Hospital Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Mater Foundation.

Kelly holds the internationally recognised accreditation for fundraising professionals, the CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive).

She is passionate about the not-for-profit sector, philanthropy and volunteer leadership.

Lady Gowrie Qld acknowledges past members of the Board of Management and their contribution to the Organisation and Early Childhood in Queensland.