Biography:

Matthew Cox is the Executive Director of The Bryan Foundation, a Queensland-based philanthropic fund that focusses on child development and education.

Previously Matthew was the founding Executive Director at Logan Together, a large place-based child development initiative based in Logan, south of Brisbane and earlier he spent 10 years at Australian Red Cross leading the organisation’s human services and community development program in Queensland.

Matthew serves on a number of advisory committees focussing on early child development, place-based approaches and addressing intergenerational disadvantage.  He is currently the Co-chair of the Early Years Partnership in WA.

Dr Rhiannon Parker is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Social Impact, UNSW. Her work focuses on developing evidence-based solutions that promote positive social change for vulnerable populations, including young people, women, girls, and families facing critical and ongoing issues. With extensive experience collaborating with for-purpose organisations, Rhiannon has a track record of identifying and evaluating strategies to address inequalities and improve outcomes for these populations. Her research on community wellbeing has highlighted the critical importance of community strengthening services in promoting the wellbeing of vulnerable populations.

Sharnee Moore is a researcher and evaluator who has worked on many AIFS projects concerning a range of issues. Her major projects have included a scoping study for a National Survey of Children and Young People in Out-of-home Care, the Evaluation of the 2012 Family Violence Amendments to the Family Law Act, and research examining the Role of Independent Children’s Lawyers in the family law system. Since 2015, Sharnee has managed the Evidence and Evaluation Support team. Prior to joining AIFS, Sharnee worked on policy and program management in relation to separated families and child support.

Tanya Brooks-Cooper is the Manager of The Salvation Army’s Communities for Children program in lutruwita South-East Tasmania.

Tanya is a curious questioner, vibrant change maker who works in a hybrid model of collective impact and asset based community development. She is a passionate place-based program advocate as it keeps our families and community at the centre of all the work we do. Tanya is passionate about storytelling and is on a learning journey around measurement, evaluation and telling the tales about impact and the ‘why’ of the work we do – for anyone who will listen. 

Tanya loves changing the narrative and skilling up people to strengthen our community safety net. She is a JCU grad with over 25 years of experience (maybe more!) in the community, education, government and political world, and has worked everywhere from remote Cape York to our little state of Tasmania so she brings loads of great working knowledge to her work toolbox.

To wind down from her fast paced working style (there’s lots to do) Tanya likes to make terrible art, do  Bikram yoga, swim in the freezing ocean, drink wine and eat yummy food, and bushwalk the trails of Tassie (short ones only!)

Camilla Krauze joined Anglicare NT in 2018 as the Initiatives Manager, East Arnhem Children’s Services. She has a Bachelor of Human Services and Psychology and an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Psychology (Honours Equivalent). Originally from Victoria, Camilla has two decades of experience working alongside vulnerable families with complex needs experiencing problematic drug and alcohol use, mental health issues, homelessness, domestic violence, justice, disability, forensic and/or child protection orders. She has extensive knowledge in evidence-based practice and placed based approaches in the not for profit sector.

Camilla is passionate about using place-based approaches to build thriving communities through working within the Communities for Children initiative for a decade. She has a contemporary and innovative approach with a strong understanding of the importance of two-way practice, capturing children’s voices, developing practice for professionals and creating leadership opportunities for children and community. She has the privilege to work in urban, rural, remote and very remote areas working alongside Aboriginal communities and staff. Camilla works closely with elders and leaders in the communities of East Arnhem, Roper Gulf and the Groote Eylandt Archipelago.

Karen Russell’s background includes more than two decades experience in the public sector, a decade in the private sector and now in the for-purpose sector – and it is here she says that she has found her people. She joined The Smith Family in 2019 and led the Commonwealth Department of Education funded pre-school attendance research project that culminated in the Small Steps, Big Futures report. This research prioritised the voices of the community and added to the Australian evidence base of barriers to and enablers for engagement with early childhood education in communities of disadvantage.

Across her career, Karen has maintained a focus on outcomes and an approach which is inclusive of disparate styles and views. She has worked as a facilitator and as a coach and is known for her perspective, deep listening and contextual awareness. While working for DSS (and its predecessor departments) Karen spent about ten years in the Families and Children programs. Now with responsibility for the oversight of The Smith Family’s nine Communities for Children sites, she has a broad and deep understanding of the policy and implementation opportunities and challenges of this rich and rewarding program.

Sue Christophers is Head of Social and Economic Wellbeing within AnglicareSA’s Community Services portfolio, with responsibility for over 35 programs. Sue has over 25 years’ experience in community services, and has a particular passion and expertise for prevention, early intervention, place-based approaches and community development. Children and young people are always at the centre of Sue’s thinking and action, particularly in service design, development, delivery, and advocacy. This is at the core of what she does and has made her a sought-after advocate and advisor.

Sue was involved from the inception of the Communities for Children (CfC) initiatives in Onkaparinga and Playford and can attest to the critical role of CfC in both strengthening and enabling communities, particularly those experiencing socio-economic disadvantage and vulnerability. Sue is a strong advocate for an integrated approach across all program areas. Emphasising collaborative practice and ensuring that all voices are heard in decision making processes, Sue will ensure the strengths of communities are recognised and built on to provide healthy, supportive and child friendly environments. Sue brings her commitment to place-based service delivery and community-led approaches to all of her conversations and advocacy and will continue to champion CfC as an exemplar in this space.