The FRSA Board consists of five elected Directors and up to four additional Directors, at the Boards’ discretion.

They meet four times annually to discuss governance and long-term goals, approve major actions of the organisation, support FRSA to fulfil its mission and ensure implementation of the FRSA Strategic Plan 2023-27.

Each Board position works on a three year term, and no Board member can exceed a maximum of three consecutive terms.

FRSA is responsible for supporting the Board, and for coordinating the Call for Nominations and ballot each year.

The Call for Nominations will be sent no more than 4 months prior to the AGM.

To nominate a potential candidate, you must be the authorised Member Delegate of an FRSA Full Member organisation who has not nominated any other candidate, and the person you are nominating must be the authorised Member Delegate of a Full Member or Associate Member organisation. All nominators, seconders and nominees must have their fees paid in full by the Call for Nominations date.

Useful Documents

The following documents are available to prospective nominees; please contact us or (02) 6162 1811 for copies:

1. FRSA Position Description – Board Member
2. FRSA Constitution 2023
3. FRSA Policy and Procedures Manual
4. FRSA Annual Report 22-23

Teresa Jayet

MBA, Grad FDR, BSocWk, BEd, Dip Financial Counselling

Board Chair
Finance, Risk & Governance Committee

Appointed: 23 November 2018
Reappointed: 20 November 2020
Reappointed: 23 November 2022
(Current term expiry AGM 2024)

Teresa Jayet is the Chief Executive Officer of the multi-disciplinary Organsiation, Mallee Family Care, and has 25 years experience in the human services sector across rural, remote and regional communities.  Teresa’s career commenced in the education sector where the foundation for her commitment to improve the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and families was established.

In her career, Teresa has had case work experience and held Executive roles, which has included direct oversight of a Community Legal Centre, Family Relationship Centre, Post Separation Cooperative Parenting Program, Child Contact Service, Regional Family Dispute Resolution, Financial Counselling, Communities for Children, Family Law Pathways, Mental Health and Disability Services, Research and Education, Foster Care as well as Family Counselling and Therapeutic Services.

Teresa is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has experience in a number of Non-Executive Director roles which include Chair, Deputy Chair and Treasurer.  Teresa also holds qualifications in Masters Business Administration, Graduate Diploma Family Dispute Resolution, Bachelor Social Work, Diploma Financial Counselling and Bachelor Education.

Allison Wainwright

M.Social Work (University of South Africa), Psych (Hons) (University of South Africa), BSocSc (Hons)

Deputy Chair
Chair of the Research and Policy Committee

Appointed: 22 November 2019
Reappointed: 19 November 2021
(Current term expiry AGM 2024)

Allison Wainwright is the Chief Executive Officer at Family Life, a specialist family services provider, working with vulnerable children, families and communities.

Allison has worked in both government and not for profit sectors in senior practice and executive management roles in the areas of children, youth and family services in South Africa and Australia. Allison has an extensive range of knowledge and experience spanning over 20 years of social work practice. She has a specialist skill set that focuses on programmatic design of therapeutic systems that provide trauma informed interventions and family sensitive practice including crisis services, residential care, child protection, family support and community based models. Allison has previously managed clinical, case management support teams in family violence, children and family services – in particular clinical mental health, and services for women and children experiencing violence.

She has provided international leadership over collective impact, community change and primary prevention initiatives. Designing place based and community centred models around HIV/AIDS prevention, family violence prevention, sexual health and place based responses to vulnerable families and children.

In South Africa Allison held the position of State Director for Integrated Services for Women and Children impacted by family and sexual violence and led the South African government reform agenda from 2005 to 2011, rolling out community based responses to victims of crime and violence.

Zoe Locke

B. S.Science (Human Services), GDip FDR, FRDP & NMAS Accredited, Child Consultant, GAICD

Treasurer
Chair of the Finance, Risk and Governance Committee
Sector Events Committee
Conference Reference Committee

Appointed: 23 November 2022
(Current term expiry AGM 2025)

Zoe Locke is the Deputy Director at CatholicCare Social Services in Toowoomba, a not-for-profit organisation supporting families and individuals and servicing 487,000 square kilometres of regional Queensland.  With a strong sense of social justice Zoe has been a consistent advocate for the Family Services sector.

Her professional experience includes two decades of work within the Family Services sector. Her practical grounding as a frontline practitioner, has guided her strategic roles as a Senior Manager and Deputy Director. Zoe has provided organisational oversight of and leadership in multiple jurisdictions, across a broad cross section of programs. Zoe has expertise in Child Protection, Family Law Services and Workplace Mediation with demonstrated success leading and shaping multidisciplinary and diverse teams. She is committed to improving workplace culture and developing and empowering high functioning teams. She commenced her career with a Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services) working in Residential, Foster and Kinship Care Services, before completing a Graduate Diploma in Family Dispute Resolution and transitioning into Family Law Mediation. With a passion for ongoing learning and development, Zoe has completed further training as a Child Consultant and a Nationally Accredited Mediator. Zoe’s commitment to vulnerable children and families with a focus on diversity and inclusion has been cemented throughout her career including spending time volunteering in the sector in India and Vietnam.

With over 15 years’ experience leading teams and organisations and overseeing organisational practice, Zoe has developed expertise in the core areas of board responsibility required including governance, risk management, financial performance and management, organisational culture, Environmental Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) reporting and Strategic Planning. In 2021 Zoe Graduated from Australian Institute of Company Directors Course (GAICD). With a proven ability and experience in developing strategy and implementing governance and compliance frameworks, Zoe has broad sector knowledge, a focus on innovative practice and has successfully implemented and managed pilot funded programs and organisational wide cultural change.

Leanne Strommen

B. Social Work, AdvCert in Human Services (Disabilities), GDip Housing Management and Policy

Chair of the Sector Events Committee
Chair of the Conference Reference Committee
Research and Policy Committee

Appointed: 22 November 2019
Reappointed: 19 November 2021
(Current term expiry AGM 2024)

Leanne Strommen is the General Manager Community Services of Centrecare Inc, which delivers a diverse range of social services to the West Australian community and provides 65 programs and over 150,000 community contacts a year. Her involvement in the sector, both paid and voluntary positions spans over 30 years. Leanne ‘s direct experience is through her work in the areas of individual, family and children counselling, family and relationship services, early education programs, homelessness support, housing provision, justice programs, settlement services, out of home care, financial counselling support and family and domestic violence services. Leanne is strongly committed to the recognition of Indigenous people as the original custodians of our land and working towards addressing the barriers that Indigenous people face in getting appropriate services to meet their needs.

Her involvement in the sector, both paid and voluntary positions spans over 30 years. Leanne’s managerial skills and knowledge of community services has helped her develop a deep understanding of the social service sector and government systems in which community service organisations engage. Leanne considers it essential that people from all backgrounds have access to service consistency and service excellence. Further to this, that the sector is central to the future wellbeing of so many Australians and continually seeks through advocacy and lobbying to protect the integrity and quality of social service delivery throughout Australia.

Leanne’s strong knowledge and understanding of the local needs of the community and effective responses pertains to metropolitan, rural and remote areas. Her involvement has been in state government and national committees including being the former chairperson of Shelter WA, Community Housing Coalition of WA and Western Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, and a former Board Member of the Australian Federation of Homeless Organisations and National Shelter.

Fallon Roberts

BA (Sociology), LLB, GDip Family Dispute Resolution, Family Law

Research and Policy Committee
Sector Events Committee
Conference Reference Committee

Appointed: 23 November 2022
(Current term expiry AGM 2025)

Fallon Roberts currently hold the position of Executive Manager, Families, Wellbeing and Justice at Centacare New England North West and has worked in the social services field for the past 15 years. In her current role, she is responsible for multiple state and federally funded programs including seven funded through the Department of Social Services for the provision of family, relationship & parenting based services.

Fallon has tertiary qualifications in law with operational experience in family and criminal law. She has worked in regional, remote and isolated communities in North West NSW for 15 years. She understand the challenges of these communities, especially relating to the social services, health, wellbeing and justice fields. Fallon has unique insight into the cultural worlds of our First Nations people and communities, having Aboriginal children, an Aboriginal husband and a large Aboriginal extended family. This connection exposes her to the beautiful cultural ways and being of our Aboriginal communities and the enduring struggles of our First Nations peoples.

Fallon is experienced in working for the public sector, previously holding the position of Regional Manager, Juvenile Justice for a five year period where she oversaw the operations of community based youth justice offices across the region. Both public sector and non-government roles have given her the opportunity to work with some of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, which has always driven her to identify service needs of communities and work to fill service gaps.

Judge Alexandra Harland

BA, LLB (Hons), GDip Legal Practice

Research and Policy Committee

Appointed: 29 November 2023
(Current term expiry AGM 2027)

Judge Alexandra Harland is a Division 2 judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and a current member of the Family Law Council, a statutory body providing advice to the Commonwealth Attorney-General on family law matters.

She is a board member of Family and Relationships Australia and a member of the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (USA) international committee.

Prior to her appointment in 2013, Judge Harland was an accredited family law specialist and independent children’s lawyer. She taught family law part-time whilst in practice for several years. Since 2004 she has regularly written and presented on a wide range of family law topics including financial and international issues, as well as children’s issues for lawyers and other family law professionals including court child experts. Since its inception, she has been the co-author of a leading family law text, Family Law Principles, now in its third edition. Since 2018, she has convened a group for new judges in order to provide new judges with additional mentoring and training support.

She has an interest and expertise in issues affecting same sex families, artificial reproduction, and surrogacy, focussing on the children’s rights perspective to legal parentage and identity.

In 2023 she presented at the ‘2nd International Surrogacy Forum’ in Copenhagen and at the ‘UK Family Law Reform Now Network’ with respect to children’s rights.

John Bouffler

B. Ec (Double major in Accounting and Economics) University of Sydney, FAICD

Finance, Risk and Governance Committee

Appointed: 12 December 2023
(Current term expiry AGM 2027)

John Bouffler is the former Executive Director of Community Employers WA (CEWA), a role he held for 10 years. CEWA is a representative body for 175 NFP employer organisations in the Community Services sector across Western Australia and focuses primarily on advocacy around the sustainability of services, strengthening relationships with government, procurement, tendering and commissioning.

Prior to his role at CEWA, John was CEO of St Vincent de Paul WA and had a long career in banking and finance in Sydney and Perth in the Corporate area, primarily in senior executive positions with National Australia Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.

John is currently the Non-Executive Chair of Interchange, a WA based NFP disability provider, continues to be active with Lifeline WA as a telephone counsellor and mentor (for 30 years), and is involved in a local suicide support group for young people in Perth. He is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has been on numerous boards, committees and government bodies for many years.

Felicity Williams

BA, MBA, GAICD, Grad Cert Leadership (Education)

Finance, Risk and Governance Committee
Sector Events Committee

Appointed: 29 November 2023
(Current term expiry AGM 2027)

Felicity Williams is CEO of Upper Murray Family Care, which provides programs and services focused on supporting children, young people and families in North East Victoria and southern NSW, including the region’s Family Relationship Service.

She has held executive and senior management positions in marketing, public relations, communications and general management in industries including tertiary education, secondary education, and not-for-profit organisations. She founded and ran a highly successful business strategy and marketing consultancy during which she provided practical assistance and support to small and medium sized businesses in a wide range of industries throughout North East Victoria.

An experienced board director, she is also Deputy Chair of Gateway Health, which provides community health responses in her local region. Supporting her passion for promoting economic and community development within our regional communities, Felicity is Acting Chair of the Victorian Ovens Murray Regional Partnership. She has chaired and been involved in a number of peak organisation Boards including ACEVic, the peak for the Victorian adult community education sector; Regional Sport Victoria; and Australian TAFE Marketing Association.

Felicity was awarded an International Specialised Skills Institute Fellowship (funded by Department of Education and Training – Higher Education and Skills) in 2019, which provided an opportunity to undertake research into ways to support adults with learning difficulties, including those involved in the justice system.

Felicity is a member and graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Business Administration, and Graduate Certificate in Leadership.

Cheryl Orr

Research and Policy Committee

Appointed: 29 November 2023
(Current term expiry AGM 2027)

Cheryl Orr, Principal Solicitor at Cheryl Orr Family Law, is from the Gurang Gurang People and her family are the Williams. Cheryl left high school prior to completing year 9 but inspired by her grandfather’s passion for education (he learnt to read at age 64) and guided by an obligation to work for the betterment of her community, Cheryl completed a Bachelor of Social Science – Indigenous Key Program and Bachelor of Law as a mature aged student.

Cheryl was admitted as a solicitor in 2007 and now has her own practice. Cheryl’s practice areas are Care and Protection and Family Law including dispute resolution/mediation. She has appeared in the Family Court, Full Family Court, Children’s Court, District Court and Supreme Court and is responsible for a number of reported cases. Cheryl has developed practice manuals for NSW Community Legal Centres in the areas of Family law Parenting and Care and Protection for the purpose of assisting and acting for Aboriginal clients. Cheryl has been a guest speaker at the NSW Bar Association and Aboriginal Legal Access Program. Cheryl was a former member of the Law Society of NSW Indigenous Issues Committee and played an instrumental role in the recent changes pertaining to Care and Protection law. In 2007 Cheryl was awarded the National Council for Women NSW Australia Day Award. In 2014 Cheryl was awarded Indigenous Lawyer of the Year by the Federal Attorney General.  In 2020 Cheryl was one of 3 finalist awarded Female Indigenous Lawyer of the year and was nominated for Female Lawyer of the year and sole practitioner of the year.

Cheryl has been guest speaker on NITIV & ABC, interviewed by Al-Jazeera and the Guardian newspaper, interviewed on radio, and invited as guest speaker, presenting at the Redfern community legal centre in relation to the removal of children in the care and protection jurisdiction and introducing Aboriginal families into the Family Law Jurisdiction. In 2016 Cheryl was invited as a guest lecturer at the Australian Catholic University teaching Family Law. Cheryl works tirelessly to increase access to justice for Aboriginal people and passionately advocates for families in crisis in all family law related matters. In August 2018 Cheryl completed her 30 year journey and acceptance to Islam. Cheryl’s downtime includes spending time with her husband, children, and grandchildren. Cheryl’s hobbies include cooking and fine dining.