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Meet the Team

MEET OUR BOARD

Naomi wears a blue shirt and smiles, looking at the camera.
NAOMI SHARPE
CHAIRPERSON

Qualifications
Naomi holds various Degrees in Management, Community Services Work and a Bachelor Diploma of Business (specialising in Human Resource Management).

Experience
Naomi has over 10 years of experience in management and training as well as community services, children’s services and aged card.

Currently a transport for NSW professional in the areas of training, compliance, competency and governance. Together with over 20 years’ experience in the disability field primarily in employment and day services. An SME and current trainer in Community Services from Certificate II through to Diploma.

Patricia wears a blue jacket and white shirt with pink stripes. She is smiling at the camera.
Patricia Hiesberger
Vice Chairperson

Qualifications
Patricia holds a Master in Business Administration (Finance and Project Management through UTS), Bachelor of Business Studies (Management – through Charles Sturt University), Industrial Engineering Associate Diploma and an Aircraft Mechanical Engineering Trade Certificate.

Experience
Patricia has over 30 years’ experience within the Transport industry – primarily Airline, Rail and Bus. She has extensive senior level experience in strategy management, project management and compliance with a strong focus on safety and reducing operating costs.

Angelo is looking at the camera and smiling. He wears a grey jacket, pink shirt and patterned tie.
Angelo Di Benedetto
Treasurer

Qualifications
Angelo holds a Bachelor of Business degree (Accounting Major) from The University of Western Sydney. He is also a fully credentialed CPA.

Experience
Angelo has over 30 years of corporate professional experience both locally and abroad, and as well he has over 20 years’ experience working numerous different boards, in various industries and different geographies across the globe, fulfilling the roles of board member, company secretary and board chairperson.

His professional career commenced in the finance area, expanding over his career to at times include: HR management; IT Systems; Legal and Tax; Operations and Supply Chain and finally General Management which included being part of a (multinational) executive team, tasked with setting the global company’s strategic direction and needed action plans and then ensuring delivery against those targets.

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Glenda Buckley
DIRECTOR

Qualifications
Glenda has more than 20 years’ experience in a variety of Human Service organisations including Government and Non-Government.

Experience
Glenda has more than 20 years’ experience in a variety of Human Service organisations including Government and Non-Government. Glenda in employed in an Executive role for the past 6 years and is currently the Director of Statewide Operations Network for NSW Department of Education. Glenda is passionate about supporting people and has experience in leading a NDIS service.

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Carol Lawrence
Director

Qualifications
Carol holds various Graduate Degrees in Education in the USA, Graduate Diploma in Careers Education, Graduate Diploma from Sydney University in Health Education.

Experience
Employed as a teacher in Australia for over 25 years. Community involvement being part of Neighbourhood Watch and assisting the Arncliffe family festival for two years.

Laura is wearing a brown and black patterned top. She's smiling as she looks at the camera.
Laura connarty-duncan
Director

Qualifications
Laura holds a Bachelor Degree in Management and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She has studied health and safety, risk and compliance, and managing teams mental health with Black Dog Institute. Laura is also a certified business and career coach, and she is currently studying life coaching and counselling at Canberra University. She is committed to lifelong learning.

Experience

With more than 20 years of business leadership experience across diverse sectors, including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), Laura brings extensive expertise in operations, general management, policy review, technology, and organisational transformation. As the founder of Champion Women, she is dedicated to empowering women in business and leadership, advocating for gender equality and diversity. Her leadership philosophy centres on fairness, inclusivity, and empowerment, values she integrates into her governance work. 

A passionate advocate for inclusive workplaces, Laura is dedicated to fostering organisations that prioritise equality and make a positive impact on the communities they serve. 

Employed as a teacher in Australia for over 25 years. Community involvement being part of Neighbourhood Watch and assisting the Arncliffe family festival for two years.

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James Woodburn
Director

Qualifications
James holds Bachelor of Arts (Tourism Management), from the University of Technology, Sydney, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and is a Volunteer Bush Fire Fighter. 

Experience
James has over 30 years’ experience in the property industry, having worked in multinational firms, across various property sectors, both in Australia and the Asia Pacific region. James has delivered substantial capital works programs and undertaken complex property portfolio planning, specialising in stakeholder management, negotiations, governance, project direction and budgeting. 

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Simone Dossetor
Director

Qualifications
Simone holds Bachelor of Economics a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Business Administration, Executive MBA from AGSM.  She is a Graduate Australian Institute of Company Directors GAICD. 

Experience
Simone is an accomplished executive leader with more than 20 years’ experience with a values-driven approach to leadership. She brings a wealth of transformation and change–management experience based on a foundation of transparency and collaboration. She is a regular speaker on innovation, transformation and emerging technologies. 

Tony wears a blue jacket and blue and white striped shirt. He is smiling while looking straight on at the camera.
Tony Yortis
Director

Qualifications
Tony holds a Master of Commerce from The University of New South Wales, a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from The University of Wollongong, a graduate from the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Saïd Business School Leadership Program (Oxford University). 

Experience

Tony is an accomplished non-executive board director with extensive experience across diverse industries, including Public Sector, Health, FMCG, Industrial Services, Professional Services, Manufacturing, Telecommunications, and Defence. He has led cultural and digital transformations within blue-chip organisations, delivering sustainable growth and innovative solutions that positively impact communities and customer experiences. 

Tony’s expertise spans digital and technology, governance, strategy, risk management, transformation, and general management. His leadership has earned industry recognition for numerous change initiatives. 

Previously, Tony held C-level executive roles at global organisations, where he honed his strategic, operational, and people management skills, demonstrating visionary leadership to drive positive change and create long-term value. 

MEET OUR EXECUTIVE LEADERS

Liz wears a blue top and smiles, looking directly at the camera.
Liz Cohen
Secretary &
Chief Executive Officer

Transformation is key to Liz Cohen’s leadership. Liz continues her work in shaping the future of disability service providers in their journey from the traditional block-funded not-for-profit to an innovative, values-driven ‘profit for purpose’ organisation at Sunnyhaven.

Liz holds degrees in teaching and education and has more than 30 years’ experience in the disability, education, and health sectors. She has a keen interest in the way technology can support increased independence for people with disability and create efficiency and effectiveness for organisations.

Liz is the 2020 SA Telstra Businesswoman of the Year (for Purpose and Social Enterprise) and she sits on the boards of the Human Services Skills Organisation and NeckSafe.

Liz feels very privileged to have been appointed to the role of CEO at Sunnyhaven in December 2022 and looks forward to leading the organisation into the future.

Headshot of Kulander looking at the camera. He is wearing glasses, a checked shirt and dark jacket.
Kulander Chapman
Chief Operations Officer

Kulander has decades of experience working in the disability and community sectors. As Sunnyhaven’s Chief Operations Officer, he is dedicated to ensuring Sunnyhaven provides safe, professional and enthusiastic support for our clients with disability, providing leadership to our staff as well as connecting with the wider community.  

Kulander has a Bachelor in Social Science, and an Advanced Diploma in Disability Studies. He ensures Sunnyhaven’s support is person-centred, with the choice and control of our clients being paramount to the way we operate.  Kulander is an advocate for Active Support Principles which supports clients to become involved in their environments and activities of daily life. 

 Additionally, Kulander volunteers for Marine Rescue as Watch Officer for the Marine Rescue Solander Radio Base. 

Justine wearing a pink jacket and top and glasses looking at the camera.
Justine Latham-Hall
Chief Financial Officer

As Sunnyhaven’s Chief Financial Officer, Justine ensures Sunnyhaven’s reliable and consistent operations using responsible financial stewardship and well-governed finance functions. 

Her career history includes working in large corporations, in government and as part of entrepreneur-led small-to-medium businesses.  Justine believes in scaling process and systems for great efficiency, along with exploring automation for continuous improvement. Justine believes in the power of psychologically-safe workplaces where both accountability and achievements are celebrated.

Justine is passionate about providing meaningful reporting and insights to ensure better decision-making, and providing clear information so Sunnyhaven can make the best decisions for future success, empowering our organisation to continue as a non-profit provider of choice for people with disability in St George and The Shire.