Our Board
CARLI LEISHMAN
CHAIRPERSON
Carli has worked in both corporate and NFP roles within the Human Services sector since 2017. Driven by social justice and human rights Carli brings her research and evaluation lens to RIAC with a focus on strong governance. Carli holds a Master of Social Work and is currently working in a research role at Mallee Family Care in Mildura. Carli’s previous experience is in the Aged Care sector where she worked in both residential and home care settings in direct practice and management. Carli is passionate about embedding evidence informed practice into human services organisations and using research and evaluation as a form of policy advocacy.
SHANNON BURDEAU
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Shannon is passionate about equity and inclusiveness – nobody should feel discriminated against or harassed due to any physical mental or other difference
Shannon choose to join RIAC’s Board to use her skills to make a difference in the community.
Shannon is currently a Company Secretary/Executive officer at Community Bank Maldon & District, a NFP social enterprise which invests 80% of its profits back in the community.
Previous senior management roles at global tax firms.
Shannon comes to us with strong governance and legal professional with 15 years experience in the corporate and NFP sectors including over 10 years volunteering on Boards
KATHRYN LONDRIGAN
SECRETARY
Kathryn brings 20+ years of consulting and industry experience specialising in solving complex, strategic problems in organisation transformation, culture change management and cost transformation/optimisation across a wide range of industries. She also has strong governance experience, across boards and advisory committees in the corporate and NFP sectors, including as Vice President.
Kathryn is passionate about ensuring all people have equal access to services, and are able live and work as they choose.
BEAU MITTNER
TREASURER
Beau is passionate about giving back to the community so people from all walks of life have a chance at living their best life. Beau has worked alongside RIAC for a number of years and has observed the organisation deliver on its program outcomes. RIAC makes a real difference in the communities in which it operates, and he felt this was a great opportunity to support his passion and give back to the local community. Beau’s financial literacy skills are a valued asset to RIAC’s Board to provide assurance to the other members that RIAC has the resources to not only grow but also continue delivering on its mission and objectives.
Beau’s passion for social equity has a strong alignment with all RIAC’s core values, partially Action, as fairness is not created within society unless people or organisations take action to advocate for it.
Beau is currently the Finance Manager for the Moira Shire Council based in Cobram and holds a Bachelor of Commerce: Accounting and Finance and a Graduate Diploma of Chartered Accounting.
Before this role Beau worked in Professional Services for 8 and a half years where he was a manager in Business Services for an Accounting Firm in Geelong. During his time in professional services, he has provided a number of services including Audit and Assurance, Governance and Risk, Virtual CFO and Taxation. Prior to moving to Geelong, Beau was a volunteer member of Surfing Victoria’s Finance and Audit Committee. As part of this role, he provided recommendations to the Board on a number of Financial Reporting, Policy and Audit related matters.
BICH JENNINGS
ORDINARY MEMBER
Bich is a passionate ally for all forms of diversity, inclusion and intersectionality.
Bich joined RIAC’s Board to apply her skills in risk and assurance to strengthen and flex the positive advocacy work within our communities.
Bich has never followed the conventional path, and thrives when navigating uncertainty, clarifying ambiguity, clearly communicating and leading people through periods of change, she often finds herself leading a change agenda. She has held formal and moral leadership positions throughout her career in Defence, operations and within her consulting capacity. Bich is a Certified Practising Risk Manager (CPRM®) and specialises in Enterprise-Wide Risk Management and risk management in operations, with local and international experience. She has led projects across the APAC region and managed cross-functional, national projects throughout the life cycle.
Bich has always been drawn to building communities for impacting change, particularly in Neurodiversity and allyship. Bich believes in RIAC’s vision, mission and there’s strong alignment between her personal values and that of RIAC’s – Respect, Independence, Acceptance and Collaboration.
LOUISE HALLIWELL
ORDINARY MEMBER
- Louise is passionate about community contribution, supporting equality and fostering diversity and inclusion. Louise believes that joining the RIAC Board is a great opportunity for her to contribute to a worthwhile organisation and be part of a team that is delivering a positive impact in her community. Louise is a Director at PwC where she leads the firm’s Responsible Business strategy across key Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) domains. Louise also engages in the market to support entities to shape and extend their ESG strategies in the areas of social impact, net zero, sustainable supply, human rights (including modern slavery) and corporate sustainability more broadly. Louise is:
- certified in SDG impact measurement & management by Duke University;
- certified carbon literate by the Carbon Literacy Project;
- a registered Climate Active technical consultant
- a graduate of RMIT University’s Bachelor of Communications. Louise also has a familial lived experience of disability.
MICHAEL CURTIS
ORDINARY MEMBER
Combining an extensive accounting career within the public sector with his own personal experiences, Michael has been on our Board since 2015. His passion for a connected community sees him play a key role in a large number of community groups.
MARK POSWIAT
ORDINARY MEMBER
Mark joined RIAC’s board to give back to the community by contributing his skills to an organisation that seeks to create equity and make a difference by supporting those in need.
He has a wealth of knowledge and experience which includes:
- Global finance executive with over 20 years of experience.
- 12 years as CFO of multiple businesses across different industries.
- Qualified CPA, Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
PETER CARKEEK
ORDINARY MEMBER
Peter is a senior professional, with extensive experience in both agriculture and vocational education as a manager, elected and appointed representative for a variety of organisations, government bodies, private enterprise and a dairy cooperative.
Peter has a strong track record of achievement, managing complexity and leading change.
Peter’s specialities include: Agriculture, Agricultural Education, Vocational Education, Dairy Industry, Project Management, Community Services.
Our Team
Our team’s professional expertise, combined with their passion for equality enables us to provide a strategic and holistic approach to the services we offer, in order to build the capacity and well-being of individuals, families, carers and communities through advocacy and support services.
KEN MARCHINGO
INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Ken Marchingo AM is an extraordinarily successful Chief Executive with a history of incubating and growing not only his core organisation, but also ancillary and related organisations to support his core agency’s mission in regional Victoria, state & nationwide.
With a more than 37-year career in the community, non-government & public sector space, he has been recognised for his outstanding meritorious work by being inducted as a Member of the Order of Australia on Australia Day 2018.
This most specifically in the housing and homelessness sector, but also for building capacity in many areas across the wider community sector.
Ken also received an auspicious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 from his peers and colleagues at PowerHousing Australia (PHA), the industry advocacy group he established in 2004. Ken is a previous Chair of the prestigious International Housing Partnership (IHP) and in October 2013 hosted the first ever Australian based IHP Leadership Exchange in Sydney.
Officially acclaimed a ‘Local Hero’ in his hometown of Bendigo, Ken is also a proud patron of the Bendigo and Central Victoria Community Foundation, an Honorary Life Governor of the Royal Children’s Hospital, and formerly a White Ribbon Ambassador, which aims to eliminate violence against women and children. Ken was the Rotary Australia Day Ambassador in 2014. Ken is also a Victorian Government appointed, Honorary Justice of the Peace & a Commonwealth Registered Marriage Celebrant.
Ken is a regular speaker, nationally, internationally, has run Founders courses for the Chartered Institute of Housing in Canada on leadership and innovation and has a high local and regional media profile.
Ken is an engaging and charismatic speaker and has been a keynote presenter at the largest Housing and Homelessness conferences on 3 continents and regularly across Australia.
AMANDA ROBINSON
-BA (Philosophy), MMenthealthPrac
BUSINESS SYSTEMS MANAGER
Amanda is a Executive level leader with post-graduate qualifications in Health leadership and Management and over 12 years’ experience in the disability and mental health sector.
Amanda has high-level skills and experience in grant writing, community development, project management, business systems, technology, and organisational psychology.
Amanda has a passion for innovation, an appetite for growth believes in ensuring the principles of change management to ensure the efficient operation of a business through continuity of care and the use of trauma informed and change management practices.
With a flair for creativity and a passion for collaboration, she adept at creating strong stakeholder relationships with extensive skills in communication and listening, strategic thinking and analysis. Values that are most important to her are honesty and integrity.
SANDRA BOYD
REGIONAL OFFICE MANAGER
Sandra is RIAC’s Regional office manager who oversees all of our financial operations and other office requirements. Sandra is one of the cogs that keeps the machine turning, and she always provides a positive contribution to the overall operation of RIAC.
NICOLE JAMES
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Nicole started out at RIAC as a fierce NDIS Appeals and Reviews Advocate, and quickly made her way to the NDIS Appeals Manager.
Nicole’s role as Operations Manager overlooks our NDIS appeals, and general advocacy to ensure its smooth operation. Nicole has an extensive background in disability, teaching and advocacy and has a passion for social justice and change.