Who We Are

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Kate has extensive experience in senior management and policy and advocacy for social justice, including in housing, homelessness, youth policy and justice. Prior to joining Homelessness Australia, Kate was the spokesperson for the national housing and homelessness campaign, Everybody’s Home and Deputy CEO at the Victorian peak body for homelessness, Council to Homeless Persons. Kate was previously CEO at the Youth Affairs Council of Victoria and Policy Director at the Victorian Council of Social Service.

Kate chairs the Everybody’s Home reference group and  is passionate about achieving the changes needed to end homelessness and fix Australia’s housing crisis.

Kate has a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) and Graduate Diploma of Women’s Studies (History) from the University of Melbourne.

CEO, YWCA Canberra

Frances Crimmins is the Chief Executive Officer of YWCA Canberra, a leading feminist not-for-profit organisation. YWCA Canberra provides integrated and specialist support in housing and homelessness services, and supports women and their children escaping domestic violence, as well as providing a range of other community services.

Frances is passionate about supporting people experiencing homelessness, with a particular interest in addressing the needs of older women and women with children at risk of homelessness. As a specialist housing provider, YWCA Canberra provides affordable housing and tailored housing solutions to older women and women and their families through a range of different services. This includes case management and support for women experiencing domestic violence.

In her time as CEO of YWCA Canberra, Frances has led the continued growth of the organisation’s housing portfolio, growing both supply of housing and support services. This includes an innovative social enterprise, Rentwell, which works with private landlords to rent their properties at an affordable rate to tenants seeking affordable housing. Plus Next Door, a dedicated older women’s homeless support service.

In addition to this, Frances continues to be a passionate advocate for policy measures that address the root causes of housing and homelessness for women, including gender inequality and gender-based violence.

Chief Executive Officer, Homelessness Queensland

Steve, as the Chief Executive Officer of Homelessness QLD, holds a pivotal role in influencing funding, policy, and system design within the Specialist Homelessness Sector (SHS) and housing sectors. His approach, which places a strong emphasis on lived expertise, allows him to bring a distinctive perspective to his responsibilities, drawing from his personal encounters and insights.

Steve’s professional journey encompasses various roles in youth mental health, domestic and family violence, diversionary services, and program development, showcasing his diverse skill set and experience in the social services sector.

With a wealth of knowledge accumulated over two decades, Steve has had the privilege of working in both remote First Nations communities and regional towns across Australia, providing him with a deep understanding of diverse environments and challenges. His unwavering dedication to enhancing outcomes for individuals navigating complex systems underscores his passion and commitment to his role.

Chief of Staff, Wintringham VIC

Jane has worked in the homelessness sector for more than 30 years and has extensive experience in service design and management, system reform, policy development and advocacy.  Heavily involved in the redevelopment and subsequent closure of Melbourne’s night shelters in the 1990’s, Jane is passionate about the need to continually work to improve service options for people experiencing homelessness.

Jane has been a member of Ministerial Advisory Committees on Homelessness and Mental Health at both Commonwealth and State levels and is a past Chair and current Director of The Council to Homeless Persons Victoria.

CEO, YFoundations

Trish has an extensive background in homelessness and domestic abuse policy, research service design, and service system reform in both the Australian and UK contexts. She has worked across a broad range of sectors, including the NSW State Government, UK Government, peak bodies, non-government/frontline service providers and charities. Trish was also a member of the Yfoundations Board in 2014–15 to provide expertise on impacts and best practice approaches for young people experiencing domestic and family violence.

Trish is an experienced consultant having established her own business in 2016 and a new consultancy service within one of the UK’s largest homelessness charities, Crisis UK. Prior to joining Yfoundations, Trish worked in a service delivery capacity in the community housing sector. Trish is passionate about working in the youth homelessness sector, strongly committed to ending homelessness, and focused on developing a systemic approach to address the fundamental issues that contribute to youth homelessness.

CEO, Anglicare WA

Mark has over twenty five years’ experience across a range of human services which includes service delivery to families and children, community development, public policy and services to offenders.  He has held senior executive positions for the Government of Western Australia and also worked in Local Government and community organisations.

Mark joined Anglicare WA in October 2013 and until his appointment as Chief Executive Officer in March 2019, held responsibility for service delivery across Western Australia.

Mark holds a Bachelor of Social Work from the University of New South Wales, a Graduate Diploma in Media Studies from Edith Cowan University and is a GAICD. Mark has been the Chairperson of Shelter WA 2015-19 and is the Co-convenor of the Home Stretch WA Campaign and a member of the Ending Homelessness WA Alliance.

Executive Manager, Centacare Catholic Family Services Adelaide

Dr Jonathon Louth is Executive Manager, Strategy, Research and Evaluation at Centacare Catholic Family Services and is an Adjunct Industry Fellow at The Australian Alliance for Social Enterprise, University of South Australia. He has worked across government, the community sector and academia both in Australia and the United Kingdom. His research intersects across the community services sector and has contributed to improved and inclusive program co-design, implementation and evaluation. He has presented research at international conferences across North America, Europe, Africa and Australasia. He also spent a number of years working alongside Aboriginal communities in remote settings. Within the South Australian Homelessness sector he has helped lead service innovation across three successful Homelessness and DFV Alliances. With respect to the Alliances, he now sits on the Alliance Leadership Teams, the Inner City Sub-Committee, and the overarching Alliance System Steering Group. As a researcher, Jonathon focuses on intersections between political economy and the lived experience of the everyday, inclusive of homelessness. He has expertise in program design and evaluation and he has a deep understanding of complex systems, collective impact and whole-of-system approaches.

Associate Professor, Housing and Communities, University of Tasmania

Dr Catherine Robinson is an Australian academic and sociologist currently working on research focussing on the dual needs for housing and support services experienced by those most vulnerable in the Tasmanian community. Before arriving at the University of Tasmania, Dr Robinson worked as a social researcher at the Social Action and Research Centre, Anglicare Tasmania. In this role she built a program of research to progress responses to the needs and experiences of Tasmanian children who experience homelessness alone, unaccompanied by a parent or guardian.  She has a long-held commitment to qualitative research and advocacy in the areas of homelessness, complex trauma and social care. Catherine is also known for her work with Blackfella Films as Series Consultant and Co-Host of the SBS documentary Filthy Rich and Homeless and she is also Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Social Sciences, UTAS.

CEO, Council to Homeless Persons

Deborah joined Council to Homeless Persons in 2023, following her role as CEO of the Northern Territory Council of Social Service, a peak body made up of not-for-profits, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations and NGOs. She previously worked at Victoria Legal Aid in the family, law and civil division for over six years, as the Principal Solicitor of the Tenants’ Union advocating for housing as a human right, as the Legal Services Director at Justice Connect across Victoria and New South Wales, and as the Principal Lawyer at the North Australian Aboriginal Family Legal Service.

With a deep interest in access to justice and system reform, Deborah is committed to working with the government, the sector and its allied services to forge better social outcomes for people without a home, while supporting a strong and sustainable homelessness service sector in Victoria.

CEO, National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association

Rob Macfarlane is a proud Wiradjuri man raised in Western Sydney, with deep connections to Darlington Point, NSW.

With over 20 years of experience as an Executive Leader, Rob has specialised in various areas such as Aboriginal Housing, Aboriginal Employment and Training, and Aboriginal Cultural Heritage and Cultural Land Management.

Rob initially began his career in Human Resources before transitioning into Program Management over 15 years ago. During this time, he successfully established and sold multiple private businesses in the project and consulting sectors.

In recent years, Rob has held several executive leadership positions within the Aboriginal Housing Office NSW. Currently, he serves as the Chief Executive Officer for the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Housing Association (NATSIHA).

Rob has pursued studies in business, leadership, project management, and executive coaching. He actively contributes to the community as a Board Director of ‘The Parenthood’ and as a Member of the Youth Koori Court for Parramatta and Surry Hills NSW Children’s Court. Additionally, he has held numerous Board and Advisory roles in public, private, and not-for-profit organisations.

Managing Director, Noongar Mia Mia

Tina is a proud noongar Yorga (Women) from Ballardong & Yued with Wadjuk connections.

Tina holds a Bachelor of Applied Science in Aboriginal Community Management & Development with Curtin University, WA.

Tina has worked in the Indigenous Housing sector for over 3 decades and is passionate about making a difference.  Tina was a Board member of Noongar Mia Mia from 2015 – 2017 and appointed Managing Director in 2018.  Tina is a Director on the NATSIHA (National Aboriginal Islander Housing Association) the first National peak body for ATSI Housing in Australia and is involved in various Working parties within Homelessness and Housing Sector in WA.  Most recently Tina was appointed to the Housing First Homelessness Advisory Group with Department of Communities to progress the implementation of All Paths Lead to a Home: WA 10 Year Strategy on Homelessness to provide practical advice to the Minister for Homelessness to identify reform ideas, progress implementation of housing first approaches and remove barriers to access in the existing system.

Tina is committed to building self-determination (nothing for us, without us) and self-management (by us, for us) in the housing and homelessness sectors and growing cultural understanding among the mainstream orgs to better service our people and get our voices heard.  Tina will continue to look for innovative ways to alleviate the pressure and crisis experienced by far too many of our community members and their families.

CEO, Women and Girls Emergency Centre

Helen Silvia is the CEO of Women’s and Girls’ Emergency Centre (WAGEC), a feminist community organisation based in Sydney, providing a wide range of support to women and children experiencing homelessness and/or DFV, and the prevention of gender based violence.

Helen’s career in social services spans over 25 years, specialising in homelessness and housing. She has held a variety of senior management and executive roles with a passion for organisational transformation. Her work is focused on improving systemic and structural responses and service delivery to marginalised people, particularly women and children impacted by domestic and family violence and the prevention of gender-based violence.

Helen was appointed to the interim National Housing Supply and Affordability Council in 2023, and was previously a Board Director of Homelessness NSW (2010-2012 and 2023), Domestic Violence NSW (2016-2022), including Chair of DVNSW (2017-2020) and FAMS (2014-2018).

Regional Coordinator- North, NT Shelter

Michael moved from suburban Melbourne to remote Bathurst Island with his family in 1977 where he developed connections to the Tiwi people and an awareness of the systemic issues faced by Australia’s First Nations people.

After spending many years working in the private sector as a small business owner and manager Michael started working at St Vincent de Paul NT in homelessness and accommodation services. Michael transitioned from selling solutions to retailers to offering solutions to people experiencing homelessness. With over 14 years of homelessness service provision Michael moved into an advocacy and capacity building roll with NT Shelter. Mike is passionate about the need to adopt person centered approaches to overcome societal issues.

CEO, Homelessness NSW

Dom is a communications and campaign specialist with a long and successful track record of advocacy on social and economic issues. Working in executive roles for organisations such as Greenpeace, the National Tertiary Education Union, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and more, her career has been focused on achieving changes for a better society.

Dom led the campaign for professional recognition for early childhood education and care workers, which achieved a new national qualification framework, improved staffing ratios and $320 million of direct government wage funding. In the environmental arena she drew upon systems theory to help protect the Great Australian Bight from oil exploration, reduce finance to fossil fuels and influence local government to implement climate change policies.

Dom has a strong personal commitment to ending homelessness. “Throughout my life I have tried to make a difference to others. I am proud to lead an organisation seeking to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. Together we can make sure every person has a safe, secure and affordable home.”

Dom is an experienced leader, with high level skills in strategy, communications, adult education, politics, research and policy. With her and her team she will bring these skills to bear on tackling the housing and homelessness crisis.