I am the Head of Accompaniment and Service for Jesuit Refugee Service Australia.

In this role, I support our dedicated and highly skilled team of frontline workers that accompany, serve and advocate for the rights of people seeking asylum, refugees, and other forcibly displaced peoples.

This includes providing supervision to the Employment and Finding Safety Project Coordinators and the Casework and Emergency Relief Manager; liaising with funding bodies, stakeholders and partner organisations; overseeing monitoring and evaluation; supporting team professional development, self-care and wellbeing; and working with the JRS Board, Country Director, team, volunteers, clients and stakeholders to review our systems and programs.

I am committed to illuminating and addressing the systemic and structural barriers to safety, opportunity, justice and freedom faced by those we support. I am passionate about working with leaders and people with lived expertise to design sustainable, responsive, rights-based and person-centred programs. I am keen to collaborate with partner organisations and stakeholders across the community to improve access and engagement for the people we serve.

Prior to my appointment to this role, I was the Project Coordinator of JRS Australia’s Finding Safety Project, supporting a team of specialist sexual and gender based violence practitioners to respond to women on temporary visas (including those seeking asylum) experiencing or at risk of sexual and gender based violence, including interpersonal violence, honour-based violence and oppression, modern forms of slavery, female genital mutilation and technology-facilitated abuse.

I have nearly 15 years experience in the social and community services sector in roles that include leadership and project management, community engagement and development, policy and advocacy, grant writing, communications, domestic and family violence prevention and response, and awareness raising and campaigns.