About Us

Linda is a lawyer by profession and has broad experience in developing and advising on public policy in Australia.  Linda served in the Queensland Parliament from 1997 to 2009 and was appointed the State Attorney-General in 2005.After retiring from the Queensland Parliament Linda joined the team at the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (ACPNS) at QUT co-ordinating a Nonprofit Law project aimed at streamlining the laws that regulate charities and not for profits in Australia. She has remained connected to ACPNS and now serves as a member of the Centre’s Advisory Board.

Linda was appointed by the then Federal Government as Chair of the National Not-for-profit Sector Reform Council (2011-2013) and Chair of the Not-for-Profit Sector Tax Concession Working Group (2013).

From 2015 to 2021 held the position of Director of Member and Specialist Services with the Queensland Nurses and Midwives’ Union (QNMU).

Linda has had extensive experience serving on Boards including Chair of the Board of Screen Queensland (2018-2022), Deputy Chair of the Australian Cervical Cancer Foundation (ACCF) (2008-2018), Director, Hockey Queensland (2007-2012), Chair of Coast 2 Bay Housing Group (2010-2013) and a Director of the Princess Alexandra Hospital Research Foundation (2007-2009). Linda is currently a Director of Volunteering Queensland and a non-executive Director of QNMU Law.

Ainsley is an experienced Company Director with 20 years combined Board and Committee experience steering the successful strategy, growth, fiscal sustainability, and governance of for-purpose organisations. Presently, she is also a Non-Executive Director of both the Australian Disability Network and Health Consumers Queensland.

She was formerly a Director of non-profits including the Brisbane Women’s’ Club, Australian Association of Graduate Employers, and Enterprise Network for Young Australians. Amplifying the power of communities to improve socio-economic outcomes is an important purpose of hers. Ainsley is inspired by the work of Volunteering Queensland helping their partners leverage the spirit and efforts of everyday Queenslanders to make a difference to a cause they believe in. Day to day, Ainsley holds an executive role as General Manager People, Strategy and Brand in the corporate world, having worked in HR and general management for most of her career.

Her professional interests include people and culture strategy, talent management and the future of work, change management, workplace wellbeing and safety, marketing, digital transformation, and cyber security/AI. Ainsley holds a Bachelor of Communications, Master of Arts in International Relations, and a Master of Applied Science in Coaching Psychology.

Nunzia is an experienced senior executive with over 10 years’ experience on NFB Boards and Committees, combined with strong leadership skills, significant sales, marketing, human resources, and communications experience.

Nunzia has significant industry experience in both profit and not for profit sector across various service-based industries including government, employment, training, disability, and community services. Success has also been in building a broad senior level network and business relationships within the business community, federal, local, and state governments, and key industry associations.

Nunzia is passionate about achieving successful outcomes through contributing as a Board Member with proven expertise in sales and marketing, human resources, financial management and strategic planning and utilising her key attributes, by sharing my knowledge and network, and navigating across the complexity of large organisations and the dynamics between them.

Simon Irwin is Chief Executive Officer of Beef Australia Limited; presenters of the largest cattle show in the Southern Hemisphere. Prior to joining Beef Australia, he had a long career in the media holding senior positions in News Corporation Australia and APN News and Media.

Simon has been involved with many community and industry organisations and is a past president of the Queensland Pony Club Association (now Pony Club Queensland); past president of Country Press Australia and the Queensland Country Press Association; as well as numerous community and development boards across Queensland and Northern NSW.

He is currently a director of the Iwasaki Foundation which provides financial support for needy and disabled people. He is married with two adult daughters and lives in Gracemere near Rockhampton in Central Queensland.

John Livesey (CFO) is a seasoned finance executive with a rich professional history spanning nearly two decades. Since commencing at Wesley Mission Queensland (WMQ) he has played a pivotal role in shaping the organisations financial landscape, overseeing finance, fleet management, hospitality services and procurement activities.

John also holds an executive role on the UnitingCare Procurement Hub. As a distinguished finance professional, John is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Accountants, holds an MBA with a specialisation in Entrepreneurial Management, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Motivated by continuous improvement John’s vision extends beyond financial metrics, encompassing a holistic approach that nurtures the organisation, its services, and its people. By combining his expertise with an acute awareness of evolving market dynamics, he ensures that WMQ is well positioned to continue its rich history of community service.

John is passionate about seeing for purpose organisations thrive, particularly in the tough times that the many people find themselves in today. To that end, John is keen to impart his wealth of experience with for purpose organisations that contribute to the betterment of the community. John is currently an external specialist on the Finance and Risk Committee for Tenants Queensland.

Chris is a recognised leader in the not-for-profit sector having been appointed as CEO for PACT in February 2023. Prior to his appointment at PACT from 2007, he was General Manager and CEO for Hear and Say, a children’s charity and world-leading early intervention support service for children who are deaf or have a hearing loss.

He has held governance appointments and advisory roles on a variety of national and statewide consumer advocacy, health, and disability organisations and on government advisory and working groups.

Chris is a graduate of the Royal Military College – Duntroon, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Benevolent Society’s Social Leadership Program and he holds a Masters of Management from the University of New South Wales. In his personal life, Chris is married and between him and his wife, they have a blended family of 5 children, 2 cats and a school of fish.

Brett is a Senior Information Technology executive with extensive strategic ICT experience, a vast array of technical and people leadership skills spanning more than 20 years. He is a C-Suite leader experienced in both public and private organisations leading transformational change, uplifting digital capabilities, and delivering large scale solutions.

An experienced board director with a long history of community service volunteering on an ICT advisory board with a tertiary educational institution and non-executive director with a large sporting organisation leading several sub committees as required.

Craig is an experienced Chief Financial Officer and Senior Executive with over 25 years’ experience working in Senior Finance, Operational and Consulting roles across a number of industry sectors including ASX listed Engineering and Professional Services, Retail and Pharmacy, Property Development and Construction, Not for Profit and Government.

Craig is passionate about business and believes that business should be a force for good. He believes that volunteering plays an important and critical dual role in society by providing an essential workforce to assist social/enterprises deliver their mission as well as providing a sense of purpose, community and often growth for thousands of people across the State.

Craig holds an undergraduate degree in Applied Science, MBA, Master of Applied Finance and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Program (AMP) and Leadership Excellence (LEAP) programs at INSEAD in France. He is a Graduate and Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (FAICD) and FCPA.

Jane has a strong background in change management, leadership and transformation. Her extensive experience spans across both government and the not-for-profit sector.

Jane has held senior executive positions in corporate services, media & communications, customer experience, information technology and organisational change across a number of Queensland Government departments. She is currently the CEO of The Australian College of Audiology. In addition, she co-owns and directs StormBirds, a crisis and communications strategy consultancy across Australia and New Zealand.

An experienced board director and current Board Chair of Challenge DV, Jane has a long history of community service and is committed to growing board diversity and effectiveness. Jane has undertaken studies in law, leadership and futurism, and has a strong interest in digital disruption, workforce agility and organisational future-proofing.

She believes that volunteering is about giving back to our community in a meaningful and useful manner that is respectful and empowering of individuals and organisations.

Scott Black is a writer, comedian, and marketing expert who has worked in the not-for-profit sector for over 20 years. In that time, Scott volunteered for several disability organisations, community broadcasters, and senior organisations. He has also served on the grant advisory committees for the Community Broadcasting Foundation and as a board member for RPH Australia and Volunteering Queensland.

Scott served a term on the Volunteering Queensland board from 2018 – 2021. He was presented life membership at the VQ AGM in November of 2021.

Paul is a Chartered Accountant with over 40 years’ experience in Audit and Assurance Services. As external auditor to clients in both the public and private sectors, Paul has significant experience in the planning and performance of financial, compliance and operational audits.

Paul was a Director of BDO Australia, the Queensland Investment Corporation and the Chair of Catholic Church Insurance Ltd. He was also on the Board of a significant number of volunteering organisations including disability organisations.

Paul is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Associate of Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

Paul was appointed honorary auditor of Volunteering Queensland in the 1990’s and provided over thirty years of financial services including audit to Volunteering Queensland.

David is recognised for his service to education and to the community through his volunteering. David was a Former director of Human Resources, QLD Department of Education, Training, and Employment more than 35 years.

He worked from the age of eighteen until his retirement as a staff teacher, principal, and inspector. He worked as a school inspector of QLD Department of Education from 1980 to 1990. For the final five years, he held the position of Director of Human Resources and managed the professional lives of some fifty thousand employees. David worked as a volunteer support manager for Volunteering Queensland. He volunteered with Volunteering QLD more than 10 years. He developed and implemented Volunteering Queensland’s human resources platform. In 2012, he began to volunteering with BUSHkids, offering a range of free health service to children and their families in rural Queensland communities. He said as a young teacher and principal in outback Queensland, I was very impressed by the care given to bush children by the Royal Queensland Bush Children’s Health Scheme and felt that we as teaching professionals, owed a debt of gratitude to the ‘Bushies’ as they were affectionately known. In 2014, he was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia for his service to the community.

From a young age, Perry travelled the world before settling in Brisbane and raising a family. For 25 years he then navigated the world of commerce and also enjoyed a few years teaching in the TAFE system.

Perry joined Volunteering Queensland in 1993 when Volunteering Queensland was still a young organisation, but one with a clear vision and purpose that he aligned with. Perry feels privileged to have served in many varied roles, including managing the organisation’s finances, its risk management processes and training and quality systems and for a few years managing the Commonwealth’s National VWI program in conjunction with Volunteering Australia.

In 2013 he was appointed to the CEO’s role and, in 2018, concluded his 25 years of dedicated service to Volunteering Queensland. Perry feels honoured to have contributed to an organisation that has in turn contributed so much to Queensland society and the nation.

Julie-Anne Mee was awarded Life Membership after completing eight (8) years on the Volunteering Queensland Board in December 2020.  Julie-Anne has been involved with VQ since early 2007 with a number of projects including the National Standard Chart of Accounts and was an active board member holding the roles variously of Deputy Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.

Julie-Anne continues to be an active volunteer in other volunteer roles in the community including President of Aspleycare (an emergency relief organisation with a 100% volunteer workforce).

Diane has worked as a manager, board director, educator, counsellor and volunteer herself. She has taken leadership roles in a variety of national and international volunteer associations. She has been a Director of the International Association for Volunteer Effort. This role included promoting volunteering in the Asia-Pacific region.

She was the inaugural President of the Australian Association for Volunteering from 1990 to 1992 and the Vice President of the National Association for Volunteer Referral Agencies (NAVRA) from 1989 to 1992. These two bodies amalgamated to form Volunteering Australia, and Diane has been Queensland Director on the Volunteering Australia Board.

Diane was the CEO of Volunteering Queensland from 1987-2009, where she led the development of regional Volunteer Resource Centres throughout Queensland and has been involved in the development of standards and accredited training courses for volunteers and volunteer managers, as well as policy and procedures for the involvement of volunteers in non-profit organisations.

Diane has devoted her life to volunteering and is committed to volunteering as an integral part of community capacity building in today’s society. Diane has been a guest speaker at numerous international and national conferences as well as writing and facilitating training courses for all sectors of the community. She has a social welfare background and received a graduate diploma in Human Service Management from the Queensland University of Technology in 1992.