The Hon Nat Cook MP

Nat Cook is the South Australian Minister for Human Services and Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well. She has been an elected Member of Parliament since 2014. She was Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Housing and Urban Development in the previous Labor government. Nat is a lifetime local of Adelaide’s southern suburbs, a fierce advocate for her local constituents and a dedicated mum. On becoming the Minister in 2022, Nat committed to a proactive and collaborative approach to delivering improved policy and services for marginalised South Australians. In 2024, Minister Nat Cook added the portfolio, Minister for Seniors and Ageing Well, where she will focus on improving the lives of senior South Australians and promoting the benefits of an age-diverse, accessible workplace and community.

Alexei Fey

Alexei has over 20 years of experience in leading multi-disciplined technology teams and holds Board positions with Treasure Boxes and the Jodi Lee Foundation. In his role as CEO Comunet – he works with Executives and Boards in a number of NFPS helping translate and understand cyber risks in a more humanised, business context rather than purely technical. Alexei enjoys is role as an educator and is involved in many industry associations as an active presenter and contributor in technology and cybersecurity including:

• Member of the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre
• Network Partner with the Adelaide Joint Cyber Security Centre (ACSC)
• Industry Expert (Digital & Cyber) for South Australian Leaders Network
• Scholar and Presenter for the Industry Leaders Fund network.

Amber Brock-Fabel

In a world where young people often have laws made for and about them, Amber Brock-Fabel is ensuring youth voices are heard.  Amber founded the South Australian Youth Forum in 2021 at just 17 years old. It empowers those aged 14 to 18 to discuss critical issues such as climate change, period poverty, gender equality and youth loneliness. The insights gathered – including surveys and models of engagement – are then presented to lawmakers and relevant organisations. Under Amber’s leadership, the Forum has secured partnerships and collaborations with various organisations, gaining both national and international recognition, and was recently represented at the United Nations Summit of the Future, the National Inquiry into Civics Education and the Australian Conference on Youth Health. The youth-led initiative won the Connecting Communities Award at the Young Achiever of the Year Gala in 2024, while Amber herself received the 2025 Young Australian of the Year for South Australia.

Amy Anderson

Hello, I’m Amy Anderson, currently Green Adelaide’s Community Partnerships Team Leader. I’ve always been passionate about conservation, the environment and connecting people to nature. Volunteering was how I gained experience, skills and knowledge to become a professional park ranger. Over the past 15 years working in many different national parks across Australia, I’ve had the great pleasure working alongside passionate volunteers to look after Country, culture and protect our precious environment for future generations. This led me to develop the South Australian National Parks Volunteer Ranger Program and into other roles supporting environmental volunteers across the Adelaide region. I love my job because I get to support amazing people working to create a better world and conserve our beautiful places. Nothing beats going out into the bush or seeing an urban green space flourishing because of the efforts made by our volunteers. Diversity and inclusion are so important because we need the help of our whole community to care for and treasure our environment; plus, it brings new skills, ideas and better empowers community groups when we include everyone!

Baxter Butler

Baxter Butler is the director of Volaby Australia, a Melbourne-based organisation building volunteer and people management solutions to streamline operations and uplift outcomes across the sector. With over 10 years of experience building software and digital solutions for non-profits, Baxter has a keen interest in leveraging technology to create user-centric solutions addressing the challenges faced by nonprofit and charitable organisations.

David Knight

David Knight is an Education & Engagement Advisor at SafeWork SA, South Australia’s safety regulator. With a background in teaching and education, David provides advice and support across all industries to promote safety and highlight awareness of new regulations and best-practice guidance material.

Gavin Deadman

Gavin is the Manager at AON Australia, has over 35 years insurance broking experience and specialising in the identification of, and treatment of risk for not-for-profit clients.  He has been involved with client management and program design for much of his career across a diverse industry of sectors such as not-for-profit, aged care and health, disability and employment, education, local government, travel and tourism.

George Gouzounis

George Gouzounis is an aged care innovation specialist and leader in Artificial Intelligence adoption in the sector. He coordinates aged care sector support at the Multicultural Communities Council of SA, chairs the national AI in Aged Care Workgroup, publishes the AgeFriendly.AI newsletter, and hosts a podcast for AI in aged care. His work focuses on using technology to improve services and outcomes for older Australians.

Georgina Goodrich

Georgina Goodrich is the Manager, Recovery at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet (DPC) in South Australia. She is responsible for recovery efforts, including managing the Security, Emergency and Recovery Management office, State Disaster Recovery, and the State Recovery Office, as well as managing the Emergency Management Network.

Janeen Harris

Janeen Harris (Macarthur Disability Services) is a Sector Support and Development Coordinator, supporting CHSP (aged care) providers. Janeen has worked in the community services sector for 20 years in both not for profit and government sectors within NSW and SA. Janeen has experience as a volunteer manager and as a volunteer in governance and art event roles. 

Jannine Jackson

Jannine Jackson is a respected leader in the non-profit sector with over 20 years of experience driving impactful change and growth in voluntary organisations. Now CEO of the Sammy D Foundation, she brings deep expertise and a strong commitment to preventing violence through education.

She has raised over $100 million for organisations including Australian Red Cross, Mission Australia, and the McGrath Foundation. Her innovative, strategic leadership earned her the distinction of being the first Australian to receive the International Fundraising Award for Excellence.

Jannine has developed programs that build financial, health, and emotional resilience, foster community engagement, and deliver measurable outcomes. She has influenced government policy, led 20,000 Red Cross Calling volunteers, empowered advocacy for Arthritis Australia, and chaired national volunteer boards to drive sector-wide change.

With a passion for education and community support, Jannine is known for inspiring teams, forging strong partnerships, and sharing her insights into the unique art of leading volunteers.

Jodie McDonald

After a career in marketing, communications, and stakeholder management in diverse sectors including the arts, major events, finance and education, Jodie McDonald joined StudyAdelaide in 2017. StudyAdelaide is a partnership between industry and government working to increase awareness of Adelaide as an international study destination and to deliver programs to support international students in Adelaide make social, community, and career connections. Now StudyAdelaide’s Director, Engagement & Partnerships, Jodie leads the development and delivery of these programs including the award-winning Job Shop, a free platform connecting students with part-time, casual, and volunteer opportunities in Adelaide, and the inaugural International Student Volunteer Expo held on 20 May. Jodie’s own favourite volunteer role was as a facilitator with The Welcome Dinner Project.

Leonie Lockstone-Binney

Dr Leonie Lockstone-Binney is Deputy Director of the Griffith Institute for Tourism (GIFT) and a Professor in the Department of Tourism, Sport and Hotel Management at Griffith University, Australia. Leonie’s research expertise relates to volunteering, contextualised to event and tourism settings. Leonie has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, many of these in top-tier journals. She has received competitive research funding from the Australian Research Council and the International Olympic Committee and continues to collaborate with leading researchers from Australia, the UK and New Zealand.

Lina Scalfino

President, CO.AS.IT. SA, Lina is a passionate advocate for Italian culture and heritage, with extensive volunteer experience on government and not-for-profit boards supporting the Italo-Australian community. She brings a strong understanding of the needs of aging Italo-Australians and a forward-thinking vision for community inclusion. With a background in education leadership, Lina has served as a Principal, Curriculum Leader, and Manager of ESL programs. Her work in Multicultural and Values Education has earned national and international recognition. She is committed to promoting the Italian language and culture in schools and fostering strong partnerships across the community.

Luke Logothetis

Luke is the Volunteer Development Officer at the City of Port Adelaide Enfield (PAE), overseeing more than 300 community volunteers. His volunteering journey began with the National Heart Foundation Walking Program, sparking a passion that led to his career in volunteer management. At PAE, Luke has rebuilt the Volunteer Program from the ground up with a current focus in youth engagement.

As Chair of the Local Government Volunteer Managers Network (LGVMN), Luke advocates volunteering within Local Government while supporting fellow volunteer managers. His leadership emphasizes inclusive and sustainable programs, community engagement, and management best practices.

Mark Pearce

Mark Pearce is the Chief Executive Officer of Volunteering Australia, the national peak body for nearly 6 million volunteers. Driven by a strong belief in the power of compassion, Mark applies the skills and expertise he gained over his 27-year financial markets career with; JBWere, Macquarie Bank, nab Asset Management to helping organisations which reduce suffering. As a Non-Executive Director of sustainable food company, Growrs Ltd. which provides infrastructure to empower Australian First Nations people to grow healthy communities, Mark is keen to advance equity and opportunity across our society. In addition to a passion for human rights, Mark is active in fighting for animal rights and is Deputy Chair of Australia’s leading animal protection organisation, Animals Australia. Mark holds a BSc. Politics and International Relations (Hons), a Graduate Diploma in Human Rights, and is currently studying for a Masters in Public Policy at ANU.

Martha Savva

Martha Savva is the Director of the Department of Human Services Screening Unit Screening Unit in South Australia, overseeing vital screening processes to protect vulnerable groups across the state. She brings strong expertise in public sector governance, previously serving as Acting Deputy at Ombudsman SA. Martha is committed to ensuring safe, ethical, and transparent systems that support community wellbeing.

Melissa Jones

Melissa Jones is the Chief Executive Officer of BlazeAid, a volunteer-driven organization that supports rural communities in recovering from natural disasters. Her connection to BlazeAid began after her family farm was affected by the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires—an experience that continues to drive her passion for community-led recovery. Under Melissa’s leadership, BlazeAid has grown to establish over 215 base camps, mobilize 38,000+ volunteers, and support the rebuilding of more than 13,800 properties, contributing an estimated $400 million in recovery efforts. She regularly advocates for disaster resilience and has represented BlazeAid at key government forums, including the NSW Parliament.

Mohsen Abdel Meseh BSW

Mohsen Abdel Meseh  is an experienced social worker with over 15 years of dedication to strengthening communities and promoting social inclusion. He has worked across a wide range of support areas, including youth services, family support for high-needs families, domestic violence intervention, and programs empowering people over 50. One of his programs was honoured with the State Award for Tackling Ageism in 2022.

Passionate about building welcoming communities, particularly for people from refugee backgrounds, Mohsen Abdel Meseh believes in the power of volunteering and community participation to create lasting change. He is committed to inspiring others to get involved, contribute their skills, and help foster a stronger, more inclusive society.

Shyla Mills

Shyla Mills is the CEO at Palliative Care South Australia (PCSA) a leading charity and peak body for Palliative Care in South Australia and an Adjunct Associate Professor at Flinders University and La Trobe University. She is a Registered Nurse, holds a Master of Public Health and Palliative Care and has a special interest in palliative care strategy and policy, public health palliative care as well as compassion, death and grief literacy.

Vasil Samardzhiev

Vasil is a dedicated youth volunteer and civic educator with a focus on empowering young Australians to engage with global issues. A Board Director at UN Youth Australia, Vasil has previously led the Australian Youth Representative to the United Nations program and addressed the UN General Assembly in 2024 to advocate for youth-centred and accessible international policy. Vasil continues to support grassroots education through UN Youth South Australia and as a senior adjudicator with Debating SA. He is currently completing a Bachelor of International Relations and Political Science and is passionate about leveraging his skills to continue making political education accessible for young Australians.

Zac Reimers

Zac, National Strategy Director, is a passionate lifelong volunteer, embarking on his journey at the young age of eleven when he became part of his local youth council. Since 2011, he has built a career in volunteer leadership, successfully engaging thousands of volunteers for large-scale cultural events. Zac’s dedication extends beyond the field, as he holds a deep interest in how policy and research can elevate the impact of volunteering.

Prior to his current role, Zac contributed significantly to the volunteering sector through his work at Volunteering Queensland, where he worked as their Policy, Advocacy, and Research Lead. Zac’s extensive practical experience as a Volunteer Manager intersects with his role as a driver of the National Strategy for Volunteering. His wealth of experience and commitment to enhancing the volunteering landscape make him a valuable addition to our team.

Zoe Marriott

Zoe is the State Manager for Disaster Relief Australia in South Australia, bringing over 14 years of experience in community safety and crisis response. She is a committed emergency services leader who has also served as a long-standing volunteer with the South Australian State Emergency Service (SASES). Her contributions have been recognised with several awards, including the Chief Officer’s Commendation for her efforts during the NSW Northern Rivers deployment.