Our Board  

 

Our Board is responsible for the governance of the organisation, establishes the results to be achieved and delegates to the National Executive Officer the task of achieving these results.   

 

Glenn Rappensberg, President  

 

Glenn Rappensberg is the Chief Executive of Novita Children’s Services, the pre-eminent non-government paediatric disability organisation in South Australia, Glenn is responsible for the delivery of a comprehensive range of community based, multi-disciplinary allied health services including occupational therapy, speech pathology, physiotherapy and psychology.  These services are delivered to more than 2000 children and young people living with a disability across metropolitan and regional South Australia. Glenn is also the Managing Director of CareFirst Pty Ltd – a wholly owned subsidiary company of Novita as well as the Executive Director of the Channel Seven Children’s Research Foundation that is responsible for research that enhances the health and well-being of children and young people living in South Australia and Northern Territory.  Glenn also holds Board Director positions on all three organisations. Glenn is a Registered Nurse, holds a Bachelor of Management degree and is an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives and an active Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

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Keith Chapman, Vice President & Treasurer 

 

Keith Chapman is the Chairman of Western Australia’s The Centre for Cerebral Palsy, Principal Registrar of the Western Australian Supreme Court and a Magistrate.  His adult daughter has cerebral palsy.

 

Keith has worked on behalf of The Centre, with governments and the Australian Cerebral Palsy Association for a number of years to improve funding and services.  

 

He has served on the Board of the Disability Services Commission of Western Australia, on the Ministerial Advisory Council and as President of the State’s Guardianship and Administration Board.  

 

 

Kerry Stubbs  

 

In 2008 Kerry was appointed to the role of CEO and Managing Director of Northcott Disability Services.  

 

Kerry has undergraduate and postgraduate Arts honours degrees from the University of Sydney majoring in Government and Public Administration.

 

She has had a career in academia, human resources management, and executive management in the water, health and disability industries.

 

Kerry also holds a number of directorships, including Chair of NAATI Ltd, and E-Water Ltd, where she is Chair of the Audit and Finance committee.  

 

In 2007 Kerry was the NSW winner of the Community and Government sector Telstra Business women’s award.    

 

Rowena McNally  

 

 

Rowena is an experienced chairperson, company director and corporate lawyer with a particular interest in governance and in the sector. She is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and Vice President of the Institute of Arbitrators and Mediators Australia (Qld).

 

Rowena retired in November 2010 as a Director of the Cerebral Palsy League of Queensland after several years as Board Chairman.  She has worked in and served for many years as a director in the not-for-profit sector and is a former National and State President of Australian Corporate Lawyers Association, a former State president of Company Secretaries Australia Rowena is a member and former Queensland chair of the Corporations Law Committee of the Law Council of Australia and Queensland Law Society and a member of various legal and other committees.

   

 

Brendan Walsh    

 

Brendan is a passionate and entrepreneurial human services professional who joined Cootharinga North Queensland - Ability First in July 2008 as CEO.  With the Board, the staff, and the people they assist the organisation has developed new strategic directions, new branding and even a new name.  It has grown substantially over this time (31% growth in turnover in two years) and has increased its efficiency by containing overheads during this period of growth.  As well as this growth in ongoing services, Cootharinga has embarked on approx $3m worth of exciting and innovative housing projects that will support people with disability.  

 

He has worked in State and Local Governments, the not-for profit sector, and as a private sector strategy consultant advising health and community service agencies. His educational qualifications include a MBA (Melb), Diploma - Comp Directors Course, GAICD, AFCHSM.

 

Lindy O’Neill

Lindy O’Neill is the CEO of Uniting Care Tasmania and is the former CEO of Cerebral Palsy Tasmania.

 

She has 30 years experience in the disability sector and specialises in Crisis Management in high risk situations.

 

Lindy is an active member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

 

Helen Darch  

 

Helen is a founding partner and Director of Niche Consultants, a consultancy specialising in market research, strategy, and communication.

 

Prior to establishing Niche Consultants, she worked as Group Manager Communication Services at Rowland Communication Group, as a consultant at SMS Management and Technology and in a series of project director roles at the University of Queensland. Helen has extensive strategic planning, corporate communication, market research, and management consulting experience, and has consulted in a wide range of industry sectors including education, health, government, and the resources sector. She is currently Chair of the Cerebral Palsy League in Queensland, and a Director of the Childrens Health Foundation Board. Her educational qualifications include a BA, Grad Dip Info Sci, MEd, and MAICD.

 

Greg McMahon

 

Greg has been involved in the Community Services Sector since 1994 and in Disability since 1996.

 

Greg’s career in disability commenced with the Endeavour Foundation in Bundaberg and The Wide Bay. The focus was on Accommodation, Day Services, and Respite.

 

In 2000, Greg took on the role of General Manager for Community Lifestyle Support (CLS) in Bundaberg. This role exposed him to the broad spectrum of service delivery from complex special needs to high physical non ambulant. It was at this point that Greg commenced working with people with Cerebral Palsy and still does so today.

 

In 2008, Greg and his wife felt it was time for a change of scenery. An opportunity came in Darwin for the position of Chief Executive of Carpentaria Disability Services (CDS).