Jean Giese has worked in senior roles in the community industry for over a decade and has a wealth of experience in designing, delivering, and evaluating projects and collaborations that foster inclusion. She passionately advocates that inclusion is fostered through reducing barriers to participation in volunteering and access to community information. Outside her role as CEO, Jean is an avid volunteer, as a Board Director, MC, and trivia host extraordinaire. Jean is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, has a Bachelor of International Relations and a range of industry-specific qualifications.

Mel Cantwell has a wealth of experience in the not-for-profit sector including 20 years working in peak, national non-government organisations representing and promoting the interests of the Australian mental health sector, and with people with lived experience including consumers and carers.

She is passionate about good governance, mentally healthy communities, organ and tissue donation, and 80s music. Mel has been volunteering since she was a teen across sport, health and community services, boards, and in India as an Australian Volunteer.

Becc Spradau has worked in the not-for-profit sector for 14 years in Australia and Cambodia and has extensive experience across various roles, including program management, leading teams and providing psychosocial support. She is passionate about using codesign and cocreation to challenge and remove barriers to participation and build inclusive communities.

Becc believes in the power of volunteering and how it can increase the well-being of all individuals. She has been actively volunteering in community organisations and fundraising since her early teenage years.

Cath Cook joined VolunteeringACT in 2021, bringing extensive experience in strategic policy, human-centred design, business improvement, capability building and senior leadership, from a range of roles across the Community, Public, Private and Social Enterprise sectors in the UK and Australia.

Cath is a Sociology graduate and qualified Change Management Practitioner, with over 15 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector in frontline service delivery, advocacy and engagement, sector development and Peak Body/Membership activities. Prior to this role, Cath worked for five years in the ACT Public Service in the Community Services Directorate and Canberra Health Services.

Cath began volunteering in her early twenties in youth mentoring and has since volunteered regularly in various roles, including several years as a volunteer Board Director and Chair of a social enterprise. Cath uses her passion for human-centred design, strategic reform and systems change to connect strategic policy with operations, promote continuous improvement, and facilitate safe and sustainable volunteering.

Lou is a seasoned senior finance and business executive with over 40 years of experience in financial management and reporting, encompassing roles in tax, advisory, corporate services, and various multifunctional disciplines. His experience extends to HR, procurement, project management, contracts, and ICT. Alongside his professional journey, Lou’s heart lies in a 45-year commitment to volunteering, which began at the age of 15 when he cooked bacon and egg rolls at his local soccer ground. He is equally passionate about soccer (football), contributing as a player, representative team coach, referee, and administrator.

Lou’s rich professional background and deep dedication to volunteering make him a valuable addition to VolunteeringACT. His experience and genuine passion align perfectly with our mission to create positive community impact.

Katie Kennedy is passionate about inclusion and the role of lived experience in program design and delivery. With a background in education, she has 3 years of experience in the community sector and is currently completing a Diploma in Community Services.

During her time at VolunteeringACT, Katie has worked across a range of inclusive programs, focusing on community engagement, participant advocacy and co-design. Katie regularly volunteers in various roles, allowing her to engage with the community in her interest areas of education, sustainability and disability.