Brenda Boland, CEO, Lighthouse Foundation

Brenda is a highly regarded and experienced executive with over three decades in the Community Services sector managing large operational areas, rural and metropolitan, specialising in child protection, care services and disability policy and operations.

Brenda was CEO at the Commission for Children and Young People for four years, before returning to the department of Family Fairness and Housing in 2019 to be Executive Director of Service Enhancement in the Community, Operations and Practice Leadership division. This role focused on improving service delivery across the children, youth and families sector, driving innovation and leading system and performance improvement.

Brenda is passionate about building connection and resilience in vulnerable children, fostering self-reliance among families, and promoting tolerance across communities which aligns well with Lighthouse Foundation’s values and work.

Christine Campbell, Graduate Patron, Lighthouse Foundation

Christine’s journey began with challenges at a young age, leading her to become homeless at just fifteen years old.  Despite facing ongoing setbacks, she never lost sight of her goal to build a better future for herself.  Finding shelter at the Lighthouse Foundation, where she spent four years, Christine was able to turn her life around.  Today, she is a mother and a manager in the healthcare industry, using her platform to advocate for the community that supported her.  With a passion for social justice and a strong belief in humanity’s potential for good, Christine continues to inspire others with her dedication to creating positive change in the world. 

James Henry, General Manager, Property Development, Housing Choices Australia

James is a Registered Architect and Director of Property Development at Housing Choices Australia. He is responsible for ensuring that the strategic development and management of HCA’s national portfolio results in high quality, sustainable and innovative outcomes that will serve the needs of HCA tenants into the future. He has previously worked in the delivery of indigenous housing in remote communities and other housing projects, large and small.

James brings to projects an ability to contemplate issues broadly (political, legal, environmental, commercial and operational) and to work in cross-disciplinary teams. He has a passion for quality, longevity, and ensuring the interests of residents and communities are maintained throughout the process and beyond.

In his current role at Housing Choices, James is responsible for ensuring strategic development and management of our national portfolio to ensure high quality, sustainable outcomes that will serve the needs of our tenants into the future.

John MacMillan, CEO, Yfoundations

With qualifications in social work, communications and the law, John has over 30 years experience working in non-government and government settings in operational, policy development and sector development roles. He has worked in a broad range of human service fields including, homelessness, social housing, child protection, youth justice, disability services, community legal services and criminal law. As head of homelessness at the former NSW Department of Housing, John led the development of the first NSW Homelessness Action Plan, negotiated the NSW implementation plan for the National Partnership Agreement on Homelessness and oversaw the development and implementation of Regional Homelessness Action Plans across the state.

Following his time working in the government sector John worked in senior roles in national peak bodies for disability service providers and community legal centres, before graduating as a lawyer. Following five years working in criminal law, John is excited and energized to be working again in homelessness and is committed to working with, and supporting, the youth homelessness sector to make youth homelessness, rare, brief and non-recurring.

Matt Cleary, Regional Director Victoria, Urbis

Matt is a property expert with experience in the Australian, New Zealand and European markets. He has extensive knowledge of the drivers and enablers of profitable real estate development and investment, and works with his clients to investigate and maximise their returns. His areas of expertise include advising land owners and investors on achieving their goals including investment and divestment, land use maximization and transactions. In his leadership role, Matthew oversees Urbis’ Victorian business bringing together over 350 staff to collectively deliver client projects