Board of Directors

Hayley Lee Allen

Chair

Hayley specialises in the cultural, not for profit and NGO sector, delivering on corporate governance, policy, strategic planning and performance, ESG strategy, reconciliation action planning, audit and risk management, project management and business case development for major infrastructure and program funding. Hayley has worked with premier Australian cultural institutions NGV, Melbourne Recital Centre, Bendigo Art Gallery, State Library Victoria, and Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria across governance, capital projects, driving venue utilisation and revenue, philanthropy, corporate partnerships, and major arts events and festivals. Hayley was appointed to Chair of the Board of This Life in 2021 after 2 years as Vice Chair. She is currently in her second term as Chair. Hayley is employed by CARE Australia in the role of Head of Governance Risk and Quality.

Matthew Lucas

Vice Chair

Matthew is a senior executive with experience across diverse organisations in challenging global markets and varied products. He has held management positions in multi-billion-dollar companies including Expedia Inc and carsales.com, been responsible for aspects of financial reporting and regulatory compliance in businesses across the globe, served as Chief Operating Officer of an Australian household brand, led mergers and acquisitions teams, worked in investment banking and, most recently, founded a travel technology start-up.

Navaka Arachchige

Treasurer

Navaka is a finance, governance and corporate services professional and currently the Chief Financial Officer of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. He has over 20 years’ experience in finance, management and corporate leadership in practice, private, public and not for profit organisations and has successfully led and managed multi-disciplinary teams and complex projects.

Navaka has a keen interest in all aspects of organisational management and financial governance and has held positions or volunteered at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Austar Entertainment, Qantas, Sydney Water, the State Emergency Service of New South Wales, the Australian Graduate School of Management, Federal Court of Australia, the office of the Merit Protection Commissioner and several Federal government tribunals.

Navaka is also the chair of the Audit, Risk, & Finance Committee.

Emer Purdon

Secretary

A passionate advocate for social and climate justice, Emer is an international development professional with almost two decades of experience in the not-for-profit, private and public sectors gained throughout the developing world. With a Masters in Development Management and a postgraduate qualification in Climate Change Adaptation, Emer brings skills in strategic planning, leadership and mentoring, program management, impact measurement, compliance and continuous quality improvement as well as facilitating partnerships across a range of stakeholders from communities through to partner governments.
Based in Bali, Emer is the Deputy Director of DFAT's flagship health security program in Indonesia with responsibility for operations, GEDSI, MEL, Communications and Knowledge Management.

Mytech Trinh

General Member

Mytech is a senior executive with over 17 years’ experience in the funds management industry. Prior to joining financial technology firm GROW Inc to lead its managed funds business unit, Mytech was an executive board member and management committee member at Schroder Investment Management Australia Limited. He has deep technical knowledge of the end to end operating model of fund management businesses having held a number of different senior leadership roles within Schroders. He was responsible for overseeing the Finance, Tax, Legal and Compliance functions. Prior to Schroders, Mytech was previously a partner at Win & Associates, a boutique firm providing tax consulting services. He has also worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a chartered accountant and Blake Dawson Waldron (now Ashurst Australia) as a solicitor. Mytech holds a double degree in Commerce and Law from the University of New South Wales.

Damon Martin

General Member

Damon is a qualified social worker and mediator with over 23 years’ experience and commitment to ensuring the rights, safety and wellbeing of children are paramount.
Based in Sydney and employed as the Deputy CEO of International Social Service Australia, Damon leads a team that delivers child protection and post adoption services that connect vulnerable children, adults and families affected by cross border issues. He also has extensive experience as the Social Work Expert for the ISS global project A Better Future is Possible aimed at promoting the rights of children with disabilities living in institutions to access family-based care. As part of this project he has completed over 15 missions to Cambodia, Vietnam and Azerbaijan.

Prior to working in the NGO sector, Damon worked in statutory child protection authorities for 10 years in NSW, England and New Zealand (where he is originally from).

Jessica Erhart

General Member

Jess has been building and managing brand communities for 10 years, with a special focus on the tech sector. She started her career in the non-profit sector as a volunteer for youth leadership organisation AIESEC, going on to become an Australian Director and to organise youth conferences in Tunisia, Malaysia and Jordan. Jess also spent time volunteering for Carpets for Communities, a non-profit supporting women to break the cycle of poverty for their families in Cambodia.

Jess specialises in community management and engagement and has worked for Microsoft Europe, Virgin Australia, Queensland Museum and Microsoft Stores. She currently manages community programs for Asana in the Asia-Pacific region.

Louise Crowe

General Member

Louise is a management consultant with professional experience working in the education, medical research and financial services sectors. She has delivered a range of projects including operating model implementation, strategy design, implementation reviews, and Government evaluations. Currently working in the strategy field, Louise has also worked as a public policy consultant, meaning she brings to the Board strategic thinking capabilities, evaluation skills, bid funding development experience, and NFP sector experience. Louise has a particular passion for the NFP sector, and cares deeply about Indigenous rights, gender equality, and environmental protection.
Louise is a Trinity College Dublin Gold Medallist and has a First-Class Honours Business degree from the University. She currently works with the Melbourne division of the strategy consulting firm, Strategic Project Partners.

Sonja Krivacic

General Member

Sonja is a Researcher & Strategic Innovator with the ability to think outside the square with a focus on creating new value opportunities in program development, community engagement, change management, monitoring & evaluation and strategic partnership development. Sonja’s experience in aid & development spans 15 years with a further decade in senior executive roles.
Her qualifications include two business degrees and a Master in Development Studies (UNSW).