Matthew Lucas

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.

Mytech Trinh

Public Officer

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.

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.

David Carter

General Member

David is a senior insurance executive with over 40 years of experience across insurance and reinsurance markets in Australia, Asia, the United States, Bermuda, London, and Europe. He has held CEO, Managing Director and regional leadership roles spanning insurers, global brokers and specialist underwriting businesses, with a strong track record in growth, governance and operational leadership. David holds an MBA from the Macquarie Graduate School of Management, is a Senior Associate of ANZIIF, and a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He has also served in leadership roles with the Australian Chambers of Commerce in Vietnam and Cambodia. David brings valuable expertise in risk management, regional business development and supporting purpose-led organisations.

Adam Hegedus

General Member

Adam is a senior leader and founder of child-focused education and sexual violence prevention global not-for-profits. Adam has a decade of experience leading Educating The Future in Timor-Leste as Executive Director, providing over 2,000 children with a pre-school education. He is General Manager and Company Secretary of Teach Us Consent, which reached over 6 million young Australians with education and policy change work and is regarded internationally. Adam is on his second term with the Australian Council for International Development Code of Conduct Committee, and has a Master of Public Policy and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Oxford. He specialises in governance, international development, education, sexual violence prevention and localisation.

Carly Main

General Member

Carly is an international development professional with over 16 years of experience in public policy and program management, including in strategy, partnerships, and monitoring, evaluation and learning.

Most recently, Carly worked in the Australian-funded Prospera economic governance facility in Indonesia. Prior to that she held various roles in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade over 2013 – 2022, including a posting to Jakarta and a short-term mission to Hanoi. She holds a Masters in Asia Pacific Studies from the Australian National University and speaks Indonesian and French. She has a collaborative history of engagement and networks across Southeast Asia and experience in a range of sectors including law and justice; research and civil society strengthening; gender equality, disability and social inclusion; and climate, energy and water. She is originally from Perth, Western Australia.

Varsha Nimalendran

General Member

Varsha is a senior data and AI leader with an actuarial and finance background and over a decade of experience across highly regulated environments. She currently leads enterprise data, analytics and AI strategy, with responsibility for data governance, privacy, security and capability development across large organisations. Varsha brings strong expertise in risk oversight, audit, and responsible data use, with a particular focus on safeguarding and accountability.

She has a long-standing commitment to community service, including supporting refugees, children and gender equity initiatives. Varsha is especially passionate about values-led, community-driven development.

Freddy Ortega

General Member

Freddy is a senior leader with experience across community services, primary health care, disability and higher education, supporting organisations to strengthen governance, performance and long-term sustainability. He has held executive leadership roles spanning operations, finance, risk and transformation, working closely with Boards and executive teams through periods of reform and organisational change. Freddy has worked with purpose-led organisations including Participate Australia, the University of Technology Sydney, and a Primary Health Network supporting the governance and delivery of regionally based health services. Earlier in his career, he contributed to community health programs in Papua New Guinea and across the South Pacific. A Justice of the Peace (NSW), Freddy brings a practical, values-based approach to governance, with strengths in risk oversight, organisational performance and accountability.

Pierre Tami

General Member

Originally from the Italian part of Switzerland, Pierre Tami is a social entrepreneur with over 40 years of experience in Asia, particularly Cambodia. In the early 1990s, he and his wife founded an organisation that pioneered social rehabilitation programs and sustainable businesses for survivors of abuse, violence, and trafficking. He later established a new organisation promoting fair and inclusive economic opportunities for Cambodian youth and women, with a focus on high-quality skills training in the hospitality sector.

Currently, Pierre serves on several boards and acts as Advisor to the President of the Senate. The World Economic Forum’s Schwab Foundation recognised him as Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2004, and he has received numerous international and national awards. He is married, with three daughters and six grandchildren.