ADEC - Board of Management

Chairperson: Dr Sophie Holmes
Deputy Chairperson: Dr Helen Farrell
Treasurer: Mr Joe Romeo
Secretary & Public Officer: Ms Jacki Whitwell

• Ms Antoinette Khalil
• Ms Jan Ginis
• Ms Maria Carmusciano
• Ms Joan Cooney
• Ms Angela Bruzzese
• Mr Evan Bichara

Since 2001, the board has taken on a governance role. This is different to a model of management where committee members take on an active role in the day-to-day activities and business of the organisation.

A governance role acknowledges that the role of the board is to:

• Employ the Executive Director
• Set the future direction of the organisation and decide on matters which may impact on its future viability
• Develop, monitor and review policies for the organisation
• Develop policy positions on public policy matters
• Ensure that all accountability and performance measures are met.

Dr Sophie Holmes Chairperson

Dr Sophie Holmes has 30 years experience as consultant psychologist and since 1996 she has provided intellectual and clinical leadership as the director of Williams Road Family Therapy Centre, which is a leading training provider in family therapy and also a broad range of psychological services to families. She was born in Australia of Polish parents who came to Australia as refugees after WW2 and passed on to her their language, culture and a strong sense of social justice. She has a longstanding special interest in disabilities and improving the mental health of all families but particularly CALD families. As director of the Williams Road Family Therapy she has draw together a team of   family psychologists, social workers and counsellors who provide services in at least 12 different languages. Sophie personally supervises and trains practitioners to work with families where a member has a chronic disability, including chronic mental illness, developmental/ intellectual/physical disabilities. Some practitioners have developed programs and methods to work with children and families where the parents have a mental illness, a member of the family is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, major mental illness, eating disorders, learning disabilities and learning difficulties. Sophie was a founding member of the Board of the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia (PACFA) initially in the role of Secretary and then the Chair of Ethics committee. She is currently a delegate to the PACFA council. She is also currently on the Committee of Management of The Australian Association of Family Therapy (AAFT) holding the position of Treasurer, and is a former president of AAFT.

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Dr Helen Farrell
Deputy Chairperson



Dr Helen Farrell has taught in special education settings across Victoria since 1985. She quickly developed a very strong commitment to personal leadership growth; and to the articulation of educational issues and perspectives in communication I’m school communities and beyond in response to new educational directions. She acquired a serious interest in the many developing opportunities in adaptive use of ICT in The Arts Key Learning Area for students with disabilities and impairments; and the development and delivery of professional learning opportunities for teachers of such students.

Helen holds membership of and executive roles on a number of international, national and local public and community (not-for-profit) sector organisations. She is an expert consultant in Special Education to the Australia Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA), formerly National Curriculum Board (NCB). She is a member of the Commission of the Music in Special Education, Music Therapy and Music Medicine Special Interest Group of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) for 2008-2010; a past Chairperson of the Victorian Chapter of the Australian Society for Music Education (ASME). Helen joined the ADEC board in September 2009.

Helen enjoys the challenges and opportunities of professional writing, editing and publishing. She is a member of the Editorial Advisory Boards of the Victorian Journal of Music Education (VJME) and Music Educators' Journal (MEJ) (2009-2012) respectively. In her "spare time", Helen is a senior Scholar in a leading high-profile choir in the Anglican Diocese of Melbourne.

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Mr Joe Romeo
Treasurer

Joe Romeo'sl background is in Financial Planning. Having started his career in 1983 with AMP Life and running his own Financial Planning practice under AMP for 20 years. He then sold his practice in 2003 and during a period of 3 years started two other businesses, a Travel and a shoe importing business. He returned to Financial Planning in 2007 while still maintaining his interests in the Travel and Shoe businesses.

He successfully completed his Diploma of Financial Planning and has attained Certified Financial Planner status.

Joe Romeo speaks Italian fluently and is involved with the Italian community. He is the representative for Victoria and Tasmania for  CTIM, Comitato Tricolori per gli Italiani nel Mondo (committee three colours for Italians abroad).
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Ms Jacki Whitwell
Secretary & Public Officer










Jacki joined the board of ADEC in late 2009. After beginning her career as a Registered Nurse working in paediatrics and oncology, she returned to study completing a degree in International Community Development. Working in a voluntary capacity with refugee women on the Thai-Burma border, Jacki developed a keen interest in promoting human rights and in particular, the rights of refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons. On returning to Australia, she worked to establish the Victorian Office of the refugee Council of Australia supporting refugee communities in Australia and advocating for the rights of community-based asylum seeksers and those in immigration detention.

Jacki is currently employed at YMCA Australia in a national policy and research role working across a range of areas including agovernment relations, preventive heath, social inclusion, disability services and the not-for-profit sector.

As a member of Changemakers Australia, Jacki has a strong interest in the promotion of philanthropy in Australia and in buiilding strategic links between the philanthropic sector and innovative community projects that enhance social inclusion. Jacki also maintans a passion for rights of refugees and asylum seekers and works on a consultancy basis providing research, policy analysis and government relations services to the not-for-profit sector.

Other Board Members

Ms Maria Carmusciano

Maria became involved with ADEC more then 18 years ago, as her son had a severe disability. ADEC provided Maria with information and assistance with services and with carer support. ADEC also provides Maria with an outlet, where Maria is able to meet with other caregivers and professionals to share and exchange experiences, and to also have general communications. Maria chose to get involved with ADEC as it was and is an avenue to share her views and experience within the disability network. Maria feels that by being actively involved with ADEC, she is able to provide a voice for the people through being a representative for the disabled. It also ensures participation in other various avenues of discussions which are held to benefit others. Maria has been on the Board since November 2004 and has thoroughly enjoyed her role and the challenges it brings. Maria feels valued by ADEC and appreciates the opportunity to put something back into the system, which she has obtained so much from.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ms Jan Ginis

Jan is employed as a Specialist Audiologist and Clinical Adviser with Australian Hearing. As part of her role, she is required to deliver academic and other papers, internationally and around Australia. She joined the Board of Management at the annual general meeting in 2000.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ms Antoinette Khalil

Antoinette Khalil joined ADEC more then six years ago and was the chairperson for three years. Since migrating to Australia from Egypt Antoinette has lived in Melbourne. Two degrees were completed at Latrobe University including a Bachelor or Arts majoring in legal studies and sociology and a Post Graduate degree in Social Work. Since completing these degrees her professional career has remained within the Department of Justice. To date, most of her career has been in Correctional Services working as a corrections officer and senior Corrections Officer. Six years was spent in management, managing community correctional locations such as Prahran and Carlton.  Antoinette also spent 12 months with the Supreme Court managing staff in the juries division. She joined the OPA in April 2000 and enjoys her current position as an advocate/guardian.  Antoinette also sits on the Executive Committee with the Bonnie Babes Foundation as a volunteer. The BBF is an organisation that provides counselling and raises funds for research into still birth, miscarriage and pre mature birth of babies. When not working Antoinette enjoys movies, cooking, entertaining friends and family at home, travelling, reading and the gym. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ms Joan Cooney Joan brings to the ADEC a  vast experience in the  disability sector having worked in a wide range of settings and organisations both in Australia and overseas. She also has considerable governance experience having served on several Boards Joan  has been a long term advocate and has  worked in special education settings, both in Australia and in Africa for over 40 years. She has worked with  parents, children and adults. From 2004 to 2008 she worked as Manager Access, Equity and Education at ADEC.She is currently working at annecto, a community based organisation in a strategic partnership management position working with a wide range of sectors including, universities, schools, businesses, community and allied health. Joan is passionate about the rights of all people and is quite active in advocating for the rights of refuges and asylum seekers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mr Evan Bichara Evan Bichara arrived in Australia with his family of Greek – Egyptian background at the age of six. His promising academic career received a setback when he developed a mental illness in the first year of science at the University of Melbourne. He maintained, however a profound determination to heal himself and contribute to others. Unusually, Evan found a means of achieving this through sport. His love for soccer and the young people led him to coaching junior teams up to state championship level, eventually becoming a referee for Soccer Australia. Assisting his local parish at St Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church also helped him on his long journey to heal his mind body & soul. Evan is now a tireless consumer advocate for those who have his condition – supporting individuals in crisis, building awareness in ethnic communities and advising government. His disability has become the means for expressing his passion to make a difference to the lives of other Australians. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ms Angela Bruzzese Angela Bruzzese joined the ADEC Board late in 2010. Angela has recently retired from over 30 years employment in the Education industry and now dedicates her time to working with a number of organisationsin the Disability sector. Her roles include; Board Member UnityLink Chair of Diversity and Disability (DND) Committee of Management -Disability Connections Victoria (DCV) Member of the Moonee Valley City Council- Disability Reference Group

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