LIBERTY COMMUNITY CONNECT - Key Persons
Liberty Community Connect has been a part of my life for close to 20 years. A close family member worked for Liberty ( known as Nerang Community Respite Care back then ) for many years and I have served as a Committee member, and the Business Manager/Operations Manager. Over 28 years in senior roles within banking and finance grounded my leadership in customer centric decision making, sound financial management and a passion for continuous improvement. Having recently completed tertiary education in Philanthropy and non profit studies, my desire to bring compassionate people centred business leadership to our community sector has lead me to embrace other Senior roles within Aged Care. I know and understand this organisation very well and I feel a responsibility to build on the legacy left by others.
Damian is a Nerang based Licenced General Insurance Broker. He has been in business since 1984. A local for 42 years in the Nerang community and on his thirteenth term on the Liberty Committee of Management. Damian maintains a strong passion and commitment to both our organisation and the community at large.
Proactive within the community and living a life of health and wellbeing, Damian has always participated in sports and coaching athletics, rowing and surf lifesaving for a number of years, although is now retired from coaching activities. Over the past several years Damian has turned his hand to endurance events having competed in Gold Coast Kokoda Challenges, supporting the charity's mission to improve the quality of life and life skills of young Australians. Damian is married to Desiree and they have four daughters, hence the white hair
Job Titles:
- General Manager ( Acting )
Melissa's journey into aged care and disabilities began with Liberty Community Connect in June 2009, her natural aptitude for interacting with people has led to her progression within the organisation and was successful in applying for the position of Home Services Supervisor.
Delivering professional skills to the human service industry through empowerment and maximizing self-worth and wellbeing for all clients is her objective.
Melissa has diplomas in Administration, Community Services, Leadership and Management and a Certificate 4 in Drug and Alcohol (addictions).
Rowena has worked both personally and professionally alongside individuals living with different abilities and the elderly for the most part of her life. At the age of 14yrs she commenced working with a young man living with Autism. Her introduction to the profession.
Rowena has had personal lived experience that has caused her to focus her professional career to give in a space that comes naturally.
Ruth moved into the aged care/disability sector when she joined the Liberty Team in 2015. She brings with her extensive administration experienced, gained mostly through thirty years in the legal industry. Participation in her local community has played an important role over a long period and volunteering in various roles in several not-for-profit organisations has provide valuable knowledge to support her in the role of Liberty's Services-Admin Supervisor.
Sue retired in January 2015 after working with Blue Care for 32 years as a Community Nurse. For the first 20 years Sue worked as a Registered Nurse and developed the palliative services and in the past 12 years worked in an administrative role as the Community Service Manager. Sue was responsible for providing nursing, personal care and allied health services for clients living in the northern part of the Gold Coast. In her administration role, Sue managed the budget, 70 staff, human resources, work place health and safety and was also responsible for planning and developing services through strategic planning and goal setting. During her time with Blue Care Sue worked with many community agencies, and in particular the Queensland Health Palliative Services.
Sue has served on the committees of the Gold Coast Branch of Palliative Care Queensland and as President and a Committee Member on the Oncology Nurses Group committee, during which time the committee was responsible for providing excellent education for nurses and carers. Sue has contributed to Liberty in her role as Committee Member for the past five years.
Sue's passion for patient care again saw her return to work for three years as a Registered Nurse on a part time basis at Hopewell Hospice, although her involvement is now in a volunteer capacity.
Tony Joined Liberty as a Committee member in March 2023. He has strong professional safety compliance auditing experience in the not-for-profit, disability, community, and aged care industries. Welcome to the team Tony.
Job Titles:
- President
- President of the Liberty Management Committee
Formerly of the Department of Communities, Housing and Digital Economy and previously with Australian Red Cross, Horizon Housing and Housing Tasmania, Vitay has extensive experience in working with a range of clients from diverse backgrounds.
Holding various management positions, he has been involved in social housing within the government and community sector in excess of 35 years. Vitay has a very strong interest in connecting those disadvantaged with services and the community in general while ensuring their independence. Throughout Vitay's working career Vitay has been involved in working with clients in various capacities, whether in the construction of purpose built housing or his various roles in tenancy management working with youth, seniors, people with disabilities, carers, families and support organisations.