SMLC - Key Persons
Dr Sue Mutton is an inaugural member of the Substance Misuse Limestone Coast team and an Adjunct Researcher for the School of Justice and Society at the University of South Australia. Sue holds a Master's of Social Work and a Doctorate of Philosophy from Monash University and is also a Registered Nurse specialising in Intellectual Disability.
Prior to retirement in 2018, Sue spent 14 years as the social work academic lecturer at the Mount Gambier's UniSA campus. She has also held senior roles at community organisations, including the Limestone Coast Regional Domestic Violence Services and AC Care's Homelessness Services and Riverland Respite Care Services. Her other employment experiences include owning a coffee shop and catering business, teaching people with disabilities at TAFE, managing a sheltered workshop for the intellectually disabled.
Sue was also integral to the establishment of the South East Legal Community Service, holding the roles of secretary, then chair for more than 20 years and remaining a member of the board until their closure in 2018.
Sue previously held the position of Chairperson of the SA Council to Homeless Persons, the convenor of the National Council to Homeless Persons Working Party on Housing Issues and was a member of the Coalition of DV Services of SA.
A strong interest in community development and experience developing programs for, and working alongside vulnerable people has led Jacob to the SMLC board.
Completing a Masters of International Development in 2019, for which he received the Vice Chancellors List for Academic Excellence Award, Jacob's work was based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which encompass 17 unique, yet related factors to achieve sustainable community development.
In recent years, Jacob has worked for Warrnambool City Council in a Community Connections role, designing and establishing a social prescription program - a holistic based approach to link people into community activities, programs and social support networks.
Jacob has also been engaged for paid and remote volunteer roles, which included rural international electrification projects in Indonesia and Haiti and the United Nations Environment Program.
Jacob is looking forward to supporting the board to achieve its long range goal of achieving a dedicated facility similar to Warrnambool's Western Region Alcohol and Drug Clinic.
As part of the original Limestone Coast Drug Action Team, Jennie played an integral role in the beginnings of SMLC, watching the organisation grow from a ‘back room at council' to an organisation with a significant community presence.
Jennie taught at Tenison Woods College, becoming the facility's Director of Wellbeing before taking on the Assistant Principal role prior to her retirement in 2021.
Jennie taught across three different countries, including India, Somalia and Saudi Arabia, working for international education organisations and the US State Department and has also worked with long-term unemployed adults assisting them to become job-ready.
Jennie's significant educational skillset is balanced by a desire to engage in challenging and purposeful work which holds strong benefit to the community and wider region.
Michael Schultz has been working as an accountant for more than 30 years in the Limestone Coast and brings a strong youth focus to the SMLC advisory board.
Throughout his career, Michael has focused on youth development projects, taking on a number of senior roles within community-based organisations. For more than 20 years, Michael was the treasurer and driving force behind the South East Youth Development Project and played an instrumental role in the establishment of the Noorla Yo-Long facility at Rendelsham.
Job Titles:
- Enterprise Program Consultant With the Community Living Program
Sandi Seymour brings significant experience in disability and advocacy to the SMLC advisory board, having worked as a social worker specialising in disability in various organisations around Australia.
Currently employed as a Micro Enterprise Program Consultant with the Community Living Program, Sandi supports local people to utilise their NDIS funding to start their own social enterprises. Previously, Sandi developed her own social work counselling practice, working with people to overcome drug and alcohol misuse.
Sandi looks forward to bringing her insight and commitment to social justice and equity to the board's activities and is interested in working with the board to bring new research and knowledge in the AOD sector to the Limestone Coast community
Sandi is currently writing a PhD examining the National Disability Insurance Scheme implementation on South Australia's Limestone Coast and also tutors social work students through Uni SA and Flinders University.
Sophie is the Project Officer of Substance Misuse Limestone Coast (SMLC) and has been involved in with the original working party for more than 6 years.
Sophie is the leading collaborator with community groups, Government, and non-Government agencies, in planning, developing, promoting and delivering events and programs for Substance Misuse Program in the Limestone Coast, South Australia.
She is a highly motivated Community Worker with more than 20 years' experience in community development and engagement together with youth and adult drug and alcohol counselling. She has a diverse background in both statutory and community- based organizations in government and non-government sectors, with experience in management, administration, adolescent and family counselling, crisis triage and health promotion.
She holds a Graduate Diploma in youth mental health from the University of Melbourne and is a member of the Australian Community Workers Association.
Sue Thomson brings 50 years of nursing experience to the SMLC advisory board, including management and intensive and coronary care.