Brian Amos - Lead Assessor & Assessor Network Coach
Brian has extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of aged care, disability, and palliative care. He has a number of years background working at various levels including senior management for both the private and the not-for-profit sector. Brian's tertiary qualifications include the Diploma in Quality Auditing, management, counselling, Certificate 4 in workplace training and assessment. He also has post-graduate qualifications in health. Brian has previously provided care to a person with physical disability.
Cathy Mitchell - Finance Officer
Cathy is a Finance Officer for HDAA. Cathy has an extensive experience of bookkeeping and financial administration having been employed as a bookkeeper and finance officer for several years. Cathy has worked with both large and small companies as the sole financial administration person and as part of finance teams. Cathy holds an Associate Diploma of Business (Accounting) and Certificate IV in Financial Services. Cathy is also a member of the Australian Bookkeepers Network.
David Hamer - Managing Director
(Master of Management, Post Graduate Diploma Rehabilitation, Post Graduate Diploma of Business Administration, Bachelor of Arts, Certificate in Teaching, Lead Auditor Certificate)
David has worked in the health and disability sector for many years as a provider of services to people with disabilities and as a manager of health and disability services. He is a vastly experienced assessor and is currently a Director of Health and Disability Auditing New Zealand which is the leading health and disability sector agency in New Zealand. David is a qualified Lead Assessor with considerable experience in assessing human services, including health and disability organisations and his passion is enabling quality development in health and disability services.
Dawn Skidmore - Health Accreditation Manager
With an MBA and MSc Dawn commenced her career as a physiotherapist before progressing into safety and quality positions including as a Program Manager at the Modernisation Agency where Dawn worked on numerous service initiatives and the Kings Fund Organisational Audit and Accreditation Program. As Associate Director of the National Leadership and Innovation Agency, Dawn undertook assessments and oversaw organisational change. She then worked with the highest profile health improvement program with the UK Government and the Healthcare Commission on NHS Annual Health Checks for NHS organisations and ISO 9001.
Dawn has provided assessments with SA Health as part of the performance improvement team and acted as Chief Allied and Scientific Health Advisor for SA. Dawn has also worked as Change and Program Manager at Health Workforce Australia, leading improvement projects across Australia. More recently Dawn worked with Councils, local government, NFPs, NGOs and communities in organisational change, performance improvement, business transformation and capacity building.
Debra York - Consumer Assessor/ Lead Assessor
Debra has extensive knowledge and experience working within the Disability Sector as well as Non Government organisations including developing systems & process for Domestic Violence Support, Community Housing & Homelessness, and Youth & Arts. She is the parent of a child with physical disability utilising a Disability Service. Debra's tertiary qualifications include Bachelor of Business (Human Resources) and is currently undertaking Masters in Business (Philanthropy & Non Profit Studies). This multi faceted perspective adds value to her assessing skills.
Ian Gimm - Consumer Assessor
Ian is an Audit Trained Service User with considerable audit experience. He has many years experience working within the disability sector having worked as an auditor/technical expert/trainer as well as serving on his local disability council. Ian has also received numerous awards for services to various community groups including the Australia Day Citizen of the Year Award (2005) from his local community. Ian has a wonderful sense of humour and is known for his supportive and friendly auditing style.
Jacqui Gibson - Technical Expert
Jacqui has a background of supporting children and young adults with a disability as an Education Advisor at the Royal Children's Hospital. Jacqui experienced a life changing car accident in 2005 and suddenly experienced a role as a person with disability. Since then Jacqui has become involved with disability services and this has led to a passionate commitment to people living with a disability. Jacqui is currently completing post graduate studies in Community Development. She sits on two non-profit boards of Disability Services and is Chairperson on another. Jacqui is trained in the Victorian Disability Service Standards.
Jane Grant - Lead Assessor
Jane worked in the government and non-government community services sector for many years. Jane is a qualified Lead Assessor for Management Systems (ISO 9001:2008) and has been involved in assessing human service organisations against DHSS and ISO standards as well as CCCS and QIC. Jane has been involved in the development of a Quality Framework and is a member of the Australian Organisation for Quality (South Australia) Inc. Her experience spans disability, child protection and asylum seekers. Jane has an Associate Diploma in Human Services and Certificates IV in Life Coaching, and Assessment and Workplace Training.
Kathy Rees - Consumer Assessor/Lead Assessor
(Current PhD candidate; Master of Organisational Development & Training; Bachelor of Social Science (double majors in Human Resource Management & Counselling); Diploma of Training & Assessment; Certificate IV Training & Assessment; Lead Auditor qualifications).
With over 25 years of experience in the disability sector, Kathy bases her approach on a strong foundation of social justice principles and practice. Kathy has conducted a number of projects for both government and non-government organisations, while continuing to manage a registered training organisation whose focus is on disability and management. Kathy also manages her daughter's disability support requirements. Her well-rounded, practical experience and knowledge contributes towards a positive and developmental audit approach.
Kym Jaeger - Lead Assessor
Kym is a quality professional who has worked in the industry of quality management for 18 years as an external auditor of management systems including ISO 9001, (quality management), other ISO Standards and various Human Services quality frameworks. Kym is also a qualified trainer and has Certificate IV in Workplace Assessment Training. Kym has delivered training under the AQTF framework and for a time had his own consultancy business writing quality management systems. Prior to working in the quality industry Kym worked in senior management in commerce as a cost and management accountant and as a strategic planning manager.
Linda Elliott - Operations Support
Linda supports the Diagnsotic Imaging Accrediation program and health care services areas of HDAA. Linda's experience of working in public and private medical practices as a senior administration officer, receptionist and lead medical typist has provided a valuable insight to the delivery of imaging services in a range of health care settings. Linda holds a Certificate IV in Disability Studies and worked with Education Queensland for many years in Special Education supporting the assessment and implementation of Individual Education Plans for students with a disability. Linda values the opportunity to support and progress health and human service organisations and, in turn, the services they provide to their patients and clients.
Lisa Esaias - Operations Support
Lisa supports the effective administration of our general operations and the certification programs provided by HDAA. Lisa has considerable experience in administration; including in the travel, education and banking sectors and plays an important part in assuring the effective administration of the disability auditing programme. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Behavioural Science, Certificate in Business and Diploma in Human Resource Management.
Louise Lowe - Technical Expert
Louise is an technical expret who has over 49 years' personal experience of living with a significant disability. Louise has spent over 30 years working in the disability and community services sectors and has qualifications in Social & Community Work, Rehabilitation, Management, in Training and Professional Development. Louise also owns and manages a Disability Service. Louise is conversant with disability legislation and their standards. She has comprehensive knowledge and experience in working with quality management systems as they relate to disability services and she is an assessor of considerable experience.
Michelle Denton - Lead Assessor
Michelle has experience as an Assessor in the areas of mental health, alcohol and drugs and community health. Michelle has experience working with refugee health and disability services, is also a Registered Nurse and currently completing a PhD. Michelle is passionate about continuous quality improvement in health service provision and has spent most of her career working towards improving the quality of the services she has managed.
Michelle Dowling - Diagnostic Imaging Assessor
Michelle has a variety of experience working in both the government and the private sectors, including working in the insurance industry as a case manager for personal injury claims for a number of years. Michelle's tertiary qualifications include a Bachelor of Social Science, majoring in Human Services. Michelle enjoys working with people to support positive outcomes and opportunities to improve quality of life.
Michelle Murphy - Finance Officer
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance). Michelle has considerable experience gained over 25 years of working in finance, administration and human resource roles in both state and local government within the finance and accounting areas. More recently Michelle has enjoyed working in the private sector with significant financial management responsibilities.
Patrica (Pat) Ford - Lead Assessor
(Registered Nurse with Advanced Diploma in Nursing Administration, Workplace Health & Safety Cert., Certificate in Assessment and Workplace Training, qualified Lead Auditor and Skill Examiner for RABSQA).
After a long career as a Nursing Administrator, and a CEO of a multiservice Disability Support Service in Victoria Pat has gained an extensive background working a Lead Assessor. Pat's area of audit expertise are in Health, Community and Disability Services, particularly the Disability Service Standards, Standards for Disability Services in Victoria and Quality Management Systems. Pat's community service work has ranged from a Ministerial appointment as the President and Council member of the Gordon Institute of Tafe, and membership of a number of Community and Disability Committees to presently being an active member of the City of Greater Geelong Disability Advisory Committee, and a Director of The Barwon Health Foundation.
Paul Larcombe - Consumer Assessor
Paul holds a Bachelor of Agricultural Economics and Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training and is an experienced and qualified auditor with certificates of competency in auditing many programmes. Paul is also an experienced manager and training facilitator, and currently the Chair of Disability Council of Queensland. Paul has an extensive experience of disability.
Sue Adam - Lead Assessor/Consumer Assessor
Sue is qualified both as a lead assessor and Consumer Technical Expert (CTE) plus Service User Technical Expert in the area of disability. She has over 10 years of experience in disability and has a permanent disability herself (she is 'legally' blind). Sue is also a qualified trainer and has an honours degree in Science along with a Graduate Diploma in Dietetics. Prior to auditing Sue had worked in the area of disability both at local government level as an advisor and as a volunteer for a day service in the Ballarat area. One of her major strengths is interviewing and listening to people and having a personal and professional empathy with people who have barriers in their lives.
Suzanne Le Huray - Business Realisation Manager
Suzanne has considerable leadership and management experience of health based project management and health promotion program management. Suzanne has also provided extensive consultancy to primary care service development. With a passion for maximising people's potential, Suzanne has led the development of staff training guidelines for a national organisation and has lectured to post graduate medical students. Suzanne has managed research in randomised control trials on behaviour change and has acted as an advisor to a governmental strategy group for health promotion design. As a trained health assessor Suzanne functions as a Lead Assessor for HDAA's Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme. She also has experience assessing public and allied health services.
Terrence O'Brien - Lead Assessor
Terrence has spent several years working as an early childhood teacher and in teacher education and curriculum research. He has extensive experience in evaluation and research in the areas of government-funded community services, including evaluating services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and working in Indigenous communities. Terrence has also managed an evaluation unit for the Queensland Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services. Terrence's experience in leading teams in program and project development include community and stakeholder consultation. He is a Doctor of Philosophy, and holds a Master and Bachelor of Education as well as a Graduate Diploma in Literacy Studies and is a qualified Lead Assessor.
Tricia Dore - Lead Assessor
(Master of Business Administration, Master of Nursing, Bachelor of Education, Registered Nurse, Advanced Diploma Child and Family Health, Diploma in Teaching. Tricia is also a qualified Lead Assessor). Tricia has been a senior lecturer teaching and developing graduate and post graduate courses in nursing and in organisation management. Tricia has also managed health and wellbeing services including primary health services. She has provided leadership for quality improvement for a large health service. Tricia's background in auditing in the health and disability sector is extensive. She is a lead assesor with over eight years experience in assessing. Tricia has a very supportive style and has a tremendously positive reputation with service providers as an assessor who is enabling and constructive in her approach.
Zeki Seren - Lead Assessor
(Bachelor of Education - Psychology, Diploma of Quality Auditing, Auditing Disability Services in Victoria Certificate, Internal Auditing Certificate). Zeki's experience as a Quality Advisor for the Quality Framework for Disability Services in Victoria has provided significant insight to the diversity of disability services. Zeki, has extensive experience gained from working across government in change management roles involving the support and resourcing of advocacy and service oriented funded agencies and the not-for-profit sector. This experience is what motivates Zeki to contribute to quality development in human services.
Committee for safeguarding impartiality
To provide audit and certification of management systems we are required by international standards (ISO/IEC 17021) to have in place a committee to safeguard the impartiality of our functioning. We have established a committee and it is comprised of independent persons who have experience of disability and an audit trained service user.
The purpose of the committee is:
- to assist in developing the policies relating to impartiality of its certification activities;
- to assure the consistent objective provision of certification activities;
- to advise on matters affecting confidence in certification; and
- to conduct a periodic review of the impartiality of our audit, certification and decision making.
We have formalised terms of reference for the committee and the committee has been authorised by our managing director to ensure:
- no single interest predominates;
- the committee has access to necessary information enable it to fulfil its functions; and
- the committee can take confidential independent action.
As the committee develops we will ensure that it is a balanced and includes other interested parties such as a service provider representative.
Currently the members of the committee are:
- Louise Lowe - Audit Trained Service User representing people with disability who provide us with auditing services and is a Service Provider. Independent committee member representing people with disabilities.
- Paul Harpur - Independent committee member representing people with disabilities.
- Tony Leggett - Independent committee member representing people with disabilities.