The Team

MUrbRgnlPlan, GradDipRgnlUrbPlan, GradDipPH, GradCertLandT, BA(Hons), FGLF, GAICD, MICDA 

Julia brings more than 30 years of experience across the health, disability, aged care and community services sectors including extensive executive leadership roles. Her career is underpinned by a strong commitment to equity, inclusion and evidence-based practice. She also lectures in public health, contributing to the development of the future health and community services workforce. She is recognised for leading reform, building strategic partnerships and driving innovation that improves outcomes for individuals, families and communities.  

Julia also has lived experience as a Carer, informing her understanding of the strengths and challenges carers face and reinforcing her commitment to advocacy. As CEO at Carers SA, Julia champions service excellence, strengthens advocacy at state and national levels, and ensures that diverse perspectives and lived experiences are embedded across programs and initiatives. Together with the Board and Carers SA staff, Julia is dedicated to shaping a future where carers are recognised, supported and empowered to succeed.  

www.linkedin.com/in/julia-o-0a695356  

Drawing on more than 25 years of executive leadership across the community services sector, Sharon brings experience in the disability and carer support sector. Throughout her career, she has driven reform and growth, fostering innovation to improve efficiency, accessibility and impact across service delivery. At Carers SA, Sharon provides strategic leadership for statewide service delivery and partnerships, ensuring quality and service excellence. Her professional expertise is complemented by lived experience, caring for her father-in-law, who lived with dementia. 

B.Psych

An experienced executive leader across the not-for-profit sector, Helen has more than 25 years’ experience working within large and complex statewide organisations, spanning both government and community services sectors. She has extensive expertise in strategic planning, policy development, change management, stakeholder engagement and community development, and has led multidisciplinary teams, including within volunteer and membership-based organisations. With lived experience as a carer for 40 years, she combines personal understanding with professional expertise in her role at Carers SA, overseeing statewide community engagement and outreach, carer engagement and marketing and communications portfolios.  

www.linkedin.com/in/helen-brown-065422364  

CAANZ Fellow, GAICD, B.Com/B.Bus (Commercial Law)  

Joanne is an experienced finance and corporate services executive with more than 20 years’ experience across professional services, commercial industry and the not-for-profit sector. Since joining Carers SA in 2015, she has provided strategic leadership across finance, ICT, procurement, data and business intelligence, service coordination and risk, strengthening organisational performance and supporting long-term sustainability. 

She has led key improvements to systems, processes and governance at Carers SA, including strengthening financial management, enhancing cyber security and ICT infrastructure and implementing new CRM and business intelligence platforms. Joanne is recognised for her practical, forward-looking approach and her ability to translate complex financial, operational and compliance requirements into effective organisational solutions. 

Alongside her executive role, Joanne has contributed to the governance of several South Australian community organisations across the aged care and NDIS sectors through director, treasurer and committee roles. Her professional commitment is strengthened by lived experience — supporting her mother after a spinal stroke and caring for her grandfather until his passing at 103 — giving her a deep understanding of the challenges faced by carers and the importance of high-quality support for families. 

(27) Joanne Cottle | LinkedIn 

B. Sc , CHPR, GAIC

With more than 20 years of extensive experience across human resources, operations and organisational development, Shaun brings extensive expertise in culture, people development and organisational transformation. His background spans the manufacturing, community services and hospitality sectors, with senior roles in learning and development and workforce strategy across the multiple industries. After more than two decades in manufacturing, Shaun joined Carers SA, motivated by a desire to give back to a for- purpose organisation whose mission he strongly connects with, having grown up with a parent who was a full time Carer.  

B.Ec., Fellow Chartered Accountants Australia & NZ (FCAANZ), Registered Financial Adviser (previously)  

Key Skills and Expertise: Accountancy and Financial Services   

Tony is a Chartered Accountant with over 40 years of experience in financial service provision, including as a Partner at accounting firms PKF and BDO, until his retirement in October 2022. He has served as a Board Member and Treasurer for Motor Neurone Disease SA, Careworks and Bay to Birdwood, and has been an active member of Rotary for more than 20 years. Tony also served as Chairman of the South Australian Branch of Chartered Accountants Australia & New Zealand. He brings lived experience as a Carer for family members, offering personal insight that complements his professional expertise and his contribution to the Carers SA Board. 

B. Ec, FCAANZ

 Key Skills and Expertise: Audit and Assurance 

Adrian brings over 40 years’ experience at Deloitte, where he held senior leadership roles and managed complex audits across the manufacturing, resources, financial services, Not For Profit’s and the wine industries and in countries including Romania and the United States. With board experience, including with the Multiple Sclerosis Society of South Australia and Northern Territory Inc, Adrian brings technical acumen to audit and assurance processes which contribute to Carers SA’s ongoing reputation for excellence, integrity and transparency. 

With extensive and diverse executive leadership experience in Government, community service and project management, Sharon has achieved success in leading people and organisations. As well as identifying the issues of importance in complex situations and implement adaptive future looking responses.

Building strategic relationships both external and internal based on trust and respect and develop networks to drive business outcomes and development of organisational culture.

Sharon’s approach to leadership is bring out the best in others, identifying common interests and shared goals and creating an environment where diverse people thrive.

Sharon was appointed to the Board to fill a casual vacancy in February 2023.

Sonya Weiser is the Director and Principal Consultant of Wiser Technology Advice, a division of the family business Weiser Australia Pty. Ltd. Sonya has a wealth of experience in board and committee roles, with significant background in the information technology industry and management consulting.

Her extensive involvement in volunteering demonstrates Sonya’s belief in giving back to the community, through membership of not-for-profit boards, volunteer roles in Rotary and other organisations, and professional services provided to not-for-profit organisations. Sonya’s is an active member of the Rotary Club of Adelaide, contributing to numerous committees, and is a mentor in the Rotary Club of Adelaide’s mentoring program.

Sonya was appointed to the Board in November 2021.

During the past 40 years, Paul has gained extensive knowledge and experience in accounting, audit, investigation, research, team management, achieving budgets, interpreting legislation and brief preparation while working in the private sector, and for the state and federal governments. He has completed studies in finance, business, management, statutory compliance, and investigations.

As a Carer continuously for over 25 years, he has cared for 4 family members, 3 at the same time for several years and during the last 7 years fulltime and part time, for 1 member. During this time Paul has experienced many obstacles and challenges that Carers face daily, advocating with numerous agencies especially in the medical system and is keen to offer his assistance to improve the lives of Carers and the person they care for.

Paul was elected to the Board at the AGM in 2023.

B Sc (Hons), B. Ec, B. Sc, GAICD   

Stuart is an experienced executive with an extensive career in the South Australian Department of Primary Industries, bringing expertise in technology and digital strategy, stakeholder management, governance, change management and cyber security risk. He has served on the a high-profile state government agency Audit and Risk Committee and is actively involved in his local community through surf lifesaving and his old scholars’ football association. Stuart also brings lived experience as a Carer for a family member with dementia. 

B. Arts, Dip Proj Mgt, Chartered Practicing Accountant, GAICD   

Angela has an extensive career in executive roles state and local government, the SA Housing Authority and the SA Film Corporation, encompassing expertise in corporate services, strategy and performance measurement, marketing, social housing and state immigration services. With broad governance experience gained through board and committee appointments across government, not-for-profit and arts sectors, Angela brings strategic acumen in Risk and Audit, Finance, Information Technology, Procurement and Human Resources. Her strategic and values-driven approach supports effective oversight, organisational accountability and sustainable performance. .

B. Int. Dev Studies, M. Applied Proj Mgt, Dip Languages   

Lauren has a strong track record in managing complex public health programs across Australia, the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Her commitment to driving community and peer-led responses to improve health outcomes is evident through her leadership and governance roles with Women in Aid and Development, Hepatitis Australia and Health Equity Matters. Lauren has provided executive oversight of multi-million-dollar public health initiatives, brokered strategic partnerships and influenced policy reform. Alongside her professional achievements, Lauren brings lived experience as a Carer, having supported a close family member through a terminal illness. 

Grad Cert Human Services (Child & Adolescent Welfare), Grad Exec Programs (Flinders & Adelaide Universities) 

Wendy is a strategic leader and passionate advocate for people with disabilities and Carers in crisis. With over 25 years’ experience across disability services, legal consulting, employment and economic development, she has held roles on the NDIS State Committee, Regional Economic Development Boards and the National Operations Committee for Job Services Australia. Since 2011, she has been CEO of a specialist disability provider. Wendy’s lived experience as a Carer reinforces her commitment to trauma informed care and resilient communities.