Who is
Carers Tasmania?

David Brennan was appointed as Chief Executive Officer, Carers Tasmania in July 2018. He comes to the role with a wealth of skills, qualifications, and experience, both professional and as a co-carer for his late mother.

David has three decades experience in human services. Over the past 19 years, David has held senior positions that develop human potential and opportunity through learning and development and talent management, both in Australia and abroad across the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia regions. Roles have included: General Manager (Development and Marketing), Institute of Public Administration Australia; Director (People Capability), Queensland Public Service Commission; General Manager, Etisalat Academy, Dubai, UAE; General Manager, Focus Management Consultancy, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

The early part of his career was case managing disadvantaged and at-risk young people across Queensland through their significant personal challenges (such as homelessness), developing occupational skills and ultimately placement into employment. He also had five years working in employee relations. David has worked across all sectors - government, non-profit and private.

David holds an MBA from the Queensland University of Technology, where he also received the Dean's Award for Excellence after finishing in the top 1% of his graduating cohort. He also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Australian and Comparative Studies) from Griffith University. David has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors diploma in company directorship. He also holds a number of professional certifications relating to leadership and talent management, including The Leadership Challenge® program and occupational assessment tools.

David is a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders (previously the Australian Institute of Management).

David is married with three children aged 12, 4 and 1. His interests include tennis, music, current and world affairs, and time with family.

Will has more than 20 years’ experience working in accounting, financial services, and leadership roles across a variety of industries in Tasmania. Will currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for a Kriticos Nominees, a locally owned family business overseeing businesses in the tourism, hospitality, manufacturing, and financial services sectors. Previously Will was the Treasurer for MyState Limited for over a decade and worked in local specialist Chartered Accountancy firms (business recovery and insolvency) previously.

Will has been actively involved in not-for profit governance for nearly a decade operating as a board member and most recently the Chair of Lady Gowrie Tasmania. Will brings to the board significant expertise across all areas of finance, including financial analytics, budgeting, capital and risk management.

Will is Chartered Accountant and holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Information Systems) from the University of Tasmania, a Masters of Applied Finance from Kaplan as well as being a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).

Ros is the current CEO of, and corporate legal practitioner for, Youth, Family and Community Connections Inc., having been appointed to the role in 2007 and again in 2013 following a merger. Prior to this Ros worked as a barrister, where she gained extensive experience in criminal law, youth justice and family violence. Ros was involved with the implementation of the Tasmanian Safe at Home Program.

Ros has significant skills and knowledge in leadership, human resources, industrial relations, policy development, quality improvement and accreditation and Not-For-Profit board governance. Ros was a former Board Member and President of the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug Council of Tasmania and Board Member and Vice President of the Youth Network of Tasmania. She is also a current Board Member of Families and Children Tasmania.

Ros has a Bachelor of Laws (LLB), a Diploma in Management and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

In her spare time she is an avid trekker, camper and traveller.

Dr Samantha Fox is the Director Environment, Development and Community at Kingborough Council. In this role, she provides strategic direction and leadership of key Council functions, including statutory and strategic planning, building and plumbing services, environmental services, natural resource management, community services, economic development, emergency management, communications, and engagement.

Samantha is passionate about leading communities to help them achieve environmental, economic and socio-cultural aspirations. For two decades, she has worked in State, Commonwealth and local governments, providing strategic advice on social, environmental and economic policy, managing diverse teams, multi-million-dollar projects and delivering outcomes for communities. Samantha has qualifications in science, psychology, governance and business.

David Morrell is a member of Carers Tasmania from the northern region of the State. David became a carer overnight in 2010, subsequently finding himself in a caring role for his wife and now also his mother. David has daily experience of being both a carer and a person who has a disability.

David brings to the Board a long history of working in the sector as a social worker and also as an advocate. He has served on a number of non-government organisation Boards in the past e.g. Shelter SA; Housing Trust Tenants Association and Disabled People's International.

David's understanding of the sector is extensive as a result of this experience and brings to the Board strategic planning expertise, budget management, service quality reporting and engaging and negotiating with funding bodies.

David is driven by the belief that a fair go for each relies on a fair community for all. This belief is reinforced by David's voluntary involvement with Red Cross, Blind Citizens Australia and Safe Asylum.

Sue has more than 30 years’ experience as a senior executive in the public and not for profit sectors, primarily working in the delivery of human services in areas where a commitment to community and closing the gap to disadvantage are her personal drivers.

Most recently Sue was a member of the Senior Executive Service at the National Disability Insurance Agency (2012-2019), including Tasmanian State Manager from 2012-2016. From 2007 to 2012 Sue worked for the Commonwealth Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs in Canberra – primarily in the areas of housing, disaster recovery and the National Partnership Agreement for remote Indigenous housing. Between 1995 and 2006 Sue was Chief Executive Officer for Colony 47 Incorporated.

Over the period of working in the not for profit sector, Sue held ministerial appointments to a range of government advisory committees at state and Commonwealth levels and represented Colony 47 on a range of joint venture partnerships, advisory committees and reference groups. Sue was also President of the Tasmanian Council of Social Service (2000-2006) and Vice President of the Australian Council of Social Service (2002-2006), and President of Tagari Lia Community Living and Nexus Inc.

Sue has expertise in human service delivery, human centred design, public policy and corporate governance. She holds a Bachelor degree in Social Work from the Tasmanian College of Advanced Education, Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management from Griffith University and a Diploma of Company Directorship from the University of New England. Sue is passionate about public policy that contributes to innovative and quality services that deliver outcomes for people.

Kirsten has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources in both Asia and Australia holding various leadership positions across a broad range of industries including Retail, Hospitality, Higher Education, Finance, Agriculture, Tourism and the Not-for-profit sector. Kirsten is a passionate Tasmanian who cares deeply about the community and spent seven years on the Management Committee of Karinya Young Women’s Service which provides crisis accommodation for young women in the greater Launceston area. She currently holds the role of Senior Manager, People and Performance at MyState Bank Limited including responsibility for Diversity & Inclusion. Kirsten has a Bachelor of Arts, a Graduate Diploma of HR and a Graduate Certificate of Management.