Brian Amos - Lead Auditor
Brian has extensive knowledge and experience in the areas of aged care, disability, and palliative care. He has worked at various levels including senior management for both the private and the not-for-profit sector and currently as a Service Provider. 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 and is currently a carer of a family member who has physical disabilities.
Cath MacNamara - Consumer Auditor
Service User Technical Expert - Social Work Degree; Master of Social Science. Cath has been involved in the disability field since 1979, working in disability advocacy and service organisations and as a consultant to Commonwealth and State government departments, non-government services and disability advisory bodies. Cath's husband had very high support needs related to severe physical disabilities. He used a range of support services to enable him to live and work in the community. Cath is trained in the Victorian Disability Service Standards.
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 auditor 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 Auditor with considerable experience in auditing health and disability services and his passion enabling quality development in health and disability services.
Deb Barnes - Operations Support
Deb supports the effective operation of our organitation and the certification programs provided by HDAA. Deb has considerable experience in software development, people and project management in Finance, Insurance and Transport industries. Deb enjoys contributing to build and strengthen organisations and getting the best out of everyone, including herself.
Debra York - Consumer Auditor / Lead Auditor
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 auditing.
Gina Ashford - Operations Support
Gina has considerable administrative experience having worked with State Government and private buisness. Gina is an affiliate member of Australian Accounting Technicians. Gina supports friends and family members with disabilities and has a passion to support the improvement of services and quality of life for all people.
Ian Gimm - Consumer Auditor
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 - Consumer Auditor
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.
Karen Major - Consumer Auditor
Karen has many years experience working and volunteering in the disability sector both locally and in Canada and the USA. Her experience includes of Government and non-profit organisations as well as educational settings. Karen holds a range of qualifications including Diplomas and Certificate IV qualifications in Disability, Business Management and Training and Assessment. Karen is a parent of a daughter with a significant disability and presently works as an independent disability consultant, trainer and advocate. Karen is a trained Lead Auditor and has completed the training in Assessing the Victorian Disability Service Standards.
Kathy Rees - Consumer Auditor/Lead Auditor
(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.
Lisa Esaias - Operations Administrator
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 - Service User Auditor
Louise is an Audit Trained Service User 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, and Management as well as in Training and Professional Development. 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 auditor of considerable experience and a Service Provider.
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 Silman - Diagnostic Imaging Assessor
Michelle has previously worked in government services and NGO's, managing human service programs in the health and community sectors. These experiences had an emphasis on collaborative working with people in differing circumstances, within legislative structures and a variety of operating systems. Michelle is dedicated to support people's access to quality health services and the continued development and improvement of health providers. Michelle's tertiary qualifications include a Graduate Certificate in Case Management, Injury Management and Counselling.
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 Auditor
(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 Auditor. 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 Auditor
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.
Rebecca Bradshaw - Lead Auditor
Rebecca's passion for quality systems development, implementation and evaluation within community services is demonstrated by her experience across a range of quality management roles. Rebecca's experience working with community health and disability services have allowed her to focus on successfully developing, implementing and auditing of Quality Systems.
Rebecca has achieved qualifications in Nursing and Health Studies, social science and health management as well as completed ISO Lead Auditor training and the mandatory training for the Standards for Disability Services in Victoria.
Suzanne Le Huray - Operations Manager
Suzanne has considerable leadership and management experience of health based project management and health promotion programme 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 auditor Suzanne functions as a Lead Assessor for HDAA's Diagnostic Imaging Accreditation Scheme. She also has experience auditing public and allied health services.
Tricia Dore - Lead Auditor
(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 Auditor). 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 auditor and has over seven years experience in auditing. Tricia has a very supportive style and has a tremendously positive reputation with service providers as an auditor who is enabling and constructive in her approach.
Zeki Seren - Auditor
(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 disability services. Zeki is currently progressing to becoming a lead auditor.
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.