As a Company Limited by Guarantee, ultimate responsibility for the governance of My Foundations Youth Housing (Ltd) rests with our Board of Directors. The Board provides oversight and financial stewardship to ensure the organisation’s long-term viability and effectiveness and meet its legal and other compliance responsibilities. This includes setting strategic direction; determining key policies; and monitoring of corporate performance. The Board is committed to high quality customer service and outcomes.
Governance and Management
Greg Joffe
CHAIRPERSON
Principal of the Nous Group & Adjunct Associate Professor at UNSW
Greg’s expertise is in strategy, organisational performance, risk and regulation. He has worked on projects to reduce homelessness for over a decade.
Andrea Banic
TREASURER
Senior Consultant for EVI Consulting (CFO Advisory)
Andrea is Director and Treasurer of MFYH since 2020 and brings to the board over twenty years of professional experience in financial, strategic, business planning and change management gained in the private, government and not-for-profit sectors.
Andrea currently works as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for a Community based organisation where she has day to day responsibility for the overall finance, risk and Compliance and child safety function. Andrea is a highly sought after and experienced financial expert. In her Executive roles, Andrea has fostered strong relationships and created meaningful change within the organisations with which she has been engaged.
With a passion for human rights, equality and supporting the community Andrea is also on the board of Women in Aid and Development. Andrea has a Bachelor of Business degree, is CPA qualified, MAICD and a fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders.
Associate Professor
David McKenzie
DIRECTOR
Gonski Institute of
Education, UNSW
David is internationally recognised for his research and development and policy work on homelessness and youth issues. He was a Commissioner on the National Youth Commission into Youth Homelessness (2007-2008).
As the developer of the Community of Services and Schools model of early intervention or COSS Model, David is the foundation CEO of Upstream Australia leading a movement for place-based ‘collective impact’ system reform based around the COSS Model.
Ms Yelena Wenman
DIRECTOR
CEO and Founding Director of Marketing Matters
Expertise in governance, business strategy development, risk management, change management and strategic HRM issues.
Mr John Freedman
DIRECTOR
Managing Director, Elgin Avenue (Investment & Consulting)
Extensive background in investment management, asset management and development across the residential and non-residential sectors. Former CFO of Aveo Group post its ASX delisting in 2020, Executive General Manager – Finance at Lendlease Investment Management and Head of Equities Research – Real Estate, Developers and Contractors at UBS Securities.
Ms Trish Connolly
DIRECTOR
CEO of YFoundations
Trish has an extensive background in homelessness and domestic and family violence (DFV) policy, research, service/program design and service system reform in both Australia and the UK.
She has worked across a range of sectors, including the NSW State Government, UK Government, peak bodies, nongovernment/frontline service providers and charities. Trish is an experienced consultant having established her own business in 2016 and a new consultancy service within one of the UK’s largest homelessness charities, Crisis UK. She was also a member of the Yfoundations Board in 2014–15, providing expertise on impacts and best practice approaches for young people experiencing DFV.
Trish is strongly committed to ensuring that unaccompanied children and young people experiencing or at risk of homelessness receive the attention they deserve. She advocates for government and policy makers to recognise that child and youth homelessness is different to the adult experience and requires diverse responses to address the breadth of issues and needs. This is particularly relevant in the context of service system reform and good practice approaches that must be woven into any future homelessness, housing and DFV strategies for children and young people.
Mr Gavin Melvin
DIRECTOR
Executive Director, Policy and Strategy at UDIA NSW,
Gavin has over 20 years of experience in public and private sector leadership, an executive with deep experience delivering public policy reform and implementation, stakeholder engagement, and external communications.
Gavin holds a Diploma in Financial Markets from Finsia and a BA in Communications and Political Science from Charles Sturt University.
UDIA NSW is the peak industry body for urban development in New South Wales. In this current role, he leads a team of policy and research professionals who develop evidence-based solutions to address the challenges and opportunities of managing urban growth with a focus on creating liveable, sustainable, and affordable communities for the people of New South Wales.
During 8 years as a Chief of Staff in the NSW Government, Gavin led policy reforms in diverse sectors including building and construction, wagering and casino regulation, workplace safety and water trading and infrastructure. Gavin is a professional with an in-depth understanding of the nexus between business, government and other stakeholders and has a unique perspective on how to deliver complex projects and business improvements and to advocate for, and deliver, public policy reform.
THE CEO – REBECCA MULLINS
Ms Mullins brings deep senior management expertise in community organisations across the community housing, homelessness and advocacy sectors. As one of the driving forces from conception to development of the company and our founding CEO, Rebecca is determined that our collective vision – that all young people have a safe, supportive and affordable home be realised.
Ms Mullins is supported by a committed Operations team with extensive experience in youth homelessness and community housing and a CPA with strong commercial expertise.