Staff & Board

Lisa Graham BA Ed

Chief Executive Officer

Lisa is responsible for all the financial and operational management and business development at Taldumande Youth Services and reports to the Board on behalf of the management team. In addition to overseeing the operations and culture at Taldumande, Lisa implements the organisation’s strategic plan and allocates capital according to the priorities set by the Board.

Lisa has over 30 years’ experience managing at-risk youth programs in both the education and community service sectors. Prior to joining Taldumande, Lisa managed programs with young people in Out of Home Care residential care, young people within the Juvenile Justice system and managed community education programs in Sydney’s Western Suburbs. She has also managed an alternative learning centre for high-needs young people and delivered restorative practice workshops in schools across Australia. Lisa has held several senior positions in private and public schools and holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Sydney. Lisa is passionate about sustaining positive organisational culture and maintaining a strong staff morale to ensure young people receive the focus and care they deserve and to which they are entitled.

Virginia Howard OAM BA, MA (Hons), Dip Ed, MAICD

Chair

Virginia has a background in local government, charity administration and education. She served on Mosman Council for 16 years, including three years as Mayor and one year as Deputy Mayor. She is currently also the Chair of Dougherty Retirement Village and Care Home at Chatswood. Virginia was previously the Executive Director of the Wenona Foundation and has been the Administrator of Mosman Meals on Wheels, School Projects Officer for Australian Red Cross in NSW, taught English at Loreto Kirribilli and was Director of Community Relations at Queenwood School. Virginia was awarded North Shore 2018 Local Woman of the Year for her work with Taldumande, and in 2019 Virginia received the Order of Australia award.

Dr Susan Gosling BSc, MA, PhD, GDipEM GAICD

Chair, Finance Committee

Susan has over 35 years investment management experience with leading financial services firms. She has had a particular focus on multi-asset portfolios, risk management and scenarios analysis. Susan is a non-executive director of Mercer Investments (Australia) Limited and is Chair of their People and Culture Committee. Prior to 2020 Susan was Head of Investments at MLC and remains a member of MLC’s Private Equity Investment Committee. Susan is also a business coach with Worthwhile Ventures which supports early-stage Aboriginal businesses to achieve their objectives. Susan has worked in both the public and private sectors in Australia and the UK. Her career commenced in London where she was an Economic Adviser with the National Economic Development Office.

Ken Hyman BA Com, Grad Dip Fin

Deputy Chair, Finance Committee

Ken founded Antares Fixed Income in 1990, a specialist funds management business within the MLC Group, now managing over $27bn. He has over 50 years’ experience in financial markets and investment management, specialising in fixed interest and money markets. He began his career in South Africa but has spent the last 30+ years in Sydney. Ken is a keen supporter of wildlife and land conservation and is a committed member of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, Wires and Bush Heritage. Ken sits on the investment committee of the Jewish Communal Appeal.

Tanya Taylor

Director

Tanya has a background in civic leadership, community development, and events. She was popularly elected as Mayor of Willougby in December 2021, is on the board of the Northern Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils, and a member of the Sydney North Planning Panel. Tanya is committed to creating a sustainable, social, and supportive environment for individuals, businesses, and community organisations. Tanya’s professional life prior to becoming Mayor, was in events and sponsorship roles, in local government and private enterprise. In 2020, Tanya was recognised as Willoughby City Council’s ‘Citizen of the Year’ for her involvement in community groups such as scouts and school P&C’s, and for her fundraising efforts with various charities. Tanya is passionate about supporting young people and drawing on community connections to improve people’s lives.

Jane Jeffes BA (Hons)

Director

Jane is a producer, director, writer with over 30 years’ experience in media in the UK and Australia. She was Head of Programmes at the UK’s largest radio production company, Head of the ABC’s Religion & Ethics Unit and Communications and Impact Director for the G20 Interfaith Forum where she created an Anti-Slavery Taskforce. She has produced and directed documentary films for local and international broadcasters and blue-chip organisations such as the Red Cross, NSW Law Society and Unilever. Jane was an advisory board member of Griffith University Centre for Interfaith and Cultural Dialogue, has received a Canterbury Bankstown award for her contribution to interfaith dialogue and harmony and is a winner of the NSW Premier’s Multicultural Communications Awards.

Mark Wallis

Director

Mark is a passionate advocate for the rights and welfare of our young people. He is a father of two children and is dedicated to supporting them, advocating for youth rights, working with and for local community, and the global environment. He is a licenced real estate agent and auctioneer following on from his successful Property Development ventures. Mark is well positioned and focused in assisting Taldumande achieve its growth and business plans for the years ahead. Mark is the President of Mosman Rotary, is a committee member of Impact 100 North, and former director of Bendigo Community Bank plus a number of other unrelated board positions and is a qualified Rural Fire Fighter.

Philip Wallis LLM

Director

Philip is a Barrister practicing in Sydney principally in corporate and commercial law, equity and wills and estates. He is a member of the Bar Association Professional Development Committee. He was previously both an employed solicitor and a partner in private practice during which time he served on several Law Society committees and was President of the Young Lawyers Section of the Law Society. Philip has also worked as an in-house lawyer and in that capacity served on both the New South Wales and National Boards of the Australian Corporate Lawyers Association (now Association of Corporate Counsel, Australia) and was National President for two years. He grew up on the North Shore and is well aware of the issues surrounding youth homelessness in that area.

Marcia Atchison LLB (Hons)

Director

Originally from the UK, Marcia has a law degree and worked for some years for a law firm in London in their corporate services, company secretarial department as Assistant Manager.  Marcia is a member of the Institute of Community Directors (ICDA) and is currently studying for their Diploma of Governance.  Prior to retiring, she worked as PA to the senior Partner of a Sydney Chartered Accountancy firm.  She has lived in Australia for the last seventeen years with her husband and two daughters and has had a long association with Taldumande, most recently in a volunteer role as secretary to the Board.  She has always had a keen interest in social justice issues.  Eager to learn more about the country which is now home and issues affecting our First Nations Peoples she has completed a Cultural Competence – Aboriginal Sydney course and volunteered with the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) in Redfern and Tribal Warrior Aboriginal Corporation.   She has also volunteered with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and previously in the UK, with the Helen Rollason Cancer Charity.