On 7 July 2009 LGBTIQ+ Health Australia became a not-for-profit public company, governed by a constitution and a Board of Governance.
The Board includes one Director elected from each state and territory.
Full Members of LGBTIQ+ Health Australia are able to nominate and vote for these Directors. They serve for 2 year terms, with at least half of the positions being re-elected each year and the new Directors appointed at the AGM.
Other Directors may be co-opted according to their specialist knowledge or lived experience. These co-opted directors serve terms of one year.
CAROLYN GILLESPIE
Director for Victoria / Chair
Carolyn is a social worker, intersectional feminist and human rights advocate with more than 20 years’ experience in healthcare and social justice. She has worked in a range of senior leadership roles across paediatric, adult and LGBTIQ+ community-controlled health services, and has been a member of the LHA board since 2020. Carolyn is passionate about addressing the health, social and structural inequities that impact on LGBTIQ+ people’s capacity to fully participate in the communities in which they live, love, learn and play.
Carolyn has provided expert advice on a range of health-related issues to numerous government inquiries, health service reviews and special interest panels, including her current membership of the federal government’s LGBTIQA+ Health and Wellbeing 10 Year National Action Plan Expert Advisory Group (EAG). She regularly participates in a broader advocacy platform that addresses stigma and discrimination through her involvement in a variety of key working groups and networks. Carolyn is committed to excellence in evidence-based service delivery and she is also an active advocate for strategic and systemic change that strengthens the health and wellbeing of the entire LGBTIQ+ community.
Dr SARAH BOWMAN
Co-opted Director
Sarah Bowman is a clinical psychologist, researcher, and mental health advocate for gender diverse communities. She holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences (Psychology) (First Class Honours), a Master of Clinical Psychology and a Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology. Sarah primarily practices in the young adult and adult sectors.
Her research and clinical work with gender diverse people focuses helping them to develop resilience and an authentic sense of self.
Public speaking and education roles include lecturing to both the education and corporate sectors on gender diversity and inclusion and the provision of peer training and continuing professional development for psychologists working with gender diverse populations. She is an active member of the LGBTIQ+ community, is the co-chair of Twenty 10 in NSW, and a member of Australia Professional Association of Trans Health (AUSPath).
SUZANNE CASTELLAS
Co-opted Director
Suzanne Castellas is the Principal Lawyer of Castell Lawyers, and previously the Director and Senior Human Rights Lawyer for the HIV/AIDS Legal Centre a, as well as a Lawyer at Legal Aid and the Inner City Legal Centre working closely with LGBTIQ communities and the national BBV and STI health sectors. She has had the privilege of providing legal services to vulnerable and disadvantaged clients with complex legal and non-legal needs, a focus she continues to have in her private practice. Suzanne drives law reform through litigation to address the stigma and discrimination that continues to affect LGBTIQ communities and those with BBVs.
Suzanne passionately contributes to community initiatives on a wide range of topics from the abuse of Police powers at LGBTIQ events to ‘gay hate crimes’, and the ‘expungement of homosexual crimes’. She is an advocate for community education and has provided lectures and workshops to health care professionals and medical students on their legal and ethical responsibilities. In addition to acting on not-for-profit boards, she provides pro bono support on many community and law reform initiatives.
Before practising law for the community sector, Suzanne had an extensive career overseas as a corporate legal professional. Her worked focused on merges & acquisitions, crisis management, rehabilitation, liquidation, and integration.
EVAN O’ROURKE
Co-opted Director
Evan has 15 years’ experience as an accountant and 10 years as a Chartered Accountant in public practice. Subsequent to finishing his CA, he completed a Masters in Applied Taxation at UNSW. He is currently the managing partner at ESN Partners, an accounting firm he founded in 2011. Before founding ESN Partners, Evan worked at PKF (now BDO) which at the time was the fifth largest accounting firm in Australia. In his role at PKF, Evan was responsible for multiple audits of not-for-profit entities. Evan has continued to use this experience in his relationships as an accountant for not-for-profit entities.
Evan (through ESN Partners) was previously the external accountant for LGBTIQ+ Health Australia for 5 years from 2014 to 2019 and as such, has a detailed knowledge and understanding of LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s finances.
Dr LYNN JARVIS
Director for Tasmania
Dr Lynn Jarvis is the Chief Executive Officer for Working It Out, Tasmania’s diverse gender, sex and sexuality support service and education provider. Lynn has worked in a variety of management and executive level positions across government, adult and higher education and the not-for-profit sector, and while a born and bred Tasmanian, Lynn has also lived and worked in Japan, Malaysia and Cambodia. A key theme of Lynn’s work is supporting those marginalized from opportunity to live full and inclusive lives in whatever way that means for them. Her focus is on leading from a values-based position and on working towards a more just society for all.
Lynn has a BA (Hons) from the University of Tasmania, a Bachelor of Education from Edith Cowan University and a Doctorate in Education from the University of Wollongong.
ALASTAIR LAWRIE
Director for New South Wales (he/him)
Alastair Lawrie (he/him) is the Director of Policy and Advocacy at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre. He has a background in public policy, having previously served as Policy and Engagement Manager at Hepatitis NSW, and a ministerial adviser to the Commonwealth Government (2008-2012), as well as positions with Victoria Legal Aid and the Victorian public service.
Alastair has a long history of involvement in LGBTIQ community organisations.
He has been Policy Working Group Chair of both the NSW and Victorian Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobbies, and is currently on the Board of Twenty10, the People and Nominations Committee of Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras and LGBTI Rights Subcommittee of Australian Lawyers for Human Rights.
Alastair’s interests include LGBTIQ mental health, the health impacts of discrimination, and health education in schools. In 2017, he was a finalist for the Tony Fitzgerald Memorial Community Individual Award at the national Human Rights Awards.
BARRY COSKER
Director for Western Australia
Barry Cosker (he/him) is based in Perth, WA. He has extensive experience in senior leadership roles in banking & finance, consultancy, and the community/not-for-profit sector, in both the UK and in Australia.
He is currently the Chair of Living Proud in WA, an incredible organisation that has been supporting the WA queer community for almost 50 years.
Barry has a long-standing commitment to community and charitable causes, particularly in the areas of LGBTIQ+, mental health and disadvantaged youth. Prior to joining the Board of Living Proud he was privileged to lead non-profit organisations both large and small from 100% volunteer-run community enterprises through to large regional organisations with complex funding and service delivery commitments. His NFP experience encompasses both executive and non-executive roles.
Barry has a strong desire to see better outcomes for the rainbow community no matter where people live or work, and he is a passionate advocate for maintaining a strong, stable and effective LGBTIQ+ community-controlled sector.
BERNARD GARDINER
Director for Queensland
Dr Bernard Gardiner has been an LGBTIQ+ activist for decades, and is a ‘78er. He is currently Vice President of the Queensland Council for LGBTI Health, and in the past served as Vice President and later as General Manager of Victorian AIDS Council (now Thorne Harbour Health).
After five years in the Mekong Sub-region, he became the HIV Global Program manager of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies based in Geneva for seven years.
In that role he oversaw the UNAIDS Collaborating Centre for HIV Stigma Reduction (in partnership with GNP+), and a massive scale up of community-based HIV prevention, support, treatment and care programs globally.
Bernard’s work experience includes early childhood education, LGBTIQ+ suicide prevention, primary health care workforce development for sexual health and BBVs, university lecturing and research. His doctorate from University of Queensland explored the lived experience of ageing with HIV across time.
WAYNE HERBERT
Director for the Australian Capital Territory
Wayne is currently the Director of Progress and Property at LEAD Disability Services.
Wayne is an experienced not-for-profit board member, currently serving as Vice President of Meridian, and a board member of Sharing Places Inc. Wayne is also a member of the NDS ACT Territory committee and has previously served as Deputy Chair of the ACT Government LGBTIQ Advisory council and as a member of the ACT Disability Reference Group.
A highly values-driven, ambitious, and outspoken advocate for people with disability and people in the LGBTIQ community, Wayne was a nominee for the 2017 ACT Australian of the Year for services to the disability and LGBTIQA+ communities. Wayne has a proven track record of taking on a strategic leadership role in driving regulatory and organisational change at a local, national, and international level. Wayne takes a unique approach enabling people to embrace change and integrate initiatives that promotes diversity, inclusivity, and respect. Wayne combines comprehensive knowledge of working within peer lead organisations, organisational governance and personal lived experiences to improve how employers conduct their end-to-end recruitment with consideration for people with disability. Possesses a genuine passion for driving positive change in our community and empowering people with a disability to unleash their potential.
Wayne is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
HOLLEY SKENE
Director for South Australia
Holley Skene (she/her) has been a member of the South Australian Rainbow Advocacy Alliance Board since 2017. She has qualifications in governance, public health and psychology.
Holley has a strong interest in building a sustainable, cohesive and well-governed LGBTIQA+ sector. She is a passionate advocate for LGBTIQA+ health and wellbeing, with more than 15 years’ experience working in the sexual and reproductive health, HIV and mental health sectors in South Australia.
Now the CEO of SHINE SA, Holley’s focus is on ensuring health services, policies and responses are LGBTIQA+ inclusive and affirming, and that local, peer-led services are delivered to communities with appropriate and sustainable resourcing.
DARCY GODDEN
Director for Northern Territory
Darcy Godden is a proud descendant of the Kamilaroi and Wonnarua Aboriginal peoples and is a dedicated advocate for community-controlled organisations, prioritising the enhancement of programs and services to address the diverse needs within of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander communities across the Northern Territory. With a wealth of expertise in the health and community sector, Darcy holds the position of Executive Manager of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health at the NT Primary Health Network.
As a passionate executive committed to fostering inclusivity, Darcy serves as the public officer and treasurer of Top End Pride NT Incorporated, a not-for-profit community organisation that celebrates and advocates for the LGBTQIA+ communities across the Top End. Darcy has previously held the role of Chief Executive Officer for Kura Yerlo Incorporated, an Aboriginal community-controlled entity specialising in NDIS, aged care, advocacy, and children’s services, situated on Kaurna Country. His dedication to Kura Yerlo and community-controlled organisations continue, with an ongoing commitment as a Director on Kura Yerlo’s Board of Management.
Darcy's career encompasses pivotal roles in community and Aboriginal health, including serving as the commissioning contract manager for Country SA Primary Health and as a Senior Specialist for the Multiple Sclerosis Society SA & NT. A testament to his commitment to professional development, Darcy holds multiple post-graduate degrees, including a Master of Business Administration, Graduate Diploma of Strategic Leadership, Graduate Certificate in Management, Graduate Certificate in Operational Excellence, and a Diploma of Quality Auditing. He is also a passionate lead and specialist auditor, where he is accredited to assess both national and international standards.