Meet Toora's Board
Governance
Toora Women Inc. is a not-for-profit governed by a Board and a Constitution.
Our Board
The Board is responsible for the governance of Toora. The Board sets the strategic direction and is responsible for ensuring the continued financial and legal stability of the organisation.
The independent board includes professionals with skills and expertise in financial management, law, marketing, policy development, community services, and works to support the organisation to achieve its vision and mission. The Board is committed to strong governance, community engagement, advocacy and empowerment for those in our community who require support.
Brooke McKail
Board Chair
Brooke joined the Board in 2022. She has extensive experience in community service organisations management and in policy and advocacy roles. She brings with her knowledge of best practice community sector governance and risk management.
She has served as Chair and Deputy of several other not-for-profit boards, in the ACT and Victoria, including in the community legal, women’s health, asylum seeker and early learning sector.
Brooke recently returned to Canberra with her young family, after a decade away and is looking forward to the opportunity to support women and children to grow and thrive in our community.
Danielle Young
Deputy Chair
Danielle is a highly experienced board director with a successful track record in supporting women’s organisations in the not-for-profit sector.
With over 10 years’ board experience, she has a strong background in organisational governance and has a demonstrated commitment to the specific needs of women. Professionally, Danielle works to deliver large scale change management programs and is known for her collaborative style and her outcomes focused approach for finding solutions. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she has been highly involved in advocating for women who have suffered sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices.
Danielle is looking forward to bring her skills and experience to the role of deputy chair and looks forward to contributing to the success of Toora Women.
Kellie Friend
Chief Executive Officer
Kellie is a passionate leader dedicated to influencing system level social change.
With over 20 years experience spanning across public, commercial and not for profit sector environments, Kellie has expertise in leadership and organisational transformation and growth.
A recipient of an Australia Day commendation for innovation and improvement, Kellie has lead enterprise wide initiatives resulting in sustained business viability and evidenced based services and programs supporting people health and wellbeing.
A for purpose leader with the objective of listening to and elevating the voices of those with lived experiences to inform better social outcomes and alleviate disadvantage.
Ruth Hilton-Bell
Treasurer
Ruth is a dedicated Chartered Accountant focused on delivering meaningful and strategically focused financial management. She has over 20 years’ experience having started her career in Sydney with a big four accounting firm. Ruth has experience working with varying entities from listed companies to not-for-profit organisations. In addition to her financial expertise Ruth has management and governance experience at a senior level in the not for profit sector having held long term positions. Most recently as CFO of Community First Development, a First Nations led community development and research organisation and charity.
As a feminist and advocate for recipient led solutions, Ruth is looking forward to participating as the Treasurer of Toora Women Inc, having been appointed to the Board in December 2022.
Rachel Saffron
Secretary
Rachel has deep expertise in corporate governance, with extensive experience as Company Secretary at various Australian financial institutions. Over the course of her career, she has also worked across a range of legal, strategy and operations roles.
Rachel has degrees in Law and Political Science from the Australian National University and professional qualifications from the Governance Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Robyn Bicket
Community Board Member
Robyn joined the Board in November 2020. She is a former Commonwealth Government Senior Executive and Chief Counsel at Human Services and Immigration and Citizenship.
Her public service career in law, policy and service delivery included representing Australia in the UK and Geneva (Australian Mission to the UN).
She led Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program from 2002 to 2005. Now retired Robyn provides legal policy consulting, training and coaching services on topics of specific interest including disability justice, domestic violence, administrative law, leadership and resilience (particularly for lawyers).
Robyn was among the many women lawyers interviewed for the Trailblazing Women in the Law oral History project. https://www.womenaustralia.info/lawyers/
Janelle Rowswell
Board Member
Janelle is a proud Gamilaroi and Yuwaalaraay woman and has a passion for Indigenous and women’s rights. She is an experienced professional with a diverse skill set, including people management, leading complex investigations and engaging with diverse stakeholders. Recently retired, her successful career in law enforcement ensures strong integrity, working within rigid compliance and utilising best practice frameworks to deliver successful outcomes.
Janelle holds a Bachelor of Business Management, Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies) and Advanced Diploma in Police Investigations.
Aletana Ajulo
Board Member
Aletana is incredibly passionate about cultural integration, gender security and holistic care for marginalised communities in Australia. She studied a double degree at the Australian National University in a Bachelor of International Security Studies and a Bachelor of Psychology (2023).
Within her international security studies degree, her passion for health, gender, development and diplomacy led her to complete a minor in peace and conflict studies. Her passion for accessible mental health care led her to study several cross-cultural and wellbeing psychology courses.
Aletana has experience in non-profit organisations such as Oaktree, Headspace and Young Australians in International Affairs where she is currently the Canberra Events lead. She is now employed in a graduate position at the ANU National Security College. She believes that her studies and volunteering experiences have equipped her to be involved with and learn from the work that is done at Toora.
Cathi Moore AM
Board Member
Cathi has had extensive experience at senior executive level in public administration, both in social policy and program management areas. She has substantial expertise in housing policy and programs, women’s services and purchasing and contracting. Cathi has worked at Local, State and Commonwealth levels and in the not for profit sector.
Cathi also has had extensive board and volunteer experience in the government non-government sector at Community Housing Canberra, former ACTION, ACOSS, ACTCOSS, National Shelter and the YWCA’s of Australia, Canberra and Darwin. Cathi has for many years been an activist in women’s services and policy issues.
Cathi has a BA in Social Science.
Governance
Toora Women Inc. is a not-for-profit governed by a Board and a Constitution.
Our Board
The Board is responsible for the governance of Toora. The Board sets the strategic direction and is responsible for ensuring the continued financial and legal stability of the organisation.
The independent board includes professionals with skills and expertise in financial management, law, marketing, policy development, community services, and works to support the organisation to achieve its vision and mission. The Board is committed to strong governance, community engagement, advocacy and empowerment for those in our community who require support.
Brooke McKail
Board Chair
Brooke joined the Board in 2022. She has extensive experience in community service organisations management and in policy and advocacy roles. She brings with her knowledge of best practice community sector governance and risk management.
She has served as Chair and Deputy of several other not-for-profit boards, in the ACT and Victoria, including in the community legal, women’s health, asylum seeker and early learning sector.
Brooke recently returned to Canberra with her young family, after a decade away and is looking forward to the opportunity to support women and children to grow and thrive in our community.
Danielle Young
Deputy Chair
Danielle is a highly experienced board director with a successful track record in supporting women’s organisations in the not-for-profit sector.
With over 10 years’ board experience, she has a strong background in organisational governance and has a demonstrated commitment to the specific needs of women. Professionally, Danielle works to deliver large scale change management programs and is known for her collaborative style and her outcomes focused approach for finding solutions. In addition to her professional accomplishments, she has been highly involved in advocating for women who have suffered sexual exploitation, human trafficking, slavery and slavery-like practices.
Danielle is looking forward to bring her skills and experience to the role of deputy chair and looks forward to contributing to the success of Toora Women.
Kellie Friend
Chief Executive Officer
Kellie is a passionate leader dedicated to influencing system level social change.
With over 20 years experience spanning across public, commercial and not for profit sector environments, Kellie has expertise in leadership and organisational transformation and growth.
A recipient of an Australia Day commendation for innovation and improvement, Kellie has lead enterprise wide initiatives resulting in sustained business viability and evidenced based services and programs supporting people health and wellbeing.
A for purpose leader with the objective of listening to and elevating the voices of those with lived experiences to inform better social outcomes and alleviate disadvantage.
Ruth Hilton-Bell
Treasurer
Ruth is a dedicated Chartered Accountant focused on delivering meaningful and strategically focused financial management. She has over 20 years’ experience having started her career in Sydney with a big four accounting firm. Ruth has experience working with varying entities from listed companies to not-for-profit organisations. In addition to her financial expertise Ruth has management and governance experience at a senior level in the not for profit sector having held long term positions. Most recently as CFO of Community First Development, a First Nations led community development and research organisation and charity.
As a feminist and advocate for recipient led solutions, Ruth is looking forward to participating as the Treasurer of Toora Women Inc, having been appointed to the Board in December 2022.
Rachel Saffron
Secretary
Rachel has deep expertise in corporate governance, with extensive experience as Company Secretary at various Australian financial institutions. Over the course of her career, she has also worked across a range of legal, strategy and operations roles.
Rachel has degrees in Law and Political Science from the Australian National University and professional qualifications from the Governance Institute of Australia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Robyn Bicket
Community Board Member
Robyn joined the Board in November 2020. She is a former Commonwealth Government Senior Executive and Chief Counsel at Human Services and Immigration and Citizenship.
Her public service career in law, policy and service delivery included representing Australia in the UK and Geneva (Australian Mission to the UN).
She led Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Resettlement Program from 2002 to 2005. Now retired Robyn provides legal policy consulting, training and coaching services on topics of specific interest including disability justice, domestic violence, administrative law, leadership and resilience (particularly for lawyers).
Robyn was among the many women lawyers interviewed for the Trailblazing Women in the Law oral History project. https://www.womenaustralia.info/lawyers/
Janelle Rowswell
Board Member
Janelle is a proud Gamilaroi and Yuwaalaraay woman and has a passion for Indigenous and women’s rights. She is an experienced professional with a diverse skill set, including people management, leading complex investigations and engaging with diverse stakeholders. Recently retired, her successful career in law enforcement ensures strong integrity, working within rigid compliance and utilising best practice frameworks to deliver successful outcomes.
Janelle holds a Bachelor of Business Management, Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Studies) and Advanced Diploma in Police Investigations.
Aletana Ajulo
Board Member
Aletana is incredibly passionate about cultural integration, gender security and holistic care for marginalised communities in Australia. She studied a double degree at the Australian National University in a Bachelor of International Security Studies and a Bachelor of Psychology (2023).
Within her international security studies degree, her passion for health, gender, development and diplomacy led her to complete a minor in peace and conflict studies. Her passion for accessible mental health care led her to study several cross-cultural and wellbeing psychology courses.
Aletana has experience in non-profit organisations such as Oaktree, Headspace and Young Australians in International Affairs where she is currently the Canberra Events lead. She is now employed in a graduate position at the ANU National Security College. She believes that her studies and volunteering experiences have equipped her to be involved with and learn from the work that is done at Toora.
Cathi Moore AM
Board Member
Cathi has had extensive experience at senior executive level in public administration, both in social policy and program management areas. She has substantial expertise in housing policy and programs, women’s services and purchasing and contracting. Cathi has worked at Local, State and Commonwealth levels and in the not for profit sector.
Cathi also has had extensive board and volunteer experience in the government non-government sector at Community Housing Canberra, former ACTION, ACOSS, ACTCOSS, National Shelter and the YWCA’s of Australia, Canberra and Darwin. Cathi has for many years been an activist in women’s services and policy issues.
Cathi has a BA in Social Science.