The Team
Rita Gatenby
Chairperson
Rita has personally been involved in the care industry at a management level for over fifteen years in both Australia and New Zealand.
Having personally supported many families through the process of transitioning a loved one to a care placement; by listening too and understanding the needs of each individual client. Rita comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience across the Australian aged care sector. She also brings great expertise in event management, marketing and relationship building.
Patricia 'Paddi' Creevey OAM
Vice Chairperson
Freeman of the City of Mandurah
BA Social Work.
30 years experience in Health and Community Health
Councillor City of Mandurah 12 years
Mayor City of Mandurah 8 years
Chair and Member of a number of State and Commonwealth Boards
Former Chair Peel Development Commission
Currently Board member of Peel Harvey Catchment Council and The Makers
Inducted into the Womens Hall of Fame
Marie Scott
Secretary
Marie moved to Mandurah four years ago and has since been actively involved in the local community. With over 40 years of experience in charitable work and volunteering, she serves on community boards and supports various causes. Prior to retiring, Marie owned and was the Principal of her own financial planning business and worked at Management level in both Commonwealth and local government, bringing leadership and strategic insight to her roles. Since retiring, she chose to focus entirely on community service. Passionate about family, community engagement, and water activities, Marie continues to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others
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Nicole Quigg
Treasurer
In recent years Nicole has developed a passion for working with charities after she commenced her Accounting role within local government and an arts not-for-profit organisation. Volunteering with WestAus further allows Nicole to apply her managerial and financial expertise within the charity sector.
Nicole holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and is a Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia. She has over 30 years extensive experience in the financial arena with exposure to a variety of industries, small to medium-sized businesses, and large international publicly-listed companies.
Outside of work Nicole enjoys spending time with family and friends in and around the water.
Sandy Harvey
Chief Executive Officer
For more than 25 years, Sandy has had a diverse background in executive leadership fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. Sandy brings a unique and fresh outlook to WestAus Crisis & Welfare Services. With her passion for working with community, Sandy’s been involved in several local organisations and strongly believes in exploring new ways in which a positive impact can be extended. Sandy is excited to continue driving the growth of WestAus Crisis & Welfare Services and deliver exceptional value to our stakeholders as well as meaningful change to our community while bringing a unique and fresh outlook to the organisation.
Terri Coughlin
Committee Member
Teresa [Terri] Coughlin, M.S.W., PSM.
Now retired, Terri provided Social Work services to the Peel region for more than 25 years. With other local welfare workers Terri was involved in setting up services badly needed by the Region including Pat Thomas House Womens Refuge; Allambee Sexual Assault Counselling Service and the Christmas Appeal to assist residents at Christmas. Terri has been involved on the Board of Westaus for more than 20 years.
Roger Hughes
Committee Member
A values driven leader who is passionate about getting the best out of people and serving the community to build a better life for all.Senior Executive, Director and Consultant with over 20 years’ experience advising Boards and Executive of ASX listed companies, private entities, not-for-profits and government agencies to deliver positive change in culture and performance.
Mayor Amber Kearns
Committee Member​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Amber Kearns is a passionate advocate for social justice, dedicating over 25 years to working in the community sector in Mandurah. With a strong understanding of good governance, Amber believes in the importance of transparent and accountable decision making processes to ensure the well-being of the community. She has been serving our community as a Mandurah City Councillor since 2021 and has completed a Diploma in Local Government, further enhancing her knowledge and skills in effective governance.
In addition to her role as City Councillor, Amber actively contributes to the community through her involvement in multiple not-for-profit and community boards, including Peel Community Kitchen, Allambee and Greenfields Primary School.
Amber Joins the board as the chaplain of Mandurah Primary School, where she utilises her lived experience and extensive knowledge in crisis care and intervention to support those in need.
Lynn Rodgers
Committee Member​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Justine Hansen
Committee Member​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
