Our Board
The Meals on Wheels NSW Board is our governing body. It consists of nine representatives who are elected from our membership and three external members, invited to contribute their special expertise.
Our elected Board members are:
Chris Watt President
Chris is the Manager of Tweed Community Support which is the Meals on Wheels service for the Far North Coast Tweed Shire area based in Kingscliff.
He has managed this service since December 2012 having previously being on the Board of Tweed Community Support.
Chris has been on the Board of Meals on Wheels NSW since 2015 and has been President since 2017.
Since 2016 Chris has been the nominated delegate to the Board of Meals on Wheels Australia where he has been Vice President since March 2018.
Tennille Valensisi Vice President
Tennille is the Senior Co-Ordinator at Griffith Meals on Wheels and has been a part of this wonderful service since 2013. During this time, she has developed a strong passion for Community Services and welfare and in 2016 initiated the successful Hampers of Hope program that has, as a snapshot, rescued and redistributed over a course of 24 months, over 167,679 kilograms of Food Waste and have redistributed over 22,500 Hampers which equates to over 335,358 meals for disadvantaged members of the community free of charge, a project that continues to grow.
Prior to her employment at Griffith Meals on Wheels, she was a bookkeeper for a large agricultural property in the Remote NSW town of Carrathool. She was responsible for all financial aspects of the business including Budgets, KPI’s, Accounts Payable and Receivable, Human Resources for a team of 20 and BAS’s. She enjoys challenging herself by continuously updating her education and has recently completed Certificate IV in Community Services, Certificate IV in Business Administration and Certificate IV in Training and Assessment along with numerous Dementia and Mental Health Courses. She is also a certified Justice of the Peace.
Carolyn McColl Treasurer
Carolyn has been a director and member of the board since 2015. She has been treasurer of the board since 2016, Chair of the finance and risk sub committee since 2016, Chair of the Governance sub committee since 2016. Member of the board, director of subsidiary company NSW MOW Ltd. since 2017.
Carolyn is a director/chairman of the board of Bega Valley Meals on Wheels Co-operative Ltd. since 2001, and has been a MOW volunteer since 1988. She has worked as a systems analyst in a senior position with local government covering finance and IT. Worked in the finance industry carrying out company field audits, CEO of a nursing home and self employed as a book keeper to various businesses.
Roger Morris Secretary
BA, MLitt., MEd, PhD, NSW Teachers’ Cert., Grad Dip Ad Ed.
Roger retired as an Associate Professor in the Adult Education at the University Technology, (UTS) Sydney in 2005.
He has been active in a number of other voluntary associations including: Glebe Neighbourhood Centre; Council of the WEA; Sydney Community College; Council on the Ageing (COTA); Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts (SMSA); and the National Board of Adult Learning Australia (ALA).
He was inducted into the International Adult and Continuing Education Hall of Fame in September 2006. He was the first Australian to be so honoured.
On Australia Day 2008, Roger was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his contributions to adult education.
Graeme Berwick Board Member
MBA, Diploma of Financial Services
Graeme has been a Board member since 2005. He is Executive Director of Community Underwriting Agency as well as director of a number of entities that provide consulting services to the insurance and reinsurance industry. He is the former CEO of international insurance broker Willis Australia, previously held executive roles with Marsh and has extensive experience in the insurance industry both in Australia and internationally. Graeme is also a Board member of subsidiary company NSW Meals on Wheels Ltd.
Ditte Kozak Board Member
Ditte has been a Board member since 2015. Ditte is General Manager of Nepean Food Services (Meals on Wheels, Social Support and Registered NDIS provider) and has worked for this organisation in various capacities.
Nepean Food Services has 11 team members and over 500 clients and since the pandemic started, we have been delivering safely 5000 meals per month (an increase of 1000 per month) with an average of 40 new people per month, joining our service as clients. We also have approximately 100 volunteers who support our services. She is now working with Penrith City Council on their Covid Recovery Task Force with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor and other community services.Before Nepean Food Services Ditte has worked as a PR consultant and Manager for Lotto Management Services before it was taken over by the State Government.
Ditte has also worked in PR and marketing for a real estate agent and for a short time for the local Member of the State Government.
Sharon Lawrence Board Member
B.HSc (Nutrition & Dietetics), Cert IV Training and Assessment, Grad Cert Clinical Redesign
Sharon has been a Board member since 2016. She is an Accredited Practising Dietitian with over 25 years’ experience working with and advocating for the nutritional wellbeing of Older Australians in community and hospital settings in regional and rural areas.
Sharon has represented Dietitians Australia on numerous commonwealth committees including the Commonwealth Home Support Program Meal Review Committee, the redesign of the certificate IV in Ageing Support, My Aged Care Co-design Workshops and the National Aged Care Alliance. Further to this, was instrumental in the development of National Meal Guidelines and more recently was Dietitians Australia witness at the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety on the topic of nutrition and hydration.
Julie Logan Board Member
Julie has been a board member since 2015.
She has managed Wagga Wagga Meals On Wheels since 2001. She is passionate about sustaining community services to improve the health and wellbeing of all community members.She recognises the importance of ongoing viability of services and the valuable role a good peak body contributes. She also manages Easy Lifestyle Home Care, which currently runs more than 30 home care packages in a local retirement village.
Donna Smith - Board Member
Donna is the Service Coordinator for Swansea Meals on Wheels.
Donna has been a part of Swansea Meals on Wheels since 2014 and has built up the client base significantly over the years, with senior's forums presentations and giving talks in the community and providing lunches and morning teas in conjunction with other services. This has given Swansea Meals on Wheels a great reputation of being part of the community.
Donna maintains good working relationships with other Meals on Wheels services in the region and is committed to strengthening the network.
Donna has worked in the hospitality Industry for over 40 years, obtaining a Diploma in Hospitality, Diploma in Events Management, Certificate IV in Business Management and a Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment.
She is also a certified Justice of the Peace in NSW.
Peter Gallagher - Board Member
Peter has worked in community services since 2008. His experience includes years of managing disability accommodation, an Aged care service providing CHSP and HCP services and management in the homeless sector with two refuges, and 9 transitional DV houses.
Peter joined Tamworth Meals on Wheels (TMOW) in February 2019.Since he has been with Meals on Wheels he has developed relationships and partnerships with aged care and disability services in Tamworth.
Working with a team of 9 staff and 160 volunteers TMOW operates a kitchen and provides hot, fresh and frozen meals.
With over 350 active clients, they produce and deliver about 120,000 meal items per year.
Peter takes pride in networking with the other Meals on Wheels services. In the New England the larger services support the smaller ones with meals, advice, knowledge and if they have it, expertise.
Peter has 35 years management experience, Human Resources, Quality assurance, Risk assessment, Compliance and Food Safety. Peter has worked with and on Management committees
I boards for 22 years.
Sue Winnett - Board Member
Sue is the Service Manager at Meals on Wheels Holbrook & Greater Hume Area. Sue has worked for Holbrook Meals on Wheels since 2004, commencing as the service coordinator, and at that time the only paid employee. Sue has experienced many changes in the HACC and CHSP field. Sue hopes to be a representative for very small rural and remote Meals on Wheels services, bringing their viewpoint to the Board of MOWNSW, especially through the current round of Aged Care Reforms.
Over the past 19 years Meals on Wheels Holbrook & Greater Hume area has expanded service provision area, initially merging with Walla Walla Meals on Wheels and then moving to provide a meal service across the Greater Hume Council area. They also now provides Social Support, other Food Services and Community Transport under the CHSP programme and employs five workers across the programmes.