The Meals on Wheels NSW staff are the driving force behind our operations and support across the state. Our team is made up of passionate professionals dedicated to empowering local services and ensuring older Australians receive vital care and connection.

Claudia Odello

Chief Executive Officer

Puvana Thillai Nadesan

General Manager, Corporate Resources

Sarah Thomas

Manager: Network Support, Products and Services

Simone Despoges

Network Support Officer

Kathy Jennings

Network Support Officer

Jenny Rea

Network Support Officer

Sheryl Smith

Network Support Officer

Leesa O'Keefe

Network Support Officer

Denise Chapman (APD)

Network Support Dietitian

Sue Dryden

Engagement & Communications Coordinator

Laura Brooks (APD)

Marketing & Dietetics Coordinator

Liza Torres

Corporate Services Officer

Rezwan Sarker

Administration Officer / IT Liaison

Natalie Tomasiello (APD)

Dietitian

Rachel Brooker (APD)

Dietitian

Avery Koh (APD)

Dietitian

Adrian Dinale (APD)

Dietitian

Eden Rothnie-White (APD)

Dietitian

Genette Chua

Personal Assistant & Dietitian Support

Anushi Jayawardena

Data & Research Officer

Dylan Melnick

Data Insights Officer

The Meals on Wheels NSW Board is our governing body. It comprises a mix of representatives who are elected directly from our membership alongside external members, invited to contribute their special expertise.

Carolyn McColl

Chairperson

Tennille Valensisi

Vice Chairperson

Donna Smith

Treasurer

Graeme Berwick

Secretary

Sharon Lawrence

Board Member

Sue Winnett

Board Member

Professor Kathy Eagar

Board Member

Alan Russell

Board Member

Danielle Reitano

Board Member

Fiona Scott

Board Member

Carolyn McColl

Chairperson

Carolyn has been a dedicated member of the Meals on Wheels NSW Board since 2014, serving as Treasurer, Chair of the Finance and Risk Sub-Committee, and Chair of the Governance Sub-Committee since 2016. In 2017, she also became a Director of the subsidiary company, NSW MOW Ltd, now known as the Positive Ageing and Disability Innovation Hub. Carolyn was appointed Chairperson of the Meals on Wheels NSW Board in 2024, after years of outstanding leadership and contribution.

Carolyn has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer since 1983 in Pambula Merimbula, NSW. In 1988 she joined the Board of the local Meals on Wheels service and in the 1990’s led the amalgamation of 9 services who became Bega Valley Meals on Wheels Co-operative Ltd. Carolyn is currently the Chairman of the Bega Valley Meals on Wheels Co-operative Ltd Board. She is passionate about supporting the community.

Carolyn’s professional background includes extensive experience as a systems analyst in local government, specialising in finance and IT. She has also worked in the finance industry, performing company field audits, served as CEO of a nursing home, and operated her own bookkeeping business, providing services to various companies.

Tennille Valensisi

Vice Chairperson

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.

Donna Smith

Treasurer

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.

Graeme Berwick

Secretary

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.

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.

Sue Winnett

Board Member

Diploma of Front Line Management

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, Domestic Assistance, Personal Care, and Community Transport under the CHSP programme and employs nine workers across the programmes.

Professor Kathy Eagar

Board Member

Professor Kathy Eagar is an Adjunct Professor at the University of New South Wales Australia and at the Queensland University of Technology Australia. She is also the Director of her private consulting, evaluation and advisory company and on the National Suicide Prevention Office Advisory Board.

Professor Eagar has undertaken extensive work in the aged care system over the last two decades. She led the design of the new Australian National Aged Care Classification (AN-ACC) and funding model for residential aged care. She worked as an adviser to the Aged Care Royal Commission and undertook research commissioned by the Royal Commission into the adequacy of residential aged care staffing. She has been working with the Support at Home Alliance in recent years advocating for a transparent and equitable funding model for community aged care.

Alan Russell

Board Member

Alan is the Manager of Eurobodalla Meals on Wheels, a position he has held since 2017. Prior to becoming Manager, he was the President of the Board (2015-2017). Alan was also previously on the Management Committee for Meals on Wheels Queanbeyan (2020-2023). Additionally, he was the Manager of Southern Shoalhaven Meals on Wheels from November 2022 until they merged with Eurobodalla Meals on Wheels in November 2023.

Alan was previously twice President of Batemans Bay Rotary, and is presently Youth and Vocation Director within the organisation. He is also the former Assistant Governor within the District. Additonally, since 2013, Alan has been the Treasurer/Secretary of the Nelligen Recreational Park Board, and is a former National Commissioner of the New Zealand Scout Association.

Alan holds a Bachelor of Education and a Diploma in Teaching, and has extensive experience in leadership within the education field. He is also a certified Justice of the Peace in NSW.

Danielle Reitano

Board Member

Danielle Reitano is the CEO of Newcastle Meals on Wheels and a keen advocate for innovation and ethical governance across the community services sector. Drawing on a background in operations and consultancy, Danielle moved quickly from a consultant role to Operations Manager and then CEO over the past two years, significantly transforming the service.

Her strategic, action-oriented leadership has dramatically improved the organisation, resulting in better financial performance, lower staff turnover, and modernised operational systems via partnerships with digital innovators. Danielle’s collaborative approach focuses on building team capacity and ensuring governance is transparent and aligned with the Meals on Wheels mission. She is committed to delivering strong, future-ready services.

Fiona Scott

Board Member

Vice President – North Shoalhaven Meals on Wheels
Committee Member – Meals on Wheels Queanbeyan
Social Support Volunteer – Eurobodalla Meals on Wheels

Fiona began her work with Meals on Wheels in 2004 at Bega Valley Meals on Wheels and was Manager there for 7 years until 2016, when she joined the Network Support Team at Meals on Wheels NSW.

In her work with Meals on Wheels and other community-based organisations, she has developed a passion for volunteering and a determination to ensure that volunteers enjoy the support and professionalism of their chosen organisation.

2016-2022 Network Support Consultant, Meals on Wheels NSW
In providing network support to member services, Fiona maintained and disseminated up-to-date knowledge of the service system, conveyed that understanding of how changes and developments would affect the member network, and assisted with change management within member services.

As part of a team, she developed strategies to convey changes to the network and advocate concerns about the reforms to funding bodies, including several submissions to government such as Support at Home Reforms and the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.

Other supports developed include templates/plans/operations procedures for member services - this was especially urgent and appreciated during COVID lockdowns. She has supported member services in negotiations with funding bodies/FAMS/Employers Federation.

Fiona has provided Governance training and support – including mediation and conflict resolution, as well as other training for staff and volunteers to meet regulatory requirements