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: 

 Carolyn McColl President & Treasurer
 
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 President 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 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.

 Puvana Thillai Nadesan Secretary
FIPA, Diploma in Business Management

Puvana is an accomplished professional with over 30 years of experience in financial management, human resources, and industrial relations. She has been with Meals on Wheels NSW since November 1994, currently serving as General Manager, Corporate Services. Before this role, Puvana worked as an Accountant at South Sydney Community Centre and held the position of Finance and Personnel Manager at the Polytechnic in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Since migrating to Australia in 1990, she has made significant contributions to her field and is a Fellow Member of the Institute of Public Accountants Australia.

 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.

 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.

 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.

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.
 
 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.

 Dr Donald Alexander Board Member
Dr Donald Alexander is a retired Senior Lecturer in organisational communication and public communication from Charles Sturt University. He holds a law degree from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand; a  Masters in organisational communication from Charles Sturt and Doctor of Philosophy from Charles Sturt. Donald has been engaged with many community organisations over the 14 years he has lived in Bathurst and built strong relationships between those organisations and the university. Donald is also on the committee of management of the Bathurst Seymour Centre and also volunteers with other not for profits in Bathurst.

Sandy Bartlett Board Member
Sandy is a life coach, speaker, author, and community leader. She is the founder of Stairway 2 Dreams, a coaching practise that supports people to step up, stand up, and level up in life. For the past 13 years Sandy has been an active board member at IC Care and has been in the role of Chair on the Board for thelast 3 years. Sandy is passionate about the elderly community of the Picton and surrounding areas and advocates for their needs.

Sandy is an accredited Life Coach, Cognitive Behavioural Therapist, E-DISC Human Analyst and Neuro-Lingusitic Advanced Practitioner. She holds a Diploma in Frontline management, Diploma in Finance and a deep understanding of business after being in the Finance industry for 25+ years.

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.