National Board Members
John Brogden (Chairman)
M Public Affairs; MAICD
John re-joined the Board in November 2012 after previously serving from 2009 to 2011. John is the CEO of the Financial Services Council (FSC), which represents Australia's retail and wholesale funds management businesses, superannuation funds, life insurers, financial advisory networks, trustee companies and public trustees.
In 2006 John was appointed CEO of health insurer Manchester Unity, which he successfully merged with HCF in 2008. From 2006 to 2009 John was the Chairman of Abacus Australian Mutuals, the body representing Australia’s credit unions and building societies.
From 1996 to 2005 John was the Member for Pittwater in the NSW Parliament. In 2002, elected Leader of the Opposition – the youngest person ever to hold the role.
John is the Chairman of UrbanGrowth NSW, a Director of NIA Pty Ltd and Chairman of Furlough House Retirement Village. John is also the Patron of Sailability Pittwater, Bilgola Surf Lifesaving Club, Avalon Beach Surf Lifesaving Club. He holds a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Sydney.
Geoff McClellan (Deputy Chairman)
Bec, LLB
Geoff joined the Board in November 2011. He is a Senior Litigation
Partner at one of Australia’s largest law firms, Freehills, where he was
Chairman and Senior Partner of Freehills for six and a half years.
Geoff is widely recognised as one of Australia’s leading commercial
litigators and has extensive experience advising major public companies
across a broad range of significant strategic issues. He brings to the
Board, from both his professional practice and the leadership of a major
law firm, extensive experience in matters of corporate governance,
strategy and organisational change. Geoff is a director of the Australia
Centre for International Commercial Arbitration and a member of the
Chairman’s Council of the ACO. Geoff also Chairs the Board Governance Committee.
Jacinta Munro
Jacinta is a Chartered Accountant with 25 years’ experience with KPMG, with over ten years as Partner. She currently has the dual role of Partner responsible for Regulatory Compliance and Sector Leader for Investment Management & Funds. Her experience spans audit, governance, compliance and risk advisory services and she has extensive experience working with Boards. She is a graduate and member of the AICD, and is a key figure in the investment management industry in Melbourne.
Graham Flower
BA Oxon; Advanced Dip Marketing; GAICD
Graham was elected to the National Board in November 2009 and was Chair between December 2010 and November 2012. He has served on Audit & Risk, Governance and Fundraising & Sustainability Board committees. He brings a breadth and depth of practical experience from marketing, business development and training in blue-chip, international businesses from the manufacturing and service sectors. For the past fifteen years Graham has been a leadership consultant, specialising in employee communication and engagement, building outstanding leadership teams and facilitating organisational change. He is delighted to be involved with Lifeline and takes constant inspiration from the dedication and skills shown by both employees and volunteers. Graham is a Member of Lifeline Tasmania, was President of the Lifeline Hobart Board between 2005 and 2010 and completed the Kokoda Track in 2012 as part of a Lifeline fundraiser, helping to raise $120,000 to fund overnight calls.
Annie Corlett (Services Committee Chair)
BEc Sydney, MAICD
Annie joined the National Board in November 2011. She is currently the President of the University of Sydney Alumni Council, the University’s peak alumni body, where she is also a member of the Executive Committee and Chairs its Regulatory Taskforce. Annie is also Deputy Chair of the External Advisory Committee for the Dept. of Government and International Relations at the University of Sydney.
Annie has had extensive business experience. For much of the 1980’s she was an executive director of two publicly listed mining companies. She has also had a long time involvement in supporting various groups in the not-for-profit sector. Annie has been an accredited Lifeline Telephone Crisis Supporter and is currently a Facilitator and ‘Supervisor on Call’ for Lifeline.
Annie is also a Volunteer Court Supporter/Counsellor for the Homicide Victims Support Group (NSW) and volunteers on the Support Line for this Group.
Richard Bialkowski
B Bus (HR Mgt); M Bus (Gen Mgt); Grad Dip Applied Corp Governance
Richard was elected to the National Board in November 2007. He was a director of Lifeline Canberra from 2001 to 2009 and the board chair from 2004 to 2008. Richard has extensive senior executive and governance experience in community based, not for profit organisations both in Canberra and at a national level, and holds undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications in business management and corporate governance. Richard continues to be actively involved with Lifeline Canberra and the broader community services sector and he recently took up the position of CEO of Home Help Service ACT.
Robyn Clough
Phd (Gender Studies)
Robyn was elected to the Board in November 20011. She was a director of the Board of Lifeline Canberra from 2005 to 2011 and Board President from 2009. Robyn also worked as a Telephone crisis supporter for five years.
Robyn has extensive experience in research and project development across the public, community and private sectors. She commenced her research career with the completion of a PhD in 2002 and has worked across a diverse range of areas including social housing, public sector governance, mental health and police anti-corruption. Since January 2011 Robyn has worked as the Manager, Publi Policy and Thought Leadership, with the Australian Institute of Management NSW & ACT.
Brett Goodridge (Funding and Sustainability Committee Chair)
Tertiary studies in business, finance and administration; MAICD
Brett joined the National Board in 2010 and was re-elected in November 2012. Brett also currently is the Deputy Chair for Lifeline WA. Brett has 35 years of commercial experience at senior management levels in both the private and public sectors.
His career has been characterised by a requirement for ‘organisational change and restructure’ requiring highly developed skills in strategic thinking and planning to ensure the long term viability and profitability of organisations. Brett undertook tertiary business studies at the Western Australian Institute of Technology, now Curtain University.
Bob Gilkes
Bob became Executive Director of UnitingCare Community (previously Lifeline Community Care Queensland) in June 2010. UnitingCare Community is one of the state’s largest community service providers offering Lifeline services, child and family care, counselling, disability support and social inclusion programs across Queensland. It employs 2 500 people and is supported by 5 500 volunteers. Bob came to UnitingCare Community with over 28 years experience in the disability, aged care and community services.
His experience in disability ranges from on-the-ground direct client support to executive levels both within government and NGO’s. He has also had state-wide portfolio responsibility for child protection, youth justice and youth detention, domestic violence support services, out of home care, adoption, sexual assault support services and supported accommodation services for people without a home.
Some of Bob’s previous roles include Director of Organisational Development and Regional Director for Blue Care. He has also worked for Health and Human Services as Director of Child, Youth and Family Support as well as other executive roles within the Tasmanian Government. Bob has a passion for social justice and personally longs for the day when all members of society are valued regardless of their circumstances. He is very committed to finding a way to help ensure that the most vulnerable and disadvantaged people in our community are safe and supported and receive the assistance they need to live with independence, dignity and respect.
Bob strongly values family and is married to his wife Deborah and together they have five children and ten grandchildren. Bob’s personal interests include his family, church and his motorbike as well as working with various community groups in his area to help where he can.