Board profiles | QCOSS Annual Report 2023-2024

Board profiles

THE QCOSS BOARD

Matt Gardiner

QCOSS Board Chair

B.Soc.Science(psych), Master Clinical Counselling, Postgrad. Dip. Strategic Leadership, FAIML, MAICD

Adjunct Associate Professor, Matt Gardiner has a career spanning the areas of mental health, primary health, violence prevention, youth justice, counselling, and family law.

He’s passionate about equity and human rights and is experienced guiding organisations through strategic transformation. Matt has a strong focus on impact, and a deep respect for frontline work, shaped by his own background as a practitioner.

He has led major initiatives such as Australia’s first Social Impact Bond, the first Australian Government Payment By Outcomes model, and implemented sector-leading impact measurement frameworks. He is co-founder of the Australian Centre for Child Rights and was Ministerially appointed as an ‘expert advisor’ on the development of the Australian Government’s Blueprint for the Charity and not-for-profit sector. 

Complementing his role at QCOSS, Matt is CEO of Cancer Council Qld, Board Chair at Yourtown (powering Kids Helpline), Treasurer and Chair of Governance & Risk at ACOSS and Adjunct Associate Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Australian Catholic University. 

Rachelle Patterson

Board member (Appointed 15 November 2024)

B.Psychology, M.Suicidology, Master of Health Promotion

Rachelle is the CEO of a medium-sized Community Services organisation, Lifeline Darling Downs & South West Queensland (LDDSWQL), and is responsible for oversight of over 30 community and support programs as well as 12 retail stores. Rachelle has worked in the community services sector for over 30 years in a diverse range of roles, in a variety of urban, regional and remote locations. 

Rachelle has worked extensively as a senior leader and previously as a Director on the QCOSS Board and Kimberley Community Legal Service Board. This has developed Rachelle’s skills and expertise to ensure that she is leading with a strong foundation and enduring ability to support the delivery of high-quality services to regional and remote communities, with a current focus in the Darling Downs and South West Queensland.

Rachelle sees her appointment to the QCOSS Board as a confirmation of her commitment to a sector that improves the lives of people and communities.

Prof. Bronwyn Fredericks

Board member

Dip. T(Sec), B.Educ, M.Educ, M.EducStudies, PhD along with two VET qualifications (Cert IV TAE and a Cert IV in Community Culture)

Bronwyn is a Professor and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) at the University of Queensland (UQ). She was previously the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) UQ and before that the Pro Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Engagement) at Central Queensland University (CQU).

In 2016, Bronwyn was appointed as the Presiding Commissioner with the Queensland Productivity Commission (QPC) to lead the Inquiry into service delivery in Queensland’s remote and discrete Indigenous communities. She worked on the Inquiry into manufacturing, the Inquiry into Imprisonment and Recidivism in Queensland (2019) and the Queensland Recycling Review (2019).

Bronwyn has worked for both state and federal levels of government and has a long history of direct involvement in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-based organisations spanning over 30 years. She was Chairperson of the Bidgerdii Community Health Service for some 9 years, a Director of Anglicare Central Queensland, Link-Up (Qld), has assisted in the establishment of community organisations, and served on numerous community committees in Central Queensland, Ipswich, and Brisbane, and at state and national levels.

Bronwyn is a member of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) Research Advisory Committee, the Beyond Blue National Research Advisory Committee, the Queensland Archives Committee, a judge for some of Queensland’s leading awards, and participates on numerous other Queensland and national annual awards committees. Professor Fredericks has served as a member of the Australian Research Council’s (ARC) College of Experts for two terms, is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Science of Australia (FASSA) and Australian Academy of Humanities (AAH).

Bronwyn is noted for her community-based research and translating research outcomes along with her strong practice-based commitment to social justice and improving Indigenous health, education, and life outcomes.

Kevin Mercer

Board member

B.Com, MBA, GAICD, FCEOI

Kevin Mercer is the CEO of St Vincent de Paul Society Queensland. He joined in February 2019 with more than 30 years of experience in management across a range of sectors, including 10 years in the aged care, community care, disability and retirement living sectors.

Kevin has also held management positions in marketing, business development and logistics in a range of industries including retail, manufacturing, consulting, telecommunications, and energy sectors.

Kevin has served as the Chief Executive Aged and Community Care of Mercy Health Australia and as the Chief Executive Officer of Holy Spirit Care Services.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Canterbury. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the CEO Institute of Australia. Kevin has also completed Catholic Health Australia’s Ministry Leadership Program.

He has a strong sense of social justice and a life-long passion for learning to improve the lives of those experiencing disadvantage. Kevin has been a Director of QCOSS since April 2019.

Linda McClelland

Board member

B. Arts, Grad Cert in Housing Management & Policy, Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management, Diploma of Management, Diploma of Quality Auditing

Linda is a regional member and has worked with and on boards within the not-for-profit sector for over 35 years. As CEO of Hinchinbrook Community Support Centre, she has grown the centre into the lead community service provider in the Hinchinbrook area.

Her organisation’s HUB of community services is not restricted to providing services that are funded, but rather what services her community needs. She is a staunch supporter of regional and rural communities and actively promotes their voice to create change.

At a strategic level, she has contributed to the development of community sector training, the recognition of Queensland neighbourhood centres through regional and state neighbourhood centres networks, and the needs of the housing sector through the Townsville Housing & Homelessness Network.

Lee-Anne Simpson

Board member

B.Arts, B.Business (Mgmt) (Hons), Graduate Certificate in Management

Lee-Anne has held several senior management positions across a range of community service organisations and developed partnerships and networks with a diverse range of stakeholders to deliver collaborative projects. She has worked in both service delivery and policy development across a range of project streams including child protection, domestic and family violence services, family and relationship services and disability services.

Throughout Lee-Anne’s 25-year history working in the community services sector, she remains committed to championing equitable access to services in regional, remote, and rural communities and advocating for community organisations to receive the funding and support they need to deliver them.

Faiza El-Higzi OAM

Board member

PhD, MEdu, MAppSc, BSc (Hons), MAICD, JP(Qual)

Dr Faiza El-Higzi is a distinguished academic and social change advocate with over two decades of experience in advancing equity, inclusion, and community development. Her contributions have been recognised with an Order of Australia Medal and the Queensland Multicultural Award for Outstanding Individual Achievement.

Faiza brings deep expertise in strategic policy and community engagement, shaped by her leadership across the NGO sector and senior advisory roles in state and federal government. Her work spans refugee settlement, youth empowerment, and inclusive policy development. She currently serves as Deputy Chair of the Cultural Inclusion Council at the University of Queensland and advises the Queensland Government on Domestic and Family Violence, Multicultural Affairs, and Health Equity.

As Chair of the Ethnic Broadcasting Association of Queensland, Faiza also champions diverse representation in media. Her academic credentials underpin a visionary approach to systemic change, highlighting the power of inclusive leadership in building resilient, empowered communities.

Alvin Hava

Board member

B.Applied Health Science (Indigenous Health), Advanced Dipl. Management, and Cert IVs in Youth Work, Indigenous Primary Health Care, Assessment and Training and Mental Health

Alvin is the General Manager of Mithangkaya Nguli Young People Ahead Youth and Community Services Indigenous Corporation, based on Kalkadoon Nation in the mining city of Mount Isa, and has been in this role for more than 12 years.

Alvin has a career spanning over 30 years working in the social health and community services sector, with a passion for working with First Nations children, youth and their families to address underlying social determinants to health and wellbeing.

Alvin was previously a Board Director at several Queensland peak bodies, namely the Workforce Health and Community Council, the Youth Affairs Network of Queensland, and more recently with the Queensland Youth Housing Coalition. Alvin is committed to ensuring children and young people’s voices are heard, and that true commitments to have them involved in important decision- making are adhered to and valued, as they are the future leaders of Australia.

Annette Schoone

Company Secretary

GAICD, CPHR

Annette holds the role of Company Secretary. Annette is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds qualifications in Human Resources, Community Service Management, Community Development and Project Management, coupled with more than 25 years’ experience in management and leadership positions, strategy and operations, governance, and service management gained in local government and the not-for-profit sectors.

Aimee McVeigh

Chief Executive Officer

B.Laws, B.Communications, Post Grad Dip in Legal Practice, Master International and Public Law, GAICD

Aimee is QCOSS’ Chief Executive Officer, and a strong advocate for equality, opportunity and wellbeing for all Queenslanders. As a lawyer and human rights advocate, Aimee led the successful campaign for a Human Rights Act for Queensland and was a founding director of Disability Law Queensland.

Prior to joining QCOSS, Aimee worked in various senior and advisory roles, including at the Disability Royal Commission and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Women’s Legal and Advocacy Service.

Aimee has been engaged by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples as a gender advisor and has worked with a number of non-profit organisations in Queensland, including during the Child Abuse Royal Commission.  Aimee was also a state finalist for the 2017 Australian of the Year Awards, and a finalist for the 2019 Australian Human Rights Commission Human Rights Medal.