Jess is a public sector Union Organiser, working each and every day to improve the lives of working people and protecting the public services all Tasmanians rely on.   For over 5 years, Jess has served on the Boards of Playgroup Tasmania and the Child Health Association of Tasmania. Jess has a keen interest in supporting families and public policy relating to child development.   She was also recently elected to serve on West Tamar Council.

Andrea joined the Laurel House Board in 2018. Andrea values social, economic and ethical responsibility by both organisations and individuals. Andrea is also a Board Executive with the Child Health Association of Tasmania. With over 15 years’ experience in the Insurance Industry, working as both a Broker and Loss Adjuster, Andrea has developed professional skills which enable her to manage and mitigate risk which ensure effective and strategic oversight.

Nicole has a background in Finance and Strategic Management and is currently a Board Member at Laurel House and Treasurer of Playgroup Tasmania. She is the founder of the social enterprise mortgage broking firm madLoans which provides home and personal loans across Australia and donates its profits to a range of charities. She is passionate about making a difference for others, particularly in the areas of equity, human rights and neurodiversity, and was inspired to join Laurel House to ensure local Tasmanians had access to the best possible services and support. Nicole has more than twenty years’ experience in business and financial management in a diverse range of organisations including local small business, government, large corporations and not for profits. She has experience in governance, financial and risk management and strategic planning in addition to her broad business skills. Nicole holds a Masters in Financial Planning and a Bachelor of Business, Finance. In her spare time Nicole loves to read and bush walk and is looking forward to taking on the Three Capes Track.

Elise has joined the Board of Laurel House to assist in raising the profile of this vital service. She hopes to ensure that all those in need of sexual assault support are aware of the local services available to them and that they receive an exemplary level of care. Elise brings a broad range of experience to the Board, with over 10 years’ experience in Local Government, including at a senior management level. She now runs her own marketing and branding business, helping businesses across Australia communicate with their customers and clients. Elise has a strong understanding of business strategy, financials and communications. She holds a Bachelor of Business from the University of Tasmania, and enjoys reading and training in a diverse range of topics, from emotional intelligence to the future of digital advertising. Elise loves nothing more than escaping to tropical islands. She also is getting off the grid and exploring Tasmanian with her husband, two young daughters and golden retriever, always making sure they all pack their wetsuits, mountain bikes and hiking boots.

Charlotte is a fully registered Psychologist (since 1995) with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulatory Agency (AHPRA) and has enjoyed a professional and varied career across Australia within the education, health (mental health) and disability sectors with passionate interest and service to rural and remote communities. Charlotte was previously a high school Mathematics teacher, and was worked in School Psychologist roles in NSW and then in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) including in the West Kimberley, working closely alongside Aboriginal communities and their elders to improve mental health outcomes for young people who had experienced trauma. Within Tasmania Charlotte has worked with the Child Development Unit, Tasmanian Autism Diagnostic Service and Mental Health Tribunal. Additionally, Charlotte has successfully run a number of businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector.

Jane is currently the State-wide Manager of the Family Violence Counselling & Support Services (FVCSS) within Department of Communities. She has held that position since 2012. This position entails Jane travelling to all regions of Tasmania and supporting FVCSS work practice and service development and more widely maintaining a community awareness of matters relating to family violence. Jane has held other senior roles including within Student Support Services in the Department of Education (DoE).

Victoria is an experienced social worker who enjoys helping people to achieve their goals for change through identifying barriers to wellness and articulating strategies to overcome and balance these. Victoria is a born and bred Tasmanian, and has lived extensively in rural and remote areas both in Tasmania and the mainland, and understands what it is to live rurally in Tasmania and the complexities and gifts of living in a small community. In her spare time, Victoria likes being at the beach, bushwalking, reading and playing music.

Kelsey is a recognised leader in gender-based violence prevention, having implemented innovative best-practice initiatives at La Trobe University in Australia, and Advance HE, University College London where she led the organisational strategy to address and prevent bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct, and Culture Shift in the UK, where she was the Head of Success and developed a prevention-based strategy for all UK university users of Report + Support. Since returning to Australia in 2021, Kelsey has worked with the Tasmanian Government as a Senior Advisor for Our Watch focusing on primary prevention of gendered violence working across state and local government, education, charities, and sporting clubs. She works as a research assistant for the Gendered Violence Research Network at University of New South Wales, and sits on the Board of Laurel House, a Sexual Violence charity based in Tasmania. Kelsey continues to work as a consultant in Australia and the UK on preventing bullying, harassment and gendered violence in the education, public and private sectors.