Our Team

Launch Housing is a community organisation passionately committed to ending homelessness. People are at the heart of everything we do. We have more than 400 staff working across 14 locations in Melbourne and every person contributes their expertise and passion towards ending homelessness. This is what makes us a dynamic, effective and innovative organisation.

Launch Housing is governed by a board of directors with experience in the public, private and community sector.

Our Board

Adam Zaccaria

Adam Zaccaria is currently National Australia Bank Ltd’s Regional Business Bank Executive for Melbourne Central. As a career banker he has lead teams within Corporate & Institutional, Structured Finance, Strategy and Private banking. Supporting a broad range of domestic and offshore clients execute start-up, acquisition, growth and divestment strategies.

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Adam Zaccaria

Chair

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Di White

Current Senior Manager at Ernst and Young, in the Economics, Regulation and Policy Group, having worked extensively with Victorian government agencies across the areas of family violence, justice and human services. Experience in impact and outcomes measurement, service design and strategy.

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Di White

Deputy Chair

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The Hon. Katharine Williams 

Former Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and President of the Forensic Leave Panel. Former Barrister specialising in commercial law. Previously Non-Executive Director of Over 50s Building Society Ltd.

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The Hon. Katharine Williams 

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Natasha French

Current Investment Director at AustralianSuper, former senior leadership roles involved managing multinational development opportunities, strategic portfolio acquisitions, including development funding and implementation strategies, with significant involvement in major developments throughout Asia and Australia.

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Natasha French

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Megan Fletcher

Currently leads own strategic communications consultancy. Previous Executive leadership roles with global ASX-listed Transurban, BHP Billiton and Nufarm. Expertise in corporate affairs, including crisis management, stakeholder relations, brand and employee engagement, and enhancing reputation amongst government, infrastructure, resources and corporate advisory sectors.

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Megan Fletcher

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Carolyn Gale

Current CEO of the Victorian Coroners Court and former Deputy Secretary in the Department of Justice.

Author of the 2002 Victorian Homelessness Strategy.

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Carolyn Gale

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Joel Simmonds

Current partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers with 15 years of experience, specialising in providing assurance services to private companies in the property and construction sectors. Experience includes a two-year secondment to the PwC New York Real Estate Practice.

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Joel Simmonds

Director

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Jill Riseley

Current CEO of the Melbourne Waste and Resource Recovery Group. Former leadership roles with the REA Group, Telstra and Sensis. Masters of Studies in Sustainability Leadership. Member of the Royal Botanic Gardens Board.

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Jill Riseley

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Professor Ron Wakefield

Professor of Construction and Dean, School of Property, Construction and Project Management and Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor, College of Design and Social Context Portfolio RMIT University.

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Professor Ron Wakefield

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Pam White

Former CEO of the State Services Authority, and State Recovery Coordinator in the Department of Human Services. Former CEO to the Victorian Reconstruction and Recovery Authority after the Black Saturday bushfires. Member of the Country Fire Authority and Adult Parole Board.

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Pam White

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Our Senior Leadership Team

Bevan Warner

Experienced leader with past roles in community development, indigenous affairs and industrial relations. Former Managing Director and Board member of Victoria Legal Aid.

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Bevan Warner

Chief Executive Officer

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Laura Mahoney

An experienced leader in strategic planning and business transformation, policy reform and implementation, and the delivery of sophisticated program evaluations and organisation reviews, for both for-purpose and Government organisations. Former Partner at Cube Group.

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Laura Mahoney

Executive Director - Homelessness Solutions and Impact

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Dr Andrew Hollows

Former Deputy Director of Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute (AHURI). PhD in Social Sciences, a Masters of Urban Policy and Planning and a Bachelor of Social Work. Former CEO of the Victorian Local Government Association.

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Dr Andrew Hollows

Chief Officer - People, Planning & Commissioning

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Liz Chappell

Experienced finance professional across chartered, industry, consulting and the not for profit sectors. Value adding and purposeful B.Commerce / CPA with various Senior Executive appointments in a range of contexts, most recently in the cultural sector as Finance Director of the Melbourne Theatre Company.

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Liz Chappell

Chief Financial Officer

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Roberta Buchanan

Roberta has over 25 years of experience in the social housing sector in Australia and the UK, including an MBA and discipline in housing studies. Roberta has extensive experience in urban renewal, tenancy management, regulation, merger integration, community engagement and change management.  Prior to joining Launch Housing, Roberta was the Chief Operating Officer at Housing Choices Australia and Chairperson at the Community Housing Industry Association Victoria. Roberta also leads HomeGround Real Estate Services, Australia’s first social enterprise in real estate management services.

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Roberta Buchanan

Executive Director, Housing Solutions

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Howard Ralley

Experienced marketing and fundraising professional, with past Executive leadership roles with CARE Australia, Youth Support and Advocacy Service (YSAS), Save the Children Australia, and Lonely Planet.

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Howard Ralley

Chief Officer - Partnerships & Engagement

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