Board of Management 2011-2012

Chair

Bill Marchbank

Bill is married to Beth and they have three children:  Lauren (17), Hugh (15) and Hamish (11).  Bill operates his own business, providing commercial, environmental and marketing services to business and government. 

He joined the Board in 2010 and has held the Treasurer's role since then.  At the 2011 AGM he also took on the role of Chair.  Bill is looking forward to continuing to support the association by providing ongoing commercial and financial guidance.

Deputy Chair

Julie Jalawadi

Julie is married to Raj and has two daughters Jessica (16) and Sharon(15).  Julie has worked in the public service for 25 years, mainly in the area of Client Service and Taxation.  Julie met Raj 20 years ago while doing mission work for her church in India.  The family now tries to travel to India every two years to meet with extended family.  Julie is also still involved in mission work.

She has been on the DSWA Board for three years and was in the role of treasurer for two years. Julie has an accounting background and has acted as treasurer with other community organisations in the past.  With two teenage daughters there is very little time for hobbies.  Most spare time is devoted to driving the girls around, shopping with them and helping them with their homework.  However, Julie enjoys reading and cryptic crosswords whenever she can find the time.

Treasurer

Bill Marchbank (see above)

Secretary

Cathy Donovan (see below)

Board Member - Minute Secretary

Sue Seeber

I am currently working as a consultant for the Students With disabilities K-12 Team in the Catholic system.  In this role I look after several schools and help them put in place good programs for our students with disabilities.

I have also taught many students with different disabiilities and am passionate about getting children involved in early intervention programs.

Hopefully I can offer some skills when educating parents, teachers and students so we can have better outcomes for people with Down syndrome.

Board Member

Mike McKevvitt 

Mike is married with 4 children and lives in East Perth.  He is a geologist working for a consultancy in West Perth and has worked in the mining industry for over 20 years in Australia, Africa and Indonesia.  His interest in DSWA is through his son, Jack who is 13 years old, and his primary aim is to give something back to the association after gaining so much from it.  Mike hopes to contribute to the Board through assisting in the development of plans, monitoring of budgets and project targets.

Board Member

Pam Toster

Board Member

Nick Gray

After returning to Perth 8 years ago, Nick joined the Board in late 2011.  He lives with his wife Elise and children Anna (15), Tim (13) and Lucie (9).  Nick and Elise have had the opportunity to directly experience the USA early intervention and integrated education models and programs over four years.  Nick has had experience with charities and non-profit organisations, both in their establishment and their sustainability. 

In respect to work, Nick established and runs a niche management consulting company in Perth after years with Ernst and Young.  He hopes to bring to the Boad financial, operational, governance and commercial management experience in a collaborative and energetic manner.

Board Member

Rob Tilli

Robert is married to Lucy and they have two boys Alex (13) and Marcus (10).  He is a registered builder and a director of Primestyle Homes and has been in the building industry for over 20 years.

Alex has inspired Rob to adopt the attitude that anything is possible in life and that there are no obstacles.  His vision is to assist the board in one day having its own purpose built premises through planning.

 Board Member - Director, Down Syndrome Australia Board

Jackie Softly (see below)

Down Syndrome WA Staff

Executive Officer

Cathy Donovan

Cathy is married to Graeme and they have three sons.  She has been involved in different ways with Down Syndrome WA ever since their youngest, Stephen, was born 21 years ago.  She has been on committees, has coordinated the Hospital Visiting Team and the play group, has run street appeals, creative writing competitions and concerts and has produced the monthly Diary.  Alongside voluntary involvement Cathy commenced working for the association for a few hours a week as office administrator, a role which has grown and developed over the years into the current position of executive officer.  She has always enjoyed hands-on involvement and values the opportunities the job provides for being connected with people with Down syndrome and with families. 

Participating in Down Syndrome WA's Strategic Plan review in 2008 was a very positive experience, which reaffirmed DSWA's core business of supporting families, while shifting the focus on to the person with Down syndrome.  Cathy is committed to contributing to positive outcomes for people with Down syndrome and for families, which is why she has continued to be involved for so long. 

Family Support

Julie Ireland

Julie is married with 3 children and has been involved with Down Syndrome WA for 18 years, since her son Glenn was born in 1991.  Julie and her husband Dennis valued the support they were given at the time and found it reassuring to know that they were not alone, and that there were other people around who had been through this, and were still smiling!

Julie has volunteered in a number of ways over the years including editing the newsletter, as a committee member, talking at schools, and visiting new parents in hospital.  She is currently employed for one day per week to provide family support.  This means that she arranges information and visits for new parents, answers queries on the helpline, refers people to resources that may help and offers a different perspective or alternative strategy to try.

She is also employed for another day per week to provide educational assistance. This may be talking to parents about educational issues or providing strategies to a teacher to help solve a classroom problem.  Over the last few years she has been involved in professional development training for teaching staff, suport workers and medical staff.  What keeps her doing all of this?  The passion to make a difference!  No one is able to give you the exact answer to difficult situations in life, but with enough information, alternative strategies and encouragement, most people are empowered to face those situations head on.

Information and Development

Jackie Softly

- Parent of Tom (26), eldest of our three children, who has Down syndrome
- Founding member of Down Syndrome WA (DSWA) in 1986
- First Coordinator of DSWA from 1991 - 95
- WA Delegate to Australian Down Syndrome Association 1987 - 89
- Australian Down Syndrome Association, National Secretary 1988 – 89
- Project Officer/ Pilot Teleconference Program for isolated families, Australian Down Syndrome Association 1989 – 90
- Member of various committees, steering/reference groups in disability sector over 25 years
- Member of WA Ministerial Advisory Council on Disability 2004 -10
- Chair of WA Ministerial Advisory Council on Disability 2008 – 10
- Board Member WA Disability Services Commission 2008 – 10
- DSWA rep on Down Syndrome NOW research study 2004 to present – Telethon Institute for Child Health Research
- Partner Investigator, National ARC Research Project - The transition from secondary school to adulthood: Experiences and life outcomes for youth with an intellectual disability and their families

Office Coordinator - Bookkeeper

Vanessa Diver

Hi I am Vanessa Diver, I have been married 33 years to Geoff and we have three great kids. We have just embarked on the big “city change” a great and new adventure after living and working on a farm in Yorkrakine for all of our married life. We have left our son in charge of the fourth generation family farm and are just beginning our next chapter. I am your new Office Co-coordinator and book keeper. My first career path was in nursing but with kids and farming taking up a lot of my time I moved into office administration and must admit that I find it both challenging and rewarding. I m looking forward to meeting more members and their family’s and hope that I will be able to make some contribution to Down Syndrome WA. 

Office Assistant - Admin & Accounts