Board of directors
Ruth Faulkner
Ruth was elected as the chair in 2023. She is a chartered accountant and a chartered accountant risk specialist. Ruth has more than 20 years experience working in governance, finance, audit and risk in the not-for-profit, government and commercial sectors.
She is a Principal of Conus Business Consultancy Services.
Committees: Member – Audit and Risk Committee and Member – Nominations & Remuneration Committee
Qualifications: BSc (Hons), CA, GAICD, CA Risk Specialist
Tony Nippard
Elected to the board in 2014. He chairs the Neami Audit & Risk Committee. An experienced company director in the not-for-profit and public sectors, Tony has previously held senior positions in the Victorian public service.
Tony is a Principal at Thoughtpost Governance.
Committees: Chair – Audit & Risk Committee and Member – Finance & Performance Committee and Member – Nominations & Remuneration Committee
Qualifications: BCom (Hons), BA, MA, FGIA, FCIS, FCHSM, FAICD
Leesa Chesser
Leesa is a non-executive Director with the Australian Physiotherapy Association, Community Options Australia and a mentor. She is an alum of the Australian Institute of Company Directors Chair’s Mentoring Programme and a fellow with the Salzburg Global Seminar.
Committees: Chair – Nominations & Remuneration Committee and Member – Audit & Risk Committee and Member – Finance & Performance and Member – Quality, Safety & Clinical Governance Committee
Qualifications: MAICD
Dr Shaymaa Elkadi
Dr Shaymaa chairs the Neami Strategy, Oversight & Futures Committee. She is a skilled strategist with more than 15 years of expertise in leading organisational and service transformation and reform.
Dr Shaymaa is Executive Manager, Strategy and Program Integration at Foundation House.
Committees: Chair – Strategy Oversight & Futures Committee and Member – Audit & Risk Committee and Member – Quality, Safety & Clinical Governance Committee and Member – Nominations & Remuneration Committee
Qualifications: Exec Master PA, PhD Psychology
Fiona Nicholls
Fiona chairs the Neami Finance & Performance Committee. She has 31 years of Commonwealth Government experience in health and social welfare policy, project management and administration. This includes nine years in the Senior Executive Service focussing on quality and accountability in aged care and system reform in mental health services.
Committees: Chair – Finance & Performance Committee; Member – Strategy, Oversight & Futures Committee; and, Member – Nominations & Remuneration Committee
Qualifications: BA Welfare Studies, MHSS, GAICD
Silvio Pontonio
Silvio chairs the Neami Quality, Safety & Clinical Governance Committee. He has extensive experience as a health service program lead and executive director across Australia and the NHS in the UK. Silvio has worked extensively in developing new and substitution programs in public, private and mental health settings.
He is currently the Director of Health Nexus Consulting.
Committees: Chair – Quality, Safety & Clinical Governance and Member – Strategy Oversight & Futures Committee and Member – Nominations & Remuneration Committee
Qualifications: BA (Hons), BSW, MASc, MAASW, AFCHSM
Ryan D’Lima
Ryan has a decade of dedicated service in the consumer and lived experience sector. This is across private mental health hospitals, frontline peer roles, public mental health, and involvement at both state and national levels.
Ryan is the Lived Experience Coordinator at Southern NSW Local Health District.
Ryan says he joined the Neami Board: “To contribute towards the governance of one of Australia’s largest mental health providers that is instrumental towards furthering the recovery of consumers, whilst drawing from my personal lived experience and lived experience expertise.”
Committees: Member – Finance & Performance Committee and Member – Quality, Safety & Clinical Governance
Qualifications: B Bus, Exec MBA
Fiona Bennett
Fiona is a Certified Practising Accountant with extensive experience in financial management, governance, audit, and risk management in listed companies, NSW government and banking. She lives in Central West NSW and is passionate about equity of access to healthcare.
Fiona is Chair of Australian Mutual Bank Ltd and Deputy Chair of Western NSW Local Health District.
Fiona says: “I was motivated to join the Neami Board as I wish to contribute to healthcare for our communities, and I was impressed by Neami’s evidence-based approach to delivering its services.”
Committees: Member – Finance & Performance Committee and Member – Quality, Safety & Clinical Governance
Qualifications: B Bus, CPA, GAICD
Jane Stanton
Jane is a Chartered Accountant and risk management specialist with 20 years’ experience in senior risk management, internal audit, and finance roles within the financial service sector. Jane has significant experience in the design, implementation, embedding and oversight of risk management, conduct and culture, assurance, and governance frameworks.
Jane is Partner in Grant Thornton’s risk consulting practice.
Jane’s expresses her purpose for joining the Board: “Accepting that I would never recover from my chronic mental illness but that with the right strategies and support it could be managed was a turning point in my life. Enabling this is Neami’s purpose.”
Committees: Member – Audit & Risk Committee and Member – Finance & Performance Committee
Qualifications: Fellow, Chartered Accountants Australia and New South Wales, Graduate, AICD Directors’ Course, Member, Institute of Internal Auditors
Neami Limited Board charter
The board of directors make sure the organisation carries out its duties as a charity. They also ensure the organisation is doing what is best for employees, the people who use Neami’s services, and the people who support us.
Neami is regulated by the Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC) and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC).
Executive leadership team
Tom Dalton
Qualifications: Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Law, Executive Masters of Public Administration.
Tom, supported by the leadership team, determines the future direction of Neami. He is responsible for all major decision making and reports to the board of directors.
Kim Holmes
Qualifications and memberships: GAICD; MBA; BSW; Grad Cert Public Sector Management; Harvard Business School Authentic Leadership.
Kim oversees national service delivery and operations across our Therapeutic Supports services and Mental Health Hubs.
Helene Nielson
Qualifications and memberships: Bachelor of Social Work, Advanced Diploma of Community Sector Management
Helene oversees national service delivery and operations across our Community Supports & Wellbeing and Safety & Homelessness services.
Tony McNamara
Qualifications: MIPA, AFA, MAICD, Executive Masters of Public Administration, Advanced Diploma of Accounting.
Tony oversees Information Technology, Finance, People Capability & Culture, Learning and Development, and Payroll.
Elisabeth Tuckey
Qualifications: Masters of Communication, Cranlana Executive Colloquium.
Elisabeth oversees the Research and Evaluation, Engagement, Opportunities, Strategy and Development, and Design, Participation and Inclusion, progress on our Reconciliation Action Plan, organisational strategy and business planning and internal Change Management.
Lauren Peta King
Qualifications: BAppSci(NucMed), LLB, GradCertEmpLaw
Lauren oversees the legal, risk and assurance and governance functions.
National leadership team
James Bell
Qualifications: Master of Social Work, Bachelor of Social Work, Diploma of Government & Certificate IV leadership and management
James oversees services related to suicide prevention, family violence support, young people and homelessness.
Karen Thomas
Qualifications: Diploma of Community Services, Advanced Diploma of Community Services Management, Management/Leadership Post Graduate Certificate in Business (Public Sector Management) – current
Karen oversees services that walk alongside people to support them with holistic, community models of care.
Nicole Jolly
Qualifications and memberships: Master of Business Administration; Directorship GAICD; Bachelor of Social Work
Nicole oversees services that provide therapeautic support for individuals experiencing mental health challenges.
Peter Warden
Qualifications and memberships: Advance Diploma of Community Sector Management, Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs Work
Peter oversees our hubs for people experiencing distress to access free support, including their families or carers.
Join the team
We’d love you to join one of Australia’s largest and most innovative mental health providers and be supported to thrive.
Explore Neami
Founded in 1986, we have grown to a 1500+ strong team supporting 38,000 people living with mental health challenges across Australia.
We walk alongside people to help improve their quality of life, on their terms.