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

Rick Callaghan
Rick is a member of the Neami Finance & Performance, and Strategy, Oversight & Futures Committees. He is an experienced company director in the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors. Rick is an experienced and certified management consultant and managing director.
He is Chairman of the Yaran Business Group.
Committees: Member – Finance & Performance Committee and Member – Strategy, Oversight & Futures Committee
Qualifications: B MGT, Postgrad Dip Gov (Fraud), Fellow – Governors Leaders Foundation, MAICD, MAIMC

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
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 that 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

Di Nally
Qualifications: Bachelor of Social Work.
Di 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: Masters 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.