ACOSS Staff
- Clare Martin | Chief Executive Officer
A strong advocate for the community services sector, Clare was appointed ACOSS CEO in November 2008. Clare was the Northern Territory's Chief Minister for over six years, leading the Territory's first ever Labor Government. Clare was the Labor Member for the electorate of Fannie Bay for 13 years and was Opposition Leader in the Northern Territory Parliament from 1999 to 2001.
Clare is a Director of the National Roundtable of Not for Profit Organisations; and is appointed to the Federal Government's Community Response Task Force. Clare is a member of the University of New South Wales' Social Policy Research Centre Advisory Committee. She is also a Board member of The Climate Institute, Griffith Institute for social and behavioral research, Somerville Community Services and the Woolworths Corporate Responsibility Panel.
- Ellen Adele | Policy Officer | Community Services and Health
Ellen has been with ACOSS since the beginning of 2009. Prior to this, Ellen worked for three years at the NSW Federation of Housing Associations, and in the NSW Cabinet Office for three years. Ellen completed her honours year in social policy at Sydney University, and is currently studying post-graduate economics.
- Dr Tessa Boyd-Caine | Senior Policy Officer | Community Services, Health, Social Inclusion and Sector Development
With a background in criminology and human rights, Tessa's previous work includes the impact of the UK's Human Rights Act 1998; corporate social responsibility; anti-terrorism laws in the Commonwealth of Nations (for the CHOGM, Uganda, 2007); forensic mental health in NSW; and public education about criminology. Tessa joined ACOSS in 2009. She has a PhD from the London School of Economics, examining the public protection agenda and the release of mentally disordered offenders. Her book on this subject will be published in 2010.
- Craig Bulley | Personal Assistant to the CEO
Craig joins ACOSS from the Network of Alcohol and other Drugs Agency where he worked providing communications, design and project and executive support. He has a background in university administration, has been a board member of community organisation Radio Skid Row, was a producer of Workers Radio from 2005 to 2008, and also managed 2NCR in Lismore. He has many years experience in print production, NGO administration and events coordination. Craig is the first point of contact for Clare Martin, (including to book meetings and speaking engagements) and Board administration.
- Clare Cameron | Media and Communications Officer
With over ten years' experience in media and strategic communications, Clare has worked across a number of sectors including for national corporates and non-profits, such as housing, homelessness and children's organisations. Clare joined ACOSS in 2008 to manage media relations and communications. Clare has also worked as a journalist and holds a BA Communications (Hons). She is currently studying a Masters of strategic public relations and public policy.
- Peter Davidson | Senior Policy Officer - Employment, Economics & Tax, Social Security
A recognised expert in social security , employment and tax policy, Peter 's research and policy interests include employment assistance, the labour market and unemployment, income support, poverty research, taxation and superannuation policy. He has served on a number of Government advisory bodies and contributed to major reform efforts in these areas. ACOSS publications prepared by Peter cover such topics as reform of the personal income tax system, an analysis of tax concessions for superannuation and proposals to make them fairer, and reform of employment assistance for long term unemployed people. He is currently undertaking a Masters in social policy at the UNSW Social Policy Research Centre.
- Penny Dorsch | Librarian/Researcher
Penny is responsible for the ACOSS research library, which contains around 10,000 items, both electronic and print. She also undertakes varied research tasks. Before she joined ACOSS, Penny worked in Information Services at Fairfax Media and as a consultant for the National Parks Association. She has an MA (Information Management) from the University of Technology in Sydney, and is an Associate of the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA).
- Al Parmeter | Memberships, Events and Office Manager
Al manages membership relations and events, including the ACOSS National Conference. He also oversees the general coordination of the office. Al completed a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in sociology and politics in 2005 and after taking some time off to travel he began working at ACOSS in 2007.
- Ray Pedley | Accounts Officer
- Jacqueline Phillips | Policy Officer - Housing, Indigenous and Social Security
Jacqui Phillips has been a Policy Officer at ACOSS since February 2008 working on housing, social security, Indigenous and law and justice policy issues. Prior to working at ACOSS, Jacqui was a policy officer at ACTCOSS. Jacqui has a Combined Arts/Law degree from the University of Sydney and a Masters in Law from McGill University. Before joining the COSS network, Jacqui worked as an associate and researcher for a judge in the Federal Court of Australia.
- Amy Simmons | Personal Assistant to the CEO
- Tony Westmore | Senior Policy Officer - Energy and Climate Change
Tony's work at ACOSS is focused on issues affecting low income households in the national energy markets, including regulation of retail customer matters, affordability, energy efficiency and amenity, the roll-out of smart meters and climate change and related policy responses. Tony has worked for non-government, not-for-profit organisations for twenty-five years, mostly in legal services, public policy and research.
