Tenancy WA is membership-based organisation, governed by a voluntary Board of Management. Board members are chosen to provide a range of expertise, experience and knowledge and provide strategic direction and support to our team.
We work to strategic and operational plans and provide detailed and regular reports on our achievements to our funders and members. We also produce Annual Reports that can be downloaded from this website.
Board of Management
Nigel Calver, Chairperson
With qualifications in Commerce and Psychology, Nigel has a diverse background in business, training, adventure therapy and not for profit services. For the past eight years Nigel has been an Executive Manager for Centrecare’s community services responsible for managing a variety of refugee and asylum seeker programs, counselling and EAP services, community housing programs and the Family Relationship Centre.
Sue Pethick, Deputy Chairperson
Sue works as Industrial Advocate for a Trade Union focusing primarily on unfair dismissals and workers compensation. She is also Chairperson of the Belmont City College Board; Vice-President of the Belmont Community Group; and President of the BCG Farmers Market Committee. Sue brings 25 years of experience in governance of school and community based not for profit organisations. Sue has seen the shift from predominately owner occupied dwellings to rental dwellings in her own community and believes that security of tenancy and affordable rents are the two key issues facing tenants in WA.
Mitchell Skala-Brown, Treasurer
Mitchell is a Manager working with one of the big four private clients tax division, providing tax compliance and advisory services for high net worth family groups, SME’s, small-cap listed companies and not-for-profits. His volunteer experience includes treasury and advisory roles with a number of local charities.
Wendy Murray, Member
Wendy is dynamic, enthusiastic and committed to integrity in organisational management and services and to making a positive contribution to the community. She is a proven leader who has achieved significant outcomes in complex policy environments and in areas of constrained resources. With over fifteen years in senior executive roles in justice, disability, local government and crime prevention she is experienced at creating and managing high performing teams of 50 plus FTE to deliver state-wide services and managing significant budgets. She has a collaborative approach with a history of effective stakeholder engagement and community consultation across multiple areas of human services and has been responsible for a number of innovative projects that were designed in response to community needs.
Loraine Abernethie, Member
Loraine is Principal of DWB Advisory, bringing to the role considerable expertise, skills and knowledge developed through her work as a researcher, report writer, performance auditor and academic. Prior to starting her own business Loraine was a Principal Research Officer for the Legislative Assembly of the Parliament of Western Australia, a position she held for over ten years. Before working for parliament Loraine was Senior Lecturer and Postgraduate Work Placement Programme Coordinator in the Murdoch Business School, and a Lecturer and Programme Coordinator in the School of Social Sciences at Murdoch University. Her commitment to social justice is demonstrated through her volunteer experience, which currently includes being secretariat for the WA IHL Advisory Committee of the Australian Red Cross. She has also been the Chair of a disability services organisation; an Independent Prison Visitor for the Inspector of Custodial Services; and a Lay Member of the Armadale Health Service Ethics and Research.
Dr Lesley Van Schoubroeck, Member
Lesley is committed to promoting fairness and social justice using her skills and experience in the public sector to inspire change as a board director and consultant in the community sector and a sessional lecturer in the QUT Public Sector Management program. Prior to leaving the public sector in 2017, Lesley was the foundation Mental Health Commissioner in Queensland. Previously, she led significant reforms in the Western Australia public sector in central and human service agencies after starting out as a maths teacher. Lesley’s doctorate from Griffith University explored factors impacting on the success of interagency reforms of Geoff Gallop’s Government. She is a graduate of the Institute of Company Directors.
Courtney Barron, Member
Courtney Barron is a senior executive in the Western Australian Government. With a legal and policy background, she has 11 years experience in a range of Government agencies, and is currently the Director of Cabinet Services. Courtney was raised in Bunbury, Western Australia and brings to the board lived experience of the public housing sector. Courtney holds a Bachelor of Laws, a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) and a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.