Our People
Uplifting Australia has an innovative and dedicated team, committed to achieving our mission to strengthen the emotional wellbeing and resilience of children and families.
Garry Thompson
Garry Thomson
CEO
Garry Thomson is a social entrepreneur who is passionate about inspiring families having spent over 25 years in the family development sector from a grassroots perspective all the way to executive management in both the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors.
Some of his previous roles have included Project Management for the National Communities for Children initiative in the Northern Rivers. This program delivered services to communities and families and is now a best practice collaboration framework that receives significant government funding. He was also the past COO of the Pathways Foundation, and a consultant to many children and family development organisations around the country where he specialised in program and strategic development. Garry has also co-developed and run conscious leadership training to senior executives from some of Australia’s largest companies including Macquarie Bank, AMP, and Lion.
Garry is a gifted group facilitator, an international public speaker and author, and an experienced executive. He continues to take a mission lead approach to delivering social change. He is responsible for leading and implementing Uplifting Australia’s vision for a new generation of inspired and emotionally together young men and women.
Garry is a loving father to two beautiful children and is happily married. He lives by the philosophy that success begins at home and prides himself on the loving and authentic connections he has with his family.
Garry is a loving father to two beautiful children and is happily married. He lives by the philosophy that success begins at home and prides himself on the loving and authentic connections he has with his family.
Di Bowles
Di Bowles
Fundraising Manager
Di is an experienced marketing, fundraising and engagement leader. Di has worked with both non-profit and for profit organisations which has provided her a deep understanding of both types of organisations and their desired outcomes.
Her most previous experience was the Director of Fundraising and Marketing for the microfinance organisation Good Return, launching the first Australian online microfinance website to help people living in poverty in the Asia Pacific region. She engaged top level Corporates to become strategic partners with Good Return, ensuring purposeful partnerships.
Di is passionate about connecting and inspiring people, a strength she enjoys, assisting to improve the liveability of our communities. Di has one son, a wonderful husband and two beautiful older children in her blended family. She would like her son’s generation to be better than we are; to have positive emotional wellbeing, healthier relationships, and to be more accountable and empathetic.
Astra Jerebine
Astra Jerebine
PROJECT MANAGER
Astra holds a Bachelor of Primary Education with First Class Honours (Southern Cross University) and was awarded the University Medal for academic excellence.
Prior to joining Uplifting Australia, Astra worked in promotion and business administration for a parenting skills organisation delivering behaviour management programs to professionals and parents. She also has a background in drafting organisational policy for non-government organisations and administering best practice family counselling models.
Astra is interested in social justice, especially where children and families are supported to reach their potential. She also has a passion for independent music and is a music blogger with a worldwide audience.
Phone: 02 6684 3892
Email: astra@upliftingaustralia.org.au
Marlena Basser
Marlena Basser
PROJECT COORDINATOR
Marlena Basser is a highly experienced facilitator, trainer, workshop designer, resource developer and program coordinator. She has been working in the child, youth & family, community development and organisational development sectors since 1988. After completing a BA in Mass Communications in 1987, Marlena has worked and consulted for a wide range of youth and social welfare agencies including Cabramatta Community Centre, Association of Children’s Welfare Agencies, YAPA, Create Foundation, School Aid, The Family Centre, and YWCA. She has designed and delivered: community forums, leadership programs, training packages, mentoring programs, residential retreats, team building activities, conferences and parenting, relationship and life skills programs. Through her work she is keenly aware of the need to engage parents in early positive parenting, and is excited about the non-threatening, child-centred, playful and inspiring programs that Uplifting Australia offer.
Peter Chown
Peter Chown
BSc Psych (Hons) MAPS
AMBASSADOR & PSYCHOLOGIST
Peter Chown, has 30 years experience as a Psychologist. He was formerly head of Cellblock Youth Health Centre – a pioneering multidisciplinary health service for adolescents at risk – at Camperdown Children’s Hospital, Sydney. Peter has extensive experience in the areas of adolescent health, the development of youth-friendly health services and programs and training of health professionals.
He has worked as a consultant for the World Health Organisation, UNFPA and UNESCO on adolescent health programs in more than a dozen developing countries in Asia, Africa and the Pacific. He has written numerous publications on adolescent health for schools, GPs and counsellors, and is co-author of the CAAH publication GP Resource Kit on Adolescent Health.
Peter also has extensive experience in conducting parent education programs. Peter works in private practice as a Psychologist in northern NSW, where he specialises in working with adolescents at risk and their families.
Geoff Stalley
Geoff Stalley
Chairperson & Partner, Deloitte
Geoff is a highly experienced business advisor with over 25 years specialising in business performance and major business transformations. His industry experience spans resources, transport, distribution, retail/consumer goods and services industries in over 20 countries around the world including Singapore, USA, Germany, UK, China, Japan and Korea. He is currently a Partner at Deloitte Australia.
James Tait
James Tait
BOARD MEMBER
James Tait is an experienced corporate communications leader. James currently manages his own communications consultancy advising a range of organisations across the consumer goods, drinks, education, tourism, superannuation and funds management industries.
James was previously Corporate Affairs Director at Lion, the dairy, cheese, juice and beer major and prior to that a communications and government relations consultant at Edelman London. James began his career in a policy team in the UK’s Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.
James has two children, Oscar and Sophia, and is passionate about the role of quality parenting and functional families in growing the wellbeing of the next generation of young Australians.
Samantha Hellen
Samantha Hellen
BOARD MEMBER
Samantha is a highly experienced Senior Executive who specialises in the design, management and implementation of organisational change, business optimisation and franchise development initiatives across large and medium sized organisations. Samantha brings a balanced blend of commercial expertise, strategic thinking and ‘organisational know how’ to complex business issues. A defining feature is her ability to crystallise key issues, develop creative solutions and implement with rigour and focus, thereby ensuring positive and valuable business outcomes.
Currently driving growth initiatives in Westpac home lending, Samantha has also lead the operating offices and headed training & development functions within financial service organisations. Her broad experience across many industries also includes extensive work with start-ups, particularly franchises. However her most important role is that of mother to 3 boys and as partner to Bryan.
Leela Gantman
Leela Gantman
BOARD MEMBER
Leela has over 14 years’ experience in corporate and regulatory affairs and is a member of the Executive Management Team of Lion’s brewing and wine business. In this role Leela leads regulatory affairs, government relations, reputation management and media and stakeholder engagement for the business. During her time at Lion Leela also developed the Company’s Sustainability and Community Investment Strategy.
Prior to Lion Leela worked in a number of public relations agencies, including global PR agency Weber Shandwick. Leela has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Technology Sydney.
Jennifer Drysdale
Jennifer Drysdale
Philanthropy Manager, Sydney Symphony Orchestra & Director, Stories360
Jennifer is a passionate advocate of the arts and change-maker for the not-for-profit sector. With a strong background in sales, corporate events and business development, she is highly regarded for her ability to form authentic stakeholder relations, initiate creative partnerships and implement lasting solutions. Jennifer is an active member of the New Generation of Giving through Philanthropy Australia, a budding philanthropist, small business owner and volunteer fundraiser. She adores her family of three young children and attributes all of her success to the support of her beloved husband.
Tegan Flanagan
Tegan Flanagan
External Relations Director Corporate, Lion.
Tegan is an experienced public relations and corporate communications professional and is currently the Corporate External Relations Director at beverage and food company, Lion. Prior to Lion she held consultancy roles at public relations agencies Liquid Ideas and Professional Public Relations (PPR).
Tegan and her husband recently welcomed their first child, Evelyn. She is very proud to support Uplifting Australia’s important mission to strengthen emotional wellbeing and resilience in young people and families.
Paige Williams
Dr Paige Williams
Lecturer, Centre for Positive Psychology, University of Melbourne
Paige is a positive change solutionary using the science of wellbeing to create change and improve performance with leaders, with organizations and at scale.
With strengths in strategic thinking, creativity and ideation, she helps leaders create sustainable positive change with performance impact by uncovering strategic solutions to complex challenges. Drawing from the fields of positive psychology, neuroscience, leadership and change, her own research, and over 15 years international business leadership experience, she provides clear, practical, evidence-based solutions to accelerate positive change, foster wellbeing and achieve strategic goals.
A part-time lecturer with the Centre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne, Paige is a PhD, with research examining change pathways and processes to create wellbeing at work and a Master Trainer in positive psychology having trained with Prof. Martin Seligman.
Paige is passionate about creating positive change with individuals, organizations and communities by helping them discover the choices for change they have available and realize their capacity to succeed, flourish and thrive.