Board of Directors
The Board of Directors governs the operations of the company. The Board provides strategic oversight and direction for the activities of the company and ensures that activities are aligned with the Society’s mission and the objects for which the company was established.
Richard Stewart OAM has contributed in various capacities to the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW for more than twenty years, including many years in board and committee roles. In his regular work, he is a partner at PwC. He specialises in valuation, corporate finance, strategic value advice, mergers and acquisitions, capital raisings and joint ventures arrangements. His experience with PwC has spanned more than 37 years of work in Australia, Asia, the UK and USA. He has worked for many of PwC’s most prestigious global clients across many industries during his career.
Richard writes and speaks regularly including publishing two non-fiction books.
He holds a Bachelor of Economics, Masters of Business Administration, and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants ANZ, the CPA in Australia, the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Senior Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australia. Richard is also an Adjunct Professor in Business Valuation at the University of Technology Sydney and serves on the International Business Valuation Standards Board and the Business Valuation Committee of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.
He received the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2015 for his work in the social welfare sector and the accounting profession.
Liz has 25 years’ experience delivering outcomes at times of change and crisis across large public service and ASX listed organisations spanning transport, investment banking, FMCG, energy and mining, most with international footprints.
Liz has held corporate affairs and sustainability leadership roles within ASX listed organisations, including AGL Energy, Coca-Cola Amatil, South32 and BHP. Prior to specialising in corporate affairs, Liz was Deputy Director General, NSW Ministry of Transport (now Transport NSW), worked in Corporate Advisory at Macquarie Bank with a particular focus on infrastructure development projects, and as a senior ministerial advisor in the NSW Carr Government across infrastructure and transport portfolios.
Liz joined the St Vincent de Paul Society NSW Board in April 2022.
Liz has a Bachelor of Economics (Hons), Sydney University, a Graduate Certificate in Sustainability, Cambridge University, and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
John Adams is a member of St Patrick’s Conference Glen Innes and serves as Social Justice Representative on the Armidale Diocesan Council and Chair of the Finance Committee of St Patrick’s Parish, Glen Innes. John is a Justice of the Peace (NSW), formerly served as Deputy Chair of the Glen Innes Health Service Board and recently retired from a long career as a Paramedic with NSW Ambulance. John and wife Elaine have celebrated over 45 years of marriage and are proud parents and grandparents.
Anne has been a member of the Society for nearly 30 years and is currently a member of the Winston Hills Conference, having previously served as President of Parramatta Central Council. She was previously The Hills Regional President, Vice President Parramatta Central Council – Member Development and Support, a member of the State Membership Advisory Committee, and President of Harris Park and Winston Hills Conferences. Anne has a background in employment and training and held senior management roles in government regulation and customer service. Anne also holds Director Positions at St Vincent de Paul Society National Redress Scheme Limited and St Vincent de Paul Housing.
Dr Evelyne Tadros is CEO of the Mental Health Coordinating Council, a peak body for community-managed organisations across NSW. Evelyne is also a Board Director with St John Ambulance NSW and Mental Health Australia.
Evelyne joined the Society's then titled Governance, Risk and Nominations Committee as an Independent Member in June 2022 and then joined as a Board Director with St Vinnies in November 2023. Evelyne now chairs the Society's Board Governance and Nominations Committee and sits on the Remuneration Committee and Service Quality and Safety Committee.
Evelyne fondly recalls her first interactions with the Society, having volunteered with her local church on the St Vincent de Paul Youth Food Van in 1995.
Peter was elected as NSW State Council President of the Society in August 2024. Peter has been an active member of St John the Evangelist Parish Conference Dapto since being posted to Wollongong as a primary teacher in the 1970s, where he raised his family, and later served as a school principal.
Over many years of service to the St Vincent de Paul Society, Peter has served as NSW Vice-President - Membership, President’s Vice-President, Wollongong Central Council President, and Central Illawarra Regional Council President.
Peter holds a Bachelor Degree in Arts / History, Master of Studies, and a Master of Education (Hons).
Birgit Burge-Teply is the Director of Quality & Clinical Governance at Scalabrini Villages, with over 30 years of experience in aged care and healthcare management.
Birgit has led major initiatives, including ensuring compliance with the New Aged Care Standards and successfully preparing six villages for accreditation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, Birgit held senior roles at Anglicare and Allity Aged Care, where she specialised in clinical governance, quality management, and regulatory compliance. Birgit is a Registered Nurse and holds a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) from Sydney University, with a major in Social Theory and Government Studies.
Paul Edgar is Lismore Central Council President and a Board Director. He has been an active member of the Yamba Conference since 2015, serving as Conference Treasurer for four years. Additionally, Paul has contributed to the Lismore State Council as the Social Justice representative on the State Council for three years. His dedication to Society service is further evidenced by his role as Regional President of the Clarence Orara Region, a position he has held for four years.
BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEES
The Board is supported by a number of advisory committees. The Board committees and their purposes are set out below.
Audit, Risk and Finance Committee:
Chair: Elizabeth McNamara
Purpose: To assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibilities for the stewardship of the Organisation’s financial management, audit processes, risk management and operational integrity.
Governance and Nominations Committee:
Chair: Dr Evelyne Tadros
Purpose: To assist the Board in overseeing the governance framework of the organisation, ensuring the Board and its committees have an appropriate mix of skills, experience and diversity, and supporting transparent appointment, succession, and performance review processes for Directors and Committee Members.
People, Culture and Safety Committee:
Chair: John Adams
Purpose: To assist the Board in the governance and exercising of due care, diligence and skill in relation to the Organisation’s people (employees, members and volunteers), culture, workforce capabilities and workplace health and safety.
Service Quality and Safety Committee:
Chair: Anne Stanfield
Purpose: To assist the Board in fulfilling its governance responsibilities for oversight of the quality, safety and effectiveness of the organisation’s delivery of social services.
Remuneration Committee:
Chair: Richard Stewart
Purpose: To assist the Board with the company’s governance and exercising of due care, diligence and skill in relation to the performance and remuneration issues of the Chief Executive Officer, and oversight of the remuneration of senior executive staff.