Meet the Team
We’re here
to champion
volunteering.
Our Team
Mel Blake
Mel is the CEO at Volunteering Tasmania. Prior to commencing as CEO in June 2024, Mel was the Community Connection Programs Manager for VT. Her deep commitment to volunteering is evident not only in her professional role but also in her personal life as a dedicated volunteer and previous volunteer manager. This dual perspective gives her a unique understanding of the needs and challenges faced by volunteers and volunteer managers. Mel is passionate about fostering a thriving volunteering culture in Tasmania, with a focus on best-practice, co-design, and place-based programmatic responses. Since joining VT in 2021, Mel has managed several key programs, including the Volunteer Management Activity, Inclusive Volunteering Program, and Youth Volunteer Army.
Mel is based out of the North West of the State where she enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, walking her dog and reading a good book.
Rhonda Wilson
As Operations Manager at Volunteering Tasmania, Rhonda is dedicated to creating efficient systems and workflow processes, ensuring robust policies, and nurturing a healthy workplace culture. With a natural curiosity and purposeful intent, Rhonda brings a considered perspective to thought leadership and strategic thinking, connecting the impact of policy and systems to the user experience through a person-centred perspective.
She is a dedicated volunteer and appreciates the connection with local community through these roles. Rhonda is based in NorthWest Tasmania, loves adventuring in nature with her family throughout the State, and is currently trying to establish fruit trees on her acreage.
Fiona Cameron
Fiona works alongside our members, the community and government to highlight the voices of the volunteering sector. In the role of Advocacy and Engagement Manager, Fiona is committed to advancing the needs of the volunteering sector through effective policy and advocacy. Fiona also oversees the Community Response to Extreme Weather (EVCREW) service and the Future of Volunteering project.
With a background in social policy and stakeholder relations, Fiona has worked across national and state membership bodies and within government.
Outside of work, Fiona enjoys discovering vintage finds and getting lost in a good book.
Sharon Wright
Sharon works as the Safeguarding Project Coordinator, working alongside councils and communities to share their knowledge and skills to develop community-led volunteer strategies to ensure sustainable volunteering into the future. Born in Tassie, but having worked and lived half her life overseas, she loves being back here. Sharon is passionate about community, making a difference and building positive connections. She enjoys hiking, reading, being active and taking on new adventures.
Ruth Osborne
A passionate advocate for community led change, Ruth works in our Community Connections team coordinating and initiating state-wide projects which support a more inclusive and accessible volunteering experience for identified priority groups. With a strong desire to make a positive difference in the world, Ruth also dedicates her time to leading climate action and sustainability initiatives in her local community.
Nicole Crook
Nicole is passionate about assisting her community to thrive. In her role at Volunteering Tasmania, she helps find placements for volunteers with disabilities, and assists organisations to be inclusive and access the many benefits of diversity in the workplace. She had a background in finance before being lured by the not-for-profit sector where she has managed a youth club and a childcare centre, as well as undertaking many volunteer roles.
She loves getting out and about in the great outdoors but also enjoys curling up by the fire with a good book.
Theresa Canning
Theresa joined the team in February 2022 as a project officer, primarily managing events. She has a background in Human Resource and people management. In her new role as coordinator of the Inclusive Volunteering Program, she aims to bring her people skills to provide support to people with disability or mental health conditions into volunteering roles as a pathway to employment, and to build capacity in the sector around diversity and inclusion.
In her free time, Theresa enjoys long beach walks with her husband and two Cocker Spaniels.
Sharon Phelps
Sharon works as the Finance and Payroll Coordinator. Providing effective management of all finance and payroll related operations. She loves to travel and spends most weekends camping with her family. She is involved with many sporting associations and currently volunteers her time across these. Sharon was also a Volunteer Ambulance Officer for nine years and a Volunteer Literacy Support Tutor with Libraries Tasmania for two years.
Jenny McQuilkin
Jenny is Volunteering Tasmania’s Sector Development Coordinator. She is passionate about the volunteer sector, having both worked with volunteers and been a volunteer herself for many years. She is very aware of the significant benefits that volunteering brings to both an individual and the community, as well as some of the challenges. Before joining Volunteering Tasmania, she worked across a range of areas with a focus on connecting with people- from grants to misconduct prevention and community development.
Jenny is a big fan of community events and initiatives, loves to cook, and enjoys being in nature.
Sam Toone
Sam is one of our newer team members, moving from Melbourne to Tasmania in early 2024. Sam joins us as the Future of Volunteering Project Coordinator and is eager to get out into the community, to assist councils and Volunteer Involving Organisations (VIO) to work alongside their volunteers and realise shared community goals. Sam has extensive experience supporting volunteers and contributing to volunteer strategy across various VIO’s. Sam advocates for the volunteer experience and he looks forward to bringing his knowledge and skills to Volunteering Tasmania.
Outside of work, Sam is a passionate outdoorsman whether that be hiking, camping, surfing, or going for an extended motorbike trip Sam loves to be in the elements.
Our Volunteers
Our small team of volunteers support a variety of activities in the work we do at Volunteering Tasmania.
Current volunteers include:
Caroline Cochrane
Caroline has been a long-standing volunteer with our team. She kickstarted her volunteering journey back in 2005 when she became a board member with Volunteering Tasmania until 2008. She has helped out with everything from administration to being on the board to being on a Participant Advisory Group and contributing to papers on inclusion. On the board, she worked on the policies which included raising the profile of Volunteering Tasmania. Caroline loves spending time with her dog, Poppy, getting out in the garden and doing jigsaw puzzles.
Teva Lau
Tevas commenced as a volunteer with Volunteering Tasmania in February 2023, in our Volunteer Referral Service. As a Volunteer Connector, Tevas supports other volunteers by assessing their skills, interests and availability, providing advice on current volunteering opportunities and connecting them to one of the many positions online. Tevas relocated to Australia from Hong Kong in 2021 and has 13 years’ experience with the Agency for Volunteer Service in Hong Kong. Tevas holds a master’s degree in counselling and has recently completed his Aged Care Certificate at TasTAFE. He also volunteers at Lady Nelson and Tasmanian Sail Training Association and the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Hobart Donor Centre. In his spare time, Tevas enjoys playing soccer and cooking.
Our Board
Sarah Wilcox
Sarah is a communications, engagement, and event management professional with strong experience in commercial, public sector and not-for-profit organisations. Sarah brings previous board experience including being the Deputy Chair of the Aboriginal Heritage Council of Tasmania for a period of four years 2017-2021, where she contributed to the development of government relationships and data management to improve transparency and accountability to the community.
Sarah holds previous experience working with Volunteering Tasmania during the Huon Valley bushfires in 2019 as the media and communications consultant for Huon Valley Council and worked out of the evacuation centre. During this time she saw firsthand the positive and critical impact volunteers had in the emergency response during that challenging time.
As a Tasmanian Aboriginal woman, Sarah is committed to the empowerment of diverse voices and equitable practices in community organisations, and has presented at various conferences to advocate for meaningful and cultural communications and engagement practices.
Sarah upholds core values and beliefs centred on collaboration, social justice, fairness, transparency, integrity and empathy.
Chris Brookwell
Chris has experience as an executive within Tasmanian Government business enterprises, with a focus on strategy, governance, finance, people and technology. He enjoys mobilising and shaping teams to tackle complex issues.
A Chartered Accountant (originally in England), he has qualified as a company secretary through the Governance Institute of Australia’s Applied Corporate Governance diploma. Chris is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and is a self-confessed lifelong-learner, with recent courses covering cyber and the executive strategy programme at the University of Oxford.
Chris commenced with Volunteering Tasmania in September 2022 as Shadow Treasurer.
In his free time, Chris enjoys caravanning with his wife and 3 children, volunteering as a coach for the Kingborough Lions Football Club (soccer) and practicing kung fu.
Lynne Hanlon
Lynne has been a volunteer with a number of organisations for many years, including Loui’s Van, The Story Island Project, Lifeline Tasmania, and the Friends of the Theatre Royal. She also spent a number of years as a volunteer, coaching hockey and soccer.
Lynne was a teacher and principal for many years in primary schools, high schools and colleges, where she saw the difference made by the huge input from parents as volunteers in schools. Her background on Boards is in the education sector – The Tasmanian Qualifications Authority, the Schools Registration Board, Chair of the Story Island Project Board.
Lynne currently works for Lifeline Australia, supporting volunteers who answer the Lifeline phones. She fully understands the importance of volunteer work and is passionate about having that work recognised for its value to the community.
Cameron Scott
Cameron is a passionate volunteer with a track record of committed service in a variety of causes within the Tasmanian community. Currently, he is President of Make-A-Wish, Hobart Branch, where he leads 30 volunteers in granting wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions. He volunteers for the Australian Human Resources Institute Tasmanian State Council as Vice President and serves in the Army Reserves. He has also volunteered for Edmund Rice Camps over the last 10 years.
Outside of his volunteer activities Cameron works in the recruitment industry where he is a Team Manager with Hays. In 2019 he was recognised as a finalist and semi-finalist in the Tasmanian Young Achiever of the year Awards in Leadership and Volunteering.
Cameron holds a BA (Policy)-BBus (HR Mgt), BPhil (Leadership) and GradCert Career Development & Education.
Favour David-Onu
Favour brings a diverse skill set to the Volunteering Tasmania board. A strategic thinker, Favour has a track record of successful community service honed over a decade of volunteering in Tasmania. Favour is a growth and development enthusiast, constantly engaging in career and individual development, and she has a Masters in Clinical Oncology Nursing.
The Tasmania Health Service employs Favour with more than 15 years of multidiscipline experience in nursing. She is a committed and passionate community builder through integration, social cohesion, and development. She volunteers in both religious, social, CALD communities and not-for-profit organisations.
Favour is the current vice president of the African Community Council of Tasmania (ACCT), an executive member of the Tasmanian Catholic Schools Parents Council (TCSPC) and a board member of the Multicultural Council of Tasmania (MCOT).
Favour is married to David and is blessed with four amazing kids. She enjoys cooking, singing, travelling, and playing basketball.
Kate Wiseman
I have worked in the Education and Care sector for 8 years and am currently the Operations and Development Manager for Uniting Vic Tas, leading the strategic direction, growth, and operations of a network of Early Learning service across Tasmania.
With a background in operational management, I bring over 12 years of experience in strategic planning, implementing innovative solutions and streamlining operations to improve overall performance. Throughout my career, I have successfully led cross-functional teams, optimised processes, and implemented scalable solutions that have significantly improved organisational performance. I am committed to fostering innovation, driving growth, and promoting sustainable practices.
I am so lucky to be married to my best friend, Newton and we have 2 beautiful children together.
Juanita O'Keefe
Juanita O’Keefe is a legal and risk senior executive with many years working in the higher education sector and private legal firms. Juanita has a strong background in law, governance, policy and procedure, leadership and managing strategic and operational risks.
Juanita has had a long career in law and is an experienced company director. She is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Law Society of Tasmania and an alumni of the University of Tasmania and College of Law, Sydney.
Gavin Quek
Dr. Gavin Quek is a dentist who graduated from The University of Adelaide currently working in Tasmania. He currently serves as Australian Dental Association (ADA) Tasmania’s Secretary, Chair of the Oral Health Promotion Committee and Vice- Chair of ADA’s National Oral Health Committee. He is also an Advisory Board Member of the ADA Dental Health Foundation, a national charity that aims to provide equitable access to quality oral health care for disadvantaged Australians.
Gavin is a Fellow of the Pierre Fauchard Academy, Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders ANZ. Gavin recently gave a TEDx speech about how curiosity drives contribution and about how oral and general health are so closely connected. He was awarded the Premier’s Young Achiever of the Year 2023 and was named Hobart’s Young Citizen of the Year 2023 for his efforts to improve oral health outcomes for Australians. He is passionate about volunteerism and hopes to inspire others to volunteer in ways meaningful to them.
Tim Henry
Tim is a qualified Social Worker and has worked in community services for over 25 years. He currently works at UTAS teaching and overseeing student placements in the Social Work program. He has a keen interest in the volunteering sector, having been a team member at Volunteering Tasmania from 2021 until early this year.
Throughout his professional and personal life has seen and experienced the significant benefits of volunteering for individuals and communities. He is currently a board member of Neighbourhood Houses Tasmania, the peak body for neighbourhood houses, and has past board experience in the community sector. He holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Diploma in Management. His professional roles have required strong understanding of governance, high level oversight, risk management and organisational development. He has been State Manager for the Australian Childhood Foundation; Northern and State Manager for Wellways, a community mental health service; and was in management roles at Relationships Australia Tasmania for over 10 years, working there for a total of 13 years.
Tim lives with his partner Vanessa, their one cat Fluff and his collection of 1900 books about cricket.
Neil Hargreaves
Neil is excited to join the Board of Volunteering Tasmania, bringing with him over 30 years of strategic and project management expertise and a deep passion for the volunteer sector.
As principal of a strategic management consultancy, he supports organisational growth through data analysis, process improvement, and sound strategy. His career spans complex project management in emergency management, property development, telecommunications, and aviation, including overseeing projects valued at over $250 million.
A dedicated volunteer, Neil joined a UK Mountain Rescue team at 16 and has held leadership roles with the NSW State Emergency Service. Since relocating to Tasmania in 2014, he has volunteered in various capacities, including Volunteer Ambulance Officer with Ambulance Tasmania, State Lifesaving Advisor, and State Duty Officer with Surf Life Saving Tasmania, as well as key positions on local Surf Life Saving club boards. His focus is firmly on enhancing the volunteer experience through effective policy and planning. Neil is passionate about youth development, volunteering as a sports coach, Member Protection Information Officer and Child & Youth Safety Officer.
A lifelong learner, Neil has pursued tertiary studies in Civil Engineering, Environmental Law, Paramedical Science and Adult Education. He is currently completing a GradDip in Data Analysis.