Advocare’s Board provides strategic policy direction, overseeing the organisations planning, management and performance.
Our highly skilled Board brings diverse experiences from various industries, as well as expertise in Risk Management, Marketing, Occupational Health and Safety and Community Services.
As well as strategic governance, the Board works closely with the team at Advocare to facilitate special projects and events, and actively engages team members in strategic planning.
A strategic thinker with a research doctorate in business and community partnerships, Helen Grzyb is a Graduate, Fellow and award winner from the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
She has over 30 years’ governance experience as a board member of professional, government, business and community organisations.
Helen set up her boutique consulting business in 1997, where she advises governments and community organisations, building on her previous 20-year federal and state government executive career in aged care, disability, infrastructure and whole of government programs.
A Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management and the Australian Human Resources Institute, Helen’s current State government board appointments are as Governing Council member of the South Regional TAFE, and member of the Charitable Institutions Advisory Committee.
With a career spanning over 25 years, Lina brings extensive senior executive, governance, commercial and chief financial officer experience across key public sector agencies including the Department of Treasury and the former Anti-Corruption Commission.
Lina has a Bachelor of Business Degree (Accounting) from Curtin University, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD), diplomas in project management and human resources and has been a Director with Bentley & Districts Community Bendigo Bank from 2017 for three years.
Lina currently holds the position of Director of Business and Corporate Services at the Chemistry Centre of Western Australia. Across these roles Lina provides strategic corporate advice, is leading innovation and digital transformation, has a key role in advising on governance and risk matters and oversees financial, procurement, information services and human resources functions.
Brian is an experienced senior executive who has worked in different business environments across a number of financial services organisations, building and managing successful teams to achieve desired outcomes.
He has experience in business development (sales), client relationship and change management, strategy development and implementation, and risk management. Brian has qualifications in commerce, finance, investment and mortgage broking management and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).
Brian is currently working as a finance broker with a large diversified broking firm, with a team of specialized brokers in Western Australia.
Christine is a respected communication consultant, who has worked in Western Australia for over 40 years. Her experience encompasses the private, public and not-for-profit sectors and a wide range of industries, services, organisations and institutions.
Until her retirement at the end of 2018 she ran a successful consultancy for 15 years in which she provided high-level strategic communications and project management advice to private and public sector clients concentrating on the planning and construction of large infrastructure projects. These included the Mandurah Rail, Optus Stadium and Station, Matagarup Bridge and the Forrestfield Airport Rail Link.
Her expertise encompasses the development of complex, strategic community and stakeholder engagement plans, project management, facilitation and training. She holds certification with IAP2 (International Association for Public Participation), RABQSA Lead Auditor Safety Management Systems, and internal auditor and project manager accreditation with SAI Global.
She holds a Bachelor of Business (Marketing & Industrial Relations) and a Graduate Diploma (Human Services) both from Curtin University of Technology.
Christine has shared her knowledge and skills by serving on academic and not-for-profit boards and advisory committees, and by providing pro bono services, public lectures and mentoring. She has served on the boards of Curtin University, Palmerston, Perth City Mission, Women’s Health Care House, Sonshine FM radio and World Vision (Perth). She spent five years as a councillor for the Public Relations Industry of Australia and served on the state committee for IAP2.
Karen Whittle-Herbert is a non-executive director, human resources practitioner, and author based in Perth, Western Australia. She has executive and non-executive director experience in the disability services, aged care, higher education, indigenous land management, social housing, and general government sectors. Her achievements encompass governance reform, organizational change, procurement and capital works reform, and operational and financial restructuring.
Karen holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Human Resource Management) with First Class Honours and a Master of Science (Applied Psychology) and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and the Australian Society of Authors. Karen has two books of adult fiction due for release through Fremantle Press in 2021 and 2022.
Arnold has enjoyed a long and successful professional career in the ever-evolving ICT services industry for over 30 years. He has developed extensive strategic leadership, governance, general management, customer service and business development skills in diverse industries, including technology, education, healthcare, and resources in public and private sectors across Australia, Asia, Europe and Americas. A Fellow of ACS, he currently serves as National Treasurer on the ACS Management Committee and is a member of the Branch Executive Committee in Western Australia.
As a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Arnold continues to actively lead and serve in a number of not-for-profit organisations and boards. Arnold is honoured to join the Board of Advocare and is looking forward to contributing to achieving its vision of ensuring “Power, respect and informed choice for older people.”
Garrick brings to his role more than 40 years’ experience in the Western Australian public sector. Initially a teacher for two decades, he went on to work later in a diverse range of agencies leading strategic planning and change management functions.
Garrick attained a PhD in 2001 with his research focusing on CEO’s leadership of organisational culture in public sector organisations. He has held the position of adjunct associate professor at Curtin University and served as an elected Council Member at the Institute of Public Administration Australia for seven years.
Prior to retirement in 2016, Garrick was Principal Consultant Organisational Change with the Corruption and Crime Commission. His last responsibilities were to review the Commission’s business model and work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to facilitate reform.
Over the past 15 years he and his wife were intimately involved in supporting their four parents in the ‘sunset years’ of their lives. This encompassed residential and home-based palliative care. Garrick has first-hand knowledge and experience of aged care modus operandi, structures and processes.