Our Leadership Team
Bev’s career has spanned almost the entire lifespan, starting as a youth worker, working in child protection and family support, women’s health and now, in this new role as the CEO of Advocare, who support and empower older people. Bev has consistently dedicated her career to advocacy, empowerment and support for people experiencing vulnerability. Bev achieved high results in tertiary study areas holding a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact and a BA in Youth Studies.
Before joining Advocare, Bev was Chief Executive Officer at Consumer Credit Legal Service WA and has also held leadership positions at Western Australia’s Department of Communities, Lotterywest, Financial Counsellors’ Association of WA, St Patrick’s and South Coastal Women’s Health Service. She also brings considerable Board experience and is currently a Director on the Financial Counselling Industry Fund, National Board and the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency, Nursing and Midwifery Board as a community member.
Bev is passionate about social justice, human rights, is an ardent feminist, and is particularly interested in stopping the scourge of family violence and financial abuse.
Erin has more than 20 years of experience working with peak bodies, professional services and small to large-sized, private organisations. She has extensive experience in community and regional development, stakeholder engagement, project management, leadership and marketing and communications.
Erin joined Advocare in 2021, drawn to the values of Social Justice, Empowerment, Integrity and Equity, and is committed to shining a light on the issues and challenges older Western Australians face.
Erin leads our community development, volunteer, projects and marketing teams. She is passionate about driving Work Health and Safety initiatives to support and increase the health and wellbeing of the Advocare team. She looks forward to growing our brand and strengthening our community and stakeholder relationships to increase our support for older Western Australians.
Shawnee has 30 years of experience in the management and coordination of aged care, Aboriginal health, and community and allied health services. She has an extensive, in-depth knowledge of the aged care sector, current aged care issues and reforms, and elder abuse.
She is currently a member of the Juniper Quality Advisory Care Body as its independent customer representative; the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre Advisory Group - Guide to Interviewing Older People at risk of or experiencing harm; and is Advocare’s representative to the national Older Persons Advocacy Network’s Advocacy, Operation and Practice Advisory Group.
Shawnee’s passion is to ensure older Australians are seen, heard, valued, and supported; and that every opportunity is taken to raise the issue of elder abuse in our community.
Hazel joined Advocare in 2019 and has worked across various programs supporting the rights of older people in Western Australia. With her in-depth knowledge and grass-roots experience working as a Senior Case Coordinator in Community Home Care, she is excited to join the leadership team in her new role as Program Manager - Specialist Support.
In 2023, Hazel graduated from the Emerging Leaders in Governance Program from which she hopes to give back to the community through participation on boards.
In her most recent role as Senior Project Officer, she's worked closely with the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) in the design and delivery of the Home Care Check-in Service Pilot. Through this she's gained a greater understanding of the barriers older people experience, how ageism impacts quality of life and wellbeing and the importance of a trauma-informed approach to care and service provision.
Hazel hopes to assist Advocare to continue to meet its strategic objectives and to shine a spotlight on the outstanding service Advocare provides to older people in Western Australia.
Harry is a results-focused business professional with a distinguished track record in financial management and strategic leadership. He is passionate about fostering collaborative environments where team members feel supported and motivated—values that strongly align with Advocare’s mission.
Holding a Bachelor of Business degree and a CPA qualification, Harry has built a diverse career spanning roles in both Australia and Southeast Asia. He excels in both top-down and hands-on financial management. His tenure includes five years as CFO for a Perth-based AI technology startup, where he played a pivotal role in raising seed capital during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Harry is no stranger to Advocare, having successfully completed a six-month stint in 2023, where he led the implementation of a new accounting system and year-end audit process. As he joins the Leadership Team, the organisation looks forward to benefiting further from his financial acumen and team management skills.