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Leadership at Animals Australia.

At Animals Australia, we recognise every team member as a leader. For us, leadership is a perspective for every person to adopt, not a ‘management position’. It’s about our collective behaviours, thoughts and actions.

We encourage people to lead from the heart.

Governance
Animals Australia is a charity, registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Our Board members offer a valuable suite of professional skills across animal protection, law, governance, finance, business, IT, strategic planning and advocacy.
Trustee
Trustees are the senior leaders and managers of Animals Australia.
  • Glenys Oogjes

    Chief Executive Officer
    Trustee

    Glenys is one of Australia’s most experienced animal advocates. From rural beginnings on a Victorian dairy farm to heading up Australia’s most effective animal advocacy group, her interest in animal welfare and work in the field has spanned over four decades. Glenys is the 2024 Senior Australian of the Year – Victoria.

  • Lyn White, AM

    Director of Strategy
    Trustee

    After 20 years in the South Australian police force, Lyn was shocked to learn that the system of justice she had been proud to uphold as a police officer was not extended to the most vulnerable members in our society. Discovering that most animals born into human care — those raised and killed for food — were denied key legal protections from acts of cruelty changed the trajectory of her life and career.

  • Portrait of Louise Bonomi

    Louise Bonomi

    Director of Development
    Trustee

    Louise left a media production career at the ABC to join Animals Australia. Over the last decade, she has established and led a passionate team to develop, grow and diversify our income streams and programs to sustain our life-saving work for animals. She also supports our advocacy and public awareness campaigns and manages our international grants program. Louise is a volunteer wildlife carer, and spends her spare time rescuing and caring for native animals in need.

  • Portrait of smiling Lisa Chalk

    Lisa Chalk

    Director of Campaigns
    Trustee

    A career in journalism, communications and politics led Lisa to working closely with Animals Australia on the 2011 Indonesia live export campaign.

    As Campaign Director, she works with a team of advocates to create campaigns and initiatives that challenge old systems and ways of thinking and inspire a transformation in our relationship with animals. Lisa shares her life with her collie Nellie, who was rescued from a puppy farm.

  • Portrait of Shatha Hamade

    Shatha Hamade

    Legal Counsel
    Trustee

    Previously the National coordinator of the Barristers Animal Welfare Panel, legal Counsel for RSPCA SA, and Associate to the most senior Judge of the Federal Court of Australia, Shatha is Animals Australia’s Legal Counsel. She also conducts in-country global investigations into the live animal export industry, and engages in legal advocacy across multiple court jurisdictions to give stronger representation and protection to animals who suffer within factory farms and other industries.

  • Portrait of Jamie Hughes

    Jamie Hughes

    Director of Finance & Systems
    Trustee

    Jamie is our resident CPA, whose wealth of experience extends across multiple sectors. It was whilst leading tours across Asia that Jamie’s passion to support grassroots organisations was ignited and led him to Animals Australia. Jamie oversees the Animals Australia financials and ensures the team have the latest tools and systems to help the organisation achieve its vision. Jamie is owned by rescued cat Bianca & dog Sunny.

  • Kaylene Idda

    Kaylene Idda

    Director of People & Culture
    Trustee

    After working in government for over a decade, Kaylene landed her dream role at Animals Australia. Here, she is grateful for the opportunity to support, nurture and grow our people to achieve their fullest potential, for the animals. Kaylene has spent over ten years volunteering with animals and communities around the world. As a qualified yoga instructor, she sees many of her yoga learnings echoed in Animals Australia’s ethos.

  • Tim Childs

    Tim Childs

    Chair of the board
    Governance

    Tim works in the not for profit human services sector to support boards and organisations with governance and future thinking. Tim also provides 1:1 coaching and support for leaders across organisations. Tim has a background in animal welfare, having worked for Animal Liberation NSW, Fund for Animals and Humane Society International as well as many volunteer roles as a board member. Tim has a Masters In Strategic Foresight.

  • Lorraine Jokovic

    Lorraine Jokovic

    Board Director
    Governance

    Lorraine is the CEO and owner of the LOUD Communications Group and has over 30 years of experience in marketing and advertising. She previously worked alongside Animals Australia on the iconic ‘Make It Possible’ campaign to raise community awareness of factory farming. Lorraine has served as a director of the Advertising Council of Australia (ACA), and has actively engaged in a range of initiatives, including Chairing the Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee.

  • Heath Kilgour

    Heath Kilgour

    Board Director
    Governance

    Heath’s career has been mostly entrepreneurial in nature, growing digital media businesses. He has an interest in innovation, having completed the Leading Product Innovation program at Harvard Business School and serving on the board of Entrepreneurs Organisation. Heath serves on the board of several organisations advocating for animals, including Vegan Australia and Edgar’s Mission. Heath currently runs a private investment company. He has a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from RMIT.

  • Mark Pearce

    Mark Pearce

    Deputy Chair of the Board
    Governance

    Mark is the CEO of Volunteering Australia and was previously Principal Consultant at Mandala Advisory. Driven by a strong belief in the power of compassion, Mark applies the expertise gained over his 27-year financial markets career to now provide consultancy services to a number of leading not-for-profits to develop strategic engagement and advocacy proficiency. Mark holds a BSc. Politics and International Relations (Hons) and is currently studying for an MA in Human Rights.

  • Lynda Stoner

    Lynda Stoner

    Board Director
    Governance

    Lynda has been involved in animal advocacy since the 1980s when she was President of the Humane Society of Australia. Lynda is currently the CEO of Animal Liberation NSW. She has written extensive submissions to Government and been involved in campaign work for many causes, including: animals used for food and clothing; laboratory animals; those used in the entertainment industries, including rodeos and circuses; and she has actively lobbied against hunting, in particular ‘pig-dogging’.

  • Sarah Wilson

    Sarah Wilson

    Board Director
    Governance

    Sarah has expertise in volunteering and not-for-profit strategy, governance, policy, and advocacy. She is currently the National Strategy Advisor at Volunteering. Sarah holds degrees in Arts, Psychology, and Law and is currently completing her Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Australia. Sarah also volunteers at Lifeline and for the Coalition for the Protection of Greyhounds. Sarah finds joy in being a full-time carer to her rescue greyhound George, and never misses an opportunity to go diving.

In loving memory of Helen Marston.

We honour the passing of an extraordinary advocate for animals, Helen Marston.

Helen began her advocacy journey at Animals Australia in 1997, and was an integral part of our team for eight years. She had a life-long drive to improve the lives of animals, focused particularly on those in animal experiments.

Helen was appointed CEO of Humane Research Australia Inc., where she continued to give millions of ‘invisible’ animals a voice for fifteen years, while also serving for several years as an Animals Australia board member.

The path Helen forged radiated humility, courage, compassion and inspiration.

Here’s to a colleague, an advocate, and a dear friend. You are forever in our hearts.

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, that is to have succeeded.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
A portrait of Helen Marston