Nichola Perry – Board Chair

Nichola has over 20 year’s experience in Early Childhood across the not-for-profit and private sector. She holds a B. Education (Birth – 5) and Diploma of Vocational Education, and teaches Early Childhood Education and Care at CIT.

She is passionate about supporting children and families through high quality Education and Care, and elevating the skills and recognition of Educators. She joined the CS#1 board in 2021.

Nichola is Chair of the Community Services Subcommittee.

Gill Savage – Deputy Chair

Gill is an experienced board director with a focus on strategy, governance, and innovation. Her board career spans over 25 years in the government, NFP and private sectors. She also has extensive strategy experience in the provision of professional services, including through her company LeadAbility Group Pty Ltd. Her current board roles include Chair of the Risk, Compliance and Audit Committee at The Navy’s Anchorage – a for-purpose Commonwealth company providing benefits to members and families of the Royal Australian Navy.

She is a former chair of a social enterprise focused on research into, and prevention of, domestic violence. Her career experience spans senior executive service roles within government developing and implementing policies and programs where she was a diversity and indigenous champion, and actively pursued a gender equality agenda.

She is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, an Executive Fellow of the Australia and New Zealand School of Government and holds an MBA in International Business.

Gill is driven by the desire to make a difference and believes that it starts with small actions, every day that have a positive impact on people and communities.

Jim Roy – Deputy Chair

With over two decades of experience, Jim has built a successful career in recruitment. This has involved growing businesses and providing essential insights and expertise to the C Suite and Boards nationally. He manages top talent within the for purpose sectors and heads the Page Executive public sector segment nationally.

As a dedicated father of four, Jim is also a strong proponent of diversity and is devoted to creating a better future for the next generation.

Jim is Chair of the Risk, Audit & Finance Subcommittee.

Jason Duarte – Ordinary Member

Jason has been on the board of CS#1 for over five years. He has over 15 years of Board experience, including the Canberra Business Chamber and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, IPAA Council and fellow of FINSIA. Jason has a Bachelor of Economics, Master of Business Law, Master of Applied Finance and Grad Diploma in Executive Leadership.

Jason is a leader in Westpac’s Institutional Bank in the ACT and lives in Canberra with his young family. He is a passionate member of the community and has taken part in the CEO Sleepout, is an active member of Rotary and as previous Chair of CS#1, is able to contribute positively to the well-being of our community.

Rhonda Maher – Ordinary Member

Rhonda has more than 35 years’ experience as a front-line nurse, manager, and senior executive nurse (including Director of Nursing roles) in public, private, aged care, acute, subacute, rehabilitation and community settings.

Rhonda has recently retired as Director of Nursing for the Division of Rehabilitation, Aged and Community Services, Canberra Health Services.

Rhonda has a passion for making a difference in both her professional and personal life. To keep her perspectives balanced she spends several weeks each year in a volunteer capacity in a fairly remote province in the Solomon Islands.

Rhonda is Chair of the Aged Care Subcommittee.

Rhonda is a champion of the inclusion of elderly and disability friendly initiatives and is passionate about innovation and quality in health care services’.

David Maywald – Ordinary Member

David is an experienced board member and Non-executive Director, having made more than fifteen governance contributions during the last 25 years. Most of these have been for-purpose organisations or not-for-profit registered charities with service delivery that is similar to community services. He has served as Chair and Treasurer, as well as chairing many board committees. David is a Graduate of the Company Directors Course of the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as having completed their Boardroom Mastery program. In addition, he is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia, and a Fellow of the Institute of Community Directors Australia.

He is professionally qualified as a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA). For two decades David worked in the Investment Management sector of the Financial Services industry (including product development, research, marketing, portfolio management, analysis, and customer service). He is the proud father of two children, a son and a daughter – who have both navigated early childhood education and care, preschool, and schooling.

David is Chair of the Governance Subcommittee

Sonya Blondinau – Ordinary Member

Sonya brings over 20 years of leadership experience growing businesses across Australia from start-ups to SMEs, corporates, listed and unlisted, not-for-profits and private organisations. Her strategy and leadership experience spans Chief Operating Officer, Senior Consultant in Governance and Strategy, General Manager, Non-Executive Director, Responsible Manager and Company Secretary.

Sonya has a Bachelor of Economics, Graduate Diplomas in Applied Finance and Investment and Quantitative Analysis, a Diploma in Children’s Writing, is a qualified hypnotist and Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming and has lectured and authored papers and books on risk, governance, financial services, and leadership. She is also a recent graduate from UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business.

Sonya aims to make a positive difference in everything she does. She is passionate about giving everyone the right to belong , the right to participate and the right to be respected.