The Advisory Board
THE ADVISORY BOARD
The Advisory Board guides our
strategic direction, ensuring we lead
in disability support and advocacy.
Comprising industry experts, community leaders, and individuals with lived experience, the board provides invaluable advice on workplace inclusion and service innovation. The board helps shape policies and initiatives that align with our mission to create a more inclusive community for all.
Lesley
President Lesley Bridge is a Senior Program Manager responsible for leading the implementation of the Skills in Employment Program Project (SKiP) and the Higher Apprenticeships and Traineeships Social Services Extension Project (HATSSEP) at RMIT. These programs promote workforce development in the community and social services sector.
In her early career she started as a disability/aged care worker and progressed to managing dementia and disability residential houses. This then led to management roles leading learning and development teams for Government and not-for-profit organisations. Lesley has developed strong, collaborative working relationships with a diverse set of industry partners due to her nuanced understanding of the needs of specific partners. Lesley has also led the development of a Mentoring Model when she worked in the sector directly. She has more than 20 years’ experience working in community services, predominantly in disability, aged care, children, youth and families and mental health, across the government, not-for-profit and private sectors both in Australia and in the UK. Lesley’s passion is for lifelong learning, collaboration, partnership working and continually figuring out new ways of working to ensure she, and others, make a difference.
In her personal life she has two children, both boys, one living with ASD and a husband who is a fitness fanatic, which Lesley is certainly not!
Silvana
Silvana has over 15 years’ experience in a range of Business and Administrative Development roles in the Commercial and Domestic sector. She has a Masters Degree in International Trade majoring in Economics from Victoria University. Currently Artwork and Packaging Manager at Mirabella International, Silvana has held a senior position for over eight years. She has led the development and execution of the current company style handbook. An advocate in sustainability and environmentally friendly packaging solutions. Silvana has a personal connection to the disability community. She believes in a world of equal opportunity. She hopes for a future that is inclusive and does not marginalise those who identify as living with a disability.
Chemere
Chemere is a commercially driven professional services leader, with a track record in building commercially sustainable business models across large corporates and small boutique advice firms. Chemere has twenty years experience in financial services, having spent the past eight years leading high performing teams in advice to deliver quality advice outcomes to clients. Prior to Perpetual, Chemere was the Head of Advice for MLC Advice, whilst also holding roles across NAB, IOOF and also in small boutique financial planning firms. Outside of Perpetual, Chemere exudes a pay it forward attitude, and gives back by mentoring aspiring and current advisors , contributing to advisory panels, and advocates for children with disability via lived experience raising two autistic children.