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Our People

Banksia Gardens Community Services continues to impress with its track record of excellence in the delivery of education and community programs. The organisation’s work has been recognised at a local, state and national level.

This dynamic organisation has managed to recruit some of the most inspiring and dedicated staff, who help attract a wide range of local residents to get involved in the services offered.

Executive Management

Gina Dougall GAICD

Chief Executive Officer
M. Public HeaLth, Australian institute of comany directors Graduate, BA Recreation, Dip Education, Dip Business Management, Dip Counselling

Gina serves on several boards an committees in the region, with roles on the board of Broadmeadows Revitalisation, North West Metropolitan Partnership, Neighbourhood House Victoria and Hume Jobs Taskforce. Gina has held previous positions as Chair of the Hume Victoria and Hume Jobs Taskforces, Chair of the Hume Whittlesea LLEN and Chair of the Hume early years partnership. Gina holds a Masters of Public Health, along with formal qualifications in arts, education and business management. She has been admitted as a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She is passionate about Health and loves her role as a board member on Sunbury Cobalt Community Health. Gina is a passionate supporter of the Saints, has three adult children and is a grandmother.

Jaime de Loma-Osorio Ricon

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, director NCESE
M.Sc. Applied Physics, Master of Engineering

Jaime has had a long association with Banksia Gardens, where he started volunteering as a mathematics tutor two decades ago. In his role, he played a pivotal role in the establishment of many of the organisation’s current programs such as the Aiming High VCE Support Program, the Northern Centre for Excellence in School Engagement, Community Connectons and the Good People Act Project (GPAN). Jaime’s interests are quite diverse and include social and environmental issues, science and languages. He was a volunteer translator with Greenpeace International for over a decade and he currently sits on the Board of the Northern Community Legal Centre.

Georgina Wheeler

MANAGER PEOPLE, FINANCE AND OPERATIONS
M.Health and human services, B. Health Sciences (Public Health), B. International development, Cert IV Training and Assessment

Georgina has worked at Banksia Gardens for over seven years across diverse areas including youth, education, sustainability and social enterprise. Between 2020 – 2023, she travelled as an English teacher in primary schools in Thailand. Currently Georgina manages the Business Services Team at Banksia. She loves the work environment at Banksia Gardens and the close connection that the organisation has with the community.

Paul Atkinson

Manager Community Development and Youth
Master of Peace and Conflict Studies
Paul is a social worker with 20 years’ experience in community service organisations. During that time Paul has worked in direct service roles, policy and advocacy and leadership. Paul moved to Melbourne from Western Australia in 2006 and has worked predominantly in housing and homelessness, including crisis accommodation and with justice-involved people of all ages and their families. Paul has a masters of peace and conflict studies and is a trained mediator, interested in transformational conflict resolution. Paul started working at BGCS in August 2020.

Donna Stoddart

Manager Circular Economy and Sustainability
Adv Dip Business Management

Dr Rana Tbaileh

Manager Training and Employment
PhD Engineering, Adv Dip Business Management, Cert IV TAE, Cert IV TESOL

Rana was first involved in Banksia Gardens as a volunteer tutor, soon becoming a Project Coordinator in the Community Development Department. Working at Banksia Gardens has allowed Rana to pursue her passion in the education and teaching field, demonstrated through her role as an adult education trainer and extensive experience, which led her to her current role. Rana enjoys the friendly, supportive and team spirit that shines at Banksia Gardens, and is looking forward to future developments, both personally and professionally through her career.

Seral Fehmi

LEAD TEACHER PROJECT REAL
BA YOUTH STUDIES, GRAD DIP EDUCATION (SECONDARY)

Leadership

Dr Edgar Caballero Aspe

Education and Sustainability Coordinator
PhD Philosophy, Master of Science (Environmental Biology), Grad Cert Marine and Coastal Sciences, Bachelor of Science (Marine Biology)

Georgia Ransome

Good People Act Now Coordinator
Bachelor of Health Sciences

Michael Mansour

Kenley Court Neighbourhood House Coordinator
Master of Social Science (International Development), Bachelor of Electrical Engineering

Dhammika Jayawardene

Finance & Payroll Coordinator

Jonathan Chee

WPI Coordinator
BA (Philosophy), Grad Dip Ed, AssocDeg Prof Writ & Edit, Cert IV TAE, CELTA

Tash Alabakov

Youth Transitions Coordinator
Bachelor of Health Promotion, Cert Education Support

Astrid Decloux

Project real team leader​

Dr Eric Dommers

Northern Centre for Excellence in School Engagement (NCESE) senior advisor, strategy and research
Doctor of education, HDipTeachSec, Cert Health Prog Eval, Cert ProjManagement

Nick Richardson

Common green coordinator

Olive Mavromati Bourke

Marketing and communications coordinator

Kylie Aloi

huMAN RESOURCES coordinator

Bodhi Sweeny

Study Group & School Holiday Program Team LEader

Tod Myles

Food Pantry coordinator

Bridget McHenry

Project real learning specialist

Dilini Patibendige

Aiming high coordinator

Tess Cheetham

sustainability leader

Saida Nur

youth and engagement coordinator​

Zakhia Nisha

office coordinator

Business Services Team

Georgina Wheeler

Manager People, Finance and Operations

Dhammika Jayawardene

Finance and Payroll Coordinator

Kylie Aloi

HUMAN RESOURCEs coordinator
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Olive Mavromati Bourke

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR, and gender equity officer

Zakhia Nisha​

Office coordinator​

Parwana Ahmadzai

administration assistant

Ann Pavlovic

Great Young Movers coordinator
Dana Ghawi

Dana Ghawi

Early Years Community Worker

Training and Employment Team

Dr Rana Tbaileh

Manager Training and Employment

Tod Myles

Food Pantry coordinator and community development support

Usama Al Ogidi

tutor / IT Systems officer

Jamil El Sabayn

Tutor

Fatme Al Rai

tutor

Gamze Coruk-Kiratlioglu

Tutor

Cavide Ulusoylu

Tutor

Mathew Colbourn

tutor

Uzay Ceylan

Tutor

Meral Sandalci

tutor

Kenley Court Neighbourhood House Team​

Michael Mansour

Kenley Court Neighbourhood House Coordinator​

Thaera Yonan​

Community Development & Towards Equality Officer

Gagandeep Sharma

Towards equality facilitator

Shobha Poudel

Towards equality facilitator

Sapna Khadka

Towards equality facilitator

Mariam Moustafa​

Playcircle Project Coordinator​

Ruaa Markus

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Siyoda Jayawardene​

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Rukaya Elmoustafa​

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Community Development and Youth

Paul-11-768x1024

Paul Atkinson

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
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Melodie Radatti

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR
Natasha-Alabakov-FT-768x1024

Tash Alabakov

Youth transitions coordinator
Tara

Tara Barmby​

family worker

Saida Nur

youth and community support coordinator
Melinda

Melinda Xeres

Team Leader Intensive Case Management
Cara

Cara Hutson-Filis

Intensive Case Manager
Sofia

Sofia Rose

Case manager youth

Paulina Sanchez​

community development officer

Emma Russell

Tutor

Najelt (Sunday) Akot

Programs Assistant
Teish

Teish Russell

Programs Assistant

Edith Smith

Programs Assistant
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Fadi Batikha

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT WORKER

Igor Pejic

YOUTH AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT WORKER

NCESE, Project REAL and Education Team

Jaime de Loma-Osorio Ricon

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, director NCESE

Dr Eric Dommers

Co-Director Northern Centre for Excellence in School Engagement

Seral Fehmi

NCESE/ Project REAL Lead Teacher
Astrid.D

Astrid Decloux

Project real team lead

Anne Epstein

Project real team leader

Bridget McHenry

Learning specialist - student engagement

Olivia Gorman

Project real teacher

Karen Ind

Project real teacher

Manar Eltarifi

Parent engagement projects coordinator

Bodhi Sweeny

After-School Program Team LEader

Tess Cheetham​

Youth and sustainability education leader

Dilini Patibendage

aiming high coordinator

Tiffeny Yong

Arts Facilitator

Nadeen Abu Ghalyoun

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Sali Asho

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Luyee Bai

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

David Thompson

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Fakaoho (Foxy) Tupou

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Aleyna Ozsoy

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Isaac Wattis

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Phoebe Harvey

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Hoosai Farotan

Youth Engagement Learning Mentor

Rehmet Ahmed

Program assistant

Gender Equity Team

Georgia Ransome

GOOD PEOPLE ACT NOW COORDINATOR

Olive Mavromati Bourke

Marketing And communications coordinator, and gender equity officer

Circular Economy and Sustainability

Donna Stoddart

Manager Circular Economy and Sustainability
Screen Shot 2024-08-08 at 4.24.51 pm

Edgar Caballero Aspe

Education and Sustainability Coordinator
Tess Cheetham (1)

Tess Cheetham​

Youth and sustainability education leader

Nick Richardson

BROADY BIKES & Common green COORDINATOR
Jonathan-Chee

Jonathan Chee

WPI Coordinator

Cheylee Fiddler​

Sustainability & Education Officer

Nathan Nelson

program assistant
Suzanne wilson

Suzanne Wilsom

Garden support worker

Common Bean Cafe Team

Courtney Edwards

Common Bean Cafe Coordinator

Samanata Thapa

Supervisor - Kangan

Pinar Akgol

Supervisor - DPV cafe
Maddisyn Lang

Maddisyn Lang

Common Bean Cafe Assistant (trainee)

Jane Lee

Common Bean Cafe Assistant chef

Rojina Shrestha

Barista

Facilities Team

Puspa Acharya

Lead Maintenance Officer

Harry Sahin

Hallkeeper

Ambar Chhetri

facility Maintenance

Sumitra Dhimal

facility Maintenance