Please direct any Board enquiries to: president@nht.org.au
Michelle Ewington - President
Michelle has extensive experience working in community development at grassroots and strategic levels. In June 2023, she was Awarded an Order of Australia medal for services to communities.
Highly experienced with over 15 years board experience on three peak bodies - Volunteering Australia (2013-2021, Chair 2018-2021), Volunteering Tasmania (Director and Chair 2008-2018), and Australian Children’s Contact Services Association (ACCSA) (current Co-convenor). She has led major governance reform from a representative board to independent skills-based board at Volunteering Australia. ACCSA is also re-visioning its strategic purpose under Michelle’s leadership.
Mark Mason - Vice President
Mark is CEO of Speak Out Association of Tasmania. Prior to joining Speak Out, Mark was the State Manager of Community Engagement, Addictions and Financial Counselling at Anglicare Tasmania and has held various leadership, management and policy related positions in the Tasmanian State Service and the Private Sector.
Mark has extensive experience working on boards, he is currently serving on the Inclusion Australia Board as well as the NHT Board.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts with Professional Honours in Public Sector Leadership and Management and is a graduate of the Tasmanian Leaders Program (2008).
Luke Ogden - Public Officer
Luke is a criminal lawyer, who currently works as Crown Counsel at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He conducts criminal trials, hearings and bail applications on behalf of the State of Tasmania in the Supreme and Magistrates Courts.
He has been a Director of Epilepsy Tasmania since 2019 and is currently the Chair of the Board’s Finance and Risk Management Committee. Since 2018 he has been the legal sector representative on the Australian Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Advisory Committee, Tasmania.
He has also been involved in a number of other community organisations both in southern Tasmania, where he currently lives, and in north-west Tasmania, where he grew up.
Sue Howard
Sue has senior leadership government experience, having worked as the Deputy Director Operations at Service Tasmania, Department Premier and Cabinet (DPaC) for three years.. In this role she oversaw 27 service centres and government contact centres statewide. She completed the ANZSOG Tasmanian Senior Executive program in 2019, and was also the DPaC representative on Future Impact Group for Collective Impact in George Town. Prior to this, she worked in libraries and took part in Burnie Works. She is currently a Senior Officer for the Workforce Coordination Project - Community Services Industry, TasCOSS. In this role, she engages with the members of NHT to contribute to research and consultation on workforce needs and capacity. She also runs her own community consultancy business.
She has peak body experience, serving on the Board for Adult Learning Australia (ALA) for three years; she held positions President (1 year), Vice President (1 year) and was a member of the Finance and Risk Committee. She maintains strong contacts in the North West and West Coasts through her work in the Workforce Coalition Project under the Tasmanian Community Services Industry Plan 2021-2031, which includes working closely with the local Aboriginal communities. Sue has many years of experience working with First Nations peoples across Australia and has been involved in a range of change and transformation initiatives.
Carmen Gumley - Board Member
As CEO of Starting Point Neighbourhood House (SPNH) in Ravenswood, Carmen is passionate about the vital role Neighbourhood Houses play — strengthening communities, building connections, and creating opportunities for everyone to thrive through genuine community development. Before joining the Neighbourhood House sector, Carmen spent over 20 years in community services and leadership across both profit and not-for-profit organisations, with expertise in governance, project management, stakeholder engagement, and grant writing. Along with recently completing the ICDA Diploma of Governance course Carmen also brings practical experience to the NHT Board to ensure decisions are informed by real, on-the-ground insight.
Jess Phillips - Treasurer
Jessica is Financial Controller for a locally based global company. She completed the Tasmanian Leaders program in 2021 which deepened her understanding of Tasmania's social and economic landscape.
With 19 years of diverse experience in accounting, advisory, and information technology, Jessica has built a distinguished career beginning as an accountant at KPMG, and since then, she has held various management, business analyst, and accounting positions. Her strong background in finance has equipped her to develop complex financial models, budgets, and reports, as well as manage departmental and project budgets effectively along with having a deep understanding of governance and risk frameworks.
Jessica holds a Bachelor of Commerce, a Bachelor of Information Science, a Graduate Diploma in Chartered Accounting, a Certificate IV in Project Management Practice, a Certificate IV in Frontline Management, and a Change Management Foundation Certification.
Liz Brown
Liz has over 20 years of experience in senior leadership roles in human services in organisations making a difference in both the Tasmanian and Queensland communities. Currently, Liz is the Chief Executive Officer at Lifeline Tasmania, and has previously held roles as Chief Executive Officer at Access Community Housing (Cairns), General Manager in Disability Services at Anglicare Tasmania and Aged Care Services at UnitingCare Queensland and senior leadership roles at Calvary Health Care Tasmania.
Liz has extensive experience working on Boards and is currently Deputy Chair of ARC Disability Services, having previously held the role of Chair, leading major governance and risk management reform. She also has peak body experience, serving on the Queensland Shelter Management Committee and a Board member of the Cairns Regional Domestic Violence Service.
She holds governance qualifications having completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) course and has completed the Executive Leader Program at the Said School of Business, Oxford University. She also holds post graduate qualifications in organisational development and post graduate and undergraduate qualifications in nursing.
