Committee Members
Melissa Dower
President
Melissa leverages over ten years of local government leadership experience and is committed to fostering a values-based culture of service, accountability, and growth. Currently employed as the Local Government Community Services Manager in South East Queensland’s fastest growing city.
Melissa holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA), a Bachelor in Business & Commerce (HRM), and a Bachelor in Vocational Education & Training. Additionally, she has completed the Foundations of Directorship course offered by the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD).
Melissa has a strong dedication to community service and has previously held volunteer secretary position with Wide Bay Sexual Assault Service and many sporting organisations.
Deborah Mead
Secretary
Deborah Mead is an Assistant Director in the Office of Industry Innovation and Science Australia, part of the Department of Industry, Science and Resources, where she leads projects that provide advice to the Minister relating to industry growth. Deborah’s career has focused on stakeholder engagement, developing an extensive business and community network across the Central Queensland region.
For two decades Deborah’s focus has been supporting business and community in areas such as connectivity challenges and identifying and supporting access to grants. Deborah is passionate about Regional Queensland, having grown up in North Queensland and spent her career working in Central Queensland and the Wide Bay Region.
Deborah attended regional university James Cook, where she completed her undergraduate in Administration (Tourism) and her post graduate qualification, a Master of Business Administration.
Sharon Abell
Treasurer
Sharon graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Electronic Commerce, before becoming a qualified Chartered Accountant in 2008.
Sharon has over 15 years accounting career experience, starting in public practice before moving to commercial roles in the mining and manufacturing sectors.
Outside of work, Sharon volunteers with not-for-profit organisations that focus on assisting the local Wide Bay community.
Renae Clayton
Committee Member
Renae is a qualified CPA with over 20 years’ experience in commercial, health and not-for-profit accounting roles.
In her current role as the Business Manager for one of Queensland’s most respected community housing providers (Regional Housing Limited) Renae consistently balances strategic planning with the management of complex operational matters in order to ensure quality outcomes for the organisation, its clients and its stakeholders.
Renae brings a varied and valuable skillset with specific experience in the areas of finance, asset management, risk management, quality management, governance and Information Technology, as well as a strong knowledge of government policy and processes.
Her experience at RHL has allowed Renae to develop a deep understanding of the complex operational requirements, and key strategic challenges faced by the not-for-profit sector in delivering human services to those most in need.
Renae has previously held Treasurer Positions with sporting organisations and schools and also served as a Director on the CHPs for Qld Board.
Lisa Daniel
Committee Member
Lisa Daniel is a semi-retired adjunct senior lecturer with UniSC School of Business and Creative Industries. She has experience teaching across the management discipline, particularly in the areas of strategic management, organisational design, quality management, corporate social responsibility (CSR), governance and business ethics, business resilience and sustainability.
Her research has covered regional development and sustainability, entrepreneurial ecosystems, business and social innovation. With her keen interest in social well-being and background in business, Lisa is excited to be able to contribute on the board of Wide Bay Sexual Assault Services to help the organisation achieve its goals effectively and efficiently supporting staff, clients and the local community.
Hannah Wordsworth
Committee Member
I am a second-career lawyer, having started my career working for Child Safety when I was initially a student on practical placement, still studying for my BA in Behavioural Studies. In the next 14 years that followed, I worked in all manner of roles in that organisation, which provided me with a huge amount of experience in this area. I continued working with Child Safety whilst I completed a post-graduate law degree.
Looking back, my earliest interest in law was in high school, which was motivated by my interests in human rights and social justice. The real burning motivation to study law came later on and was sparked by the relationships I had built with my clients in child safety. For the longest time, I felt torn between wanting to offer support and working in a system that has a heavy focus on evidence gathering and litigation and where people are counted statistically rather than by the quality of the outcome. I wanted better for my clients; I wanted them to have better access to justice and competent legal representation.
As a lawyer, I am able to use my Child Safety experience to support my clients and their children to effect positive change and achieve the outcome they desire. As well as being a Lawyer, I am also a Mediator and Parenting Coordinator, and I run my own business.
I am passionate about supporting people, particularly people who are vulnerable and have experienced domestic violence.
Outside of law I am also a boy mum, a dog (Vizsla’s) lover, and an outdoor adventurer.