President
Jenny is the General Manager of Bendigo Family and Financial Services Inc with over seventeen years’ experience in leading the agency, seeing Shepparton Family and Financial Services open in 2019 and this year Cobram Family and Financial Services open.
Jenny has led the agency’s as General Manager and Financial Counsellor as well as providing supervision and support for ER and NILs workers. Jenny regularly conducts Financial Literacy education workshops in schools, TAFE’s and to the long term unemployed though various community organisations and is now working closely with mental health services providing at call financial counselling. Jenny holds a Diploma Community Welfare Work; Diploma Community Services Financial Counselling; Diploma Counselling; BA Visual Arts; No Bullshit Therapy and Mental Health First Aid for Financial Counsellors and is currently a member of FCVic and the Australian Counselling Association.
Jenny is also a member of Strathfieldsaye CFA and was awarded (2014) the National Emergency Medal for her Peer Support Work with the CFA during the Victorian fires 2009.
Treasurer
We will provide information about David shortly.
Sharon Henderson has been the President of BANSIC for six years and involved as a volunteer for more than 10 years. She was instrumental in expanding the scope of services to meet the greater needs of their local community. Initially, a community psychiatric nurse, she later retrained as a lawyer and predominantly worked in social welfare and human rights in Australia and Ireland. For greater than 30 years Sharon has contributed to community organisations, both on committees and on the ground. Her interest lies in supporting those without a voice whether they be asylum seekers, the disadvantaged or people with disabilities.
Rose has been the Executive Officer at BayCISS since 2022 and was previously the Manager of Service Delivery and Operations at Port Phillip Community Group for 10 years.
Rose has extensive experience as a psychologist and manager within both the Community and Education sectors. She has worked in tertiary research, family counselling, private practice, occupational rehabilitation and migrant resources.
Rose is an advocate of social equity, strengths-based practice and lifelong learning.
Ian graduated with a PhD in Physics from Monash University after completing BSc (Hons) and Dip Ed at the University of Melbourne. He subsequently spent nearly 20 years with APM/Amcor before returning to Monash University, delivering lectures in commercial paper making and paper properties to Masters Degree students, raising funds for research and supervising research students. In 1994 he was asked to take on the additional role of representing both Australia and New Zealand on the ISO technical committee for pulp and paper industry standards and for many years chaired the Australian committee responsible for these standards. While recently relinquishing these roles he continues involvement with ISO as convenor of a working group responsible for the revision of a group of standards.
After official retirement Ian joined BANSIC, the Heidelberg support and information agency, and took on the role of President during a difficult period in the life of the organisation. With the experience in this role he joined the board of CISVic and, as a board member, seeks to use his specific skills to assist CISVic in its critical support and advocacy for the disadvantaged members of Victorian society. From time to time he has also chaired church leadership groups.
Together with his wife, Ian enjoys spending time interacting with their grandchildren. Although his days of active participation in sport are in the past, he continues to enjoy choir singing and listening to music, reading, genealogy and gardening, particularly with productive plants and Australian natives.
Hiyah is an enthusiastic and committed community services leader, with over than 20 years of experience leading programs for culturally diverse communities, recently arrived migrants, people seeking asylum and refugees. Consistently seeking social justice and equity, endeavouring toward an inclusive society and fairness for everyone.
Hiyah is committed to gender equality, equity and human rights, which is evident in her research, advocacy, conduct and volunteer work. She enjoys working with people to align their strengths with their role in assisting organisations in achieving their goals.
Hiyah has first-hand life experience; living the experience of settling in a new country helped her live and understand the needs and challenges faced by new migrants.
