Committed to strengthening individual, family & community life.
Kyabra is a community-based organisation committed to strengthening individual, family and community life. Established in 1976 as Sunnybank Family Support, Kyabra continues to provide support and training to thousands of individuals, families and community groups on the south side of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.
Our Values
Social Justice
We believe all people have inalienable rights as agreed to in the UN Declaration of Human Rights and that all should have equal opportunity to access the benefits of their society.
Strengths
We believe strengths and capabilities should be acknowledged as the most important resource for change. We believe that while people will generally be doing their best with the resources that they have, complementary, external resources can be useful for change to be achieved and maintained.
Innovation
We embrace innovative ways of creating effective responses to changing needs and current understandings. We see innovation as nourished by continuous research, evaluation, reflection, training and financial diversity.
Management Team
Jean Griffin
CEO
Jean joined the Kyabra team in 1999 in the then Supported Accommodation Service, having a background in supporting those that were homeless. Over the ensuing years Jean was also able to gain experience in the area of child protection and then domestic and family violence. A social justice framework and strengths approach has guided her work, along with the importance of networking, collaboration and partnership to provide the best possible outcomes for families and individuals. Jean values the offering of a supportive learning and developmental environment that harnesses existing strengths and resources that are applicable with both the work that is done with community members and as a part of organisational life.
Dianne Hughes
General Manager, Quality Assurance & Continuous Improvement
Dianne has been with Kyabra since 1999, in management and project roles. Prior to this, Dianne worked in the Disability Sector as a Speech Pathologist and Team Leader. Dianne has completed studies in Community Management and has assisted in developing some of Kyabra’s management approaches. She continues to have a keen interest in how strengths-based approaches can be applied across all levels of organisations.
Tracey Bosanko
General Manager, Service Delivery
Tracey joined the Kyabra team in 2004 as a support worker working alongside children and young people living with a disability, while completing her degree in Psychology. Since then Tracey has worked in the areas of Disability, Accommodated Support, Housing and Homelessness, Foster and Kinship Care and NDIS Supports Coordination. Tracey is committed to maintaining a positive workplace culture as well as a keen interest in facilitating the practice and professional development of Kyabra team members. This is with the hope to provide a valued role for staff as well as the best possible outcomes for the community members connected to our services and programs. Tracey enjoys opportunities for networking and collaborating with other agencies as a way of keeping a connection and presence in the Human Services community and forming referral pathways from mutual clients.
Ben Skewes
General Manager, Organisational Services
Ben is a Chartered Accountant who joined Kyabra in 2015. Previously, Ben held a wide range of commercial roles. Ben applies his skills and his experience to ensuring the highest standards of financial and organisational services. His commitment to accountability and transparency is reflected in the quality of financial reporting to both the Board and to Management. Ben works to ensure that direct service staff have efficient and effective systems to support their work.
Shirley Gration-Collins
Manager Intake & Assessment
Shirley joined Kyabra in 2015 as the Manager of the Intake and Assessment Team. This was an exciting time for Kyabra and she enjoyed the challenge in her work as the intake roles formed and the team grew. Shirley’s experience and skill set comes from the journeys community members and colleagues have invited her on. She has had many frontline and management positions throughout her career in a variety of non-government settings. Shirley has worked alongside women in the area of domestic and family violence in women’s refuges and other community organisations and in sexual violence as a young women’s counsellor and community educator. She further developed her growth and knowledge when working with community members from a refugee or asylum seeker background. She also has a background in training and professional development. Kyabra’s strengths based approach fits well with Shirley’s professional frameworks. She is passionate about social justice and equity of access to services, which is core to the work in the intake team.
Trish Landsberger
Manager, Group Work & Training
Trish joined Kyabra in 2001 as the teaching Director of Kyabra’s Early Years Centre. Her background was Infant Primary teaching. Trish has since completed and updated train the trainer in many relational parenting groups, a Graduate Diploma in Creative and Experiential Arts Therapy and a Masters Degree of Gestalt Therapy. Trish has worked in several teams across the organisation, including the Foster and Kinship Care Team and Early Intervention and Training. Her journey through the different teams in the organisation has landed her in a place where she still maintains a twinkle to her eye and a passion for the work. Her particular passion is supporting community members, her team and others in the organisation in the areas of parent child relationships; lifting up the vital importance and role that parents play in a child’s early years’ physical and emotional development before they start their formal years of education.
Morgan Hunter-Francois
Manager, Sunshine Coast
Morgan joined Kyabra in 2023 as the Coordinator, Supervision and Practice Support, moving into the Coordinator, Accommodation and Domestic & Family Violence role in 2024 before stepping into the Manager, Sunshine Coast position. Prior to Kyabra, Morgan held a range of roles across Queensland and Victoria, primarily in domestic and family violence, team leading, and program coordination. With qualifications in social work, health science and human nutrition, Morgan brings a holistic, values-aligned approach that reflects Kyabra’s commitment to social justice, strengths-based practice and innovation. Morgan is passionate about fostering supportive team cultures that strengthen skill development and build capacity.
Gemma Scott
Manager, Support Worker Services
Bio to follow
Samantha Degiovanni
Manager, Case Management & Coordination
Sam joined the Kyabra team in 2013 as a case worker within the Supported Accommodation team. In 2016, she stepped into the role of Coordinator for Kyabra’s Housing and Homelessness programs. Over the years, Sam has gained experience across a variety of areas including Housing and Homelessness, Disability, Foster and Kinship Care and NDIS Supports Coordination. Sam holds a Bachelor of Human Services, a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, and a Master of Social Work. Sam is deeply committed to social justice and is driven by a passion for improving outcomes for individuals and families.
Meet the Management Committee
Nick Martin
President
With a passion for supporting vulnerable people and developing robust communities, Nick has pursued a career in the profit for purpose sector. Nick’s unique skill-set has allowed him to gain extensive experience as a consultant in business development and strategic design, using innovative ways to create sustainability in the not-for-profit sector. Through project management, work-shopping and presenting to large groups, Nick support’s organisations in a variety of areas, such as culture- building, change management, innovative service delivery, revenue stream development- based on customers needs and wants. Nick enjoys working with people and their customers/clients to determine their pain points in finding a solution. He enjoys the development of new ventures and promise a passionate group of people can bring to their community. Nick has had a connection with Kyabra for many years and believes in the strength- based approach and values the Kyabra community embodies. Nick is excited to support Kyabra in continuing as a leader delivering sustainable services to the most vulnerable in the community.
Lexie Graham
Vice President
Following completion of a Bachelor of Human Services in 2012, Lexie joined the Kyabra team in early 2013, working as a Resource Worker in the Disability Services Team. While working at Kyabra, Lexie completed a Master of Social Work, and a Bachelor of Laws.
Lexie currently works as a lawyer with the State Government and has a strong passion for social justice and improving outcomes for individuals and families. Working across employment and administrative law, Lexie’s previous experience is as a social worker in non-profits, working across child protection, housing and homelessness, and disability programs (Lexie was an employee of Kyabra for almost 10 years!). Lexie has also been involved in community development project work with other community organisations while working at Kyabra.
Lexie has a keen interest in Kyabra’s values and framework for practice, particularly strength-based practice which strongly aligns with her own practice framework. Lexie is a fierce ally to the LGBT+ community and was instrumental in the implementation of the Gender in Practice working party at Kyabra and the LGBT+ inclusivity project. Lexie is also an advocate for positive partnerships and believes this is vital for securing positive outcomes for community. In line with her strong interest in partnerships and supporting outcomes for children, Lexie also sits on the Local Advisory Council of Edmund Rice Camps Qld, who has partnered with Kyabra to provide camp services since 2017.
Outside of working full-time, you will find Lexie running around after her 3 kids (+ 3 step-kids), playing hockey for QUT, enjoying Pilates, surfing at Kirra, or snorkelling up north.
After leaving Kyabra as an employee in January 2023, Lexie is excited to continue to support Kyabra in a different capacity through Board membership.
Kerrie Mattiske
Treasurer
Kerrie joined the Kyabra Executive Board in 2024. She is an experienced Not-for-Profit professional with qualifications in commerce, law, governance and risk. Over the last 14 years Kerrie has been employed in as well as had board experience with a range of Not-for-Profits encompassing youth justice, domestic and family violence, suicide prevention and philanthropic activities.
Hayley Gorlitz-Wilson
Board Member
Hayley Gorlitz-Wilson brings over 15 years of experience in shaping minds and businesses, with a strong focus on the vocational education sector. Her career spans multiple industries, providing her with a broad perspective and the ability to offer strategic guidance and insights to individuals at various stages of their business journey. With more than a decade in executive roles and a solid track record of leadership, Hayley has demonstrated her capacity to drive growth and innovation.
Hayley holds a Bachelor of Business with a specialisation in Marketing, along with 11 Diplomas and numerous certificates across diverse business disciplines. As the owner of a consultancy, she specialises in Marketing, Education, and Strategy. Her executive leadership experience has enabled her to forge impactful partnerships across various sectors, successfully manage government contracts, and ensure compliance with state and federal funding. She also brings extensive experience in international business development and marketing, with a focus on promoting education on a global scale.
Dedicated to community service, Hayley actively volunteers her time to initiatives that promote inclusivity, positivity, and growth. She serves as a mentor for the Department of Employment, Small Business, and Training’s Mentoring for Growth (M4G) program, the University of Queensland’s Business, Economics and Law (BEL) faculty, and the Brisbane Business Hub.
In addition to her professional achievements, Hayley is a qualified Justice of the Peace, a certified rescue scuba diver, and proficient in Australian Sign Language (Auslan). She firmly believes that knowledge is only valuable when shared and applied, and her commitment to continuous learning and helping others makes her a valuable asset to the Kyabra Community Association board.
Dianne Wagner
Board Member
Dianne is an experienced practitioner and leader in the human services sector. Dianne’s connection with Kyabra stems back to completing a university placement with the organisation in 2006 while completing her Bachelor of Social Work. Since then, Dianne has worked in several government and non-government roles both at a local and national level, across the health and community sector, including at Kyabra. Dianne has completed further post graduate studies in a Master of Mental Health (Family Therapy).
Dianne’s focus has always been working with children, young people and families and the interface with child protection. Dianne is passionate about breaking down systemic barriers that impact vulnerable people and communities. Dianne was inducted as a board member in 2024. She continues her work in child protection alongside raising her family and much loved family dogs, a Cocker Spaniel and English Staffy.
Michael Corcoran
Secretary
After a career including a variety of roles in the financial services industry, mainly in the industry superannuation sector, Michael is aiming to use the skills and experience gained over the years to assist organisations in the community services sector. He was drawn to Kyabra through its work in social justice, addressing inequality and adopting a strengths based approach.
Previous roles have been in client partnership management and governance. They provided Michael with experience in formulating strategies, and coordinating the delivery of marketing, investment, administration, insurance, financial planning, audit and compliance services to boards of directors.
Michael now works with Right Source as Corporate Governance Partner, assisting not for profits with governance and Company Secretariat services. Clients include organisations in aged care, pre-school education for children with special needs, and the fresh produce industry. He is Company Secretary for three not for profits.
A strong believer in lifelong learning Michael has interest in research and social impact investing. To that end, he has completed a Graduate Certificate in Social Impact and a Certificate in Governance for Not for Profits through the Governance Institute of Australia. This is on top of earlier studies – Bachelor of Commerce, Bachelor of Arts, a Master of Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Communications (all through UQ).
Michael has served on the boards of two not for profit community organisations and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Other volunteer work has been with the Wesley Hospital and Blue Care.
With the rest of his time, Michael likes to play touch footy, swim and cycle (all very slowly) and practice his own unique interpretation of yoga.
Our Partners
Kyabra works with a number of government and community organisations in working towards our hopes for a fair and safe community. We see that these collaborations provide improved outcomes for individuals, families and communities.
Governance
An Executive Board of voluntary, elected community members is responsible for Kyabra’s strategic governance, in line with its Constitution. The organisation maintains accountability to stakeholders through the implementation and maintenance of sound governance and management systems. Our policies, procedures and practices conform with relevant standards across all service areas.
