Our Board

Barry Thomas

Chairperson

Barry Thomas is a life member of Helping People Achieve and has served many years on the Board as Treasurer and is currently the Chairperson. He has a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) degree and worked for various international Big Four Chartered Accounting firms. He was a partner of Coopers & Lybrand for ten years and retired as a partner of Deloitte after thirteen years. He specialised in providing business advice to private business clients. Barry accepted the Board position with Helping People Achieve to use his knowledge and experience to strengthen the financial position of the organisation and helped guide Helping People Achieve through the Global Financial Crisis and the recent pandemic.

He also served on the Boards of TeamHealth (fifteen years and life member), Automobile Association Northern Territory (seven years), Darwin South Rotary Club (fifteen years) and is currently and for many years been the Business Advisor to a fully Indigenous owned business based in Nhulunbuy. Barry has a very strong commitment to Helping People Achieve, and even though he retired in 2011 and moved from Darwin, he remains on the Board as he believes that the culture of Helping People Achieve and its people provide significant support to people living with disability through supported employment, accommodation and community services.

Brendan Atkins

Vice Chairperson

Brendan Atkins has been a consistent board member for Helping People Achieve Incorporated since 17th March 2010 and currently holds the position of Vice Chairperson. Brendan brings his knowledge of financial acumen and understanding of the Northern Territory to his role on the Helping People Achieve Board, guiding decisions regarding the organisations financial position over his tenure.

Brendan takes a hands-on approach in his board position, giving him a deep understanding of Helping People Achieve, its people and purpose.

John Yousef

Treasurer

John is the Treasurer and has been a board member for over 10 years.

John is the proprietor of JKY & CO, which is a Certified Practising Accounting firm providing high quality audit, taxation and business services to Territory Organisations. John uses his knowledge of the NT and brings a wealth of knowledge to the role of Treasurer.

John is good at interpreting local businesses and organisations specific needs, and approaches this with honesty and integrity. He has lived and worked in the Northern Territory for over 41 years. John has had over 27 years of experience working in both public and private organisations in business consulting and advisory services. He has also worked in both large international accounting firms and local Darwin firms, where he has had experience in tax, audit, and business services for various organisations in the Northern Territory.

John Garner

Member

John is currently retired and is part of the Helping People Achieve founding members family. Having serviced in the Royal Australian Army as a radio operator with the infantry, John completed his service and joined the Aviation Fire Brigade. Amongst his professional careers John has been a chauffeur for the Singaporean High Commissions and drove buses in Canberra for 16 years as a volunteer.

John has regularly visited HPA Kokoda Industries, bringing morning tea and lots of stories to share. 12 months ago, John was invited to apply for a vacant board role and has immersed himself into the Helping People Achieve culture. In December 2023, John was delighted to recount the Helping People Achieve story for the Organisation 60th year celebrations.

Paul Goggin

Member

Paul is currently retired and has been a member of the Helping People Achieve Board since 2017 and is a past CEO of Helping People Achieve. He was the NT Chair of the national peak body National Disability Services (NDS) and a member of the National Board of NDS from 2005 to 2007.  Paul was also a member of the NT Minister for Health Community Services Disability Advisory Council.

Jodie Doyle

Member

Jodie Doyle was appointed to the Board in 2022 and has extensive lived disability experience as a proud step mum to Hamish, who, at 23, is now living his best life in purpose built SDA housing.

Since moving to Darwin in 2011, Jodie has experience working in executive support and project management roles within several not-for-profit organisations, including the Red Cross, RSPCA, Carpentaria and, of course, Helping People Achieve.

Jodie is passionate about person centred support which is respectful of individual choice and needs, culminating in outcomes and inclusion for people living with a disability.

Winnie Chen

Member

Winnie Chen joined the Board in 2022. Winnie holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) and a Bachelor of Law from Monash University. She has worked in the legal profession for 8 years, predominantly in commercial litigation. In Victoria, she advised the Department of Health & Human Services and volunteered at the Disability Discrimination Legal Service and Mental Health Legal Centre.

Since relocating to Darwin in 2020, she has worked at the Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission and local law firm De Silva Hebron. Winnie now works in policy for the Northern Territory Government. She also volunteers as a supervising solicitor at the Darwin Community Legal Service and sits on the Basketball Tribunal. 

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