Board Members
Carmen Osborne GAICD
Board Chair
Master of Planning, Bachelor of Town Planning (Hons), PGD Land Economy.
Experience and Expertise: Carmen has over 30 years of experience in planning and Property development. She brings financial management, governance and management expertise and experience to the Board.
Special Responsibilities: Chair of the Development and GrowthCommittee until Feb 2020.
Dennis Vaccher GAICD
Technical Director
Chartered Accountant, BCom (Accounting, Finance and Systems) UNSW
Experience and Expertise: Dennis has 30 years experience as a Chartered Accountant in Internal and external audit, financial management, corporate governance and risk management.
Special Responsibilities: Secretary & Treasurer; Chair of Compliance, Audit, Risk and Governance Committee.
Lisa Danker GAICD
Technical Director
Bachelor of Science (Architecture) and Master of Urban and Regional Planning
Experience and Expertise: Lisa has over 17 years experience in planning and property development. She has expertise in master-planning large communities and building governance frameworks for strategic and complex projects. Lisa has a passion for place-making and strives to create liveable places while driving broader social and sustainability outcomes.
Special Responsibilities: Chair of Development & Growth Committee from February 2020 to present.
Kate Olgers
Technical Director
Experience and Expertise: Kate is a versatile senior business leader, and risk and governance professional. Her experience and expertise spans law, risk, corporate governance and human resource management across a range of industries including banking, insurance and real estate.
Kate’s career includes 12+ years as a partner of international law firm Allens Arthur Robinson; co-founding legal services disruptor Advent Balance Lawyers; and the past 10 years in-house, including as General Counsel of National Australia Bank and Chief Legal Officer of Suncorp Group. Kate’s relevant experience includes implementing best practice corporate governance; stakeholder management; strategy development and business planning; risk and reputation management; human resource management; and executing complex and strategic projects.
Kate is a mother to Charlotte and Lucas. Kate is an elite Masters cyclist who enjoys travel, theatre and contemporary art. Kate cannot live without good coffee or peanut butter.
Special responsibilities: Member of the Compliance, Audit, Risk & Governance Committee.
Liz Mackdacy
Technical Director
Experience and Expertise: Liz Mackdacy is grateful and delighted to be joining the Board at an exciting time of expansion of Co-ops. Liz has been involved in the social housing sector for more than 20 years wearing a number of hats.
Liz was a volunteer with her local community housing organisation, Burwood Community Housing, for a number of years just prior to the sector amalgamations in NSW. Liz worked in state housing authorities in both NSW and Queensland running policy, programs and operations. After leaving the public sector in the late 90s, Liz set up a consulting business. Through this business, Liz had the opportunity to research social housing issues and strategies across Australia including homelessness (and its funding), self-build projects, crisis housing, affordable housing feasibility studies, state planning policies and local government roles in facilitating and delivering affordable housing.
Liz recently retired from running her forensic psychology practice, that was set up 12 years ago. Liz looks forward to meeting as many of the Co-op members as possible in our COVID world.
Special responsibilities: Member of the Compliance, Audit, Risk & Governance Committee.
Lakshmi Venkat
Member Director
Experience and Expertise: Lakshmi has been an active member of Emoh Ruo since 2015, attending meetings regularly and CENSW forums and sector meetings. This experience has provided Lakshmi with a great foundational knowledge about co-operative housing visions and goals.
Lakshmi is a teacher by profession and likes to take part in friendly discussions on various social topics and enjoys swimming for leisure. Lakshmi looks forward to the opportunity to engage with Co-op life, visions and goals of affordable housing for people in need.
Special Responsibilities: Member of the Development & Growth Committee.
Laura Anthony
Member Director
Experience and Expertise: Laura is a member of Alpha House Co-operative. She has been a member of Housing Co-operatives on and off since 2006. She is also a board member of The Co-op Federation. This gives her understanding of both the member experience and the larger social and structural function of co-operatives. Laura hopes to promote the benefits that co-operative living provides to the wider community as well as providing a member voice to the board.
Special Responsibilities: Compliance, Audit, Risk & Governance Committee
Elspeth Cameron
Member Director
Experience and Expertise: Elspeth has been a member of Palace Women's Housing Co-op since 2013, inspiring a deep commitment to the co-operative model of housing. I bring to the Board the voice of lived tenant experience of the difference the co-operative housing model can make to a life - in my case, immeasurable.
Special Responsibilities: Development & Growth Committee