Chair Chuck Berger Expand Chuck Berger, Chair I am the current Manager of Kimberley Community Legal Services (KCLS), and I am very pleased to have been elected Chair of the Executive Committee. The community legal sector is almost unique in Australia in that it still maintains a strong decentralised, grassroots focus that allows us to be embedded in and responsive to the communities in which we operate. Unlike many other areas of human services, we haven’t consolidated into large national or international enterprises. That’s our strength, but it also means we have to stretch ourselves to work together, learn from each other, and even flex our muscle together from time to time. Remote legal centres like ours in the Kimberley face a unique set of challenges, and I believe that makes it all the more important to cooperate closely with our colleagues in the big cities. Before joining KCLS in late 2016, I worked as CEO of Outdoors Victoria for several years, and before that as a corporate lawyer, and lawyer and strategist for the Australian Conservation Foundation. I’ve dedicated most of my professional life to community organisations, and hope that I can add a new and fresh perspective to our state peak body. Manager, Kimberley Community Legal Services Inc
Deputy Chair Sarah Patterson Expand Sarah Patterson As the newest of the CLC Managers I have been consistently surprised by the amazing work that this sector can achieve with minimal resources, skeleton staff, and consistent uncertainty around viability and sustainability. But we do. In fact we thrive! I believe that our success is due to the passion and commitment of our members, and strong, committed governance that supports the sector to implement best practice models, work collaboratively, and leverage new opportunities for growth and success. I am currently the General Manager of Midlas, a CLC in Midland, and hold undergraduate degrees in Communication and Culture, and a Master’s Degree in Business Leadership. I have specialised in strategic planning, governance, and organisational culture and am excited to share these skills and experience with the other members of the Executive Committee and work collaboratively for the benefit of the sector as a whole. General Manager, Midland Information, Debt and Legal Advocacy Service (Midlas)
Treasurer Carol Child Expand Carol Child, Treasurer Carol Child is a UK qualified accountant with over 30 years of experience. She worked for a decade in the financial sector in London and for the last 20 years in the not for profit sector in Western Australia as a financial controller. As Executive Manager, she is responsible for maintenance of all the organisations financial records including payroll, monthly budgets, management accounts to the Board and the annual audit of the financial accounts. She also oversees corporate governance, human resource management and is responsible for ensuring the office administration runs smoothly. Executive Manager, The Humanitarian Group
Member Chris Gabelish Expand Chris Gabelish I have been part of the CLC sector for 19 years and am currently the Operations Manager at Geraldton Resource Centre (GRC). One of the significant aspects about GRC is that it provides multi-disciplinary services, including 4 legal services in the MidWest, Murchison and Gascoyne regions of WA. Collaboration and partnerships are not just catch phrases for me, they are the basis of all the work that I do. I also enjoy making a contribution to the broader sector. In addition to being on the State Executive Committee, I have previously been WA representative to the National Association of CLCs, State and National Rural, Regional and Remote Network of CLCs, past member of the National Probono Resource Centre Advisory Council as well as numerous projects and working parties at a State and National level. I would also be delighted to assist anyone venturing into the strange world of Karaoke. Operations Manager, Geraldton Resource Centre
Member Louellyn Gane Expand Louellyn Gane I have worked in the CLC sector for almost 15 years, having been employed by the Aboriginal Family Violence Unit in Geraldton as the principal solicitor, Sussex Street Community Law Service as the principal solicitor and manager, Goldfields Community Legal Centre as the principal solicitor and I have been the principal solicitor at the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre now for a few years. My passion is this sector, our clients and us as employees. The WA community legal centre sector is a strong one, and I am excited about its future and our place in the national landscape. I am looking forward to the opportunity to contribute on a deeper level to the sectors future. I believe that my experience across the regional and metropolitan areas of WA give me a good understanding about the issues that impact on services across the state, and hopefully I can impart some of this knowledge while also learning new skills. Principal Solicitor, Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre
Member Corina Martin Expand Corina Martin I am a Mulgyin Jaru/Kitja and Gooniyandi woman born and raised in Broome Western Australia. Having worked in the Community Legal sector for numerous years out in the regions and communities of Western Australia, I am now the CEO of Aboriginal Family Law Services. I have extensive experience in understanding legal issues affecting Aboriginal people from both a personal and working perspective and I am committed to working in this area of law. I believe in collaboration with other legal and community services to ensure the best legal and community education services are on offer to the clients that we service, who have very complex needs, both social and legal. We are all here to provide a service, we should all be supporting each other rather than competing with each other. Chief Executive Officer, Aboriginal Family Law Services
Member Gemma Mitchell Expand Gemma Mitchell Gemma Mitchell studied at the University of Notre Dame in Fremantle and was admitted as a lawyer in 2010. She has worked at the Consumer Credit Legal Service (WA) since 2013; she commenced as Principal Solicitor in August 2016 and became Managing Solicitor in July 2017. In 2018, CCLSWA won the WA Consumer Protection Award. Gemma also sits on the Consumer Advisory Committee of WA, the WA Consumer Advocacy and Regulatory Agencies Network, the Consumer Federation of Australia, the Australian Banking Association Consumer Outcomes Group, and the Australian Financial Complaints Authority Consumer Liaison Group. Under her leadership CCLSWA has developed inspiring workplace values which have led to a focused and driven organisation. This renewed direction has led to an almost entirely new Board who are very engaged and are striving towards a culture of excellence. CCLSWA’s vision is for a strong community, empowered by fair and just, consumer and financial, rights and responsibilities. Managing Solicitor, Consumer Credit Legal Service