Our Board

Our Board members are passionately committed to improving the lives of carers, and bring a wide range of skills and experience to help us achieve our aims. Many of them also have personal experience of caring.

Sue Peden AM – Board Chair

BComm, GAICD

Board Director since 2013

Sue has over 30 years’ experience in advertising and marketing, advising clients from large multi-nationals to start ups on brand strategy, creative development, and consumer research. She is currently the director and founder of Sue Peden Communication Consulting Pty Ltd, and is a former unpaid carer of over 15 years (disability).

Sue’s other board roles include the Ballarat General Cemeteries Trust, Aged and Community Care Providers Association (ACCPA), and Unlabelled Pty Ltd.

Callum Ingram – Deputy Chair

BSci (Hon), LLB, LLM, EMPM, GAICD

Board Director since 2016

Callum is now retired, and living the carer experience. He has over 25 years’ experience leading multidisciplinary teams across a variety of leadership roles in the public, NFP and private sectors.

Callum’s strengths lie in organisational transformation, continuous improvement and strategic planning, and he has extensive experience in corporate services, governance, strategy, and policy development. He also sits on the board of the Aurora Foundation Ltd.

Guy Carvalho - Treasurer

B. Acc., CPA

Board Director since 2015

Guy is the co-founder and CEO at IBO, a new digital business that has applied for a banking license that would enable it to become a ‘bank’ to support the global mobility of capital, commerce and people. He has over 30 years’ experience as a senior financial and commercial executive, growing business portfolios across a range of customer segments, industries and companies in the Asia–Pacific region.

Guy has the strong belief that people are the single biggest asset for any organisation and none more so than for not-for-profit organisations such as Carers Victoria.

Carol Webb

Board Director since 2021

Carol has over 17 years’ experience in the Human Resources arena. She has developed and implemented a broad range of leadership, strategic human resource management and organisational capability programs. As an experienced HR consultant, she has proven ability to coach managers, facilitate a range of corporate programs and work at Board level. She has extensive experience in change management, strategic planning, and has a passion for education and training.

Carol has a young son who has the Treacher Collins syndrome and is deaf. She is committed to enhancing the level of support and opportunities for Carers and their families. She is excited to be able to contribute to Carers Victoria and ensure its long-term success. Her formal qualifications include a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) and Masters of Management. She has also completed the AICD Womens’ Board leadership program.

Gerard Mullins

Board Director since 2018

Gerard has many years’ boardroom experience with appointments in the NFP sector and with privately unlisted companies. As a company director, Gerard has a keen interest in corporate governance and risk management, and has an extensive professional background in information and communications technology (ICT) and digital strategies, transforming his client’s business operations into astute industry leaders.

He also has over 25 years of corporate business management experience within the manufacturing, ICT and building and construction industries.

Gerard has mentored many ICT professionals in the execution of ICT-based projects, the management of ICT services and continues to do so in conjunction with managing his successful ICT services company.

His collaborative approach unifies the people around Gerard, and his consultative methods result in positive outcomes and clear courses of action.

Tina DiNello

Board Director / AR&C Committee Member since 2021

An experienced Chartered Accountant with Big 4 training further developed in industry through extensive assurance and governance focus including enterprise risk management, compliance and regulatory, internal audit, operational improvement and excellence, business resilience and policy frameworks.

Tina’s philosophy is to apply sound commercial acumen to the delivery of business outcomes.

She has broad experience in industries including Telco, Education (HE & VE), Retail, Consumer and Healthcare.

She has demonstrated skills with the ability to drive change management in dynamic and complex organisations, aligning strategic imperatives with business operations to support growth, vision and improving corporate governance.

Tina has worked closely with Boards, ARCs, Subcommittees and Executive Leadership Teams (SteerCo’s) and believes that her ability to drive uplift and maturity lies directly with her team and has a high focus on people management skills including leadership and mentoring to achieve a strong team culture.

Nick Field

Board Director since 2022

Nick currently holds a director role in the Victorian public sector, with responsibility for the corporate services functions of finance, people, IT and governance. Nick previously had over 15 years of public sector consulting experience with clients in the UK and throughout Victoria, across state departments, local government, emergency services and public entities.

A qualified facilitator and trainer, he is passionate about using his skills to support and improve public value organisations. With personal and family experience of caring, Nick is also active as a volunteer in local school and sporting organisations.

Executive Team

Our Executive Team are guiding the charge for change and action for Victoria's caring families.

Judith Abbott - CEO

Judith is a highly qualified and well-rounded senior executive with extensive experience in government, not-for-profit and private organisations. She has particular strengths in organisational strategy, policy and advocacy, planning, and managing through change with a sophisticated understanding of how government works. Judith is an engaging and enthusiastic leader who is also a natural connector with a rich network. She delivers creative and sustainable solutions to complex problems, effectively working in complex and often contested governance and operating environments. She has extensive experience working with boards, committees, ministers and sector leaders. Passionate about improving systems, Judith is skilled at helping organisations develop effective strategy, policy and advocacy approaches that have a positive social impact.

Cate Edwards
General Manager – Carer and Corporate Services

Joining Carers Victoria in 2020, Cate contributes extensive knowledge of not-for-profit management and experience in the development and implementation of social services. With previous roles across a range of sectors including community legal services and family violence, and experience working with a range of stakeholder and member-based organisations, she builds strong networks and delivers sector-wide projects and innovations.

Alongside this, she is passionate about developing strategic, well-functioning and outcomes focussed for-purpose organisations that can adapt and innovate in changing and challenging circumstances and has a Masters in Management. Cate has experience working with and sitting on boards and has extensive experience engaging positively with all levels of government on behalf of communities, including experience working with governments and networks across Asia and Oceania.

Andrew Lyall
General Manager – Policy and Engagement

Andrew is an experienced not-for-profit sector executive with a successful track record of leading organisational change within complex funding environments. He previously worked within the disability sector, focussing on strategy, performance and the transformation of organisational systems, service models and culture (particularly in response to the introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme).

Andrew has held a number of executive positions including COO, Deputy / Interim CEO, Director and Executive Manager.

Andrew commenced in the role of GM, Policy and Engagement, in February 2023. He believes understanding the needs of multiple stakeholders is key to enabling effective social policy.

Nikki Black
General Manager - Strategic Partnerships and Business Development

Nikki has worked in a variety of roles in the corporate healthcare sector. With over 20 years’ of experience in both sales and marketing across ANZ, her strengths lie in strategic marketing, creating strong partnerships and getting things done. She is a values-driven people person who is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives. Nikki’s creativity and passion for her work have led to many past successes in helping organisations achieve their goals.