About us
Our Board and Management
VincentCare's Board of Directors and Management team
Board of Directors
Bernard Bicknell | Director
CPA, GAICD
An experienced senior executive with specialised knowledge of the retail sector, having been Chief Executive Officer of Mitre 10 Pty Ltd for 8 years and Chief Financial Officer of Mitre 10 Pty Ltd; and Chief Operating Officer at The Godfreys Group.
Special responsibilities: Chair Group Finance Committee and Chair Group Investment Committee.
Michael Quinn | Director & State President
Over a period of 35 years, established and was the Managing Director of Quinn Industries, Australian-made furniture manufacturing company.
Managing Director of M Print, a Victorian-based printing company for over 10 years. Past Chair of St Jude’s Parish Advisory Council and Finance Committee 2013 – 2021. Established the East Timor Scholarship Fund in 2007 – ongoing.
Special responsibilities: Member of: Group Finance Committee and Group Investment Committee. State President of the Society and Chair of Retail Advisory Committee.
Alyssa Caplan | Director
Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Commerce with a Major in Economics, MAICD, Fellow Governance Institute of Australia.
A senior commercial lawyer with over 17 years’ experience in the law, both in private practice at Allens Arthur Robinson and as a corporate lawyer at Accenture, a multinational professional services company. Held several roles on Accenture’s executive leadership teams, including Director of Legal Services for North APAC.
Special responsibilities: Member of Group Governance Committee and Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee
Thomas Quinn | Director
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering (Honours), MBA
Over 30 years of global experience as a business and major project executive in multiple sectors including infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, oil & gas, food and chemical service industries, in global public companies. Currently, managing director of Telford Executive Consulting. Former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Broadspectrum. Recognised from 2010 to 2013 as one of the top 100 engineers in Australia by Engineers Australia.
Special responsibilities: Member of Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee.
Brendan Podbury | Director
Pastoral Associate Diploma, Business Management Cert IV
SVDPV member for 25 years. Thirty-eight years working in the Youth and Community sector. Worked at SVPDV for 22 years as a team leader, trainer and advisor to Regional and Central Council presidents. Anglicare Victoria Youth Outreach worker and Salvation Army Residential Youth worker.
Special responsibilities: Northern Central Council President, State Council Governance Advisory Committee, Emergency Relief Liaison Committee, SSVDPV Property Board.
Jason Laird | Director
Master of Business Administration
Executive Corporate Affairs at National Australia Bank since 2018, including communications, government relations, sustainability, community relations and NAB Foundation. Previous executive roles with General Motors and Telstra. Senior adviser to various senior executives and government leaders.
Susan Dornom | Director
BA Science Education
Secondary school mathematics teach, Parish secretary, member of Aspendale SVDPV Conference for 34 years and volunteer at Chelsea Heights Vinnies Shop and Dandenong Soup Van. Currently Southern Central Council President and State Soup Van President.
Special responsibilities: Chair of Membership and Leadership Advisory Council.
Ken Northwood | Director
BA.LLB
Current State Vice president (Governance). Solicitor in private practice – litigation specialist with an emphasis on corporate litigation 1964- 1982, Australian Regular Army 1983- 2000 serving in Defence Force Legal Services including Director of Military and Administrative Law, Defence Force Magistrate 1989-2000. Director of Legal Training 1997-2000. Service with United Nations 1989 (Southwest Africa). Member, Commonwealth Refugee Review Tribunal 2000- 2003. Thereafter – legal consultant to Department of Defence. Co-author “Justice in Arms – the first hundred years” (2014). Member St Vincent de Paul Society 2001 – 2021
Special responsibilities: Chair Group Governance Committee.
Margaret Gearing | Director
VincentCare Community Housing
Board of Directors
Thomas Quinn | Chair
Bachelor of Science, Mechanical Engineering (Honours), MBA
Over 30 years of global experience as a business and major project executive in multiple sectors including infrastructure, manufacturing, mining, oil & gas, food and chemical service industries, in global public companies. Currently, managing director of Telford Executive Consulting. Former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Broadspectrum. Recognised from 2010 to 2013 as one of the top 100 engineers in Australia by Engineers Australia.
Special responsibilities: Member of Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee.
Alyssa Caplan | Director
Bachelor of Laws (Honours), Bachelor of Commerce with a Major in Economics, MAICD, Fellow Governance Institute of Australia
A senior commercial lawyer with over 17 years’ experience in the law, both in private practice at Allens Arthur Robinson and as a corporate lawyer at Accenture, a multinational professional services company. Held several roles on Accenture’s executive leadership teams, including Director of Legal Services for North APAC.
Special responsibilities: Member of Group Governance Committee, Audit, Risk & Compliance Committee and Planning & Development Committee.
Mario Lo Giudice | Director
Bachelor of Economics, Registered Building Practitioner (Commercial and Residential), Member of Australian Institute of Company Directors, Member of the Housing Institute of Australia and Member of the Urban Development Institute of Australia
Mario is the Managing Director of Banco Group of Companies established in 1962, one of Melbourne’s most well established property developers specialising in social and environmentally sustainable developments and urban regeneration projects, including residential buildings, shopping centres, apartment complexes, townhouse and mixed-use developments, industrial parks, warehouse shells and land subdivisions. The organisation is committed to building a sustainable future for Australian cities and creating places people can proudly call home.
Jenny Roche | Deputy Chair
Bachelor of Commerce, FAICD, Grad Dip Management
An experienced Non-Executive Director who draws from over 25 years’ experience as a Big 4 Consulting Partner and Senior Executive in large organisation. Jenny is the Lead Partner for Enterprise Digital Transformation for KPMG and personally consults in the Government Sector.
Special responsibilities: Member of Planning & Development Committee.
Ellie Schwab | Director
Bachelor of Arts Law, Victorian Real Estate Licence holder
Ellie is currently Head of Portfolio at Dexus overseeing a $6b office asset management portfolio across Victoria and Western Australia. She has over 20 years’ experience in the property industry predominantly focused on development management and project leadership of large scale, master planned, mixed use developments in Melbourne, Sydney and London.
Special responsibilities: Chair of Planning & Development Committee.
Senior Leadership Team
Dr Jenny Fitzgerald AM
Group Chief Executive Officer
Dr Jennifer Fitzgerald AM, a distinguished leader in the field of social services and disability support, assumed the role of Group CEO at St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria in July 2023.
With a remarkable track record in the support services sector, including her successful tenure as CEO of Scope, Dr Fitzgerald brings extensive experience and compassionate leadership to our organisation. Recognised for her exceptional contributions, she was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (AM) in 2021.
Growing up with a mother who volunteered for St Vincent de Paul Society Victoria, Dr Fitzgerald deeply appreciates the organisation’s values and transformative approach of providing a ‘hand up’ to those in need.
Paul Turton
Executive General Manager, Client Services
Paul has a dedicated history of working strategically in non-profit organisational management. He was formally General Manager Homelessness Services at VincentCare, our designated housing provider. Prior to that, he was a senior manager at Melbourne City Mission for many years.
Paul has a strong focus on peer learning, business coaching and service innovation.
