Alan LeMay is an experienced executive leader with a strong track record in organisational performance, community engagement, and strategic transformation across Queensland’s community services landscape. As the General Manager, The Smith Family, QLD, Alan has spent years guiding teams through growth, change, and complex operational environments while maintaining a clear focus on delivering meaningful social impact.

With a background that spans frontline service delivery, corporate leadership, and cross-sector collaboration, Alan brings a balanced perspective to governance, one that values both strategic oversight and the realities faced by people and practitioners on the ground. His leadership is characterised by authenticity, accountability, and a commitment to cultivating environments where people and organisations can thrive.

Alan is particularly passionate about building resilient systems that enable independence, wellbeing, and long-term opportunity for young people and communities. He believes deeply in the power of prevention, early intervention, and person-centred support models that honour dignity and create genuine pathways to stability.

Known for his pragmatic, people-first approach, Alan works closely with partners across government, non-profits, and local communities to co-design solutions and strengthen service ecosystems. He is recognised for his ability to connect big-picture strategy with operational reality, ensuring decisions are both visionary and grounded.

Motivated by the belief that every young person deserves the chance to shape their own future, Alan brings his strategic insight, collaborative style, and steadfast advocacy to the NWYAS Board to help young people build independence and belonging.

Outside of work, Alan enjoys time with family, exploring Queensland’s great outdoors on his bike or Kayak, and diving into projects that spark his curiosity and creativity.

Dr Maree Stanley is a researcher and evaluator with over 20 years’ experience translating evidence into policy and practice for positive outcomes. She brings a values‑driven, collaborative approach to her work, drawing on community‑led insights and ethical evaluation to strengthen organisational capability, inform strategic decision‑making, and support systems‑level change. Her career reflects a longstanding, evidence‑informed commitment to social inclusion and equity.

Maree brings strong governance skills relevant to the role of Board Secretary, including clear and concise communication, well‑developed documentation and reporting capability, and a disciplined, detail‑oriented approach to supporting effective board processes. She is a member of the Institute of Community Directors Australia.

Outside of work, Maree enjoys dancing, gardening, and walking with her dogs.

Cathy is a seasoned banking professional with over 15 years of experience spanning Institutional, Corporate, and Commercial banking sectors. Throughout her career, Cathy has developed deep expertise in complex credit transactions and deal structuring, with a particular focus on supporting corporate growth and decarbonisation initiatives. As a recent addition to the NWYAS Board, Cathy brings her robust commercial acumen and financial expertise to the table, aiming to boost NWYAS’ efforts to combat youth homelessness.

Since migrating to Australia in 2008, Cathy has developed a keen understanding of the challenges faced by underprivileged individuals striving to alter their life trajectories. She is committed to leveraging her skills to advance NWYAS’s mission of empowering vulnerable youth toward independence. Cathy holds a CPA designation and a Master of Commerce (Advanced) in Applied Finance and Professional Accounting from the University of Queensland. She is also a recent graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, ready to guide NWYAS toward achieving its strategic goals.

Rosemary’s career in governance and risk management has covered a broad spectrum of sectors including agriculture, banking, energy, government. Her current role is as the Risk Manager for Churches of Christ in Queensland, a large Not-For-Profit with operations including aged care, retirement living, housing services and the care, support and advocacy for children, youth and families.

Rosemary is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of International Business and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance. In a voluntary capacity she has been a member of the Governance and Risk Committee for a NSW based charity, tutored in English to refugees and currently is heavily involved in facilitating local community networks.

Michelle Debert is a Social Worker, leader, and sector innovator with more than a decade of operational experience in homelessness and housing across Queensland. She currently serves as the Sector Capacity and Projects Lead at Q Shelter, QLD’s peak body for housing and homelessness, where she supports organisations to strengthen practice, build capability, and respond to emerging challenges in the sector.

Michelle brings a unique combination of frontline expertise, systems thinking, and lived experience insight. Her background informs a deep commitment to dignity, inclusion, and evidence-informed approaches that improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. She is particularly passionate about Housing First principles, harm reduction, trauma-informed practice, and shifting service delivery to be holistic.

A collaborator by nature, Michelle works closely with services, government, and community partners to influence systems reform and promote innovative, person-centred responses. She is known for her practical leadership style, her capacity to translate complex realities into clear action, and her strong belief in the power of community to drive meaningful change.

Grounded in the belief that everyone deserves somewhere to live, someone to love, and something meaningful to do, Michelle brings her skills, insight, and advocacy to the NWYAS board with the aim of supporting young people to thrive and reach independence.

In her spare time, Michelle loves theme parks, her cat and cruises.

Dr Laura Simpson Reeves has a strong background spanning research, community development, and publishing. She is currently a Research Fellow at The University of Queensland.

Her program of research explores how structural and cultural forces shape experiences of inequality and disadvantage, working at the intersection of culture, community, and care. It is grounded in a deep commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion.

She is passionate about translating research into practice and amplifying voices of those with lived/living experience.

Yolanda is an Australian-trained psychologist with over 15 years of clinical, operational and strategic leadership experience in the community sector. A highly experienced, qualified and accomplished Senior Manager, specialising in Child, Youth and Family Services within community-based and social purpose organisations.

With a proven track record of delivering programs and services to a consistently high standard through diverse roles and environments, including over a decade of specialist experience working in youth justice, criminal post-release rehabilitation, tertiary child protection, universal early intervention and family support services; with driven passion to advance Australian children’s welfare. Demonstrated ability to identify, assess, manage and resolve complex issues with a calm, measured and mature approach. A highly competent practitioner who has become a senior manager and sector leader successfully bridges the divide between strategic thinking and frontline operations. Excellent work ethic, reliable and trustworthy. Sound appreciation and respect for confidentiality, discretion, cultural sensitivity, and high levels of personal and professional integrity.

A passionate advocate for engaging children’s voices and helping children and young people reach their fullest potential, Yolanda is excited to join NWYAS in 2023 to extend her commitment to helping the vulnerable further.