Our Staff

Suha Ali – Chief Executive Officer

Glenda Bignell – Volunteer Services Manager

Emily Barker – Office Manager

Esther Deng – Client Services Manager

Marcus Botello – Case Worker

Indra Croasdale – Opening Doors Coordinator

Ehsan Nazamyar – Case Worker

Anna Normann – Relationship & Engagement Manager

ROSEMARY HUDSON MILLER (CHAIRPERSON)

With a life-long commitment to justice and advocacy alongside marginalised and oppressed people, Rosemary’s skills in working with people were developed through her professional backgrounds in nursing and youth work. Rosemary’s Christian faith is formative in her ethics and approach to the intrinsic value of each human being. Her long-standing involvement and commitment to social justice also reflects her deep sense of vocation in the church and in the wider community. This commitment has lead Rosemary to pursue advocacy, action and policy development work in areas of Indigenous issues, refugees, asylum seekers and detainees, mental health, work rights, and international justice matters. She continues to engage community and government to bring about change for a more just society.

CATHERINE GREEN (VICE CHAIRPERSON)

Catherine has more than 20 years’ experience in humanitarian response leadership and operations. She has led and managed numerous conflict and climate related humanitarian responses in Asia, East Africa and the Middle East and has a passion for supporting accountability to affected populations (AAP) and local-leadership within an emergency context . Most recently, she was the Response Director for World Vision in Ukraine. Upon returning to Perth, Catherine took up the role of Head of Impact Missions (Urgent Challenges) with Minderoo Foundation.

Catherine has been engaged with CARAD at many points over the years as a volunteer and supporter, and strongly shares the vision that CARAD has for Australia – a welcoming country where refugees and people seeking asylum can rebuild their lives and are treated with compassion and respect.

JUDITH CHERNYSH (SECRETARY)

Judith is a social worker and has worked for more than 30 years in the WA State Government in policy and program development as well as the administration of funding to the non-government sector in the areas of disability, family and domestic violence, and homelessness. Judith aims to use the skills and knowledge she has to contribute to the governance of CARAD as it continues to meet the challenges posed by the Commonwealth Government’s refugee policies. Judith is honoured and feels privileged to be part of CARAD as it continues to welcome and support asylum seekers, refugees and detainees and their families to live with decency and dignity in our community.

ANNE SURMA

Anne Surma has had a long career as an academic: teaching, supervising, researching, and publishing in the areas of literary studies and professional and creative writing. Much of her research has explored the use of public language and its effects in the shaping of cultural norms. Anne is also an experienced editor and writer and has worked on a range of large and small projects in the government and private sectors. As the daughter of post-war refugees from Europe, she has an abiding personal interest in the treatment of people seeking asylum. She has also written journal articles and book chapters exploring the ways in which people seeking asylum are represented in public (including literary) discourses.

Anne is proud to be a member of CARAD, and passionately committed to its focus on giving active voice to and supporting the rights, safety, welfare, and dignity of all our clients.

ELLA MCNEILL

Ella McNeill is a senior arts management professional and independent consultant across arts, not for profit, impact and philanthropy, specialising in strategy and business planning. 

Previously the Director of Arts & Culture at Minderoo Foundation, one of Australasia's largest philanthropies, and CEO of the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival, Ella's experience spans the private, public and NFP sectors working with some of the largest art organisations around the globe. 

Ella is dedicated to creating meaningful social change and advocating for more inclusive and compassionate communities. The right to safety, support, and dignity for refugees and asylum seekers is an area of particular passion, and Ella is proud to assist CARAD in achieving its goals.

CAROLYNE WANJIRU

Carolyne Wanjiru is a dedicated community worker actively involved with various not-for-profit organisations including the Red Cross Humanitarian Settlement Program and CARAD. Her association with CARAD was initially through her lived experience as a former client of the organisation, followed by working as a project intern for the disaster resilience project in 2022-23. She has been a support worker, a mental health support worker, and a nursing assistant at various organisations.

Recently, Carolyne completed two programs, one through the Organisation of African Communities Western Australia (OACWA): the African Women’s Leadership Empowerment and Development; and the Engaging Young Leaders on Aged Care and Community Boards Program. Carolyne is passionate about building strong relationships and making a positive impact. She is fluent in Swahili, Kikuyu, and English.

Dr ROSEMARY SAYER

Rosemary’s career is founded in writing and communications and includes diverse experiences in general management in Australia and Asia over many years. She worked in senior positions at Wesfarmers Limited and Lion Nathan in Australia and in Asia Pacific regional management roles at international bank, Standard Chartered and international communications consultancy, Golin Harris.

Rosemary is a former journalist and has written three non-fiction books while a fourth draft manuscript of stories about refugee women is with a publisher. In 2019 she completed her PhD at Curtin University which explored her dual interests in writing and human rights. In recent years she has worked as a sessional lecturer, tutor and research assistant in the school of Media, Creative Arts and Social Inquiry, and at the Centre for Human Rights Education at Curtin University. She is currently an Adjunct Post-Doctoral Fellow at Curtin University.

Rosemary also serves on the board of the Edmund Rice Centre.