Our Team

The team at ReachOut includes some of the most passionate, hard-working, innovative and agile people you’ll ever meet.

Michael Gonski

Chair

Mike Gonski is a partner at global law firm Herbert Smith Freehills. Mike co-founded ‘New Gen’, the next generation of giving program run by Philanthropy Australia. Mike is also the Chair of the Board of Carriageworks. 

Graeme Head AO

Board member

Graeme is currently the Secretary, NSW Department of Customer Service having previously been a Partner at EY Port Jackson Partners and the Commissioner of the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission (2018-2021). He has had a long and distinguished career in public administration and public policy. He has been the chief executive of three New South Wales government agencies – notably as inaugural Public Service Commissioner for 6 years – and one Commonwealth agency. He has served as a deputy secretary in both NSW and the Commonwealth and his experience spans policy, regulatory and central agencies, with a focus on social policy, environmental policy and public sector employment.

Graeme is a Fellow of the Institute of Public Administration and was made an Officer in the Order of Australia in the 2019 Australia Day Honours.

Graeme chairs ReachOut’s Human Resources and Nominations Committee.

Dianne James

Board member 

Dianne is currently an Executive Advisor at Westpac, having retired from her GM Finance Services role at the end of 2023 following a number of CFO and Transformation Strategy and Governance roles across The Westpac Group.

Dianne commenced her career at KPMG and has over 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry. She has previously held roles with MLC, NAB and State Street Australia across Transformation Programs, Finance, People & Culture, Strategy, Operations and Process Ownership.

Dianne chairs ReachOut's Audit, Finance and Risk Committee.

Josh Lowy

Board member 

Joshua Lowy is an Operating Executive at LFG, on the Principal Investments - Software team, that specialises in investing in established private software companies in Australia and New Zealand. LFG is the private investment business and family office of the Lowy family, with offices in New York and Sydney.

Joshua was formerly based in San Francisco as the Head of Product at Calendly, the leading software provider for enterprise teams to automate how they find and schedule a common time to meet with prospects, customers, and clients. He joined the company following it's acquisition of Hugo, a business he co-founded, that provided workflow automation software for revenue teams.

Stuart Munro

Board member 

Stuart Munro is the Commonwealth Bank’s Group Head of Strategy. He commenced this role on 1 July 2018.

Prior to joining CBA, Stuart held various roles at McKinsey & Company in London, New York, and Sydney where he served leading companies on a range of strategy-related topics. Stuart has also worked as an Investment Manager for RF Capital with a focus on technology-related venture capital and private equity investing.

Stuart holds first-class honours degrees in Physics and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Western Australia and a doctorate in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Oxford.

Glen Selikowitz

Board member

Glen is the managing director of Ritam, the family office of Gretel Packer and her children. He is also the chair of Quenter, the family office of the Cantarella family.

During his more than 25 years as a corporate and commercial lawyer, Glen helped resolve a number of high profile and complex disputes, and led a number of significant domestic and cross border transactions. 

Glen served as a member of the advisory board of the NBL. He holds an economics degree, law degree (cum laude) and post graduate tax diploma (Distinction).

Tiara de Silva

Board member

Based in Sydney, Tiara De Silva is a human rights and youth mental health advocate, as well as a Youth Ambassador for ReachOut Australia.

Starting her career in 2018, Tiara has worked with organisations such as ABC Australia, Triple J, Greenpeace International, and SBS to advocate for the destigmatisation of mental health in her community.

She currently attends the University of Sydney, studying Politics and International Relations, and is passionate about helping young people find their voice.

Erica Stewart

Board member 

Erica Stewart is the founder and CEO of Hardtofind, Australia's leading curated marketplace for unique gifts, and Juuni, a subscription start-up for women.

She has a sales and marketing background, with more than 10 years' experience working in senior advertising and publishing roles.

Erica has won numerous awards for her contribution to e-commerce in Australia.

Erica chairs ReachOut's Engagement and Sustainability Committee.

Brendan Thomas

Board member 

Brendan Thomas, proud Wiradjuri man, father of four, is the CEO of AUSTRAC having previously been the Deputy Secretary, Transforming Aboriginal Outcomes in the Department of Communities and Justice where he led the Department’s response to NSW’s commitments to Closing the Gap – specifically the overrepresentation of Aboriginal people and young people in the criminal justice system and the out-of-home care system, and women and children’s safety from domestic and family violence, within a newly created division.

Prior to this, Brendan was the CEO of Legal Aid NSW, one of Australia’s largest law practices, for half a decade. Brendan led work to ensure clients were at the heart of the important work it does, increased the number and quality of services provided to Aboriginal clients, and secured future funding for Legal Aid NSW and community legal centres across NSW.

As Deputy Secretary of the Department of Justice, Brendan led major criminal and civil justice reforms including reforms to sentencing, the introduction of circle sentencing, major reforms in the field of domestic violence, services to victims of crime and to Aboriginal communities, including Aboriginal Sentencing courts, the Safer Pathway Scheme and Youth on Track. He founded the Design Out Crime Research Centre and served among other things on the Australian Criminology Research Council, the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology, and the Board of the NSW Crime Commission.

Brendan is the Executive Sponsor of Local Decision Making and the Multicultural Network, and the founding Chair of the DCJ Racism Taskforce.

Ian Thorpe AM

Board member 

Ian Thorpe AM is Australia’s most decorated Olympian and one of the country’s most recognised and influential athletes. He has a strong commitment to the not-for-profit sector, having established his own charity, Fountain for Youth, to prevent and control illness in children, particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. He is also a passionate advocate for mental health through his various roles as Patron of ReachOut, Member of the AIS Athlete & Wellbeing Advisory Board and Ambassador for Invictus Games. Ian is also co-founder of Beon Performance, which helps to cultivate cultures that thrive under pressure while giving people the tools to eliminate self-induced stress and anxiety. Ian is a member of ReachOut’s Fundraising Committee.