Shannon joined Seniors Rights Service in 2021 as our new chief executive officer.
Shannon has held senior leadership roles in both the government and non-government sectors for 30 years and has a strong commitment to social justice and a passionate interest in ageing, aged care and regional service delivery.
She has a background in policy and advocacy, including at the NSW Office of Ageing, with a focus on ageing, women’s health, housing and homelessness. She has managed multiple large federal, state and philanthropic grants with varying funding agreements, acquittal processes and evaluation methodologies, and is an outcomes and results focused leader.
Shannon comes to us from YWCA Australia, where she was Director, National Service Development and Delivery, working through the merging of diverse member associations into one national organisation.
She was previously Director, Community Health and Regional Services with ACON, NSW’s leading LGBTIQ+ organisation.
Shannon managed the development of a national face-to-face and online training program for the aged care sector and the implementation of the Aged Care Community Visitors Scheme for LGBTIQ people in NSW. At the NSW Office of Ageing, she advised the minister on ageing issues and managed the NSW Forum on Ageing at Parliament House, supported the production of the Older People NSW report in partnership with the Australian Bureau of Statistics, managed funded research projects and implemented state-wide research policy seminars.
Andrew is Emeritus Professor of International Law and Human Rights at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), an associate of the Ageing Futures Institute and the Australian Human Rights Institute at UNSW, and a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences in Australia and of the Australian Academy of Law. He has served as President of the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law and Vice-President of the Asian Society of International Law, as well as external legal adviser to the Australian Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights and as a member of the Human Rights Committees of the NSW Bar Association and the Law Council of Australia.
Deanna holds a Diploma of Management – Juvenile Justice and a Bachelor of Social Work from UNSW. She brings strong grassroots experience in community engagement, particularly through her work with the City of Sydney Council. Her involvement in issues such as homelessness combined with a practical, common sense approach and ability to connect with communities are recognised as key assets she brings to the Board.
Deanna has contributed extensively as a volunteer, supporting people experiencing homelessness at the Wayside Chapel, visiting socially isolated elderly clients through Sisters of Charity Outreach in Eastern Sydney, and providing respite and recreational support to people with disability in Maroubra.
Caroline is a senior executive with over 15 years of experience leading global organisations through growth, digital transformation and ethical alignment. Having held General Manager and Executive Director roles across Australia, Asia and the USA she brings valuable international perspective and strategic financial acumen to the Board.
Her professional journey has been defined by her commitment to people centred leadership and rigorous operational stewardship. She has successfully led diverse teams across multiple markets, developing a deep understanding of how to balance commercial sustainability with social impact. Her experience spans premium retail and purpose driven businesses, giving her insight into both high growth commercial environments and mission led organisations.
Caroline’s bicultural background (French-Australian) and years living and working in China have shaped her understanding of culturally responsive leadership and the importance of ensuring services are truly accessible to diverse communities. She is committed to ensuring advocacy services remain inclusive and accessible to all communities across New South Wales.
Caroline is deeply committed to social justice and human rights. She believes every older person deserves to live with dignity, autonomy and respect. She looks forward to applying her strategic expertise to support the organisation’s mission of upholding these fundamental rights for older people across New South Wales.
Matthew has extensive management and not for profit governance experience across a range of sectors including health, social and disability. Within the aged care space he has worked as a Senior Project Manager for the Older Persons Advocacy Network. Matthew has also worked extensively overseas in humanitarian management roles supporting people and communities in need. Additionally, he has worked for St Vincent de Paul as Executive Officer based at the Matthew Talbot Hostel and as a consultant at PwC on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander primary health care.
Nitika is the General Manager Finance at YWCA Australia with extensive experience across both the not for profit and private sectors. She leads the financial operations of multiple entities and also provides strategic oversight in budgeting, financial planning, compliance and risk management. Nitika has strong expertise in managing property development projects, community housing operations and government grants to ensure sound governance and sustainable outcomes. She holds a Master of Business Administration alongside a Master of Economics and a Bachelor of Commerce. Nitika is also an Associate Member of Certified Practising Accountants Australia.
Sandra Di Bella holds a Bachelor of Arts/Law from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Laws (Hons) from the University of Sydney. With over 40 years legal experience across corporate, government and not for profit sectors, she was a partner at Deacons (now Norton Rose Fulbright) and later held senior legal and governance roles within the National Australia Bank Group. Sandra founded her own practice supporting consumer protection and charities and served as the inaugural in house legal adviser to the Art Gallery of NSW. She is dedicated to justice, governance and protecting seniors rights.
Joanna Maxwell is a lawyer, educator and human rights leader with deep expertise in ageing, workforce participation and social justice. She holds a Master of Laws specialising in human rights and international law and a Master of Education focused on older workers and social change.
Joanna has built a diverse career across legal practice, academia and business. She has taught law and journalism and runs her own consultancy supporting individuals and organisations navigating career transitions and ageing workforces.
From 2017 to 2025, Joanna held senior leadership roles at the Australian Human Rights Commission including Director of the Age Discrimination Team, Director of Age Research and Director of Human Rights. In these roles, she led national work on age discrimination, contributed to policy and research and advanced protections for older Australians.
She is the author of Rethink Your Career in Your 40s, 50s and 60s (HarperCollins, 2017) and is currently writing a new book on flourishing as we age. Joanna has a longstanding commitment to human rights and continues to advocate for the dignity, inclusion and opportunities of older people.
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