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Our board and CEO

The Haymarket Foundation’s board leads the organisation’s strategic planning activities, oversees the credentialing of healthcare practitioners, and provides governance and oversight over our operations.

The Haymarket Foundation’s constitution requires the appointment of between three and ten directors who bring with them a broad range of skills, experience and expertise.  Our board volunteer their time to further the mission of the Haymarket Foundation, and receive no payment for fulfilling their duties as directors.

The role of our board is outlined in our constitution: The Haymarket Foundation- Constitution

Mr Matthew Kearney

Chairperson
Date appointed: 11 October 2022

Matthew Kearney was elected Chair on 23 October 2023. He holds a Master’s Degrees in theology, counselling, business administration and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Throughout his career, Matt has worked to drive innovation and improve services with priority populations. In his capacity as National Director Formation & Purpose at St Vincent’s Health Australia and in his previous position as Executive Director Mission & Health Equity at St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney, he plays a key role in shaping organisational culture and the delivery of care with people who are under-served by the health and aged care system.

Matt was recognised with the 2025 Executive Leadership Award at the Australian Pride in Health + Wellbeing Awards for his work in support of sexuality and gender diverse patients. Matt is also a Director of End Street Sleeping Collaboration Ltd where he promotes sector collaboration and utilising data insights to address homelessness. He has a long-standing connection with services supporting people experiencing homelessness since volunteering at Rosies Friends on the Street in Brisbane, after leaving school.

Matt is committed to systemic and effective solutions to homelessness and reducing the stigma associated with drug dependence and mental illness.

Ms Sumithira Thavapalan

Treasurer
Date appointed: 22 January 2019

Sumithira Thavapalan was appointed as a Director and Treasurer of the Haymarket Foundation in January 2019. Sumithira holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Class One Honours from the University of New South Wales and is a Chartered Accountant. Sumithira has extensive experience working in senior financial and leadership roles across ASX Listed Companies, top 4 Professional Services Firms, Government and Not-for-profit agencies. She is passionate about providing quality of life outcomes for vulnerable people in our community.

Ms Patricia Bramble

Vice Chairperson
Date appointed: 15 September 2010

Trish Bramble has dedicated much of her career to the non-profit sector, driven by a deep commitment to fostering meaningful change and improving service delivery. With extensive experience in senior leadership roles across major charitable organisations, she is widely recognized for her expertise in change management and strategic development.

Trish served as Treasurer of the national peak body Homelessness Australia for six years, and as Chairperson of the state peak body Homelessness NSW for another six years. In both roles, she played a pivotal part in securing vital funding grants and advancing policy initiatives to support people experiencing homelessness.

Her dedication to housing equity is further reflected in her nine-year tenure with Pacific Housing, a community housing provider, where she championed the belief that safe, affordable housing is a fundamental human right.

Trish continues to advocate for inclusive, sustainable solutions that empower communities and improve lives.

The Hon Kevin R. Rozzoli (AM)

Director

Date appointed: 25 May 1976

The Hon Kevin Rozzoli (AM) is a founding Director of the Haymarket Foundation and served in the role of Chairman for more than three decades. He stood down from this role in October 2023. Mr Rozzoli holds a Diploma of Law (1985) and was a member of the NSW Legislative Assembly from 1973 to 2003, serving in the role of Speaker of the Parliament from 1988 to 1995. Kevin is a tireless advocate for socially and economically disadvantaged members of the community, and a founding member of the Accountability Round Table, a Victorian based organisation promoting higher integrity standards in the operational functions of Australia’s parliaments.

Dr Marlee Bower

Director
Date appointed: 22 October 2019

Marlee is a Senior Research Fellow at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at the University of Sydney, with over 12 years experience in mental health and social policy research. Her research focuses on the mental health and social wellbeing of people experiencing disadvantage, including those facing homelessness and housing insecurity. More recently, her work has examined how climate change affects the mental health of these groups.

Marlee is also the Academic Lead of Australia’s first national Mental Health Think Tank – a cross-sector collaboration of researchers, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health leaders, clinicians, people with lived and living experience, and policy experts. She holds a PhD on loneliness among people experiencing homelessness and has led and contributed to numerous evaluations of housing, prison and mental health programs, including in the areas of treatment, Housing First and healthcare. She is currently a member of the Expert Advisory Committee for the Federal Government’s Australian Centre of Evaluation.

Before moving into research, Marlee worked in NSW state government roles in homelessness strategy and prison inspection.

Dr Michael Moore

Director
Date appointed: 20 October 2020

Dr Michael Moore is a General Practitioner and was previously the CEO of the Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network. He is passionate about optimising the contribution of primary and community- based care to the health of our wider community, particularly those experiencing, or at risk of homelessness. Dr Moore trained as a GP doing his internship at Hornsby Hospital, gained his FRACGP, and after some years in hospital administration took up the role of CEO at Hornsby Ku- ring-gai Division of General Practice in 1992.

Gowan Vyse

CEO and Company Secretary

Date appointed: 21 June 2022

Gowan Vyse has a wealth of experience in community development and in the public service. Prior to her appointment as CEO at the Haymarket Foundation, she worked at the City of Sydney overseeing programs supporting people experiencing homelessness, refugees, asylum seekers, international students, young people, LGBTIQ communities, First Nations people and people with disability. She has also worked at the NSW Trustee and Guardian, what was the NSW Department of Ageing Disability and Home Care, where she developed a particular interest in people with disability and/or mental health issues who have contact with the criminal justice system. Gowan has held several Ministerial appointments on government boards. She has a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Western Sydney. You can read more about her here.