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Our board

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 Master’s Degrees in theology. counselling, business administration and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Matt works to improve health services with priority populations in his capacity as Executive Director Mission & Health Equity at St Vincent’s Health Network Sydney and is also a director of End Street Sleeping Collaboration Ltd. He has been connected to 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 been a Director of the Haymarket Foundation for the past thirteen years. Trish holds Degrees in management and adult education from the University of Technology Sydney and has spent her career working in the Community Services Sector. Trish is an experienced Not-for-profit executive who has led multiple services and change initiatives including sitting as a director of Homelessness NSW for many years.

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.

Richard Boyer

Director
Date appointed: 17 October 2007

Richard Boyer has been a Director of the Haymarket Foundation for the past seventeen years. Mr Boyer holds a degree in Economics and Computer Sciences from the University of Canberra and was a senior executive in the financial services sector specialising in strategy, technology, and service management. Since retirement, Richard has committed his time to supporting community and environmental causes as well as managing farming enterprises in South Australia.

Dr Marlee Bower

Director
Date appointed: 22 October 2019

Dr Marlee Bower is a Research Fellow at the Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use at The University of Sydney. In her current role she is the Academic Lead of the first National Mental Health Think Tank. Her work centres on the mental health of disadvantaged populations, including people experiencing homelessness and people experiencing incarceration. She completed her PhD in 2019, from Western Sydney University on the experience of loneliness amongst people experiencing homelessness in Australia. She has experience working on numerous evaluations of services and programs for people experiencing homelessness. She has previously worked in state government in prison inspection and homelessness strategy.

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.