Australian Red Cross Board

When Charles Burkitt was two, Cyclone Tracy ripped through his hometown of Darwin in the early hours of Christmas Day leaving complete destruction while killing 71 people.

Charles, along with his parents and four-year-old brother, sheltered under their house, then when over half the city’s population was evacuated in the days after the storm, the family decided to stay together in Darwin for the clean-up.

Red Cross assisted in that evacuation of over 30,000 people, many of them women and children. Red Cross also helped amid the rebuild.

“I think staying in Darwin was the right decision for us because those who left either never returned, or found it really difficult when they finally returned to a city they no longer recognised,” Charles says.

After that event Red Cross never really left Charles’ life.

His mother was a volunteer and then joined the staff and stayed for 30 years, during which she set up the Home Care Service, among other things. The family also lived next door to Red Cross’ Northern Territory headquarters in Lambell Terrace, Darwin.

“As a kid I’d go door knocking with Mum collecting donations, and even dress up as a blood drop to help promote the Blood Bank,” Charles laughs.

As a teenager he went to boarding school in Sydney but then returned home to launch his career as an Investment Adviser.

Charles now works in commercial property and as a corporate advisor.

He has been a member of the Australian Red Cross national board since 2014 when he was elected chair of the Northern Territory Division. He was then elected to the Deputy President's position in 2019.

“The beauty of Red Cross is there’s no agenda, we’re there to help people in times of need and to build on community strengths.”

“Our neutrality and impartiality are very important but so is being sustainable, so we can deliver services and positive social outcomes, that’s primarily where my interest lies.”

Annette brings diverse experience from a range of sectors, including Health, Social Services, Environment, Urban Planning, and Property and Construction. She has held Board and executive positions in public, private, government, social enterprise and not-for-profit organisations, including the Medical Board of Australia (NSW) and NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment.

Annette is a Member of Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD) and holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Hons) and a Bachelor of Teaching (Secondary Science) with Distinction.

Elizabeth (Liz) was appointed to the Board of Australian Red Cross in April 2023, following serving as an independent member of the Finance Committee since 2020.

Liz is an experienced non-executive director and committee chair. Her executive career includes Corporate Finance Partner roles at William Buck and Grant Thornton, as well as audit experience at Ernst & Young.

Liz holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne and a Masters of Business Administration from La Trobe University. She is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia, a Fellow of the Governance Institute and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

James Birch’s stellar career in health management culminated in the role of Global Health Care Leader for Ernst & Young, which he held until 2016.

Prior to that position James ran South Australia’s Human Services and Health Department, was deputy of South Australia’s Justice Department and Chief Executive of major health service delivery organisations, including academic teaching hospitals.

But when asked what part of his work really fired his enthusiasm, James nominates infant health and wellbeing.

“I got exposed really early to the disadvantage children can suffer if they don’t have opportunities early in life,” he says.

“The jury is no longer out, the science is very strong. So, if my professional career has been dominated by one passion, it’s the need to ensure all children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

As Chair of SA’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital, he is able to steer service delivery and policy in this area.

As chair of Red Cross’s Lifeblood Division, James came to sit on Red Cross’s national board.

“Lifeblood is one of the most spectacular organisations I’ve ever had anything to do with,” he says.

“Lifeblood produces a life-giving set of products and if you come out of health like I do you can’t not be passionate about that.”

On the Humanitarian side of Red Cross, James is passionate about disasters and migration services.

“No one else does it better and I expect society thinks that, too,” he says.

With extensive experience in international forums, including the United Nations Climate Action Summit, Ané has been instrumental in shaping youth-driven initiatives and policies, notably leading the creation of Australia's first official Youth Statement and Policy Recommendations for COP26. Her efforts saw her listed as a ‘Young Woman to Watch’ by Young Australians in International Affairs in 2021.

Ané holds a Bachelor of Media from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Commerce from the University of Sydney.

Eveline has been volunteering with the Australian Red Cross since 2015, starting in a Canberra program providing meals to those who are vulnerable or at risk of homelessness. She has been serving on the ACT Divisional Advisory Board as representative since 2017.

Eveline is a mergers and acquisitions lawyer at King & Wood Mallesons, specialising in foreign investment. She holds a Master of Laws and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice Law from the Australian National University and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting)/Laws from the University of Canberra.

Valmae joined the Albury Australian Red Cross branch in 2012, where she served as a secretary for 10 years before transferring to the Walla Walla branch in 2022. She further worked as several zone Reps, Volunteer Emergency services, Fundraising and in the Human Settlement Program, where she was setting up homes for new arrivals, and promoted Red Cross in the community.

Valmae is now retired and spent the last 17 years of her career working in TAFE NSW libraries.

Tarn joined Australian Red Cross in 2016, and since then has held roles across Community Programs and Emergency Services. Throughout her career, Tarn has worked alongside women and young people in Central Australia to pursue social justice and community connectedness.

Tarn’s qualifications include a Masters of Narrative Therapy and Community Work, Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) and Bachelor of Arts (Philosophy). She is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.

She joined Australian Red Cross 22 years ago and has been an active member and volunteer involved in branch fundraising. Helen has served in several programs and has been involved in every emergency impacting south Queensland since 2011.

Helen has also volunteered in executive roles, in a range of community organisations, including school P&Cs, Meals on Wheels, Jubilee Community Care, the Mentally Handicapped Association Hong Kong, and church councils. Helen has also served as a Justice of the Peace for 50 years.

Melanie joined Australian Red Cross in 2017 and has since then focused on initiatives aimed at transforming youth participation at Red Cross. In October 2022, Melanie was appointed as Chair of the Tasmanian Divisional Advisory Board. Previously she held roles as a member of the Tasmanian Divisional Advisory Board, and Tasmanian Youth Advisory Committee (the latter of which she was also chair).

Melanie, who was admitted as a legal practitioner in 2015, is a legislative drafter with the Tasmanian Office of Parliamentary Counsel. Prior to this, Melanie was a specialist family violence prosecutor for Tasmania Police. This opportunity gave her substantial insight into the criminal justice system and the issue of family and domestic violence, both topics about which she remains passionate.

Outside Australian Red Cross, Melanie has been involved in different community organisations at all levels including the model United Nations and youth parliament camps.

Melanie holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws and first-class Honours degree in Sociology.

While volunteering with Red Cross in the Whittlesea community in the days after the 2009 Victorian bushfires, Garry Nolan encountered a small boy and his parents at the emergency evacuation centre.

The four-year-old was sobbing amid hundreds of distressed evacuees, exhausted firefighters and volunteers.

Garry asked if he could help and the boy’s mother explained he’d lost all his toys.

Amid the coming and going, Garry managed to find him a trauma teddy, one of the soft toys Red Cross volunteers have been knitting for children since 1990.

It was a modest gesture in the wake of one of Victoria’s most devastating natural disasters.

“He walked away glowing with joy. It was just gorgeous,” Garry says.

“Our ability to support people in distress is one of many reasons I am passionate about Red Cross. It is the glue keeping society together.”

Garry joined Red Cross in 2007 after he retired from National Australia Bank.

“Banks at that time made a highly valuable contribution to Australia’s economic and community development. Sadly, they lost their way, but it is reassuring to see them supporting Australians through this global pandemic” Garry says.

Garry’s final role at NAB was as Group Company Secretary & Chief Governance Officer where he contributed to the Best Practice Governance Recommendations for companies listed on the Australian, London and New York stock exchanges.

Governance remains a passion. “As a boy, I pulled a mechanical watch apart to see how it worked. I put it back together and to this day, I love it when everything works together to achieve the desired result. Without good governance practices, the sustainability of any organisation is at considerable risk.

Garry was elected Chair of Victoria’s DAB in 2020 after six years as deputy.

Colonel Steve Joske, CSC (Ret’d) joined Australian Red Cross in 2003 as the State Executive Director in WA. He has served Australian Red Cross for 14 years and was awarded the Honorary Life Membership of Red Cross in 2017 for his contributions. He previously held command positions in the Australian Army and was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross for leadership of the Australian Force in Bougainville. He is a graduate of the Royal Military College Duntroon, the Command and Staff College and the Joint Services Staff College, and has several masters level university degrees.

Additional Board Member Nazli was appointed to the Board in April 2023, after previously serving as Youth Board Member.

Nazli has been heavily involved in volunteer work in the youth sector and was the recipient of a Certificate of Commendation for Service to the Community in 2012 by the Australian Government. She continues to be an active member of a number of NSW-based youth organisations.

Nazli holds a Master of Laws in Human Rights Law, Graduate Diploma in International Law and Graduate Certificate in International Dispute Resolution from the University of London, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the College of Law, as well as Bachelor of International Studies and Bachelor of Laws from Western Sydney University.