NCOSS Staff

All members of the NCOSS executive, management and staff are united by our vision: to reduce disadvantage and poverty for all NSW residents.

You can contact us by email or at the phone numbers below during business hours.

Executive

Cara Varian

CEO

Cara joined NCOSS as CEO in 2024 after a long career in the not-for-profit, public service, pollical and corporate sectors. She believes that everyone in NSW should have equality, opportunity and dignity.

Management

Ben McAlpine

Director, Policy and Advocacy

Ben has been working in the social services sector for over a decade, following seven years in the private sector. His aspiration is to use his passion and skills to make a difference in supporting, enhancing and developing solutions for disadvantage and exclusion.

Olivia Wright

Director School Gateway Projecty

With more than 20 years of experience in the social services sector, Olivia is an accomplished project manager with expertise in community engagement, strategic planning, research, and the design and implementation of complex cross-sector initiatives.

Kathryn Lamond

Director, Communications and Advocacy

Kathryn leads the Communications and Engagement team at NCOSS.

Prior to joining NCOSS, Kathryn worked across corporate, private, government and not-for-profit sectors, both in Australia and overseas.

Geoff Evans

Project Director, CODA (Community Organisations Disaster Adaptation)

Geoff is a recognised leader in disaster resilience and recovery with over 20 years’ experience. A former professional firefighter and soldier, Geoff co-founded Disaster Relief Australia in 2016 and served as CEO until 2024.

Alison Woolsey

Director, Operations

Alison joins NCOSS with a background in professional services firms (accounting and legal) together with experience as a non-executive director with Not for Profit companies in the cultural and education sectors.

Policy & Advocacy

Neha Shah

Policy Lead

Neha is a policy analyst and researcher with nearly 20 years of experience championing outcomes for children, youth, and families across the non-government, peak body and university sectors.

Elyse Cain

Policy Lead

Elyse leads NCOSS’ work on health equity, disability and Foundational Supports, and chairs the NSW Health Equity Alliance. She has over 15 years’ experience in policy and advocacy across government and non-government sectors.

Andrea Angeles

Policy Lead

Andrea leads NCOSS’s policy and advocacy on housing and homelessness, domestic and family violence, and poverty and living affordability. She has over a decade of experience across government and non-government sectors, with a background in domestic and family violence, and child sexual assault and health policy.

Justine Lee

Policy and Research Officer

Justine works at NCOSS on the sustainability of social services, drawing on over 20 years of experience in continuous practice improvement, learning and development and evaluation  across national and state organisations.

Megan Boshell

Policy and Research Officer

Based in Regional NSW, Megan is dedicated to addressing the fundamental drivers of social issues through both early intervention and systemic reform. With over ten years of experience managing and advocating for vital community programs across NSW, Megan uses her practical service knowledge to analyse policy and push for positive change.

Communications and Engagement

Michelle Shackleton

Sector and Community Engagement Officer

Michelle has a background in community organising, public narrative and grassroots campaigning in Australia and overseas, and studied behavioural ecology and sustainability at university.

Melanie Barnes

Communications Officer

Melanie Barnes is a communications specialist with a background in digital campaigns, storytelling, and stakeholder engagement across the social impact sector. Her experience spans not-for-profit organisations, education, and advocacy.

Community Organisations Disaster Adaptation

Eleanor Harris

Senior Project Officer, Community Organisations Disaster Adaptation Project

Eleanor is passionate about supporting communities and community organisations to navigate an increasingly complex disaster and climate adaptation environment.

Operations

David Gbogbo

Business Support Lead

David is committed to providing high-quality governance and organisational support to the Operations department and the NCOSS Board.

Therese Griffith
Finance Lead

Therese joined NCOSS in 2020 after a long career in social service departments of the State Government. She has extensive experience in both financial and management accounting and also bring her expertise in corporate services management to the team.

Sarah Barnett

Executive Support Officer

Sarah Barnett’s role at NCOSS is to provide high-level support to the CEO and to act as a liaison between the CEO, the Board, Senior Management, and external stakeholders.

Catherine Reilly

Business Projects
Catherine Reilly is public policy, strategy and governance expert, with 20+ years’ experience leading major policy reform programs for the NSW Government.

Craig Howe

Finance & Systems Officer

Craig is a long time NCOSS employee with extensive experience in Finance and Administration.

Daniel Zhao

Business Systems Officer

Daniel is a business systems officer, focusing on data-driven solutions and system implementations to enhance efficiency, streamline workflows, and enable smarter decision-making.