The Carpentaria Board consists of up to eight elected members:

Grant Lindsay

Grant Lindsay

Chairperson

Grant Lindsay was appointed to the Board of Carpentaria Disability Services Inc in 2005, and President from 2008-13. He then joined the Board of Carpentaria Disability Services Ltd in 2018. Grant has a passionate interest in person-centred support services that respect individual choice and need and assist each individual to develop their capacity so that they can participate in, contribute to and be effective members of our community.

Grant is currently self-employed as a management consultant. He is also the president of the Down Syndrome Association of the Northern Territory and a member of the Down Syndrome Australia Board since its inception. Grant worked in the non-government education sector for 14 years, previously he had a similar role in a health research institute, following 25 years in the Australian Regular Army. He is married with two children and is a long term Rotarian and rugby fan.

Marie-Louise Pearson

Marie-Louise Pearson

Vice Chairperson

Marie-Louise Pearson joined the Board in 2023 and has a strong history serving on boards and in community organisation leadership. She is a Life Member and Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders, a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, holds a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical Sciences. She is an active member of several Territory organisations and was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2021 for services through other organisations.

She is passionate about making a meaningful contribution and utilising her high-level governance skills to support high quality person-centred services.

Steven Porter

Steven Porter

Company Secretary

Steven Porter joined the Board of Carpentaria Disability Services Inc in 2017 and the Board of Carpentaria Disability Services Ltd in 2018. He is an experienced Board Director and an Australian Institute of Company Directors graduate with strong strategic, financial and corporate governance skills. Steven has tertiary qualifications in engineering and a Masters in Organisation Dynamics. He is a water industry specialist with 35 years experience across multiple public, private and Council water entities.

Wendy Ah Chin

Wendy Ah Chin

Director

Wendy Ah Chin was appointed to the Board in 2023 and has extensive experience working with the Northern Territory, Queensland and the Australian Government across health, community and education portfolios. Originally from Mt. Isa, and a descendant from the Wannyi people in North West Queensland, Wendy currently works as the Chief Superintendent First Nations and Cultural Capability in the Department of Corrective Services.

Wendy has held executive roles in the Cooperative Research Centre for Aboriginal Health (now Lowitja Institute) and Yothu Yindi Foundation, and has a health science degree, a graduate certificate in public sector management and an Executive Master of Public Administration (EMPA) through the Australian & New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).

Nicole Hurwood

Nicole Hurwood

Director

Nicole Hurwood joined the Board of Carpentaria Disability Services Ltd in 2020. She is a long term Territorian and a career public servant who has worked across a number of portfolios, holding executive leadership roles in human and social services agencies. She has a keen interest in strategic policy, organisational and workforce development and resource management. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Business, a Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management, a Master of Arts in Public Sector Leadership; is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and has completed the Australia and New Zealand School of Governments Executive Fellows Program.
Sarah Skopellos

Sarah Skopellos

Director

Sarah joined the Board of Carpentaria in 2023. A person who lives with disability, Sarah is passionate about being an active community member and contributing to initiatives that improve access, inclusion and outcomes for people living with disability. Sarah sits on a range of government and not-for-profit disability committees including Integrated Disability Action Inc, the NT Disability Advisory Committee, and two NDIA review and reform working groups. Sarah also coordinates three grassroots disability support groups in Darwin and recently won a national 2023 Disability Leadership Program scholarship from the Australian Network on Disability and the AICD.

Before retiring on medical grounds in late 2020, Sarah worked for the Northern Territory Government for 20 years in the Office of the Chief Minister, the Department of Legislative Assembly and the Department of Treasury and Finance. Sarah has extensive experience in executive support and government processes.

Hamza Vayani

Hamza Vayani

Director

Hamza Vayani joined the Board in 2022 and has held several appointments in a range of senior management roles and advisory committees at state and national level. He has a demonstrated track record as a strong advocate for culturally responsive, clinically safe and accessible healthcare and disability services with a particular focus on people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities. He is passionate about making health and social care systems integrated, accessible and easier to navigate.

Hamza is not afraid of asking the difficult questions when it comes to maintaining confidence in the accessible and clinically safe delivery of health and human services. He believes public policy and service delivery should be about choice and control for people accessing the services they need in a way that is empowering, inclusive of lived experience perspectives and based in evidence.

Steve Vitone

Steve Vitone

Director

Steve Vitone joined the Board of Carpentaria Disability Services Inc in 2005 as Deputy Chair and joined the Board of Carpentaria Disability Services Ltd in 2018. He is also the CEO of Carers NT, a not-for-profit community based organisation dedicated to improving the lives of family carers living in the Northern Territory. Steve is a Social Worker by profession and has a long involvement in services for people with a disability and their families.

Steve has worked in both the public and private sector, primarily in the disability and rehabilitation areas, has a strong commitment to social justice and extensive experience in advocacy. He has held several positions on community, state and national working groups, committees and boards including NDS Northern Territory, Carpentaria, the Chief Minister’s NGO Advisory Council and Moil School Council. He was also appointed to the National Disability and Carers Advisory Council.