Our people
Board of Directors
Callen O’Brien - Chairman
Callen is an experienced board member and corporate adviser with over 25 years’ experience across a broad range of industries in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and the US.
He joined Anchorage Capital Partners in 2014 and was appointed Managing Partner in 2022. He is currently chairman of Specialised Linen Services, Access Community Health (NZ) and Evolve Education Group (NZ), Executive Director of GBST, and was recently a council member of the Australian Investment Council.
He was formerly chairman of Contract Resources and executive director of Affinity Education and RailFirst. Prior to joining Anchorage, Callen was a senior partner at Minter Ellison where he advised many of Australia’s leading private equity firms on their investments in the region.
Callen has also worked for a number of years with leading law firms in London and New York advising on international M&A transactions. Callen holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of NSW and had been admitted to practice law in Australia, England and New York.
Andrew Rowley - CEO
Andrew joined Ability first Australia as Managing Director in 2012. Andrew comes with over 25 years’ experience in the not-for-profit, education and commercial sector. He has extensive experience in strategy and establishing and securing revenue streams. While being passionate about helping those less fortunate, he is focused on ensuring accountability and outcomes whilst maintaining core values and mission.
Under Andrew’s leadership, Ability First Australia has established itself as the only strategic alliance in the disability industry. Ability First played a critical role in supporting 15 large service providers transition into the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), one of Australia’s largest social reforms since the introduction of Medicare in the 1980s. Andrew is a fellow of ADAPE Australia, a member of the CEO Circle and is the Chair of WeFlex.
Guy Cowan
Guy has been a non-executive director since November 2017. He is currently Chairman of Queensland Sugar Limited and the Port of Brisbane Limited. He is also Chairman of two private companies. Previously he was a director of Santos Limited, Coffey International Limited and Ludowici Limited. Guy had a 23 year career with Shell International in various senior Commercial and Financial roles. His last two roles were as CFO and Director of Shell Oil US and CFO of Shell Nigeria. Guy was CFO of Fonterra Co-operative Ltd between 2005 and 2009. He holds a BSc (Hons) Engineering from the University of Sussex and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
Alison Quinn
Alison is a professional non-executive director with more than 25 years’ experience as a CEO and senior executive in the property development and aged care / seniors sectors.
Through her roles with public, private and government organisations, Alison has developed valuable operational and commercial expertise in the areas of property investment, funding, infrastructure and development. Uniquely, Alison has significant expertise on the impacts and challenges of Australia’s ageing population and has been at the forefront of thought leadership regarding meeting the housing, care and other service needs of the baby boomer generation.
Alison brings to the board a depth of experience in developing strategies that drive sustainable growth, a strong customer perspective and a passion and understanding of how property as an enabler can deliver both financial and holistic outcomes.
Geoff Lovell
Geoff has more than 30 years of experience in the corporate and for purpose sectors, across real estate, investment management, banking, risk management, corporate governance, education and Indigenous Australia.
Geoff is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, Chairman of Ability First Australia Community Housing Ltd (AFACHL), President of the Cranbrook School Council, and the Chief Investment Officer of Sustainable Development Group Ltd.
Previously, Geoff has held senior executive roles at Lend Lease and Macquarie Group, where he was Chief Executive Officer of ASX listed Macquarie ProLogis Trust and Head of Commercial Property Lending.
In addition, Geoff has had extensive voluntary involvements in for-purpose enterprises, including as: Chairman of the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME), Chairman of the Indigenous Real Estate Investment Trust (I- REIT) Investment Committee, Chairman of the Council of St Paul’s College within the University of Sydney, Deputy Chairman of the Council of Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore), and a member of the Investment Committee of the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation (ILSC).
Geoff holds first class honours degrees from the University of Sydney (in Civil Engineering) and the University of Oxford (in Philosophy, Politics and Economics), where he was the inaugural Bradman Scholar.
Rhys Kennedy
Rhys has been Chief Executive Officer of CPL since December 2016. Under Rhys’ leadership, CPL has grown from an organisation with turnover of $84 million and 1,100 employees operating in Queensland, to a $189 million organisation with over 2,900 employees spanning Queensland and Northern New South Wales. Rhys brings a unique combination of knowledge, skills and experience to the role, many of which have been acquired from within the organisation.
After joining CPL as an occupational therapist in Rockhampton, Rhys held a number of local management roles before taking a leadership role in the organisation as General Manager – Strategy, a position which would ultimately lead him into the CEO role. Rhys is also Chair of Cootharinga and Access Arts Boards, subsidiaries of CPL. Rhys holds a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Master of Business Administration and is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Liz Forsyth
Liz is a skilled CEO and Senior Executive with experience leading at scale in a not-for-profit context, including in the child and family, and disability services sectors. As a social worker with management and governance qualifications, Liz has had an extensive career in human services. She is passionate about social justice, innovation, and leading for impact in the social and community sector. With an early career in child protection services, Liz spent over a decade working in disability for Northcott during the transformation of the industry through the NDIS. She then moved into the child and family sector as CEO of CareSouth, and returned to Northcott in 2020 as the CEO and Managing Director. Liz is a Director of The SpineCare Foundation, Northcott Innovation Ltd, Northcott Therapy ACT Pty Ltd and Montrose Therapy and Respite. Liz is also a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Northcott is one of Australia’s largest not-for-profit disability service organisations, employing 2,600 staff and providing services to over 16,700 people with disability, their families and carers across NSW and ACT. In 2022, Montrose Therapy and Respite became a wholly owned subsidiary of Northcott.
Greg Ward
Greg was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Novita Children’s Services in July 2016. With a focus on innovation and shared outcomes, Greg offers strong leadership for the achievement of our vision and ongoing sustainability. His experience in the selection and management of high performing teams will enable the implementation of a range of new exciting strategies for our transformation into meeting the challenges of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.
Greg has a long and impressive pedigree with successful military, public and private sector roles, including at CEO and Board level.
Following a 19 year career in the Royal Australian Navy, he has held a number of challenging positions in civil infrastructure, manufacturing, global defence businesses and ICT project management, both in South Australia and overseas. Among his many achievements, Greg has successfully started, managed and grown a number of innovative businesses.
With broad experience as a Project Director and Program Manager across civil design, IT and construction programs, he has delivered complex life-cycle projects. He has also consulted to a broad range of large global organisations focusing on project management strategy and implementation, operational effectiveness and improvement.
Ability First Australia Executive Committee
Andrew Rowley – Ability First Australia
Jacquie Thomson – Ability WA
Jo-Anne Hewitt – Achieve Australia
Martin Laverty – Aruma
John van Ruth – CARA
Annie Rily – Carpentaria
Rhys Kennedy – CPL and Cootharinga North Queensland
Diane Lynch – LiveBetter
Hayley Dean – Melba Support Services
Liz Forsyth – Northcott
Greg Ward – Novita
Michael Tait – Rocky Bay
Lisa Evans – Scope
Honni Pitt – St. Giles
Damian Bell – Vertaview
Terry Symonds – Yooralla
Ability First Australia Team
Andrew Rowley – Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
Jennifer Luff – Chief Operating Officer
Jessica Hempton – Government Relations and Communications Manager
Sarah Mantarro – Executive Assistant
Amy Campbell – Executive Assistant
Deborah Hoffman – YPIRAC Program Director
May Cheung – Chief Operating Officer, Ability First Australia Community Housing Ltd
Garry Simpson – Chief Operating Officer, Ability Roundtable
James Anderson – General Manager, Ability Roundtable