Management

Steve Bruechert

General Manager

Steve joined John Curtin Aged Care in August 2021 after working on the board since 2017. Steve is a multi-skilled and experienced manager, leader, project manager, consultant and facilitator in leadership, management, strategic planning, business planning, team building, change management, quality, human resources, learning and development in community services, aged care, disability and health. Steve brings extensive experience in organisational management, business management as well as a clinical background in disability, aged care and psychogeriatric nursing. As GM Steve is responsible for all day-to-day operations of the facility, accreditation, personnel management and working alongside the Board in planning future directions and developments.

Cleo Chisaka

Clinical Manager

Ray Hill

Finance Manager

Ray joined John Curtin Aged Care (JCAC) in February 2022. Ray is a qualified accountant with Fellow status of CPA Australia. His particular interest has been in the field of Financial Accounting and Business Planning in large State Government, Hospital/Aged Care, Local Government and Not-for-Profit organisations. In my role as Finance manager, I will use my vast experience to add value to the finance function of JCAC.

As a team player, I am passionate and prepared to get my hands dirty and have a wealth of experience in providing strategic advice on finance, treasury and administration in a shared services environment. My strong leadership, staff management, mentoring, board reporting and management skills have been developed across a diverse range of industries and roles.

Karen Farrington

Administration Manager

Karen Farrington began her working life as a settlements officer for La Trobe Home Loans Victoria before marrying and spending 11 years as owner operator of a dairy farm in the La Trobe Valley. After moving to the country town of Kyneton, Karen went on to spend 17 years working as front Office receptionist at Kyneton Bushland Resort before moving to Ballarat in 2017. In Ballarat Karen pursued her career in aged care. Working in Food services, cleaning and then as Lifestyle Co-ordinator for Royal Freemasons for 3 years. During this time Karen completed certificate 4 in Ageing support and Leisure and Health which gave her a well-rounded knowledge of the field. In December 2020 Karen joined the team at John Curtin Aged care as their Admin & Support Coordinator where she supported the teams in all areas including finance, lifestyle and administration before going on to become the Administration Manager. Currently Karen is studying towards an Advance Diploma of Community Services Management to further her knowledge of the legalities surrounding Aged Care and Community Services.

Mahi Christoforou

Environmental Services Manager

Chef Manager

Wade Hughes

Maintenance Manager

John Curtin Aged Care has a 12 member voluntary Board of Management. The Board of Management’s role is to set the strategic direction of the organisation and work effectively with senior management to ensure high quality care.

The Board meets on the third Monday of each month, except January.

The organisation’s annual general meeting is held in October each year.

Sue Craven

PRESIDENT

Sue Craven is a professional Employee Relations expert having completed a Bachelor of Laws specialising in Employment. Sue has also completed a master’s in industrial and Employee Relations and has been working in the Human Resources field for much of her working life. 

Throughout her career Sue has sat on the Board as the Director to East Grampians Health Services and as a Board member to Hepburn Health Services. Sue has been engaged in providing advice and support on all areas of industrial and employee relations to executive and line managers.  

As part of the Board of John Curtin Aged Care and now President, since January 2022, Sue’s wealth of experience and knowledge is paramount in ensuring complex negotiations are addressed fairly and with confidence.  

Richard Ainio

Director JOHN CURTIN AGED CARE INC

Current roles

• Audit Principal at Ainio & Associates
• Independent Member Audit Committee for Ballarat General Cemeteries Trust, 2017 – present
• Independent Member Audit Committee for Glenelg Hopkins CMA, 2022-present
• Independent Member Audit Committee for Warrnambool City Council, 2022 – present
• Independent Member Audit Committee for Moonee Valley City Council, 2023 – present

An experienced Chartered Accountant and hands-on audit (RCA), compliance and accounting professional.

More than 8 years in Australia and 12 years on the ground in China and across Southeast Asia (including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, and India) mostly with KPMG and Deloitte. This included working with organisations undertaking transformation projects such as centralisation of processes, change of accounting systems, restructuring exercises, acquisitions and divestments, privatisation and initial public offerings (involving well over USD2 Billion in three public offerings – US/Singapore/Malaysia). Qualified and experienced with integrated management system auditing as a lead auditor and in the assessment of risk for locally based design and retail organisations with outsourced manufacturing and assembly operations, particularly where product is moved between multiple offshore outsourced parties. Offshore (onsite) experience also includes several intensive investigative projects for both corporate investors and private investors/entrepreneurs enabling them to identify and understand irregularities to differentiate between cultural misunderstanding and deliberate fraud, reduce risk and improve the quality and dividend flow from their foreign investments. Experience includes internal audit, with a focus on procurement and compounded control weaknesses that normalise and enable fraud.

Malcolm Hull

Having been born in the Clunes Hospital and attending school at Clunes Primary and Maryborough High, Malcolm has a strong connection with the region and the surrounding community.

As a Farmer and Agricultural contractor, Malcolm as a member of the Clunes and District Agricultural Society for some 45 years. This gave him the opportunity to connect with the wider farming community and expand his knowledge of the region.

Malcolm prides himself as being an active community member having partaken in a number of community services including 37 years with both the All-Nations Masonic Lodge and Mt Cameron CFA.

Malcolm was also a member of Hepburn Health Services between 2001 & 2015 and sat on the Clunes Primary School Council for 15 years. Through his associations Malcolm has participated in many community centred projects which gave him the opportunity to be associated with many of the locals and form strong connections.

Malcolm’s current focus has been to the Attitude Club in Clunes and the Clunes Football & Netball Clubs along with sitting on the John Curtin Aged Care Board of Directors for the past 5 years. As part of my role with John Curtin Malcolm chairs the infrastructure committee and hopes that his knowledge of the local community and it’s needs is reflected in the future planning and evolvement of the facility as a leading employer and service provider to the local community.

Sandy Campbell  

Sandy’s working life has spanned 40 years.  During that time sandy raised daughter, spent 10 years with a regional?Conservation Group, and put herself through university at night all while working full time. 

Sandy has a BA from La Trobe University. 1984 and has spent 24 years in a large financial institution. 

•  in corporate planning for?12 years and understands the need for accurate budgeting 
• in HR management for 6 years and a further 4 years as an operational manager. 

Sandy understands the intricacies of managing staff, the need for flexibility and the importance of training. 

Sandy then spent 6 years in a State Government Department and understands the strengths and weaknesses of bureaucracy. 

Sandy then went to a large Not-for-Profit and worked to bringing Regional Branches online for their financial reporting, there she learnt the value of Volunteers. 

Sandy came to Creswick in 2004 with her partner to open her own business, a Bookshop and Coffee Shop plus a mini nursery and giftware. This was closed in 2010 following the Global Financial collapse and then she retired. 

Sandy joined the JCAC Board in 2017 after her father, who was a resident between 2010 & 2017, died. 

Sandy is a ‘people person’, a facilitator, and a team?player, and is passionate about living life well. 

Sandy says, “It has been a privilege to serve on this Volunteer Board”. 

Karen Robinson

Clinical Background

Throughout her career Karen has worked in a range of areas for people with disabilities and people who are ageing including direct support worker, Residential House Supervisor, Case Manager, Behaviour Intervention Team Member, Regional Manager and CEO.

Karen has also been responsible for the oversight of programs funded by the Commonwealth Government to provide in home support to people with dementia and worked as the Project Manager for the Grampians Region Palliative Care Consortium.

In addition to supporting people with cognitive disabilities (intellectual disability, ABI, dementia), Karen have also supported people who have required PEG feeding, and oxygen therapy, and significant mobility issues and have extensive experience working with people who display behaviours of concern and have been trained as a non-violent crisis prevention facilitator.

Karen has also been a First Aid Trainer and First Aid responder for events and in the workplace for approximately 15 years which has required me to maintain advanced First Aid skills including advanced resuscitation and oxygen therapy. Additionally, Karen has undertaken Mental Health First Aid training, completed 5 units from Master of Disability Studies (3 remaining), an Advanced Certificate in Residential Community Services, an Advanced Diploma in Disability Work, and an Advanced Diploma in Naturopathy.

John Edwards