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Who We Are

Board of Directors

John de Jong

Chair

John is an Architect who owns successful construction, joinery and office furniture companies as well as other business ventures. John has held various directorships in not for profit organisations over the last twenty-five years, and continues to contribute to other not for profit organisations in the community.

Respect means understanding and respecting each person for their character and individuality. It's about acknowledging people for their contributions made to society in their lifetime and then providing them with the opportunity to live out their lives with dignity and express their individuality.

Antony (Ant) Dry

Vice Chair

Ant is a retired executive director from the motor and accounting (CA) industries, previously being executive director in multiple motor car dealerships (including Mercedes-Benz) and serving in the audit division at Deloitte.

Respect is treating others as you would like to be treated yourself. It is showing that you and all others have an equal place in society. It means acknowledging that we have certain responsibilities towards each other.

June Song

June is a General Practitioner and Medical Director, Hospital Care At Home at Mercy Health, Melbourne. She is passionate about patient safety, clinical governance and women's health, and has extensive experience in the management of health services at operational and governance levels. June's experience spans across the public, private and the community (not for profit) health sectors.

Respect means to pay due regard to our relationship with those who come before us. The lives we enjoy come as a result of those who fought for our rights, and more specifically, gave birth to and raised us. In life, business, and beyond, we need to listen to those who come before us, be inspired by their experiences, learn from their mistakes and lift them up as they did for us. I feel very privileged to be part of a business that does just that

Jacquie Ray

Jacquie is a strategic communication specialist, who has advised and counselled state and federal government agencies, public corporations and NGOs in Australia and the United Kingdom, with particular expertise in crisis and issues management, stakeholder and community engagement, media and strategic marketing.

For me, true respect is when we seek to genuinely listen to, understand, empathise, appreciate and care for another person. It is an acceptance of their unique backgrounds, beliefs and behaviours no matter how different they might be to our own. We may not always be privy to the lived experiences of those who came before us, but we must always remember they have their own unique histories who have made them who they are today, and for that, they must be valued and admired.

Jan Bonde

Jan has a background in Agricultural Management and Marketing and a long involvement in community service and development as Councillor and Mayor of the Central Coast in Tasmania.    

Respect means understanding and respecting each person for their character and individuality. It's about acknowledging people for their contributions made to society in their lifetime and then providing them with the opportunity to live out their lives with dignity and express their individuality.

Executive Leadership Team

Sue Thomson

CEO & Company Secretary

Throughout her 20 plus year career in the Health and Aged Care Sectors, Sue has been motivated to address the challenges faced by people living in regional, rural and remote (RRR) Australia. As the CEO of NFP aged care provider – McLean Care, she has driven significant social impact across the organisation’s service footprint, now providing high quality care to 2,000 older people in an area three times the size of Tasmania! These services result in improved health outcomes and quality-of-life; supporting people to age with choice and dignity, in their homes / home towns in RRR Australia.

Sue is recognised for using her voice on aged care bodies and local chambers of commerce / business to advocate for the needs of older people in regional, rural and remote Australia and contributing to collaborative research both nationally and globally to raise awareness and understanding of the ageing journey.

Paul Maher

Director of Finance

Paul is a business management professional with more than 20 years of experience in commercial and financial management roles across a wide range of industry sectors including Oil & Gas Services, Mining Services, Commercial Maritime Operations, Retail and Transport & Logistics Services.  Paul is passionate about helping businesses grow – especially businesses supporting communities with essential services – through effective business partnering to provide strategic commercial insights. 

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Business, Australian Catholic University
  • Graduate Diploma of Maritime Management, Australian Maritime College
  • CPA Program, CPA Australia (only commenced this year)
  • Certificate IV in Fitness

Volunteering / Other

  • Active supporter of Beyond Blue, Starlight Foundation and the Heart Research Institute
  • Paul founded Swim Out of the Darkness – a charity event to raise awareness of men’s mental health and raise money which is donated to organisations supporting men’s mental health.  First event was held on 4th October 2021 and they raised over $4,500 for Beyond Blue
  • Paul has been the Treasurer for Darling Downs Regional Swimming Association since 2020, and Secretary for his local swim club.  Paul also volunteers as a Pool Deck Official for swim meets across the Darling Downs region.

Sarah van Dam

Director of Residential Services NSW

Sarah commenced her nursing career following the completion of her Higher School Certificate in 2005. Whilst undertaking a Bachelor of Nursing degree at the University of New England, Sarah obtained employment at HN McLean Memorial Retirement Village (now McLean Care Ltd) as a Residential Assistant in Nursing. During this experience she quickly developed a passion and desire to pursue a career in the aged care industry and held various nursing and supervisory roles within the organisation.

Sarah provides strategic direction and leadership for the planning and delivery of McLean Care’s residential care services, ensuring positive outcomes for residents and their families, facilitation of all aspects of operational management of residential aged care, and maintaining excellent systems of continuous improvement.In her role, Sarah ensures that excellent and compassionate care is provided within the context of regulatory and financial compliance, in the residential facility that hosts a total staff of 160.

Sarah holds a firm belief in community, and a commitment to innovation and excellence. Her vision is to give every Resident an opportunity to enjoy their life at McLean Care, through empowering staff and maintaining a culture based on the principles of a person-centred approach.

PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS:
• Chair of the Inverell Hospital and McLean Care Consultative Committee

ORGANISATIONS SARAH SUPPORTS:
• Cancer Council
• Jane McGrath Foundation
• Royal Australian Flying Doctors Service

Ricki Bradbery

Director of Home and Community Services

Ricki is a dedicated leader who advocates for excellence in client-focused service. With over 40 years of experience in nursing, health management and the disability sector, Ricki brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her position with McLean Care and during her career has developed essential management skills to successfully lead teams to align with organisational goals, values resulting in excellence in customer service with a fiscally considered approach. Having worked through unprecedented change, she is very aware of the differing cultures and needs of service providers and organisations during both turbulent and stable times.

During her time as Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Ricki was also the Tamworth Hospital Redevelopment Coordinator, overseeing the $220 million project from conception through to delivery.

Ricki has been committed to ongoing education throughout her career, earning post graduate qualifications in advanced nursing, accident and emergency nursing, health management, emergency management and project management.

Ricki has extensive experience in building service capability and responsiveness, as well as leading an organisation in developing and implementing several facets of disaster planning and business continuity planning, CBR response, pandemic planning, and demand escalation.

Melissa Read

Director of Residential Services

Melissa commenced her nursing career in aged care as an assistant in nursing in 1996 whilst undertaking her diploma in nursing to become and Enrolled Nurse. Melissa then went on to work for Health and during this time undertook her Bachelor of Nursing degree through Charles Darwin University. During Melissas tenure with health there was always a fondness and respect for the aging community which had an overwhelming pull and lead to employment with McLean Care as a Registered Nurse in 2010. Melissa feels fortunate to have been afforded the opportunity to have had various leadership roles within the organisation all of which allowed the enrichment of each residents experiences and person centred outcomes.

Melissa provides mentoring and leadership across residential aged care services so as to support a compassionate, reliable and respectful person centred approach through integrity, courage and resilience.

Melissa has a firm belief that nothing is too hard to achieve or to outlandish and if we work together collaboratively with our residents, families and staff we can achieve anything.

Organisations Melissa supports:

  • Starlight foundation
  • Black Dog Institute
  • Cancer Council

Ellena Spence

Director of People and Culture

Ellena commenced her career in Human Resources in 2000 and has held numerous positions, across private and public industries, in managing people and creating positive workplace culture. Past appointments include roles in, Aviation, Heavy Vehicle Manufacturing, Fast Moving Consumer Goods, Professional Services and Natural Resources.

Incredibly passionate about contributing to an organisation that focuses on community care, she is committed to producing quality outcomes with a specific focus on continuous improvement initiatives in the areas of health, safety, productivity and wellbeing of the McLean Care team, its residents and clients.

Ellena has held various Senior Management Roles where she has supported companies and top executives through the provision of unique perspectives and has a deep appreciation that human capital is the greatest asset of every organisation.

As a long-term member of the Australian Institute of Human Resources Ellena supports the following organisations:

  • Cancer Council
  • Beyond Blue
  • Childrens Hospital Foundation

Lynda Nguyen

Director Project Implementation & Change

Lynda is an experienced and empathetic senior-level business leader, Organisational Psychologist, and Researcher.  Over the last 15 years, Lynda has dedicated her time across a range of NFPs (community, aged care, disability, and health) to deliver on its strategy through effective design and delivery of program, project, and enterprise change management.

Lynda specialises in re-designing operating and service models, anchored on the customer and employee experience and journey. 

Qualifications
With formal qualifications in psychology and a PhD in Business Management combined with 12 years of management consulting across global (Big-4), medium, and boutique firms, Lynda expertly blends robustness with pragmatism to support organisation’s ability to deliver impacts for their people, community, and the wider system.

Vanessa Jones

 

Vanessa is a highly skilled and multi-awarded, executive marketing and communications professional with over 20 years of experience.

With experience and exposure to instantly recognisable local, national and international brands and businesses, Vanessa has a proven track record of building high performance teams who deliver results through building good business and reputation. Her extensive background spans both public and private sectors, as well as franchise and not-for-profit organisations, including significant experience in the aged care sector.

Vanessa has a passion for growth and leadership, taking many teams through exciting transitions - from mid-size organisations to high profile large businesses, ensuring both the internal and external brands, remain true to their values, while forging new markets and clients and continually developing internal teams.

Vanessa has spent more than 10 years in the aged care sector, driving innovation and excellence through the ever-changing market landscape.

Vanessa holds qualifications in business, customer experience, management and holds a Cert IV in Training and Assessment.

Vanessa is heavily involved in Speedway Motorbike racing and volunteers most weekends, travelling regional Australia extensively to do so.