Our Board - CORE Community Services

CORE Community Services (CORE) is governed by a volunteer board which operates in accordance to CORE’s Constitution.

The CORE Community Services Board is elected for a period of two years by the members of CORE. Current board members have a range of skills and experience in the community sector, legal, financial, IT and insurance. New board members are invited to join as needed and in line with the Constitution.

The CORE Community Services Board are responsible for the strategic direction of the organisation and delegate day to day operations to the CEO. There are a comprehensive set of governance policies and procedures that provide a framework for the Board, including a decision matrix which outlines decision making responsibilities throughout the organisation.

The CORE Community Services Board is supported by Advisory Groups Policy in each of CORE’s five services. These committees provide expertise and support to each Service and make recommendations to the Board who have the final decision making authority.

CHAIR OF BOARD

Yvonne Santalucia

Yvonne holds a Bachelor of Adult Education and has over 33 years’ experience working in multicultural health. Yvonne joined CORE in 2012 as a member of the Board and has also been involved with many community groups for the last 40 years in a volunteer capacity working across access and equity issues.

The founder of the only residential facility for Spanish-speaking elderly in Australia, Yvonne has also initiated the first research and community education programs for people living with dementia from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Yvonne was awarded the 1993 NSW Senior Citizens Award and was awarded the 2013 Australian Hispanic Women Business Network award – Outstanding Hispanic Woman Achiever and in 2017 was inducted into Zest Awards Hall of Fame.

Yvonne has been on the CORE Board since 2012. Her passion and commitment to social justice and strong interest in helping people from CALD backgrounds make her a valued asset the organisation.

SECRETARY OF BOARD

Ali Mokhtar

Ali is a principal at AMG Law Firm and specialises in Family Law.

He attained a Bachelor of Business (e-Business) and a Bachelor of Law from Western Sydney University. Ali’s continued involvement in community service is well recognised through his family law experience and voluntary work in community services.

Ali joined the CORE Board in 2014 and provides valued guidance on the future direction of the organisation and support to the community of South-West Sydney.

DIRECTOR OF BOARD

Jasvinder Pal Kaur

Jasvinder is a Senior Project Manager at a Multinational company, with industry experience that spans over 25 years on a national and international level.

A seasoned Project Manager with IT and Financials background, Jasvinder has been a valued asset to the CORE Board since 2015.

Jasvinder holds strong community values, which combined with her expertise make her a valued Board member.

DIRECTOR OF BOARD

Amanda Salama

Amanda is an experienced commercial lawyer, admitted to practice in New South Wales in 2007. Amanda has earned qualifications in Economics and Law, including a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney. She joined the CORE Board of Directors in 2020. In honour of her own diverse cultural heritage and passion for social justice, Amanda is motivated to use her skills and knowledge to elevate the strategic direction of CORE Community Services

DIRECTOR OF BOARD

Zafirah Akbar

Zafirah hold’s a Bachelor of Arts (Social Inquiry) and Honours in Humanities, both from the Western Sydney University. She also holds a Masters of Social Change and Development from the University of Newcastle.

Zafirah worked at CORE Community Services, formerly Cabramatta Community Centre in 2003, working there for over 11 years, working across various projects and services. Since leaving CORE Community Services, Zafirah has worked across multiple other not-for profit organisations in the Western Sydney region- her roles included working for social housing tenants, community development projects, Settlement Services and Youth projects.

In 2015 Zafirah completed her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and began her current career path as a TAFE NSWS Teacher- Community Services, where she is now a permanent teacher with Wetherill Park and Bankstown Campuses. In her role as a teacher, Zafirah has coordinated multiple groups of students through their qualification pathways. This line work has allowed her to partner with multiple community-based organisations in the area to run student led projects and to create links for student placements.

DIRECTOR OF BOARD

Jimmy Mtashar

Jimmy holds a Bachelor of Arts and a master’s degree in Education and has over 15 year’s experience working in the not-for-profit sector. He has held senior roles in community organisations in service delivery, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning and governance. He has provided expert advice to national and international organisations, government departments and parliamentary committees, and is widely acknowledged for his work in mental health, youth and community development.

DIRECTOR OF BOARD

Thang Ngo

Thang Ngo holds a Bachelor of Commerce and has over two decades of multicultural marketing with a focus on client, media and agency roles. He has worked with Australia’s largest advertisers including the Australian Government, NSW Government, Sydney Water, NBN, Lexus and SunRice. He is passionate about helping everyone to succeed regardless of their background and initial disadvantage

DIRECTOR OF BOARD

Christina Le

Christina is a Senior Strategy and Planning Lead at Uber Technologies. She has extensive experience in strategy, operations, and innovation. Christina holds a Bachelor and Master of Psychology (Organisational) degree from UNSW. She is committed to creating communities where everyone can participate and thrive and passionate about supporting women achieve economic empowerment and independence.

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