Our leadership

Our organisational structure

Our organisational structure is designed to ensure we are delivering our key priorities. The following information is correct as at 2 December 2024.

Our Secretary

Ray Griggs is the Secretary.

Heidi Kiekebosch-Fitt is the Chief of Staff.

Deputy Secretary, Social Security

Matt Flavel is the Deputy Secretary, Social Security. 

Group Manager, Participation and Family Payments

Ben Peoples is the Group Manager responsible for: 

• Katrina Chatham - Branch Manager, Participation and Supplementary Payments 
• Dani Chatillon - Branch Manager, Carer, Disability and Student Payments 
• Agnieszka Nelson - Branch Manager, Families and Payment Support.

Group Manager, Pensions, Housing and Homelessness

Kath Paton is the Acting Group Manager responsible for:

• Gillian Beer - Branch Manager, Payment Structures and Seniors 
• Andrew Seebach - Branch Manager, International Payments and Compliance
• Xia Du - Acting Branch Manager, Housing and Homelessness Policy 
• Sarah Peascod - Branch Manager, Housing and Homelessness Program Delivery 
• Emma Lenthall and Julie McKenzie (job share arrangement) - Branch Manager, Housing and Homelessness Strategy and Data.

Group Manager, Data and Evaluation

Gemma Van Halderen is the Group Manager responsible for: 

• Kayelle Drinkwater - Branch Manager, Data Access
• Danielle Aeuckens - Branch Manager, Performance and Evaluation 
• Sharon Stuart - Branch Manager, Data Strategy 
• Melissa Catania - Acting Branch Manager, National Disability Data Asset.

Deputy Secretary, Families and Communities

Letitia Hope is the Deputy Secretary, Families and Communities.

Group Manager, Redress

Mark Harrigan is the Group Manager responsible for:

• John Riley - Branch Manager, Policy Strategy and Design 
• Val Still - Branch Manager, Enabling Services 
• Alison Hale - Branch Manager, External Engagement and Communications 
• Justine Fievez - Branch Manager, Service Delivery.

Group Manager, Communities

Patrick Burford is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Patrick Boneham - Branch Manager, Income Management Policy and Data 
• James Steen - Branch Manager, Financial Resilience and Response 
• Kirsti van der Steen - Branch Manager, Income Management Engagement and Support Services.

Group Manager, Children and Families

Tarja Saastamoinen is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Tracy Creech - Branch Manager, Family and Adult Supports 
• Emily Devine - Branch Manager, Children’s and Youth Policy 
• Jacqueline Hrast - Branch Manager, Early Childhood and Parenting Wellbeing.

Group Manager, Ending Gender-Based Violence

Anna Lutz is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Tim Crosier - Branch Manager, National Policy 
• Lara Purdy - Branch Manager, Prevention and Early Intervention 
• Kate Hamilton - Branch Manager, National Programs.

Group Manager, Community Policy and Engagement

Chris D'Souza is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Mary Hodge - Branch Manager, Community Cohesion 
• Marnie Wettenhall - Branch Manager, Community Partnerships
• Alexis Diamond - Branch Manager, Closing the Gap Taskforce.

Chief Operating Officer

Patrick Hetherington is the Chief Operating Officer.

Chief Counsel and Group Manager, Legal Services

Bronwyn Worswick is the Chief Counsel and Group Manager responsible for: 

• Emma White - Branch Manager, Corporate and Commercial 
• Sara Rubenstein - Acting Branch Manager, Public Law.

Group Manager, Community Grants Hub 

Emma Kate McGuirk is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Tamsin Jackson - Acting Branch Manager, Hub Operations 
• Eve Cordeiro - Branch Manager, Grants Services Office 
• Warren Pearson - Branch Manager, Health Grants 
• Mike Mays - Acting Branch Manager, State Network 
• Paul Bennetts - Acting Branch Manager, Disability Employment Services Grants.

Chief Finance Officer and Group Manager, Finance

Cheryl-Anne Navarro is the acting Chief Finance Officer and Group Manager responsible for:

• Hitesh Rohra - Branch Manager, Budget Development 
• Greg Mitchell - Branch Manager, Financial Services 
• Cameron Shaw - Acting Branch Manager, Financial Management.

Group Manager, Corporate 

Bruce Taloni is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Mardi Stewart - Branch Manager, Campaigns and Strategic Communication 
• Adrian Redman - Acting Branch Manager, Corporate Communication and Media Relations 
• Sam Ursich - Branch Manager, People Services 
• Chris Mitchell - Branch Manager, Property and Security 
• Alana Lundy - Branch Manager, Information Management and Technology.

Group Manager, Portfolio Coordination 

Richard Baumgart is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Kraig Lowes - Branch Manager, Portfolio Governance 
• Joanna Carey - Branch Manager, Government and Executive Services 
• Rob Stedman - Branch Manager, Audit and Assurance.

Deputy Secretary, Disability and Carers

Robyn Shannon is the Deputy Secretary, Disability and Carers.

Group Manager, NDIS Markets and Safeguards

Ross Schafer is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Siobhan Campbell - Branch Manager, Quality and Safeguards Policy 
• Alex Abel - Branch Manager, Markets and Workforce Policy 
• Louise O’Rance - Branch Manager, Disability Evidence.

Group Manager, NDIS Participants and Performance 

Hope Peisley is the Acting Group Manager responsible for: 

• Sidesh Naikar - Branch Manager, NDIS Finance and Performance 
• Edwina Dohle - Branch Manager, Commonwealth/State Engagement 
• Sarah Hawke - Branch Manager, NDIS Governance, Policy and Legislation.

Group Manager, Disability Reforms and Royal Commission

Luke Mansfield is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Jodi Cassar - Branch Manager, Australia’s Disability Strategy 
• Lisha Jackman - Branch Manager, Foundational Supports and Early Childhood Reform.

Group Manager, Disability Employment 

Kellie Spence is the Group Manager responsible for:

• Pene Futcher - Branch Manager, Disability Employment Programs 
• Jacinda Still - Branch Manager, Disability Employment Implementation 
• Alex Buckley - Branch Manager, Disability Employment Policy.

Group Manager, Disability and Carer Programs 

Andrew Whitecross is the Group Manager responsible for: 

• Suzanne Muir - Branch Manager, Advocacy and Inclusion Programs 
• Kathy Dennis - Branch Manager, Carers and Early Childhood.

Group Manager, NDIS Reform Taskforce 

Hope Peisley is the Acting Group Manager.

Portfolio bodies and statutory office holders

Find out about our portfolio bodies and statutory appointments.