Edmund Rice Camps WA Edmund Rice Camps WA Edmund Rice Camps WA Edmund Rice Camps WA Edmund Rice Camps WA
2014 Sticky Rice Kids Christmas Party

Organisational Structure


 ERCKWA AMBASSADOR


Kymba Cahill
Ambassador


Kymba Cahill is a Perth breakfast radio announcer (mix 94.5) with a background in acting, comedy, media and teaching. Kymba has been the ambassador for Edmund Rice Camps WA since 2016.

“Having spent years teaching children aged 5-18, I saw first-hand how children’s growth and development is affected by their environment. 4 years ago I was asked by a friend to host the Eddie Rice annual ball, which I was enthusiastic to do. That night, when I saw the real impact of the organisation, I put my hand up to help any way I can. I believe strongly in fostering healthy and supportive environments for kids, and this group did exactly that! Following that event, I was honoured to be asked to fulfill the role of ambassador and am proud to offer my time and experience to such a worthwhile group of people. 
There is so much more to this group of volunteers, leaders and kids. I am excited to see the positive changes Eddie Rice WA continue to bring to the lives of children, their families and the wider community.”


ERCKWA BOARD

  

Rowena O'Byrne - Bowland 
Board Chair

With over 15 years of industry experience, Rowena runs The Write Words Communications, a strategic copywriting and project management consultancy. The Write Words works with organisations to best to communicate their core business to their clients and stakeholders. This includes government submissions, tenders, external resources, websites, award applications, internal documentation and so on.

Rowena first became involved with ERCKWA in 2013 when she was approached to help write and edit our quarterly newsletter, The Eddie-torial. Rowena then joined our Profile, Fundraising and Events Committee in 2015 before being appointed to the Board in 2016 and as Board Deputy Chair in 2020. 




Kris Behets
Board Vice Chair

Kris is passionate about supporting not for profit organisations that assist Aussie kids to be kids, and support young people to become the best version of themselves they can be. She has cooked on a number of camps, played a Christmas elf at the kids Christmas party, enjoyed the celebrations of the annual ERC ball and hopes to continue this for many years. 
The Behets Family Foundation supports a number of NFP organisations through financial and in-kind donations.



Aaron Dominish
Treasurer


 Aaron is a trusted professional with 5 years' experience in restructuring, insolvency, forensic and management accounting services at Hall Chadwick Chartered Accountants. During this time, Aaron has been exposed to a range of industries and insights into the effective management of successful operations.
He joined ERCWA in 2013 and was involved as a volunteer leader, camp coordinator and representative of the volunteer leader committee.  Through his role on the Board, Aaron is endeavouring to give back to the organisation that has helped shaped his character and expand his comfort zone. 

Aaron also sits as the secretary of the Restructuring and Insolvency Network of Western Australia (RINWA) committee, which provides networking opportunities to young professionals in the insolvency industry, and volunteers his time at the Achievers' Club WA, where he tutors children between grades 1 and 12 in English and Mathematics. 

Aaron has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Marketing) from the University of Western Australia, is a professional member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a professional member of the Australian Restructuring, Insolvency and Turnaround Association.  In his free time, Aaron enjoys watching sports (especially his beloved West Coast Eagles), playing guitar, dishing up new cuisines and keeps active by running and hitting the gym. 

 


Ron Jones
Board Member

Ron brings considerable corporate and not-for-profit experience to the Board. With 7 years experience as the Chair of Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, together with School Council experience, Ron is well versed in the myriad of issues affecting small community based organisations and the skills required to succeed on the ‘smell of an oily rag’.

Ron has joined the Board out of his passion for enhancing access to the joys of life that many of us take for granted.

In his day-to-day activities he attempts to juggle the needs of family, an aging Vizsla and his Human Resources/Workplace Management consultancy business that he has operated since 2009 after many years in the public, private and University sectors.




Adam Neal
Board Member

Adam is a finance professional, manager and data expert. Adam has achieved success with a variety of national and multi-national organisations including Conrad Hilton, Casinos Austria, Crown Limited, Water Corporation (WA) and Perth Airport.

With over 30 years of industry experience in a diverse number of fields, Adam became involved with Eddie Rice Camps through his love of cooking. Since becoming involved as a cook Adam has embraced the ERCKWA core values and is passionate about the camps and programs.

When he is not at work or elbow deep in 60 portions of scrambled eggs, bacon and baked beans, you might be able to find him at home with his family and a constantly varying number of cats and ferrets. Or if the weather is fine, somewhere up in the hills on his motorcycle….

 


Thomas Coltrona 
Board Member

Thomas is an enthusiastic and affable young lawyer with a passion for volunteering for organisations focussing on empowering young people. This passion began in 2013 when he joined ERCKWA, where he has been involved as a volunteer leader, camp coordinator, camp assistant manager and camp manager. Through his role on the Board, he is looking to use his skills to build on the organisation’s success in positively affecting and investing in the volunteers and participants of its programs. He knows first-hand from his camp background how powerful the organisation’s programs can be in shaping a  person’s character and future prospects.

Thomas also has an keen interest in education and in particular he strives to participate in initiatives that will assist in raising the public level of legal knowledge and practical legal skills. To this end he takes part in giving presentations to high school students, informing them of their legal rights and how to navigate the complex adult world outside school. He has also had several affiliations in the past with other education based not-for-profits.

Thomas’ education and experience include:
* Practising lawyer with commercial litigation experience;
* Juris Doctor, Law from the University of Western Australia;
* Bachelor of Arts (Law and Society; Business Law) from The University of Western Australia;
* Director of Practical Legal Education at Learn Lab Australia;
* Experience as a Sessional Tutor in Law at The University of Western Australia;
* Prior Board Member of the Fogarty Foundation; and
* Prior Vice President and facilitator at UN Youth Australia.

In his spare time, Thomas enjoys playing and watching basketball, reading about cultural history and cooking for other people. He believes that having interests outside of work and spending time with family and friends allows him to reach his full potential and to live a balanced life.

 

Natalie Taylor
Board Member

Natalie has worked for 35 years across the public and private healthcare sector in the areas of clinical management and senior executive roles focusing the last 15- 20 years as a CEO managing small and day hospital environments. Natalie is currently a Health Consultant working independently and contracting services to Day Hospitals, Department of Health and various Health projects throughout WA. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Nursing), post graduate studies in preoperative nursing, health administration, occupational health and Safety.
She has extensive knowledge and experience in strategic management and planning, quality/risk management frameworks, governance and compliance, advanced leadership skills, HR and project management and highly developed understanding of healthcare legislation and standards.

Spends her spare time as a board member of Day Hospitals Australia since December 2021 and Director of Juniors at Reds Hockey Club. Enjoys family holidays and will be glad to start travelling again. Books, outdoors and entertaining with close friends are a few of her favourite past times.

She is a very strong advocate for the consumer wellbeing and passionate about quality of care delivered in hospital settings.  This passion extends into the volunteering space she enjoys engaging with young children and making a different to their quality of life and future development.  Discovered ERCKWA through her oldest son who introduced her to the world of Eddie Rice Camps where she has not looked back enjoying her time volunteering as a cook for the last couple of years.

 

 

Belinda de Corti
Board Member

Bel became involved with ERCKWA in her university days as a volunteer leader and continues to be a proud supporter of the organisation. Bel‘s professional background is advertising where she is fortunate to have enjoyed a career spanning 15 years producing television, radio, stills and digital campaigns for clients here and abroad.

Bel loves to travel and is fortunate to have enjoyed many adventures with her husband Mark and their twin girls. An active P&C member at her girls’ school, she’s passionate about fostering connections within her school community and creating events the kids will remember for a lifetime. When she’s not working on a shoot or at a school event, you’ll find her in the kitchen cooking up a storm!

Bel is grateful for the connections and lifelong friendships she has enjoyed through her involvement with ERCKWA.

 

Beth O'Regan
Board Member

Beth first began volunteering with ERCKWA in 2004, and has served over that time as a Camp Leader, Coordinator, Cook, Coach and as a member of various committees. Beth has made many lifelong friends because of Eddie Rice Camps (including her husband!) and she is so proud to continue that association now as a Board Member, and give back to the organisation that has given her so much. 

Beth currently works as a psychologist, with a special interest in working with children and adolescents. She has spent the past 17 years working in schools in rural, regional and metro areas of WA, as well as dabbling in private practice. Over the course of her career, Beth has also developed a passion for improving wellbeing at both an individual and a group level, to help people, families, workplaces and communities be the best they can be. 

Outside of work, Beth fills her cup by spending time with her husband and three children, going for long dinners with her friends, and immersing herself in good books. 

 

Jonathon Russo
Board Member

Jonathon is a Chartered Accountant and Public Servant with 5 years experience in the public sector. He began his career as an auditor before moving to the State Government where he has worked across various governmental portfolios including child protection, volunteering, disability services, sport and recreation, homelessness, culture and the arts and local government. 

Jonathon joined ERCKWA in 2013 as a volunteer leader, attending camps, fun-fests and helping out at fundraisers. As a board member he hopes to be able to apply his skills in a way that can benefit the Eddie Rice community, the same way he has for the State's most vulnerable in his time as a public servant.

Jonathon holds Bachelor of Science (Engineering Science and Finance) and Master of Commerce (Accounting) degrees from the University of Western Australia and is a professional member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

In his spare time, Jonathon enjoys spending time with his family and friends, is a regular at his local F45 and also enjoys playing a variety of sports (basketball, golf, padel). He also plays alto saxophone as a member of the Cambridge Musicians community band.


 ERCKWA STAFF


Meghan Huitema
Chief Executive Officer

Meg began working with ERCKWA as a young volunteer leader and completed her first camp in January of 2003.

After a brief interlude studying at WAAPA then working in the government and private sectors in the community services and events fields, Meg took on the role of Community Engagement Manager in 2013. 

In 2022, Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA said goodbye to Kevin Knapp, who provided considerable guidance and leadership to the organisation as CEO for almost ten years. Meg was engaged as CEO in June of 2022.

Meg is passionate about the work that she does with Edmund Rice Camps for Kids WA and thoroughly enjoys attending camp programs and meeting the kids, volunteers and stakeholders.

Meg is also a mum to two little ones; Estelle and Dominic.

 

 
Nicole Mancini
Philanthropy Manager 

Nicole has 18 years of professional experience which has seen her heavily involved with project management, events, fundraising, stakeholder liaising, communications, volunteer coordinating and extensive community engagement. Nicole's varied work experience has given her the ability to effectively communicate and connect with children, young adults and adults on a professional and personal level. These skills have helped her gain invaluable knowledge of how to work and deal with a wide range of people in various communities and cultures.  This knowledge has taught her how to treat others with compassion, equality and respect.

Nicole has an undying love for all things related to animals and animal welfare, she is her most happiest surrounded by her beautiful fur baby, family and friends.

  

Melissa Raich
Community Engagement Manager

Mel has been involved with ERC since volunteering on her first camp in 2009. Since then she has held roles as camp coordinator, coach and manager, and for the last 2 years has been contracted to oversee the EOTR program as the Program Development and Strategy Manager. Her studies and career path have been deeply influenced by her time volunteering and experiences gained from being a part of the ERC community. Mel is excited to take on the role of Community Engagement Manager to further the work of Edmund Rice Camps and give back to the organisation that shaped her to be the person she is today.

Mel has a Bachelor of Arts degree in community development, international aid and development, and a minor in criminological psychology. Her honours in sustainable development saw her travel and live in Nepal as part of DFATs New Colombo Plan Scholarship. Mel’s love of working with young people has seen her take on roles in both the not-for-profit and local government sectors, working predominantly in the education and community development industries.

When she’s not on camp, Mel can be found spending time with her partner and friends or spoiling her furbaby - Astra the puppy - which includes going for long runs together and frequently outdoor markets and cafes.


 

 
 
 
 
 
 


Luke Alderslade
Volunteer Coordinator  

Luke is super excited to be starting the Volunteer Coordinator role for Eddie Rice Camps for Kids in 2023. He has been a part of the Eddie Rice family since January 2021, and is super passionate about the positive impacts that the camps have on everyone involved. Luke is an avid sportsman, playing waterpolo and golf, and he loves classic rock from the 70s and 80s. He is looking forward to working with everyone and making these amazing camps even better!