"Early learning is a highly effective intervention to change the life trajectory of disadvantaged children."
Michael Traill AM
"Our Purpose is to ensure children have the learning, development and wellbeing outcomes they need for school and life."
Julia Davison, CEO
"Goodstart is a fantastic platform to work with the most disadvantaged in the community and has established a strong voice for children in the national policy discussion."
Rob Koczkar
"Goodstart’s challenge is to ensure children in Australia have quality early learning available to them, regardless of family income or geography."
Wendy McCarthy AO
"Goodstart is passionate about providing all children, from birth, with the best opportunities to develop into wonderful people."
Lynelle Briggs AO
"Goodstart’s strong commitment to deliver high quality early learning and ensuring positive outcomes for all children in partnership with their families is evident in all we do."
June McLoughlin
Goodstart is committed to best practice corporate governance and processes that will enhance Goodstart’s effectiveness and ensure the appropriate degree of accountability and transparency to stakeholders.
Goodstart’s Board ensures the organisation’s behaviour is consistent with it’s Vision, Purpose and Strategic Priorities. The Board of Goodstart has ultimate responsibility to the Member organisations for the strategy and performance of the company in general. The Board is dedicated to fulfilling these duties in a lawful and professional manner, and with the utmost integrity and objectivity.
Non-executive Chair. Member, Audit and Risk Committee. Member, Early Learning and Care Reference Committee. Chair, Remuneration and Nominations Committee
Appointed 13 October 2009
Michael was Chief Executive of Social Ventures Australia (SVA) for 12 years from 2002 to 2014. Prior to that he spent 15 years as a co-founder and Executive Director of Macquarie Group’s private equity arm, Macquarie Direct Investment. Michael is also Chair of the SVA Leadership Council, Assetic, and a director of MH Carnegie & Co, SunSuper, Australian Schools Plus, Australian Philanthropic Services, Paul Ramsay Foundation and the National Museum of Australia. In 2010 Michael was made a Member of the Order of Australia in recognition of his services to not-for-profit organisations
Non-executive Deputy Chair. Chair, Early Learning and Care Reference Committee. Member, Remuneration and Nominations Committee
Appointed 21 September 2010
Wendy McCarthy is an experienced manager and company director who began her career as a secondary school teacher. She moved out of the classroom into public life in 1968 and since then has worked for change across the public, private and community sectors. She has held many significant leadership roles including eight years as Deputy Chair of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ten years as Chancellor of the University of Canberra, and 12 years of service to Plan Australia as Chair, with three years as Global Deputy Chair for Plan International. In June 2016 she completed eight years as Chair of Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation Ltd. Wendy currently chairs Circus Oz and is a Non-executive Director of IMF Bentham. In 1989 Wendy was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia for outstanding contributions to community affairs, women's affairs and the Bicentennial celebrations. She received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of South Australia in 1995 and in 2000 was awarded a Centenary of Federation Medal for business leadership. She is the inaugural inductee to the Women's Agenda Hall of Fame. In March 2017 she was made a Life Fellow of AICD.
Director and Chief Executive Officer
Appointed 29 June 2011
Prior to joining Goodstart as its Chief Executive Officer in February 2011, Julia had extensive senior management experience in the human services sector in Australia and the UK. Between 1999 and 2004 she was CEO at Flinders Medical Centre, a large teaching hospital in Adelaide. From 2004 to 2010 Julia was CEO of WorkCover SA, a statutory authority which manages the South Australian Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Scheme, extending protection to 430,000 employees in SA. Julia is on the Board of Cape York Girl Academy and has held a number of non-executive roles including Chair of Catherine House, a not-for-profit working to solve women’s homelessness, Director of Territory Insurance Office, NT and Director of Business SA.
Non-executive Director. Member, Audit and Risk Committee
Appointed 15 December 2015
Lynelle is the Chairperson of NSW’s Planning Assessment Commission. She is also an Independent Director with Maritime Super and Independent Chairperson of the General Insurance Code Governance Committee. Lynelle was previously a Councillor with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and a non-executive director with the Australian Rail Track Corporation. Lynelle is a former Public Service Commissioner and former chief executive of Medicare Australia. She has extensive experience in the Australian Public Service, working in a wide range of fields, including social security, health and community services, transport, external territories, employment and labour market support and veterans’ affairs. Lynelle became an Officer in the General Division of the Order of Australia in 2013 for distinguished service to public administration, particularly through leadership in the development of public service performance and professionalism.
Non-executive Director. Chair, Audit and Risk Committee
Appointed 28 May 2010
Rob Koczkar is the Chief Executive Officer of Social Ventures Australia (SVA) and Managing Director of Adamantem Capital. Rob has extensive experience in investing and management consulting along with a deep understanding of the social purpose sector. Before these roles, Rob was a Managing Director of Pacific Equity Partners for 10 years. Prior to that he was a Principal at Texas Pacific Group in Europe, and a strategic consultant with Bain & Company. Rob is a member of the Australian Government’s Cities Reference Group to support delivery of the Smart Cities Plan. He previously served on the boards of Spotless Group Holdings Limited, Energy Developments Limited and on Mission Australia’s Corporate Advisory Council.
Non-executive Director. Member, Early Learning and Care Reference Committee
June currently holds positions as Director Early Years and Community Engagement at the Colman Foundation, and Director of Family and Children’s Services at Doveton College. June has recently been appointed to the WA Early Childhood Development and Learning Collaboration Advisory Board hosted by Telethon Kids. June has extensive experience in both policy and service development, research and practice in the early childhood, family support and children’s services fields, which has given her a broad and deep understanding of issues relevant to the needs of parents and their children. June has managed many state and national projects designed to refocus early years services to provide more integrated support for families with young children with a particular interest in vulnerable children.
Non-executive Director
Appointed 08 May 2018
Tony Nicholson has been a senior executive in the social services and policy sector with 27 years’ experience in leadership of diverse and complex community organisations. This has involved a passion for, and a strong record in, service development and innovation, research and policy analysis and compelling advocacy on behalf of those disadvantaged in our community. Tony’s advice has frequently been sort by governments, most notably as Chair of the Australian Government’s White Paper on Homelessness, Chair of the Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness, Deputy Commissioner with the Victorian Government’s Royal Commission into Family Violence and as member of the Victorian Metropolitan Planning Strategy Steering Committee. Most recently he was the Executive Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence for thirteen years from 2004 to 2017.
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