Advisory Council

CatholicCare’s Advisory Council exists to provide pastoral support and independent advice to the Executive Director in relation to programs and organisational initiatives, including strategic objectives and directions.

Our Advisory Council members are:

Ted Wziontek
Chair
Ted is an experienced non-executive director with over 20 years of board experience in public, private and not-for-profit organisations. He currently Chairs the Board of Results International, Growing Potential as well as CatholicCare – all social care and community organisations whose vision is to support families and to improve the lives of children at risk, youth, the aged and those living with disability. He has been a CEO and senior executive in the industrial, infrastructure and resource sectors, restructuring operations within Australia and establishing platforms for growth internationally and domestically. His expertise is in strategic planning, mergers and acquisitions, operational excellence, government relations, logistic, finance and risk management. He is Chair of energy and industrial start-ups as well as providing strategic advice to these sectors and expert advice to boards and corporations on governance, restructuring, diversification and growth. Ted is a member of AICD and CPA.

Veronica Collins
Ordinary Member
Veronica is a Chartered Accountant with extensive senior management experience leading large teams to deliver improved financial and procurement services across a range of ASX listed entities. She has a keen interest in leveraging systems and re-engineering processes to transform service levels and achieve more with less. This passion for continuous improvement has led her to the not-for-profit sector where she now uses her skills to assist clients in their mission to serve and protect.

Louise Cosgrove
Ordinary Member
Louise is an early childhood teacher with extensive experience in training and development. She has worked in a variety of roles in early education, professional development and registered training organisations. She has a special interest in and professional commitment to supporting families to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing. Louise is also an active member of her local parish helping to co-ordinate the children’s sacramental program.

Tim Curran
Ex-Officio Member
Tim is the Executive Director of CatholicCare and holds an ex-officio seat on the Council.

Emma McDonald
Ex-Officio Member
Emma has built a senior management career within the not-for-profit, church, professional services, educational and property sectors. Emma has worked in church administration since 2006, initially working for the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney across a number of areas from World Youth Day, St Mary MacKillop Canonisation, through to property management to more recently being appointed as the Diocesan Financial Administrator (DFA) for the Diocese of Broken Bay in March 2016.  In her role as the DFA, Emma is accountable to the Bishop of the Diocese for the sound financial and commercial management of the temporal affairs of the Diocese through the management of the Office for Stewardship and its associated functions being financial services, investment, internal treasury, property, audit and risk, human resources and ICT.

Deacon Roberto
Ordinary Member
Deacon Roberto is a Deacon at the Hornsby Cathedral Parish. He also is Assistant to the Filipino Chaplain and Pastoral Associate with Catechetical Ministry, Sacramental Program. Prior to immigrating to Australia with his family in 1995, Deacon Roberto worked as an educator in the secondary and tertiary sector. He has also co-authored The Advent Prayer Guide for Families and The Lenten Prayer Guide for Families.

Anna-Maria Wade
Ordinary Member
Anna-Maria Wade is a Human Resources practitioner. She has experience in generalist HR and Industrial Relations consulting and training, most recently for a national peak body in the NFP aged care space. She is currently working on the Central Coast as a Human Resources Manager in Specialist Homelessness Services.

Natalie Acton
Ordinary Member
Natalie is an operations professional who has worked both in the for profit and for purpose sectors with over ten years experience working in the Catholic sector. Natalie’s experience includes working to foster mission and culture with boards of governance, executive leaders, staff and volunteers in a diversity of ministry settings across Australia and overseas in the areas of education, social services, health and aged care and international development. Natalie has post graduate qualifications in law and theology.

Carmen Izurieta
Ordinary Member
Carmen joined the Advisory Council In February 2023. Carmen has extensive experience in corporate governance gained from senior management roles at the Australian Institute of Company Directors as well as co-founding a governance global advisory and consulting organisation. Carmen also has executive management experience in the aged care sector and is currently Chief Operating Officer at Autism Spectrum Australia.