Head Start Homes - Board Observers 2022
Four talented people have begun their year as observers of Head Start Homes’ Board meetings as part of the Westpac Foundation’s Board Observership Program.
The Observership Program harnesses the strong desire from senior professionals to utilise their skills, develop social leadership and build networks whilst sharing Westpac Foundation’s vision of helping create a more inclusive Australia.
The four were chosen following a selection process that matched their skills, capabilities and interests with the most suitable organisation.
Here’s what the observers shared about their roles.
Jeanine Herlihy, Head of Portfolio Optimisation and Productivity at Westpac Group
Jeanine Herlihy, Head of Portfolio Optimisation and Productivity at Westpac Group, said she was excited to be able to see how a board interacts and operates as a team, and to understand and see the dynamics at play with their different skills and experience.
“I feel privileged to be paired with Head Start Homes (HSH) as I feel passionately about the vision Stephen has created and his drive to help change the lives of those who are most vulnerable,” she said.
“I hope I can also bring some strong transformation and strategy skills to the table during the next 12 months.”
Jeanine, who volunteers in the NFP sector, said she could see the need for strong board members who can help shape the future.
“I’m hoping this experience will help me to understand where my value is best suited and allow me to broaden my network to identify other potential boards that I can be a part of.”
Siobhan Twomey, Mortgages Product Development Service Owner at Westpac Group
Siobhan Twomey, Mortgages Product Development Service Owner at Westpac Group, also sees it as an excellent opportunity to see how a board works.
“In my role today, I often produce content that goes into board papers but you never see what happens to this content in terms of conversations and the decision making process and whether the content is relevant,” she said.
“I work in mortgages, so creating opportunities for home ownership is a really important part of what I do and working with HSH creates an opportunity to look at an area of the market not covered by traditional banks, so I feel that giving my skill set to this is a great opportunity to give back.”
Emma Jakerman, Project Development and Project Finance Lawyer with Minter Ellison
Emma Jakerman, Project Development and Project Finance Lawyer with Minter Ellison, said the program provided a unique development opportunity to learn more about the governance of a board, the duties and responsibility of directors, and to understand how she can leverage her own skills and experience towards a cause with a direct social impact.
“I hope this experience will help me develop my social leadership skills and understand the role a board has in strategy, governance and risk in order to better assist me in advising clients in the future,” she said
Tristan Aguirre, Projects and Finance Senior Associate with Minter Ellison
Tristan Aguirre, Projects and Finance Senior Associate with Minter Ellison, said he was keen to see how governance works in the NFP sector.
“The board is filled with people from all different areas of this sector, so I’m looking forward to seeing how they solve problems for a worthy cause,” he said.
“I work in infrastructure projects and with community housing providers, so I hope I can bring some pre-existing knowledge, along with my background as a finance lawyer, to the meetings.”
HSH Chair, Vanessa Chan, welcomed the 2022 observers and said she hoped the experience would be a productive and inspiring one for them.
“To have four talented people watching what we do as a board is not only a positive learning curve for them, it’s a rewarding experience for us all,” she said.
