Sarah Van Gent (Chairperson)

Sarah Van Gent joined the WLSWA Board as Treasurer in 2019. Working as a Director in the Ernst & Young Assurance practice, Sarah has over 10 years’ experience in audit and accounting. She has worked with listed entities, large proprietary companies and not-for-profit entities across a diverse range of industries. Sarah is a current member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand.

Lilly Stanton (Deputy Chairperson)

Lilly Stanton joined the WLSWA Board in 2021. Lilly is a First Nations professional, with experience working in the resources and business industry and Aboriginal Affairs and Communities. Lilly is a proud Gunnaikurnai woman. She is currently working for Indigenous Business Australia.

Ciemone Rowbottam (Secretary)

Ciemone is a dedicated, energetic, and values-driven HR Executive and Operations Leader and a Wellness Coach with significant diverse experience in technology start-ups, resources and energy, engineering, and allied health industries. She has successfully executed grow-to-scale initiatives and led people to transform companies and executives to achieve exceptional organisational performance with engaged employees. She is proficient in either operational executive leadership roles or in a consultancy advisory capacity.

Ciemone’s ability to work in fast-paced environments and to quickly understand and adapt to new issues has been integral to her success. She is a trusted advisor who has overseen company fiscal activity, governance and compliance, developed culture transformation programs, designed and executed business development and marketing strategies, led complex mergers and acquisitions, worked with the executive boards on operational and strategic goals, and built positive alliances and partnerships. Ciemone creates an environment that promotes enhanced performance and positive morale.

In her spare time, Ciemone is the Chairperson at Holy Spirit Primary School and a mentor and sponsor for year 10 -11 girls in the Future Female Leaders Program.

Zoe Weir (Ordinary Member)

Zoe Weir has recently joined the Board and taken on the role of Secretary. Zoe is passionate about empowering women and giving them the right to justice and wants to support the great work WLSWA provides in the community.

Zoe is a Partner at HWL Ebsworth Lawyers, practicing in workplace relations and safety. Zoe has a diverse skill set, having worked as a lawyer for 18 years as well as an HR strategic advisor for almost 8 years. This combination of legal knowledge and practice and broad range of hands-on HR experience enables Zoe to provide a strategic and practical approach to issues. In addition, having been on the Board of Deckchair Theatre for 7 years, Zoe understands the challenges and opportunities faced by the not for profit sector.

David Vlahov (Treasurer)

Joining the Board in 2021, David Vlahov is a very experienced management accountant. David is currently the Vice President of Finance for the Asia Pacific region, for international company Metso Outotec.

Julie Whitlock (Ordinary Member)

Julie Whitlock joined the board in May 2019, and has brought with her a diverse background in strategy, marketing, customer experience, digital channel management and large scale transformation programs. She is currently the Associate Director Engagement & Experience at Murdoch University within the Marketing & Communications directorate. In 2018 and 2021 Julie was honoured to elected by her peers to the Murdoch University Senate, the governing body of the University. With a desire to encourage more women in STEM careers, she recently founded the Murdoch Women in IT networking group. Julie is a member of the Health Consumer’s Council and the Consumer & Community Health Research Network. Additionally, she has completed a number of executive education courses in the areas of leadership and management as well as holding a Graduate Diploma from ECU.

Kirsty Moore (Ordinary Member)

Kirsty Moore joined the Board in May 2019. She currently works as the Executive Director for Products and Markets at Indigenous Business Australia, a Commonwealth Government agency that furthers the economic development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across Australia through the provision of financial products and services. Prior to this Kirsty spent three years as a Director of Commercial Activity for the WA Government. In this role, Kirsty acted as head of both the Business Development and Asset Management Directorates of the Housing Authority. She was responsible for managing the $14.5bn WA social housing asset portfolio. As a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Kirsty has a strong background in technical accounting, corporate governance and commercial finance. Before joining the public sector, Kirsty worked for Pricewaterhouse Coopers and National Australia Bank.

Amber Fabry (Ordinary Member)

Amber Fabry joined the Board in 2024. Amber has dedicated her career to child safety, promoting the primary role of parents, families and communities in protecting their children. Amber is the Chief Practitioner for Child Protection with the Department of Communities, with a career in child protection spanning over 25 years. Amber has been in leadership roles in the Kimberley, Goldfields, South West and now Fremantle.

Amber has seen the impact of trauma on families of various cultures and demographics, trauma that can lead to abuse and neglect of children. All of these experiences motivate Amber to strive for system reform to prevent the removal of children from their families, to invest in advocacy for women and children, and to better support families and communities in meeting their children’s needs. Amber has a Bachelor of Social Work, a Masters of Leadership and is currently studying the Juris Doctor at the University of Western Australia.

Tanya Elson (Ordinary Member)

Tanya Elson has extensive experience working with vulnerable people and communities. She has held senior leadership roles in government and community sector organizations, with responsibility for statewide policies and programs in the areas of family and domestic violence, gender equity, early years and disability. Tanya brings deep understanding of social policy and systems, and expertise in strategy, advocacy and engagement. She lives and works on the traditional lands of the Whadjuk people of the Noongar Nation, and is passionate about advancing equity, social justice, and community wellbeing.

Renna Gayde (Ordinary Member)

Renna Gayde is Bunyarinjarin, a proud Walbunja woman from the Yuin nation, living on Noongar country since she was 18 years. She was made a ward of the state at 15, and as a mother, has fought the system for over a decade to be reunited with her own children. Renna spent several years working with FIN WA as a parent representative on the board and in developing their unique peer support program, Family Partners. She graduated with first class honours in Social Work at Curtin University, and is an advocate and lived-experience advisor across various organisations and systems, including joining Women’s Legal Service WA’s Board in 2024. Renna is passionate and committed to driving positive, self-determined change for her people and the community in which she lives.

Sandra Holloway (Ordinary Member)