Listen to this pageAlzheimer’s WA Leadership Team
Warren Harding – Chairman and Head of Research, Grants, and Innovation
Warren Harding (AM) was appointed to the Board in 2018/19. Warren has over 30 years of strategic management consulting and other NFP board experience. He was the former Ministerial adviser to a state Deputy Premier and Minister for State Development and held various senior government roles including Treasury.
Warren has a very broad international experience with PwC, Deloitte and Accenture at Managing Partner level in Asia Pacific serving some of the world’s largest companies in energy, mining, telecommunications; life-sciences, health and public sector. He has been an External Adviser to McKinsey & Company. He has led major organisational transformations involving complex OPEX/CAPEX budgets; major technology change and has a track record of building culture and developing talent.
He was a co-founder of the Future of Work Institute in WA and has been a regular speaker on future work skills, and the human factors of digitisation; AI and Automation and digital health accutive technology and wearables.
He was the Minister for Health’s Nominee on the Sustainable Health Review (2017-2019) and has strong views around financial sustainability, addressing inequity of regional access and delivery, the opportunity for digital health and assistive technology to support care in the home, and importance of workforce training. He has real-lived experience with dementia as a carer. He was appointed by the State Government to the Board, Disability Services Commission in 2020.
Warren holds a Bachelor of Science (First Class Hons) from the University of Western Australia, a Graduate Diploma in Media (AFTRS); was a British Council Scholar at London School of Economics; and holds an Adjunct Professorship to the Curtin Faculty of Health Sciences.
Ella Dachs – Chief Executive Officer
Ella Dachs has over twenty years of consulting experience in change management and is an experienced People and Organisation Culture Change professional. Her career began in Tax, then Human Resources and continued on to Change Management and Talent Development. She has held operational and leadership roles and has developed a comprehensive understanding of different industry sectors across multiple geographies.
Ella is the CEO and leads a dedicated team of talented professionals who have extensive experience in Care and Support Services, People and Culture, Education, Consulting, Finance, Marketing, Brand and Digital Strategy. The team is committed to providing high quality, person-centred services that can improve the lives of those living with dementia.
Ella holds a B.Bus. Organisational Psychology and Human Resources Management (UCT) and a Post Grad. Dip. Marketing (IMM). She is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion to ensure Alzheimer’s WA delivers on our purpose, to be the dementia care experts and ensure AWA is an employer of choice.
“At Alzheimer’s WA, we look forward to developing trusted relationships with our ageing community and working with you, your family, friends and loved ones to enable and empower our ageing to live independently in their own homes for longer and to age in place with dignity in order to become truly inclusive dementia-friendly communities”
Nigel Holmes – Head of Finance and Operational Performance
The Aged Care sector is going through significant change and Nigel’s role is focused on creating financial value for the organisation and its members. To achieve this, we need to ensure we have robust systems and processes in place. Being able to introduce improvements and efficiencies to realise value provides job satisfaction.
Nigel has significant finance and commercial experience from working across various industries in senior finance roles. Working for Alzheimer’s WA has allowed him to be part of a values-based organisation that addresses the needs of those living with dementia.
Nigel is a Member of CPA Australia and enjoys mentoring finance staff to help them achieve CPA membership.
Michelle Tan – Head of Care Services and Innovative Practices
Michelle has extensive experience as a senior leader in aged care service delivery. With a background in psychology, Michelle has managed a wide breadth of community service programs, with a proven track record in service excellence.
Michelle is passionate about the delivery of customer focused person-centred care and believes we can all make a meaningful and significant impact through small everyday acts of kindness. Michelle’s key responsibilities include directing the operational plan in executing Alzheimer’s WA’s strategic vision for Care and Services and implementing plans to accommodate recent changes in the industry.
Michelle holds a Bachelor of Social Science (First Class Hons) and Master of Social Science and has received national and state awards during her academic and professional career.
Michelle is dedicated to making meaningful differences, one individual, one family at a time.
Chamila Jayalath – Senior Manager, People & Culture
As Senior Manager People and Culture at Alzheimer’s WA, Chamila is passionate about driving people and culture strategies that will accumulate to a more engaged workforce and help to establish Alzheimer’s WA as an employer of choice in Western Australia.
Chamila is a strategically and operationally oriented HR professional with over 25 years of experience and is skilled in developing and implementing people related strategy and HR management across all aspects of the employee lifecycle.
She has held senior HR positions across manufacturing, travel and tourism, disability and aged care industries in Australia and overseas. Having special interests in the areas of Leadership, Culture and Change Management Chamila has successfully and proactively led turnaround and transformational change initiatives especially within the human services sector that have added value to business growth strategies and is a strong believer in open and transparent communication across all levels of organisations.
Chamila is a Certified Practitioner Human Resources CPHR of Australian Human Resources Institute and holds a Bachelor of Science, a Diploma in Human Resource Management, and a Master of Human Resource Management from the Curtin University.
Rory Petersen – Manager, People & Culture
Rory is an experienced HR professional with a background in talent acquisition, payroll, generalist and HR consulting.
Prior to joining Alzheimer’s WA, he worked in a diverse range of industries including community services, remote mining services, residential aged care, insurance, native title and public relations/communications across Australia, Canada and the UK. Rory holds a B.Bus in Human Resource Management and brings with him a wealth of knowledge in change management and digital transformation, talent acquisition, process improvement and system implementations.
Rory is passionate about organisational culture, technology, systems and a holistic approach to improving the employee experience.
Aishath Adam – Manager, Finance and Operational Performance
Aishath provides us with financial data analysis to provide required information to CEO and other Managers, for decision making.
She has a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting and Finance) from Curtin University of Technology and a Masters of Advanced Accounting, also from Curtin University of Technology.
She has over 5 years of experience in internal auditing and over 10 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector.
Lorraine Benson – Team Leader – Hawthorn House, Albany
Lorraine is a dedicated member of the Alzheimer’s WA team, joining the organisation over 20 years ago.
For the last 7 years, Lorraine has managed the hardworking, passionate team at Hawthorn House, Albany. Hawthorn House is a respite centre, focused on delivering best practice relationship-based support in the Albany area.
Lorraine has had years of experience working with people with dementia and an enthusiastic drive to improve services.
“I feel strongly that the values of people should be respected, and that we never lose sight of the individual and their role in community and family.”
Melissa Randall – Team Leader – Ella’s House, Mandurah
Starting with Alzheimer’s WA in September 2020, as South East team leader, Melissa Randall is our Regional House Leader for Ella’s House in Mandurah.
Prior to her time at Alzheimer’s WA she has held numerous roles in the disability sector for the last 7 years. These include management, as well as specialising in the care of many clients with dual diagnosis.
Melissa also holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws with a particular interest in NDIS, Elder Law and Rights Legislation.
