Our Executive Board

Jo-Anne Hewitt

Chief Executive Officer

Jo-Anne joined Achieve Australia in 2019 as CEO responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the organisation and the delivery of quality services and outcomes. Prior to this, Jo-Anne was Executive Director Disability at The Benevolent Society. She has extensive experience in the not-for-profit sector, leading complex organisations through periods of significant growth and transformation.

Jo-Anne holds a Master of Arts (Psychology) and is a current Board member of Inclusive Housing Australia.

Wally Phillips

Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Wally joined Achieve Australia in 2019 as Corporate Services Executive (Chief Financial Officer). In this role, Wally is responsible for overall strategic financial planning and reporting, as well as providing leadership, direction, and management of the technology, property, corporate services, and finance teams.

Previously Wally held a range of executive finance roles in global commercial entities. His experience in the not-for-profit space includes 3 years as CFO for Afford (Australia Foundation for Disability).

Wally is a Member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and is Big 4 trained through Deloitte (South Africa).

Daniel Kyriacou

Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Daniel joined Achieve Australia in 2016 bringing more than a decade of management and director-level experience in the disability services sector and national union movement. As Operations Executive (Chief Operations Officer), Daniel oversees the work of the team that provides services and support directly to our clients with disability. The Operations team strives to ensure our clients have a place to call home, engage in rewarding work and activities, are well, and enjoy a full life in the community.

Daniel 's career includes roles as General Manager of Communications for the industry peak body, National Disability Services (NDS) and Director of Operations for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Daniel managed the Every Australian Counts campaign to help bring about the NDIS.

Daniel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Relations and Sociology and a Masters of Business Administration.

Angela Johnston

Chief People Officer (CPO)

Angela joined Achieve as General Manager People Operations in 2021 and was promoted to lead our People Performance and Culture team in December 2022.

An innovative and strategic HR leader, Angela started her career in human resources and industrial relations working for the Fair Work Ombudsman where she provided information on awards and employer obligations under the Fair Work Act to small and large businesses.

During her more than a decade of experience working in the not-for-profit sector in Western Australia and NSW, Angela has held senior HR roles at MercyCare, CatholicCare and Ability Options. She has considerable experience and knowledge across most facets of workforce management including talent acquisition and retention, employee relations, HR strategy and workforce planning, remuneration and benefits, work health and safety, a range of systems and processes and change management.

Angela holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Environmental Studies, which she completed at the University of Notre Dame Australia on scholarship. She also completed post graduate study in employment law at Curtin University.

Sarah Archer

Chief Strategy Officer (CSO)

Sarah is driving the development of Achieve Australia’s strategic plan and the management of its implementation working with the Board, CEO, Executive Team, and Senior Leadership Team.

Sarah's work includes supporting stakeholder engagement and reporting as well as undertaking special strategic programs of work across The Achieve Group and its entities and partners, including Inclusive Housing Australia (IHA), to increase alignment and cohesion of strategies. She is also developing Achieve’s Project Management Office.

Sarah began working with Achieve Australia in 2013 as a consultant and was appointed to her current role on the Executive Team in August 2021. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management majoring in Human Resource Management and Marketing.

Tina McManus

Chief Customer and Practice Officer

Tina joined the Achieve team as a General Manager in 2020 with over 35 years' experience in the disability sector both in Ireland and Australia. As a qualified Montessori and Special Education teacher, she brings a wealth of knowledge and skills in early intervention, education, mental health as well as disability practice and operations at both front line and senior management levels.

In her current Chief Officer role, Tina is responsible for our customer, practice and quality portfolio and leads a team of clinical and practice experts who support our operations teams to deliver high quality services to children and adults with disability with a key focus on aligning people and processes to inform practice.

Tina is mid-way through completing a Master of Business Administration with Swinburne University.