Meet the Team
Meet the team who, if appointed by Focal Members, will support a smooth and seamless transition to Achieve Australia for Focal’s stakeholders.
Stewardship
Jo-Anne Hewitt
Chief Executive Officer
Jo-Anne plays a pivotal role in transitions, setting the cultural and strategic tone for all engagement. She is a warm and vibrant leader who role models the high standards of care and attention our team brings to stakeholder engagement and satisfaction. Jo-Anne insists on honesty, transparency and humility, and leads by example.
Sarah Archer
Chief Strategy Officer
Sarah is an experienced leader who takes responsibility for ensuring our transitions deliver on the commitments made to clients and families, employees and other stakeholders. She is engaging, open and kind, working closely with each transition lead to ensure people are supported in a sensitive and timely manner.
Board of Directors
Our Board is fully behind this transition and has approved the resources required to support Focal and its stakeholders through the transition.
Meet our Board of DirectorsExecutive Leadership Team
The broader Executive team at Achieve is engaged to oversee their respective areas of Operations, People & Culture, Customer & Practice and Corporate Services.
Meet our Executive LeadersLeadership
Ainsley Carpenter
Operations General Manager
Ainsley takes carriage of our services across South East Queensland and the Northern Rivers with great care. She brings deep disability-sector experience and pays close attention to ensuring the right resources are in place to support clients and employees through the transition process and beyond.
Kiran Lodhia
Service Manager
Kiran leads our Centre-based and Community Access services across Greater Sydney and Northern NSW. She sets high standards of service delivery and has a strong person-centred approach to meeting client needs and expectations, as well as those of their families. Kiran is well regarded across our organisation, and her calm and considered approach provides a steadying influence during times of change and transition. Kiran has led a recent similar transition of centre-based and community access programs from St Vincent de Paul.
Transition Management
Aram Barlezizian
Manager, Project Management Office
Aram manages our PMO and acts as Project Manager for significant service transitions, such as Focal. He is a client-focused professional who is motivated by overcoming challenges and delivering results. Aram is approachable and supportive, and works constructively through the complex issues that can arise during service transitions. He is well respected by our team and by executives from past transitions, including Mercy Community Services in Brisbane.
Alicja Byrne
General Manager
Workforce Strategy and Design
Alicja leads the employee workstream of our transitions and works with dedication and drive to ensure we manage employee relations with care and professionalism. She is a seasoned HR professional with experience across multiple transitions at Achieve. Alicja is considered, wise and articulate, and gives everyone around her confidence in a smooth transition.
Carrie Evans
Regional People Manager
Carrie works hand in glove with Alicja at a local level. She ensures that every employee who wishes to transition is treated with care and dignity. Carrie is front and centre at employee information sessions, the interview process, induction and training, and remains available in a supportive capacity post-transition to assist with integration into Achieve’s culture, systems and processes.
Client Support
Tina McManus
Chief Customer and Practice Officer
Tina has led and taken part in many transitions of complex clients into Achieve services. She and her team will attend to safeguarding quality and clinical practice. Her team will oversee the governance around clients who have restrictive practices and behaviour support plans, as well as children whose services transition to Achieve.
Fiona Miller
Customer Engagement Partner
Fiona is a highly empathetic and caring leader who has lived through the process of transitioning her disability service, On Focus, to Achieve in 2016, and supported the transition of NSW Government services into Achieve in 2019. She is one of our local go-to team members for client and family engagement throughout the transition process, providing confidence and reassurance. Fiona knows the emotional and practical challenges of transitions and offers wise counsel to the team through her positive and reassuring approach.
Morgan Worboyes
Service Manager
Morgan is an experienced service delivery manager committed to building strong community relationships. He brings local knowledge and connections and is passionate about driving better outcomes for people and communities. Morgan is based in Brisbane and will join the transition team in supporting clients and employees through the move to Achieve.
Systems Support
Wally Phillips
Chief Financial Officer
Our CFO leads the systems stream, with oversight of property, IT and finance. Wally has been involved in recent transitions from Mercy Community, St Vincent de Paul and Windara, and watches closely for any systems matters that need attention. He is approachable and knowledgeable, and ensures his team is on track and supported.
Yashmin Lata
General Manager ICT
Yashmin is a planner and implementer who will ensure the required IT and communications systems and supports are available from day one. Her team will be on the ground to arrange installation and provide support. Yashmin has supported many transitions and knows what it takes to deliver on time.
Frankie Poon
General Manager Finance
and Corporate Services
Frankie works in the background to ensure all necessary finance and corporate services matters are set up and ready to support service delivery and administration by Achieve and the transferring team from day one. He is efficient, supportive and focused on anticipating and resolving issues early.
Additional transition support
Other team members will engage as necessary to follow through on legal matters, Work Health and Safety, clinical governance and behavioural support, and learning and development.