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Board of Management
 | | Ms Marj Ellis (Chairperson)
Marj is a Social Worker by profession who has worked as a Manager for over 15 years in welfare and community health. She was responsible for the Migrant Health Service for a number of years and has a good understanding of issues confronting new arrivals. Marj is a member of the SA Refugee Health Network, a member of the SACOSS Policy Council and the SACOSS Board. A strong commitment to social justice and to working in partnership with people and agencies are values that are reflected in all that Marj does. She also brings to the Board a commitment to good governance. |
 | | Michael Colmagro (Treasurer )
Michael has been the Manager of Financial Services with the Community Business Bureau since 1999 and is a member of their Executive team. He is currently responsible for delivering accounting services to CBB clients including preparation of budgets and financial analysis and the provision of an advisory financial service. Michael holds a Bachelor of Arts (Accounting) from the University of SA and has been a member of the Australian Society of Certified Practicing Accountants for more than 15 years. |
 | | Mr David Shepherd (Secretary)
David has a keen interest in other cultures and is widely traveled including working in Malaysia as an Australian Volunteer Abroad and in Venezuela as a Telecommunications Technical Expert under a United Nations development program. As a founding member of the Indo-China Refugee Association (now the Australian Refugee Association Inc) David and his wife Martha welcomed and hosted many families from Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia during the 1970s and 1980s. He has retired after a career as an engineer and manager in the telecommunications industry. |
 | | Mr Dilip Chirmuley AM JP
Dilip arrived in Australia in 1966. Since then he has taken an interest in the welfare of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) persons. He has served on the SA Ethnic Affairs Commission and the Multi-faith Association of SA. In 2001 Dilip was awarded the Centenary Medal for Services to Australian Society. In 2006 he was made a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for "leadership roles in a range of multicultural, religious and Hindu organisations". A community ambassador for the White Ribbon Campaign against domestic violence. A Hindu priest who regularly performs Hindu religious ceremonies, Dilip is a member of Oasis faith community at Flinders University. |
 | | Mr David Egege
David has held several senior positions within the public service sector, specifically within health services departments and Indigenous organisations such as the State Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Aboriginal Health Services and Aboriginal Aged Care. The inaugural senior policy advisor for Indigenous Mental Health in South Australia, David worked closely with Baxter Detention Centre. He has held the position of Executive Director of Aboriginal Home and Community Care Services Incorporated in South Australia. David has extensive experience and skill in working with both Aboriginal and multicultural clients and their communities. The holder of a Bachelor of Arts in sociology and politics and a post graduate degree in Social Administration and Policy, David is a qualified social worker. |
 | | Mr Kevin Liston
Kevin is the Community Development Team Leader and Settlement Adviser at Refugee Services, Families SA. He is also a Board member of the Refugee Council of Australia. The Director of the Australian Refugee Association (ARA) from 1983 to 2009, Kevin was a Board Member of ARA Jobs Pty Ltd from 1998 to 2009 (Chairperson from 2007). He served as a member of the Refugee Resettlement Advisory Council to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship from 1996 to 2009. Kevin comes from a bilingual background in Ireland. He studied and worked in Ireland, Scotland, Italy, Kenya and the USA before migrating to Australia in 1982 with his wife and daughter. In his work with people who have endured the refugee experience and are now building new lives for themselves and their families in Australia, his focus is on strengthening communities, fostering personal independence and self-sufficiency and contributing to the improvement of government policies and programs in this area. |
 | | Gido Mapundo
Born in Tanzania, Gido came to Australia in 1978 to study at Monash University as a post-graduate student in Business Management. He stayed on to marry an Australian girl, working in Melbourne for many years before moving to Adelaide where he is currently a lecturer at the University of South Australia in the School of Management. Gido is the Chairperson of the Tanzanian Community Association (SA) and an Executive Member of the African Communities Council of South Australia. |
 | | Nilofar Najimi
Nilofar is a student completing her Certificate IV in Community Services with the aim of entering Social Work next year. A former student of Thebarton Senior College, Nilofar received the Caltex Award for best all round student in 2007. As a student she was actively involved in supporting and mediating for fellow students who had recently arrived into Australia. Nilofar's community service is outstanding and she is now regularly asked to speak about her experiences both here and in Afghanistan. She is actively involved in her community and involved in many committees such as the Australian Red Cross Youth Advisory Committee, Rotaract and Save the Children. |
 | | George J Pazman
George migrated to Australia in 1950 at the age of nine with his parents as refugees from post-war Eastern Europe. In 1967 he started a highly successful finance and insurance business in which he continues to hold the position of Managing Director. George has pursued a number of philanthropic interests ranging from a consultancy with AusAid in Asia and Eastern Europe to education projects with street kids and children with disabilities in South America. As a former refugee and one who watched his own parents struggle with the demands of resettlement, George is keenly interested in helping people from refugee backgrounds and hopes to be able to give something back to the country. |
We farewelled retiring Board Members
Cheryl Green
Monica Leahy |
