My not for profit background stems back to my childhood, raising money and representing my school and community in the Sunshine Coast area. After completing an Arts degree in 1979 at the University of QLD, majoring in languages and history, I joined the Army and worked in the supply area full time for 9 years where I met my husband, Bruce – also a serving officer. We both transferred out of the fulltime Army to join the Army Reserve so we could start a family and have some location stability. I have continued with Army Reserve ever since.

I volunteered at our children’s school and in my local community for many years. I worked for the Muscular Dystrophy Association of QLD as their business development officer and was CEO of a community housing organisation for several years. I undertook post graduate studies in philanthropy and not for profits and community housing management in support of these roles.

I entered the Public Service in 2010 working as a policy writer and program developer for the Australian Army Cadets and moved into the role of regional manager for SQLD Army Cadets in 2012. In March 2016 I resigned from this role to work from home as a sub-contractor doing analyst work and continuing my Army Reserve work as an inquiry officer.

Bruce and I live in the northern outskirts of Brisbane on small acreage with our two dogs and cat. Both our sons are married and one has just recently produced our first grandchild. We have one son following in our footsteps who joined the Army and is now interstate and the other one is a Clinical Physiologist working in Brisbane.