Team - Support for Siblings | Siblings Australia

Our People

Our Staff

Rachel Bailey - Office Manager

Rachel is the Office Manager for Siblings Australia. Rach manages all needs associated with the property, IT, communication equipment, file management, Insurance and any other tasks to ensure the office continues to run smoothly. Outside of Siblings Australia Rach keeps herself busy as a trained counsellor and supervisor, mother, and avid runner.

Rachel Bailey -
Office Manager

Georgie Edwards - Teen Support Coordinator

Georgie is a current Honours student in Psychology at the University of Adelaide. Having worked as a boarding house supervisor, she has been involved in the ongoing care and wellbeing of children and adolescents from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. During her studies, Georgie has contributed to several research projects surrounding psychological and health related issues and solutions. Georgie also busies herself with an executive role on her university’s Psychology Students’ Association, organising career and networking events for her fellow psychology students. Outside of Siblings Australia, Georgie a younger sister to a neurodivergent brother, who himself is currently completing a Master of Music Therapy.

Georgie Edwards -
Teen Support Coordinator

3 Sarah Hennessey - Stakeholder Engagement Lead V3

Sarah Hennessy - Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Sarah is responsible for maintaining and developing relationships with our stakeholders all over Australia. A trainer in her previous career, Sarah is also responsible for facilitating our peer support training program, SibWorks and is also a Justice of the Peace.
Sarah has two teenage children, one of whom is neurodivergent.

Sarah Hennessy -
Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Natalie Kerkman - Project and Marketing Lead

Natalie has extensive experience in the disability sector, with a focus on Project Management, Marketing and Events.

As the sister of an older brother with an intellectual disability and the mother of two sons, one who is neurodivergent, Natalie’s work is strongly supported by her desire to promote awareness and support of siblings of people living disability, and their families.

Natalie Kerkman -
Project and Marketing Lead

Dr Ariella Meltzer - Social Policy Advisor

Dr Ariella Meltzer is Siblings Australia’s pro bono Social Policy Research Advisor. She brings to this role almost 15 years’ experience as a social policy and social impact researcher, focusing on disability, young people, peer support, mentoring and how interpersonal relationships can be prioritised in human services. A large section of her work is focused on the relationships between siblings with and without disability, as well as on the work delivered by and operations of the sibling support sector.

In her professional life, Ariella is based at UNSW Sydney. She is also a Board Member for the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability. Ariella is the twin sister of a woman with physical and intellectual disability and has been involved in sibling communities since she was a young teenager.

Dr Ariella Meltzer -
Social Policy Research Advisor

Dr Shannon Schedlich - Chief Executive Officer

Shannon joined Siblings Australia in January 2023. She previously ran the Media Centre for Education Research Australia, and has worked across government, corporate affairs, and community engagement. She holds a PhD from the University of Newcastle and sits on two school boards and is a non-executive director for inclusive organisations. She is a parent of siblings and has an autistic stepdaughter.

Dr Shannon Schedlich -
Chief Executive Officer

Kate Strohm - Founder/Consultant

Kate established Siblings Australia in 1999, following careers as a hospital scientist, health educator and counsellor, and a print and radio journalist. Since then, she has been invited to present across Australia and overseas to siblings, parents and professionals. Her book ‘Siblings’ has been recognised as an invaluable resource for siblings and their support networks both within Australia and internationally. Kate brings her own personal experience to her work, having grown up with an older sister with cerebral palsy.

Kate Strohm -
Founder/Consultant

Our Board

Peter Gill

Peter Gill started his media and communications career as a journalist with some of Australia’s leading newspapers, including The Age and the Australian Financial Review. He complemented this experience with senior communications and advisory roles in the political, higher education and corporate sectors. In 2017, Peter completed a 12-month assignment in Myanmar under the Federal Government’s Australian Volunteers for International Development program. He is now working as a communications consultant. Peter is a sibling to his brother Chris who has Down Syndrome.

Peter Gill - Chair

Mary Hudson - (M Ed (Studies), BA, Grad Dip Ed)

Mary is currently Director of The Leadership Institute, and a member of the Senior Educational Consultant team at the Association of Independent Schools South Australia. As a school leader and classroom teacher, Mary worked closely with many siblings of special needs students and became acutely aware of the dire need for ongoing care and support of this largely forgotten cohort. She feels privileged to be part of this wonderful organisation.

Mary Hudson - Deputy Chair

Kevin Johnson - Bachelor Of Commerce (B.Com), Chartered Accountant (CA).

Kevin is a director of Chartered Accounting firm i2 Advisory – a firm specialising in Income Tax and Business Advisory services. Having plied his trade across small, medium and large (Big 4) firms, Kevin’s experience includes working with many varied businesses and industries including not for profits, medical and allied health, professional services, retail, property developers, retirement villages and hospitality. His clients also range in scale; from start-ups to bigger business operations involving advising on a vast range of challenging issues.

Kevin Johnson - Treasurer

Amy Pokoney

Amy is General Manager, Community Development at the City of Salisbury. With a background in event management and fund development in the not-for-profit sector, in both North America and regional New South Wales, Amy transitioned to a career in community development within the Local Government sector upon moving to Adelaide 10 years ago.

Having worked at the City of Adelaide and City of Salisbury, Amy brings a diverse set of skills and experience, including strategic management of very large NDIS and Aged Care Home Support services, stakeholder engagement, asset based community development and corporate planning. Amy has a Masters in Community and International Development and has previously served on the Board of Community Centres SA.

Amy Pokoney

Samantha Hellams

In a career that has spanned senior executive roles in disability and community services sectors as well as the private and public sectors and working as a lawyer, Sam is currently the CEO of an Adelaide based disability services provider. With experience in achieving transformational change, her expertise also lies in strategic planning, risk, corporate governance and business improvement, as well as culture and change management. Her commercial focus is supported by strong values-based leadership and a person-centred approach to service delivery.
Sam has also served as a board member over many years of organisations in the disability, aged care, community services, agribusiness, energy and government sectors. She is also a sibling to her sister with intellectual & physical disabilities, who is also non-verbal.

Samantha Hellams

Michael Bromley

Michael Bromley is an experienced leader who currently serves as Non-Executive-Director for Brainmates, a leading product management service provider in Australia and New Zealand, offering a range of services including product management consulting, training, and product marketing. Michael is the former Chief Executive Officer of Stone & Chalk, a prominent Australian innovation hub. He was also CEO of AustCyber where he also served as a member of the Board of Directors. Prior to joining Stone & Chalk, he held senior leadership roles at Bank of Queensland, IAG, Blackberry, nbn Australia, and Telstra. He is dedicated to driving growth, fostering collaboration, and accelerating innovation in Australia’s technology sector.

Michael is passionate about giving back and making sure all Australian’s have the support they need to live their best lives.

Our People

Our Staff

Rachel Bailey -
Office Manager

Georgie Edwards -
Teen Support Coordinator

Sarah Hennessy -
Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Natalie Kerkman -
Project and Marketing Lead

Dr Ariella Meltzer -
Social Policy Research Advisor

Dr Shannon Schedlich -
Chief Executive Officer

Kate Strohm -
Founder/Consultant

Our Board

Peter Gill - Chair

Mary Hudson - Deputy Chair

Kevin Johnson - Treasurer

Amy Pokoney

Samantha Hellams

Michael Bromley

Useful Links

Our Programs

Contact us

Join our mailing list

Subscribe

Our People

Our Staff

Rachel Bailey -Office Manager

Georgie Edwards -Teen Support Coordinator

Sarah Hennessy -Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Natalie Kerkman -Project and Marketing Lead

Dr Ariella Meltzer -Social Policy Research Advisor

Dr Shannon Schedlich -Chief Executive Officer

Kate Strohm -Founder/Consultant

Our Board

Peter Gill - Chair

Mary Hudson - Deputy Chair

Kevin Johnson - Treasurer

Amy Pokoney

Samantha Hellams

Michael Bromley

Useful Links

Our Programs

Contact us

Join our mailing list

Subscribe

Rachel Bailey -
Office Manager

Georgie Edwards -
Teen Support Coordinator

Sarah Hennessy -
Stakeholder Engagement Lead

Natalie Kerkman -
Project and Marketing Lead

Dr Ariella Meltzer -
Social Policy Research Advisor

Dr Shannon Schedlich -
Chief Executive Officer

Kate Strohm -
Founder/Consultant