Open Doors Youth ServiceOpen Doors Youth ServiceMeet the Board Members of Open Doors Youth Service Inc.
Chairperson
Matthew (he/him) is an experienced senior manager, partnering with executive leadership on the execution of people strategies with a focus on remuneration and employee relations. Matthew has a Bachelor of Business in Human Resource Management, a Master of Business in Applied Finance and a Post Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies. Matthew is passionate about the changing nature of work and the role inclusion and diversity play in enabling high performing team.
Matthew has volunteered for the ODYS Board since 2019.
Identifying as gay, Matthew is proud to see the positive and life changing impact the ODYS team have on the lives of young people within the rainbow community and is excited to be able to support and enable the team in fostering empowerment and social inclusion.
Vice Chairperson
Colette (she/her) is a Lawyer and Director of the Family, Domestic Violence and Elder Law Practice at Caxton Legal Centre. She has practised in family law, child protection, domestic violence, civil law and elder law. She has extensive experience in advocating for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients. Colette is passionate about access to justice and empowering those who face intersectional issues.
Treasurer
Ryan is a registered Chartered Accountant and Economist, providing and coordinating technical advice on multi-billion-dollar renewable energy transactions and decarbonisation strategy development across Australia.
A professional member of both CA ANZ and the Economic Society of Australia, Ryan has an extensive background in finance with degrees including GradDipCA, BEcon (Industry), and BCom (Finance).
Passionate about inclusion throughout the broader community, Ryan co-founded Interfirm Brisbane and Interfirm Engineering, connecting top-tier professional services firms for a more inclusive future.
Ryan, identifying as gay, has served as Treasurer for ODYS since 2023. He is proud to support the organisation’s amazing people as they strive to improve the lives of local rainbow youth throughout our community.
Secretary
Josie (she/her/hers) is a social worker and counsellor with additional experience in clinician development and practice supervision. Josie has largely worked in health care, human rights, and youth mental health. Currently working at yourtown, which operates Kids Helpline and other services that support young people. She has worked as a counsellor with Kids Helpline and more recently as a Learning and Development Consultant to support Kids Helpline Counsellors and other clinical staff to develop their skills and best support young people. Josie is passionate about improving mental health literacy, decreasing barriers and stigma attached to help-seeking and increasing representation and respect for lived experience.
I am honoured and excited to be working alongside Open Doors. So often I talk to young people who are struggling with belonging, identity and safety. This organisation is an amazing opportunity for young people to seek a space of connection, celebration and the important opportunity to explore who they are and how they experience the world.
General Member
Melissa (she/her) is a Social Worker with over 30 years’ experience. During this time, she has worked in the areas of child protection, youth justice, sexual abuse counselling and crime prevention. Over the last 15 years she has worked in specialist teams within child and youth mental health in Queensland, including in the forensic, complex trauma/attachment-based treatment and eating disorders. She currently works as a clinical educator within Queensland Health (mental health). She holds a Masters in Counselling and is currently undertaking a Masters in Suicidology.
She has her own lived experience of being ‘the only gay in the village’ having come out to friends and family holding conservative Christian beliefs in her early 30’s. She is happily partnered, has a totally cool stepson, a beautiful golden retriever and two cats! She enjoys road cycling, mountain biking, cooking, being a nerd and sleeping. Melissa is delighted to have joined in board of ODYS in late 2019.
