Open Doors Youth ServiceOpen Doors Youth Service
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. Identifying as gay, Matthew is passionate about the changing nature of work and the role inclusion and diversity play in enabling high performing team and has volunteered for the ODYS Board since 2019.
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.
Ryan (he/him) 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.
Josie (she/her) 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.
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.
Ken (he/him) is an experienced higher education professional and has worked at universities in Australia and the United States full-time since 1993. During this time, he has worked in admissions, licensing, events, and for the past 17 years, in alumni relations.
As an openly gay man who is married to his partner of more than 25 years, Ken has always been advocate for the LGBTIQA+ communities. He has helped to run pride festivals in the USA and played an integral role in Universities and their LGBTIQA+ communities at 3 Australian and 1 American universities. He strives to help improve the lives of all LGBTIQA+ communities in a variety of ways.
Leo (He/Him) is the youth representative on the board and has been engaged with Open Doors Youth Service since 2019. As a young person at ODYS Leo has participated in many of the social groups such as Jellybeans and Young & Proud and attended events such as Queeriosity and Brisbane Pride. Alongside being on the board, Leo has also participated in and chaired the Youth Engagement Group, which aims to involve young people in the development and activities of the service. As the youth representative Leo ensures that the voices and needs of young people are heard and fully considered when making decisions. Leo has been on the board since late 2021.
Outside of ODYS Leo is currently doing a Bachelor of Regional and Town Planning at the University of Queensland and is passionate about creating urban spaces that embrace and empower marginalised communities.
Open Doors Youth Service Inc. acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First people and Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters where we meet, live, learn and work. We acknowledge and celebrate the rich and thriving diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, the oldest continuing living cultures in the world.
Phone: (07) 3257 7660
Email: opendoors@opendoors.net.au