Our Leadership

Colin Pettit

Chairperson

Dr Colin Pettit is never afraid to speak up, and speak loudly, on behalf of children and young people.

He has committed his adult life to improving the wellbeing of young Western Australians by challenging government and the community to do better, and by advocating for change.

After six years as Western Australia’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Colin took on the role of Chair of Parkerville Children and Youth Care in February 2022 – bringing with him a unique perspective and an incredible depth of knowledge, skills and experience.

Colin believes one of the biggest challenges facing WA children is being heard and their needs being understood by decision makers.

“It is important that we look at children’s needs differently and not solely through the eyes of adults.

“As an organisation that has, at its heart, the core value of supporting and caring for vulnerable young people and their families, Parkerville Children and Youth Care is worthy of support by all. Being part of the journey to continually improve and provide the best possible service, when families need it, is an exciting opportunity."

It will come as no surprise that family has always been the most important thing in Colin’s life and having time with them is extremely important. In his spare time, Colin is also a keen golfer and a member of the West Coast Eagles.

Nell Gillett

Board Member

Caring for the health and wellbeing of the community is an issue that runs deep for Dr Penelope (Nell) Gillett, who was appointed to the Board in 2021.

Nell is passionate about children and young people receiving the quality of services they deserve, so when looking for a new way to give back to the community in a meaningful way, Parkerville Children and Youth Care was a great fit.

“I am incredibly fortunate to be a daughter, sister, mother, partner and step-mum to people who inspire me daily.

“Parkerville Children and Youth Care is such an iconic WA organisation, which I am proud to be associated with. The passion of the team and staff to make a real difference to the lives of WA kids and families is incredible.”

Nell is Rio Tinto’s Chief Medical Officer and spearheaded the WA response to the COVID pandemic. She has more than 20-years’ experience in the mining, oil and gas, manufacturing and healthcare industries.

Mike Deeks

Board Member

Mike Deeks has had a remarkable career filled with many professional achievements, including fostering investment
and trade relationships between Western Australia and the United Kingdom and Europe whilst in the role of Western
Australian Agent General in London, and a career in the Royal Australian Navy spanning three decades.

In addition to his career, Mike has had experience with the Foster Care system, youth homelessness, and the mental
health sector, which drives his motivation to join Parkerville Children and Youth Care’s Board.

“We need to raise awareness in the community and identify the fundamental causes of the problems children and
young people face, and seek to address them.”

“I have a great deal of admiration for the work that Parkerville Children and Youth Care does and what it achieves.”

At the heart, what matters most to Mike is his wife, his wonderful children and their partners, and beautiful grandchildren.

Julie Baker

Board Member

Julie Baker is an Anglican Priest, currently serving as Rector in the parish of Darlington-Bellevue. Ordained for ministry 17 years ago, Julie’s church roles have regularly involved working with children and families and in the safe ministry and child protection space, both in
Australia and her native Wales.

As a passionate believer that children are not just our future but ought to be our very present focus and inspired by Jesus’ teaching
on the importance and value of children in our community, Julie was delighted to be invited to join the board at Parkerville Children and Youth Care in 2023. In this place, Julie feels privileged to be able to contribute to improving outcomes for children and young people, particularly those facing challenges in their lives.

A mother of two daughters, and a wife of a high school teacher, Julie is aware of some of the pressures on young people as experienced by her children and their friends. She hopes that her experience and background can assist Parkerville Children and Youth Care in fulfilling its
vision of making WA the safest place in the world to bring up our children.

Emily Readhead

Board Member

Having grown up travelling along the Western Australian coast with her family, Emily Readhead has always had a deep understanding of the importance of connection to family and community. Emily reflects that, “these experiences also gave me an early front row seat to observing structural disadvantage and how life outcomes are not equally available for everyone.”

Inspired by her experiences as a youth, Emily has built her career on designing strategies for system level change. She is deeply committed to sustainable futures for everybody and believes that starts with social sustainability being built into our government and organisations.

Emily is an Executive Director, Strategy, at Rennie Advisory and is the national lead of their social sustainability practice. She works with Public Sector, For Purpose and Private entities to co-develop solutions that ultimately lead to improved human service delivery and outcomes for West Australian people and their communities. Her portfolio includes housing and homelessness; education; child protection; universities; health and mental health; economic participation; and public sector administration.

Away from work, Emily is still a family girl at heart and spends any time she has with her large extended family.  At home she is lucky enough to live with her partner and be a Mum to three wonderful children.

Davina Goldthorpe

Board Member

Davina comes from over 20 years experience in the community services sector working with children, young
people and families. Davina is currently the Safe Ministry Services
Manager with the Anglican Diocese of Perth and is focused on building and maintaining safe places for all, both children and adults, where everyone is made to feel welcome, valued, respected and cared for.

Having taken on the role in the Diocese in August 2022, Davina is keen to play a part in the amazing work of Parkerville Children and Youth Care and maintain a connection with the Community Sector.

Davina is a mum of 4 very active children/teenagers, juggling the demands and challenges of day to day life whilst enjoying the delights of our proximity to the water, beach swimming most days all through the year.

Ian Carter AM

Board Member

Ian Carter AM’s career started as a secondary school teacher, and his dedication to supporting the development of youth has been present throughout the many facets of his career since. 

He has had an extensive and prolific career in community service, particularly in community capacity building and social justice. He has been involved in both creating and governing a wide range of community organisations at local, national and international levels; most notably as Chief Executive Officer of Anglicare WA for 24 years.

Ian is passionate about creating better opportunities for the less fortunate in the community. He has influenced change on both a state and national level, taking part in discussions as a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Homelessness and the WA Ministerial Roundtable on Affordable Housing, as well as the WA Premier’s Partnership Forum, a coalition between leaders in the State Government and not-for-profit organisations.

Ian is devoted to his faith in the Anglican Church, having been devoted to a number of Anglican Church bodies for over 40 years, including 19 Years as a Diocesan Trustee and over 30 years on Diocesan Council, amongst others. Ian is also an inductee to the General Division of the Order of Australia, having been inducted in 2009.

Catherine Elliott

Board Member

Ensuring that all West Australian’s have access to quality health care is a passion of Catherine’s. Catherine is CEO at Rural Health West and a Professor at Curtin and Kids Rehab WA (Perth Children’s Hospital). She has more than 20 years’ experience in academic, clinical and research industries and brings experience of clinical governance, research and innovation to the board. 

Parkerville's strength-based approach, that recognises that every child, family and community has its own unique strengths and resources is at the heart of Catherine’s clinical and research journey. “Working holistically with a strength-based practice promotes optimal health, wellness and vocational and educational, outcomes for children and youth. I am so proud to be working with an organisation that ensure the outcomes of children and youth are a priority.”

“I am excited by Parkerville’s innovative approach to providing services and support that meet the needs of children and youth. Parkerville base their programs on the latest evidence and use data and consumer feedback to continue to improve their services. As a researcher and a clinician, I am excited to be involved with Parkerville."

Liz Criddle

Board Member

Advocating for children and teenagers has been a priority for Dr Liz Criddle in her more than 30 years of experience in education. She is an educator because she quite simply loves working with young people, and she is a strong champion for their care and wellbeing.

Liz is passionate about children and young people having access to education and support that is fair and equitable. She has held leadership roles in secondary education in the independent sector, and with the State curriculum authority. She has been involved in leading or directing a number of community and professional associations over the course of her career. As a tertiary educator and author her research interests include educational leadership, school change, student wellbeing and education policy. 

Liz enjoys giving back to her community as a mentor in an aspiring education leaders programme, as an Anglican school council member, and representative on the AYM Foundation. She is a Diocesan Synod representative and has been committed to a number of Anglican church bodies over the years, including as a former General Synod Committee and Diocesan Council member.

Kim Brooklyn (MPsych)

Chief Executive Officer

Kim Brooklyn joined Parkerville Children and Youth Care as Chief Executive Officer in November 2019.

With over 30 years in the community services sector, Kim has moved from delivering clinical services to children, young people, adults and communities presenting with complex issues, to designing and leading service systems that prevent harm, intervene early, and respond to crises in ways that build capacity rather than simply manage problems. She holds a BA, Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology, and a Masters in Psychology.

Kim is driven by a commitment to interrupt the intergenerational nature of trauma and to create pathways for people to live good lives. She believes services should be viable, sustainable, and genuinely transformative — not just well-intentioned.

Kim has contributed extensively to the wider community services sector, including five years as Independent Chair of the Western Australian Council of Social Service (WACOSS) Children Policy Advisory Council and three years as a WACOSS Board member. She is currently directing her energy toward major strategic initiatives at Parkerville, including the development of a specialist school for young people who have experienced trauma and the establishment of a centre of excellence.

Amanda McCurry

Deputy CEO - Strategic Impact & Innovation - Children, Youth & Families

Our Deputy CEO - Strategic Impact & Innovation - Children, Youth & Families, Amanda McCurry, has a diverse skillset with extensive experience in strategic advancement, commissioning, policy and reform, service delivery, project management, and leadership and management.

Amanda has over 20 years experience working across Government and the For Purpose sector, and holds tertiary qualifications in Community Development, Youth Work, Government Services (Procurement), Project Management, and Leadership and Management.

Amanda is passionate about working with vulnerable families, young people, children, and Aboriginal communities, particularly in the areas of child protection and community development.

Jill Barnard

Chief Financial Officer

Jill Barnard (FCPA Australia) is the Chief Financial Officer at Parkerville Children and Youth Care, bringing extensive experience across the for-purpose sector.

Jill has over 30 years' experience working across global commercial sectors, with the past twelve years spent in the for-purpose early childhood education, aged care, and health care sectors across Australia and New Zealand.

A seasoned finance leader and change management practitioner, Jill has a strong track record of driving strategic initiatives, strengthening financial sustainability, and improving organisational performance. Her expertise spans financial management, governance, systems optimisation, procurement, and risk oversight.

Jill is recognised for her ability to build high-performing teams and foster strong relationships across all levels of an organisation, from boardrooms to frontline services. She is a solutions-focused leader who is passionate about streamlining processes, enhancing efficiency, and ensuring organisations operate optimally while maintaining regulatory compliance. 

With deep experience working in complex, mission-driven environments, Jill is committed to supporting sustainable, high-impact service delivery. She is particularly motivated by contributing to better outcomes for children, young people, and families through strong financial stewardship and strategic leadership.