jganamaria

The first of a number of Australian Ministerial appointments was to the National Marriage and Family Council. We worked as leading experts advising Government on alternative approaches to strengthening families and preventing parental separation and divorce.

Received the Australian Heads of […]

Research into improving family violence practice and service outcomes was completed and I published with Monash University our report, “Through the Eyes of the Child” demonstrating the need for a whole of family approach to healing and preventing family violence.

I commenced my career as a CEO leading my local family support organisation now known as Family Life. From a small community agency with with minimal funds and assets, I led the growth to the substantial […]

I volunteered with the late Jim Stynes and Paul Currie to set up the Reach Foundation, developing the business plan and becoming a founding Director. Our vision for an organisation empowered and led by young people from all walks […]

I was honoured to be appointed as an inaugural Pre Hearing Convenor for the Family Division of the Children’s Court of Victoria.  A key insight from this time was the many missed opportunities to address families problems and help strengthen […]

As a member of the Victorian Government Standing Committee on Child Protection, I worked with sector experts including  the late Honorable Justice John Fogarty and Emeritus Professor Dorothy Scott to inform the state government policy response […]

I was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to study Innovations for Preventing the Abuse of Children in Out of Home Care. As a social worker I witnessed the harms experienced by some children in non-family […]

After graduating with a double degree in Arts and Social Work Honors, I progressed from social worker in juvenile justice and children in care to Deputy Director of a Children’s Home. My passion for improving the lives of vulnerable children, […]