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Dr Sureka Goringe

National Director

Sureka became National Director in July 2017, after two years as Associate Director. Sureka brings executive and board level leadership experience from fifteen years in the technology sector, ranging from venture funded start-ups to large public-sector organisations. Sureka has also served voluntarily as Chair of the National Committee for UnitingWorld Relief & Development (the board), and as organiser of the first UnitingWomen national conference.

Sureka’s work at UnitingWorld answers a life-long calling, weaving her global childhood, her faith, and her passion for justice with the all the skills gained through professional life.

An Australian since the nineties, Sureka comes via university in England, and a childhood in Botswana, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Sureka has Ph.D. in Materials Science, is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, is the wife of a UCA minister, and the mother of two kids and a dog.

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Peter Keegan

Head of Programs

Peter has worked in the international development sector for over 17 years, in both programs and advocacy focused roles. Most recently he has been part of the executive team at Transform Aid International as Director of Advocacy and has also previously worked with World Vision in the UK and Australia, and in the programs team at UnitingWorld (between 2011-14).

Peter is passionate about development that is led by local partners and communities; aware and actively engaging with the structural, systemic and cultural drivers of injustice; and draws on the rich theological resources and imagination of the Christian tradition.

He moved to Newcastle 12 months ago and is loving the accessibility of great local beaches. He is uncle to six nieces between 2 and 10 years old. And may just have a slight addiction to buying books.

Kath Lynch

Katherine Lynch

Head of Operations

Kath Lynch leads our organisational capacity to deliver impact. She oversees our governance and management processes that analyse, improve and demonstrate our effectiveness.

Kath joined the team in 2021, following six years in New York working with the International Rescue Committee. She brings years of operations, management and non-profit project experience to her role, from both the international development and disability sectors, and has a Master of Public Administration from New York University. Kath is dedicated to working across the organisation to identify and support opportunities to maximise UnitingWorld’s efficiency and effectiveness in achieving its mission and strategic goals.

Outside of work Kath is kept busy by her young children but tries to find time to enjoy her beloved local beach and coastal walks. An avid traveller, she enjoys meeting people from across the globe and sampling local (preferably spicy) cuisine.

Rick Carpenter

Rick Carpenter

Head of Fundraising and Communication

Rick leads our work in nurturing and expanding the group of amazing people who make our work possible through their generosity.

Rick joined the team in 2018, following his time at the McGrath Foundation where he managed regular giving and single giving. He adds years of experience, Strategy and leadership from working in the non-profit sector. Rick is a results-driven professional with repeated success in guiding projects from start to finish.

Outside of work Rick loves travel, all things music, guessing ‘whodunnit’ in films and is a passionate, if not talented cook.

Debora Murthy

Dr Debora Murthy

Regional Coordinator, Southeast Asia Programs

Debora is a physician who has worked in community development in Indonesia for 20 years. She is excited to be working alongside partners and stakeholders to see women, the poor and other marginalised groups enjoy life with dignity. Her passion is to advocate within communities so that children can have access to education, families can have access to health care and sustainable sources of income, and everyone’s voice as part of a community is heard.

Debora brings her experience and enthusiasm to the South East Asia team, and looks forward to “growing together with partners South East Asia and the other UnitingWorld teams to achieve our shared vision of transformed communities free from poverty and injustice.”

Hindra Sulaksono

Hindra Sulaksono

Manager, Southeast Asia Programs

Hindra’s professional background is in construction and civil engineering, and for the past 18 years has applied his project management experience working in humanitarian organisations. Before joining UnitingWorld he worked predominantly in community development and disaster management programs in rural and urban contexts across Indonesia. Hindra’s role at UnitingWorld has him managing poverty alleviation programs; health, nutrition and hygiene programs; refugee and displaced peoples programs, and emergency and disaster preparedness programs. Hindra loves working with a wide range of people and partners from different areas and cultures and hopes his role at UnitingWorld gives him broader experiences to help him provide better service and support.

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Apwee Ting

Manager, International Partnerships

Rev Dr Apwee Ting joined UnitingWorld in May 2023. In the role of International Partnerships Manager, Apwee will nurture connections between the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) and partner churches overseas, as well as facilitate theological and missional dialogue within the partnership networks. His deep familiarity with the rich cultural diversity of the UCA and passion for building relationships across cultural divides will be an invaluable asset.

For the previous seven years, Apwee has worked for the Uniting Church Assembly, firstly as the National Director of Multi/Cross-cultural Ministry and then as a valued founding member of the Assembly Resourcing Unit (ARU). In his work with the ARU, Apwee’s support for National Conferences, his wise counsel regarding relationships with partner churches overseas and the respect he has earned within the diaspora communities of the UCA have been an asset to the national work of the Church.

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Steph Dalton

International Programs Manager

Steph works closely with UnitingWorld’s church partners in South Sudan, Zimbabwe and Fiji, supporting projects that are developing leaders, helping communities become more resilient, and advancing gender justice and peace.

Steph (re)joined UnitingWorld in early 2022 having lived and worked in the UK for six years, including for All We Can – a relief and development organisation linked to the Methodist Church in Britain.

Prior to living in the UK, Steph had been a volunteer, intern, and staff member at UnitingWorld since 2011, working across the fundraising, communications, and programs teams.

Steph is committed to working in partnership and is grateful for the opportunity to see the Church active in mission around the world. She enjoys spending time with family, going on long walks, and reading late into the night. She is also studying towards a Master’s in NGO Management at Bayes Business School, City, University of London.

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Shreshtha Kumar

International Programs Manager

Shreshtha joined UnitingWorld in 2021 and is currently providing technical support to programs in South Asia and the Pacific.

Shreshtha has a diverse professional experience and has worked on issues ranging across women and children’s rights, disability rights, and public health with international not-for-profit organisations. She is passionate about promoting gender justice and has closely worked with community groups in India to restructure gender relations. With an extensive experience of over 14 years, she has coordinated and implemented a host of development and communication initiatives.

Shreshtha holds a Master of Development Studies from the University of Sydney and has previously completed post-graduate studies in Media and Communications. She is a nature lover and enjoys long coastal walks on the weekend.

Marcus Campbell

Marcus Campbell

Communications and Content Manager

Marcus manages UnitingWorld’s print, digital and social media content. He has a background in human rights research and communications, with previous roles at the University of Sydney, Oxfam Australia and the Public Affairs unit of the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials (UNAKRT) in Cambodia.

Marcus holds a Master of Human Rights from the University of Sydney and recently completed a thesis investigating the role of religion in peacebuilding and human rights monitoring in Papua and West Papua, Indonesia.

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Mardi Lumsden

Donor Relations Manager

Mardi joined UnitingWorld’s Australian Partnerships Team in 2018, and started as Donor Relations Manager in 2023. She previously worked in communications and marketing with the Uniting Church in Queensland, including seven years as Director of Communications.

In her UnitingWorld role, Mardi works with Australian donors and churches to share the stories of the amazing work of our overseas partner churches and the life-changing partnerships made possible through UnitingWorld. She also works closely with UnitingWorld’s ambassadors around Australia. Based in Brisbane, Mardi is available to speak at services and events around the country (contact us at info@unitingworld.org.au).

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Jenny Guyatt

Donor Relations Coordinator

Jenny rejoined UnitingWorld in early 2023 as a Donor Relations Coordinator. She previously worked here from 2017-2020.

Jenny works with Australian donors and churches, inviting them to journey with us as we partner with the global church to address the issues of poverty, injustice and violence.

Jenny worked for the United Church in Papua and New Guinea when first married and has since had a keen interest in sharing in the work of the wider church to Uniting Church in Australia members. She is available to speak at churches and Presbyteries throughout Queensland (contact us at info@unitingworld.org.au).

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Megan Richter

Donor Relations Coordinator (Part-time)

Megan joined UnitingWorld’s Australian Partnerships Team at the beginning of 2023. She is working part-time here while studying to become an industrial designer.

Previously, she has spent years volunteering through her church and other organisations.  She enjoys hand crafts such as knitting, crocheting and sewing, and is passionate about sustainability and improving the world through design.  

 

Howard Clark

Howard Clark

Volunteer Ambassador

Howard is a Volunteer Ambassador with UnitingWorld and in speaking to Churches and groups he helps to make connections for change.

Howard was a Science teacher with the NSW Department of Education and later moved to teaching Religious Education at Newington College and then Pymble Ladies’ College.  More recently, he was relieving Chaplain at MLC School Burwood.

Howard enjoys music and sings with Macquarie Singers.  He has written textbooks for High School Science and Religion courses.  He believes that an important aspect of UnitingWorld is that in providing the programs around the world the uniqueness of each individual human and their importance as the created image of God is acknowledged.

Stephanie Uhlmann

Senior Fundraising Coordinator

Stephanie joined UnitingWorld in 2022 as Production Coordinator in the Fundraising and Communications team. She has extensive experience in admin and comms in global non-profit organisations and voluntary roles, ranging from giant clams to Bibles to development planning. She brings her editing, proofreading and organisational skills to our team.

Stephanie is from Brisbane, but spent 7 years living in Solomon Islands, her husband’s homeland, which provides a valuable perspective that enriches her understanding of the context of many of the people around the world whom UnitingWorld serves. She also has firsthand experience in how development projects, like those from UnitingWorld and its partners, can be life-transforming and community-transforming, and is excited to be able to contribute to this work.

Rev Dr Steve Bevis

Chair of the Board

Steve Bevis has spent a lifetime working and reflecting at the interface of Christianity and society.

Steve worked for 13 years for Tearfund Australia and completed a PhD in the theology and practice of church-based community development with a focus on the Kenyan context. For six years Steve ministered in Alice Springs, working alongside first peoples and helped co-create the Alice Springs Meeting Place Foundation, an NGO working towards meeting Aboriginal need through healthier practices of social interaction across the community and a focus on shaping a shared future that is safe and respectful. Steve also chaired ITECA, a joint Uniting, Catholic, Anglican and AusSIL project to support the ministry training of local Aboriginal people across Central Australia.

Steve is an ordained Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in Australia and is currently serving as the minister at Burwood-Croydon Uniting Church in NSW. He is also a songwriter and performer.

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Dr Sureka Goringe

National Director of UnitingWorld – Ex-Officio Board Member

Sureka became National Director in July 2017. Sureka brings executive and board level leadership experience from fifteen years in the technology sector, ranging from venture funded start-ups to large public-sector organisations. Sureka has also served as Chair of the National Committee for UnitingWorld Relief & Development (the board), and as organiser of the first UnitingWomen national conference.

An Australian since the nineties, Sureka comes via university in England, and a childhood in Botswana, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Sureka has Ph.D. in Materials Science, is a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, is the wife of a UCA minister, and the mother of two kids and a dog.

James Batley

James Batley

Board Member and Chair of the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee

James has over 30 years’ experience in international diplomacy and development including positions such as Deputy Secretary of DFAT; Deputy Director-General of AusAID; Australian High Commissioner to Fiji (and Permanent Representative to the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat); Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands; Special Coordinator of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI); Australian Ambassador to East Timor; as well as diplomatic positions in Beirut, Lebanon; Jakarta, Indonesia; Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea; and Port Vila, Vanuatu. He graduated from the University of Sydney in 1982 and was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2002. He currently works as a private consultant.

John Manning

Board Member

John is Managing Director and Equity Partner of Dewings Pty. Ltd, Adelaide, a firm of Chartered Accountants. He has been employed by that organisation for a number of years including as HR Manager and Practice Manager. From 2000 to 2002 he undertook theological study at Morling College in Sydney, graduating with a Bachelor of Ministries and has subsequently completed a Master of Divinity through the Australian College of Theology.

Ashleigh Johnson

Ashleigh Johnson

Board Member

Ashleigh has over a decade of experience in the technology industry, holding leadership roles both locally and internationally. She has a background in digital strategy and marketing, with a focus on growth through digital transformation and equipping teams to thrive with changing technology. Ashleigh is a mentor to emerging leaders from under-represented minorities and is a founding member of Pride@SAP Singapore, an employee network group championing equality. She holds a Bachelor of Communication and Media Studies.

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Renee O'Shanassy

Board Member

Renee joined the UnitingWorld board in 2019. She first engaged with UnitingWorld as a UnitingWorld-supported Australian Youth Ambassador for Development in 2010 and then joined the Sydney office as an intern. Her upbringing in the Uniting Church leads her passion for social justice and the protection of human rights and dignity for all.

Renee holds a Masters of Public Policy and Management from Monash University and Bachelors of Laws and International Relations from La Trobe University. She is currently undertaking a Masters in Arts (Women’s Studies) with Flinders University and is currently collaborating with feminist academics on a series of projects.

Renee has worked with the UNDP, various agencies of the Australian Public Service, development organisations and academia.  She works in public policy, with a strong interest and experience in gender, development, and international relations.

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Rev Thresi Mauboy Wohangarra

Board Member

Thresi was previously the Moderator of the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) Northern Synod serving two terms. During that time, she fostered a strong relationship with First Nations people, especially with women facing trauma and domestic violence. Thresi brings her cultural experiences to always maintain unity in diversity, to engage and build relationships, and the importance of listening to the marginalized and to people in their context.

Thresi is an Indonesian woman who grew up in Soe, West Timor. She was ordained as a Minister of the Word in 1992 and became a Minister of the Word within the UCA in 2005. She has served in congregations both in Indonesia and Australia, most recently being the Indonesian Missionary Uniting Church.

Thresi is open-minded, patient, creative, and enjoys the surprises of new challenges. She acknowledges the movement of the Holy Spirit in every part of her life praying: “I don’t pray for an opportunity but pray that I will be ready when the opportunity comes.” In her spare time, she enjoys watching Netflix and walks with her son.

Rev Viniana Rokomasi Ravetali

Board Member

Vinnie is of Fijian ancestry and migrated to Australia in the early 80s. She completed a Diploma in Administration and a Bachelor in Business Management and worked in the Finance industry for more than 20 years. She pursued her Theological degree (BTH) whilst she was a candidate for ministry and has been an ordained Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church of Australia for more than 10 years.  

Vinnie is currently Senior Chaplain of MLC School in Burwood and also the Chairperson of Sydney Presbytery, which is the oversight body of more than 50 congregations, a handful of other faith communities, several community agencies and two big private schools (MLC School & Newington Boys College).  

Vinnie is a well-respected Pacific Island leader in the UCA and plays a significant role in areas of multicultural and cross-cultural ministry and mission. She is the Vice Chair of the UCA Assembly Fiji National Conference and serves in a number of Community Care Boards. She was previously the Director of Pacific Peacebuilding Initiatives and Peacebuilding International. 

Roger Bednall

Board Member

Roger brings over twenty years’ experience in International Development to the UnitingWorld Board. This includes program and project management in Asia and the Pacific, senior management roles in an international development organisation, and experience in governance and compliance in a donor-funded organisation. Roger brings skills in working with donors, partner governments and organisations, and program teams. He has a Bachelor of Laws and a Master’s Degree in International Relations and is a member of the Uniting Church.