HAAG Committee of Management

Chairperson

Pamela Young has been on the Committee of Management Housing for the Aged Action Group since June 2018, first as Secretary then as Chairperson. She volunteers with Community Radio and for 10 years she was the Supervisor at Glenloch Homes for the Elderly where she resides. When this job was dissolved and a paid CEO was installed, she found that she still wanted to help older people in some way and joined Housing for the Aged Action Group.

The three charities that she supports in Melbourne are Pencil Community, Books for Disaster Areas, and collection of items for Rotary Clubs that are needed for their many projects. Internationally she supports an Australian girl in Tanzania who is running Secondary and Primary schools for the very poor children all with sponsorships and donations from Australia. She is retired now, and her work life was spent mostly in temporary work in various states of Australia and PNG as her husband was an Officer in the Army and they moved often and this work suited the lifestyle. She was the Membership Officer for the VCSA and mostly was involved in the private sector from chemical companies to retail and many more. She is very concerned about the rights of people and compassionately helps where she can.

Deputy Chairperson

Kris Spark's involvement with Housing for the Aged Action Group began 17 years ago when she started work in COTA Victoria’s information service, Seniors Information Victoria.  Throughout her 14 years at COTA, there were many opportunities to work with, and support, HAAG, advocating for secure and affordable housing for older people. She is committed to consultation with members and good governance Committee of Management’s decisions and actions. She is a member of the finance sub-committee.

Treasurer
Karen Abols was a credit manager with a medium sized business for 34 years, where she managed the accounts and prepared financial reports for the Board, working closely with the Company Secretary and auditors. This has given her a strong understanding of financial reports and audit requirements. She joined HAAG after being impressed with the work of the housing support team in assisting a friend into long-term housing. Since retirement she has volunteered for a local charity in the Western suburbs, and lends her skills to HAAG as Treasurer since 2021. Karen leads the finance sub-committee.

Secretary

Margaret O'Loughlin has worked in the Commonwealth and Victorian public service as a senior manager in statistical consultancy, strategic planning and program management, including Aged Care planning and community programs.  She made a career change and became a social worker in the last 12 years of her working life, in the homelessness sector as a housing worker and case manager, including in women’s housing, where her interest in homeless older people, especially women, was sparked. She has professional qualifications in economics, politics, urban sociology and social work. She has volunteered at Sacred Heart Mission, Asylum Seekers Resource Centre, West Welcome Wagon and at HAAG as an Aged Care System Navigator. Margaret is involved with the HAAG working groups and, as a believer in the need to raise voice and faces of older people in our communities, she continues to be an activist and advocae involved in social justice campaigns. 

Hoda Nahal is a qualified and accredited mental health social worker with 30 years of experience in the welfare field. She is committed to social justice and empowering individuals, families and communities to take charge of their life.

Hoda has worked in the not for profit  sector as a counsellor, case manager, community development worker, mediator, team leader and  manager. She has worked with clients in complex situations involving family violence, homelessness, housing issues, mental health, drug abuse, family separation, gambling addiction, and with migrants and refugees.

She has been involved with HAAG since 2016 as a Bi-lingual community educator, delivering information sessions about  housing options for older people in Arabic speaking Assyrian and Chaldean communities. She is a member of HAAG's Cultural and Linguistically Diverse community reference group.

Andrew Rogers is a semi-retired educator and trainer who currently works in the field of diversity and inclusion. He is also active in his commitment to improving the wellbeing of older LGBTIQA+ people. As Lead educator with Val’s LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care, Andrew has a developed understanding of the needs and supports necessary to ensure the healthy ageing of older people in the LGBTIQA+ community.
Andrew has been a member of the HAAG committee of management for one term, and is also a member of the CoM's finance sub-committee. He has also played a role in the forming of the LGBTIQA+ Advisory Group.

Additionally, Andrew is a member of LGBTIQA+ Advisory Groups for other organisations including Maribyrnong City Council. Andrew’s prior professional experience as a banker and as a university lecturer adds to his capacity to contribute to the direction and activities of community organisations such as HAAG.

Vera Considine is a retired corporate accountant working as Company Secretary of a regional airline (PAGAS) for 12 years and Financial Controller of a tourism marketing organisation (GCTB) for 18 years, Vera has a practical financial management outlook which she now applies to social issues.

Vera lives in over 55’s community housing. She supported CWA Vic. as a branch treasurer for several years and now spreads her time between her role as Hon. Secretary/Treasurer of Fair Go For Pensioners (FGFP) Coalition Victoria Inc., and volunteer and Treasurer of The Biography Program – Beyond Words, completing six biographies for residents in aged care facilities. Vera is a member of HAAG’s working groups, the National Alliance of Seniors for Housing and the Retirement Accommodation Action Group, and was part of HAAG’s recent delegation to Canberra.

Garry White is actively involved in the HAAG community education team as a member of the LGBTQIA+ reference group and advocates for HAAG as community educator.

Garry has been a housing co-op member for 15 years and has served on multiple boards of housing co-ops. Equality and accessibility to affordable and long-term housing is one Garry’s drivers. Social housing should be based on dignity and respect. Secure affordable housing is the foundation of an individual’s health and wellbeing. Garry is also a past member of the Policy Advisory Committee for Common Equity Housing Limited. Garry has been a board member at a variety of organisations, Including Gwandalan Lions Club (NSW), Qld community Transport Foundation Committee, L.A.N.D.S. Inc, and Avenue Neighbourhood House in Blackburn South. Garry is currently enrolled in Foundations of Directorship and the Boards role on Cyber Security at the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Garry has worked in a variety of positions over his working life. They include Teaching, a small business operator, disability support and consultancy, CEO of a community based multiservice organisation, that specialised in Community Transport and social isolation, Performing Arts training, and project manager for a Palliative Care Consortium. He has also been and is currently undertaking a carer’s role.

Vanessa Heart  has been a member of HAAG since 2018 and is an active and passionate member of HAAG's peer education program. Vanessa regularly shares her experiences of homelessness at forums, events and in the media. She travelled to Parliament House in Canberra twice in 2024 to meet with members of Parliament and decision-makers. In 2021, Vanessa was recognised for her work at th Victorian Social Housing Volunteer Awards, where she received the Molly Hadfield Award (pictured).

Fiona York, Executive Officer Fiona has been working with older people for almost 20 years in a variety of roles within the community sector, including in elder abuse, community aged care, cultural diversity and most recently, in housing. She has post-graduate qualifications in Community Development, Ethics and Legal Studies and brings a social justice perspective to all aspects of her work. She has worked with Housing for the Aged Action Group since 2016, and has been in the Executive Officer role since May 2018, leading the organisations strong commitment to diversity and advocacy for older people in housing stress.

Christine Stapleton, Client Services Manager

Christine has many years experience in the homelessness sector in the Western suburbs of Melbourne, and leads our team of housing support and care finder workers.