Head Office (Shepparton)
Nikkia McLennan
Education Program Project Officer
Nikkia McLennan is a Wemba Wemba/ Ngyiaapa/ Tirrganydii woman with experience in education support and community services.
Valerie Atkinson
Leadership Coordinator
Valerie is a proud Yorta Yorta and Wiradjuri woman, born and raised in Shepparton. She currently works as the Youth Leadership Coordinator, where she supports and empowers young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to grow as strong leaders.
Chrystal Chapman
Education Program Project Officer
I am a proud Kuku Yalanji, Nyamal and Kalkadoon woman, born in Darwin and moving around before landing in Shepparton in 2017, where I first found Ganbina. I was privileged enough to be able to experience Ganbina's Education program, Youth Leadership Program and Employment and Training Program first hand as a participant, before joining the team in 2022 and returning in 2025.
Abigail Madikhula
Education Program Project Officer
Abigail is originally from Malawi; a country located in the south-eastern part of Africa. Born and raised in Malawi, she migrated to Australia in 2019 and has proudly called Shepparton home since 2023.
Executive Team
Paulleen Markwort
Executive General Manager
Paulleen is a Murri woman with ties to the Gulf of Carpentaria through her matriarchs and to Wiradjuri heritage through her grandfather. As a senior executive, Paulleen brings a wealth of experience in strategy and policy development across State Government and the community sector.
Craig Marshall
Finance Manager
Craig has been supporting the executive of Ganbina since 2001 to create Australia’s most successful school-to-work-transition program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and youth.
Corporate Administrative Office (Melbourne)
Lachlan Harlow
General Manager – Projects
Lachlan Harlow is a Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung man who was supported by Ganbina from 2010-2020. Lachlan moved to Melbourne Grammar School in Year 10 thanks to Ganbina’s support. He then completed a Bachelor of Arts Double Major in Criminology and Philosophy from Monash University.
Anouk Petit dit de la Roche
Digital Transformation Manager
Anouk joined Ganbina in 2024 as Digital Transformation Manager, bringing over 10 years of experience in digital technology and consulting. Previously, she worked at BlueRock Digital, where she led a team of consultants to develop digital strategies, managed projects, and provided strategic technological leadership as virtual CTO for a diverse range of clients.
Expansion Pilot Office (Brisbane)
Tracy Bevan
National Manager - Expansion Project
A proud Kija woman from East Kimberley, Western Australia and also her father’s connections, a Bardi man from Dampier Peninsula, Tracy has worked for Ganbina since 2018. She began as Relationships Manager for the Ganbina Expansion Project and now works as Ganbina’s National Manager - Expansion Project.
Soraya Atkinson
Project Coordinator
Soraya is a proud Yorta Yorta and Bangerang woman who grew up in Mooroopna in Shepparton, Victoria. Soraya attended Mooroopna Secondary College where she was a past participant for Ganbina. Soraya finished her education with ASHE (Academy of Sports, Health and Education) and completed her Certificate IV in Community Services.
Memphis Henderson
Administration and Project Support Officer
As a proud Barkindji woman, with her mother’s mother’s people from the Murray–Darling Basin, Memphis brings a deep cultural understanding and lived experience to her work. She began her journey working with Mob during high school, volunteering during NAIDOC Week and in her senior years teaching jarjums song and dance at local primary schools. This sparked her love and cemented her passion to work closely with community.
Tiana Love
Project Coordinator
Tiana Love joins Ganbina as Project Coordinator in Brisbane, supporting venture partners and fostering partnerships that advance opportunities for First Nations communities. Originally from Aotearoa (New Zealand), Tiana is a proud Māori woman with connections to Tuhoe and Ngāti Porou iwi. She brings extensive experience in community engagement, governance, and operational coordination through her work with Aboriginal Corporations in Western Australia.
Board
Lena-Jean Charles-Loffel
Member
Lena is a Yorta Yorta/Gunai Kurnai woman and a Ganbina graduate. She joined Ganbina when she was 14-years-old and became the first Ganbina participant to obtain a Master’s degree (Master of Public Health) specialising in Indigenous Health from The University of Melbourne.
Larissa Falla
Member
Larissa has extensive experience in stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, values driven leadership and cultural inclusion advocacy. In her role as Senior Koorie Education Advisor for the Shepparton Education Plan, she is passionate about reshaping systems to support improved access and participation in education and meaningful long-term outcomes for the region’s First Nations young people.
Jarrod Edwards
Member
Jarrod Edwards is currently the Executive Director, People & Performance with OzChild and brings a unique blend of technical expertise and strategic leadership within his professional experience. After attaining a Masters of Business Administration from Melbourne Business School, he graduated from the prestigious Williamson Community Leadership Program at Leadership Victoria, Jarrod began his career in engineering and regulation within high-risk industries before joining the Children and Family Services sector in 2017.
