2021 Diversity Webinar Series

Jen Cvetkovski

Senior Account Manager Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National)

Jennifer Cvetkovski is a Senior Account Manager with the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National). Jennifer currently manages TIS National’s Commonwealth Government and Non-Government (NGO) portfolio of clients. Jennifer works closely with service providers in the aged care sector promoting access to interpreting services and demonstrating how to work effectively with interpreters.

Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) Alliance

The PICAC Alliance is a unified national body comprising of each State and Territory specific Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) funded organisations. The Alliance aims to be a voice and provides information, training and resources to inform aged and community care services.

Costa Vasili

CEO Ethnolink Language Services

Costa Vasili is the founder and CEO of Ethnolink, a translation company on a mission to connect Australia through language. Costa is a second generation Australian and grew up hearing stories from his dad about the challenges he faced when he migrated to Australia at the age of thirteen. Inspired by his dad's struggles, Costa embarked on a mission ten years ago to help improve the lives of migrants by providing high quality translation services to the government and not-for-profit sectors.

Nina Catalano

Dementia Care Navigator CALD, Western Sydney Dementia Australia

Nina's current role is with Dementia Australia where she has worked for the past 8 years. She has a Diploma in Counselling and Dementia Studies. Nina has worked in the Dementia field for over 30 years and has extensive knowledge in Community Care and Support as well as Community and Carer Education.

Bianca Brijnath

Divisional Director of Social Gerontology National Ageing Research Institute (NARI)

Associate Professor Bianca Brijnath is the Divisional Director of Social Gerontology at the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI). Her disciplinary training is in medical anthropology and public health and her research expertise is in cultural diversity, dementia, and mental health. Within these disciplinary and contextual boundaries, she has undertaken several studies exploring mental health and culture, mental health and the life-course, and dementia and cultural diversity. She has authored over 100 publications, including a sole-authored book with Berghahn Books titled “Unforgotten: Love and the culture of dementia care in India” and is the lead investigator for the Moving Pictures study in Australia and in India. In recognition of her research, she was awarded the Victorian Young Tall Poppy Award in 2018.

Dr Tom Verghese

Director Cultural Synergies

Dr Tom Verghese is a cross-cultural coach and founder of Cultural Synergies. He is an energetic speaker and author of four books. Tom has worked globally in his 30 years of consulting. Of Indian origin, raised in Malaysia, he resides in Melbourne with his English born wife and children. Tom is an expert panelist on the Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmark (GDIB).

Margaret Teuma

Diversity and Inclusion Specialist Uniting

Margaret is the Diversity and Inclusion Specialist working in Uniting. She is responsible for the provision of expertise in the embedding of diversity and inclusion principles in Uniting. Her role includes challenging existing structures and supporting progressive change through influencing system improvement and coordinating special projects that build diversity and inclusion capability. She is passionate about tackling injustice and inequality, particularly for those most marginalised in society, and is especially committed to actions resulting in improving the quality of life of refugees, people with a disability, Aboriginal and LGBTI communities. Margaret comes with a wide-ranging career in public sector and NGO leadership positions and has extensive experience in developing strategies, policy development and program evaluation.

Lisa Tribuzio

Manager Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing

Lisa is a social worker who has 20 years experience in a range of sectors including disability, education, family services and aged care. Her previous roles include Assistant Director for Inclusion Strategies at the NDIA, Diversity Advisor for the Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership, Projects Manager for the Victorian Arabic Social Service, Social Worker at Hume Valley School and Cross Cultural Researcher for the Centre for Intercultural Dialogue in Cairo. Lisa grew up in a bilingual home. Her work is guided by the resilience of her migrant background and the stories of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology), a Bachelor of Social Work, Masters in Islamic Studies and a Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapy. Lisa is also the founder of Lotus Consulting which aims to assist organisations in developing deep understandings of diverse perspectives and practices.

Rebecca Cross

Education Coordinator Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission

Bec has worked for over 20 years in the regulation of aged care and has focused her skills on developing and facilitating education to the sector through the Education and Engagement Team at the Commission. Bec has a strong background in assessment methodology and the Aged Care Quality Standards and has witnessed many periods of reform and change.

Lisa Tribuzio

Manager Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing

Lisa is a social worker who has 20 years experience in a range of sectors including disability, education, family services and aged care. Her previous roles include Assistant Director for Inclusion Strategies at the NDIA, Diversity Advisor for the Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership, Projects Manager for the Victorian Arabic Social Service, Social Worker at Hume Valley School and Cross Cultural Researcher for the Centre for Intercultural Dialogue in Cairo. Lisa grew up in a bilingual home. Her work is guided by the resilience of her migrant background and the stories of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology), a Bachelor of Social Work, Masters in Islamic Studies and a Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapy. Lisa is also the founder of Lotus Consulting which aims to assist organisations in developing deep understandings of diverse perspectives and practices.

Dale Park

Director Diversity Training and Consulting

Dale is a passionate consultant, trainer, facilitator and activist. Having worked across the health, aged and community care sectors he enthusiastically supports organisations to take and intersectional approach to the way they design and deliver services and build cohesive teams. As the Director of Diversity, Training and Consulting (DTC) he builds the capacity of organisations to tackle issues of discrimination, inequality and marginalisation. As a champion of asset-based approaches he uses his creative flair to develop diversity, inclusion and intersectionality resources, films, and podcasts that value consumers, their capabilities, lived experiences and expertise.

Dan Bentley

Director Impacto Consulting

Dan Bentley & Tracey Newman are directors at Impacto Consulting. They are consultants that specialise in innovation, and are best known for their work with aged care providers, where they have helped aged care leaders around the country, to create person-centred services that better meet the needs of their consumers.

Tracey Newman

Director Impacto Consulting

Dan Bentley & Tracey Newman are directors at Impacto Consulting. They are consultants that specialise in innovation, and are best known for their work with aged care providers, where they have helped aged care leaders around the country, to create person-centred services that better meet the needs of their consumers.

Renee Bognar

Manager Residential Care Fronditha Care Templestowe

Renee Bognar is the Residential Care Residential Manager of Fronditha Care’s Templestowe facility. She joined the Aged Care industry at 16 as a personal care worker and has worked across a number of aged care facilities before commencing her role as Manager with Fronditha Care 10 years ago. With over 30 years experience in Aged Care as a Registered Nurse, Renee has seen many changes in the aged care industry. Renee provides Leadership to her team of nurses, carers & allied health staff, working collaboratively together to achieve the best outcomes for the resident in her care.

Sinisha Krstov

Manager Access and Engagement Australian Multicultural Community Services (AMCS)

With a friendly, enthusiastic and approachable persona, Sinisha works continuously towards supporting the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities and individuals to maximise their full potential. He joined AMCS in 2013 to advise and support seniors and other vulnerable people who are facing barriers in accessing services due to their diversity. Sinisha has an Advanced Diploma in Community Services Management, Bachelor of Social Work and Social Policy, and a Master of International Relations and Conflict Resolution. Sinisha speaks Macedonian, Serbian and Croatian.

Lisa Tribuzio

Manager Centre for Cultural Diversity in Ageing

Lisa is a social worker who has 20 years experience in a range of sectors including disability, education, family services and aged care. Her previous roles include Assistant Director for Inclusion Strategies at the NDIA, Diversity Advisor for the Hume Whittlesea Primary Care Partnership, Projects Manager for the Victorian Arabic Social Service, Social Worker at Hume Valley School and Cross Cultural Researcher for the Centre for Intercultural Dialogue in Cairo. Lisa grew up in a bilingual home. Her work is guided by the resilience of her migrant background and the stories of her parents, grandparents and great grandparents. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science (Psychology), a Bachelor of Social Work, Masters in Islamic Studies and a Graduate Diploma in Creative Arts Therapy. Lisa is also the founder of Lotus Consulting which aims to assist organisations in developing deep understandings of diverse perspectives and practices.