Our Team

Chief Executive Officer (CEO): David Fisher

David has more than 25 years’ experience in the Australian and UK community housing sectors. This includes working in a senior executive position for one of the largest care providers in the UK. He has led and established a number of successful housing organisations through acquisition and organic growth, diversification into new markets, and refinancing and restructuring to create greater financial capacity.

David has strong commercial skills, expert knowledge in governance, risk and financial planning, and a proven track record in developing effective partnerships to deliver new services and products, including low cost home ownership products.

David is a qualified assessor with EFQM, a European Excellence Model, and is passionate about improving the quality of lives of individuals and communities through the provision of high quality, secure and affordable housing.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Urban Geography (Hons)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Housing
• Master of Business Administration

Director of Finance: Theo Parvakis

Theo is a senior finance executive with strong property, government, retail banking and funds management experience. With over 25 years of experience, Theo’s main objectives include providing valued financial analytics and advice to business leaders across a range of products, portfolios and projects within an organisation.

Achievements include being involved with large corporate mergers and acquisitions and gaining invaluable experience in the property sector, specifically in relation to large scale property developments and sale programs. In addition, Theo has led large transformational programs and strategic business reviews, business case developments, due diligence and expert financial modelling analysis and tailored presentations.

Theo has a strong people management focus, having positively improved staff engagement levels and providing a great customer experience, has built and managed finance teams that successfully partnered with the business and were highly respected for their level of service and value-add.

Qualifications and professional affiliations:

• Full accreditation with the Australian Institute of Certified Practising Accountants
• Bachelor of Commerce, with a major in Accounting from the University of Wollongong, and
• Further advance audit accreditations from the University of Technology, Sydney

Projects Director: Justin Cantelo

Justin has more than 17 years’ experience in senior management and executive positions within the not-for-profit and private sector driving business strategy and growth, effective program management and innovating new services to meet community need. Justin now leads on Projects for Housing Plus, and is responsible for the more than $100m capital and support service investment program, delivering over 300 affordable and specialist accommodation homes over a 4 year program, through an integrated and tailored model of support.

Justin began his career as a Nutritionist in which he built a health and fitness business over 8 years, which he sold in 2010. Justin then made a ‘tree change’ to work in remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory, consulting for federal government to establish and deliver several preventative health programs.

Justin has led significant and sustainable growth for the Housing Plus business, winning several large government contracts and building key strategic relationships, which has led to a 100% increase in gross revenue, three-fold increase in staff, and establishing new income streams.

Qualifications:

• Masters of Business Administration
• Graduate Diploma in Clinical Nutrition
• Bachelor of Health Science

Head of Community Services: Penny Dordoy

Penny commenced her career in a range of customer-focused industries before joining the Australian Human Rights Commission where she supported the Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner.

She joined Housing Plus in 2010, initially as a service coordinator for the women’s domestic and family violence service. In 2014, she led the regional launch of the whole of government domestic and family violence reforms, working closely with police and other key stakeholders to change the way NSW responds to domestic and family violence, including implementing the state’s first Safety Action Meeting.

In 2015, Penny was promoted to the role of Regional Manager Plus Services where she established our homelessness service and continued to grow the domestic and family violence service.

As Head of Community Services, Penny is responsible for the delivery of sustainable client-centric programs by creating strategic networks, maintaining key partner relationships, and supporting a cohesive and multidisciplinary team.

She is currently studying for a Master of Social Change and Development.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Business Studies
• Diploma in Marketing

Head of Customer Service: Liz Stamatelos

Liz is a highly experienced strategic leader with many years experience in the healthcare industry and community services. The majority of her career thusfar was as a member of the senior leadership team of the B. Braun Australia Group, a global medical devices and pharmaceutical organisation. During her 18 year career with Braun, Liz held a variety of positions including Senior Manager, Corporate Services and Customer Service Manager. Since leaving Braun in 2014, Liz has moved into the Community Services Sector, working for OzHarvest as their National Volunteer Manager, and for LiveBetter as Acting Senior Manager, Governance.

Liz joined Housing Plus in July 2019 as Governance Manager before moving in to her current role. She is now responsible for our tenancy, maintenance, community engagement and volunteering programs.

Liz is passionate about overcoming social disadvantage, and currently sits on the committee of FoodCare Orange.

Qualifications:

• Diploma in Marketing

Corporate Services & Human Resources Manager: Vanessa Evans

Vanessa has over 10 years’ experience in generalist human resources with significant expertise in change management, organisational design and large-scale transformation. She previously held the role of Senior HR Advisor to Johnson Controls, an outsourced facilities and project management organisation, and managed the organisation’s merger with Brookfield Multiplex Services in 2012.

She joined the Woolworths Group in 2014 as HR Partner to integrate a newly acquired refrigeration business with the existing Woolworths maintenance team before transferring to Woolworths’ Masters Home Improvement business in 2016. Here, she co-created and managed the people strategies for one of Australia’s largest voluntary corporate closures.

Vanessa joined Housing Plus in early 2017 and is responsible for driving better outcomes for employees to maximise engagement, performance and positive impact in our communities.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Social Science
• Bachelor of Psychology (Hons)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Organisational Psychology
• Postgraduate Diploma in Human Resources

Governance Manager: Anthea Basha

Anthea is a qualified solicitor, with strong experience in generalist legal practices on matters including family, criminal, civil litigation, personal injury and professional negligence. She joined Housing Plus in 2020 as Governance Manager, to apply her skills and experience in working with contractual and compliance matters to a community-focussed, for-purpose organisation.

Anthea now oversees and provides assurance of operational compliance against governance and operational policies, regulatory, legislative requirements and contractual responsibilities. She also manages all board activities, and co-ordinates and develops the organisation’s risk management framework.

Qualifications:

• Bach of Laws
• Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice
• Admitted to the Supreme Court of NSW
• Admitted to the High Court of Australia