Our Board
We Are Passionate About Making Positive Change
Nganana’s team is assembled from skilled professionals passionate about making a difference for people living with disabilities. Our team works tirelessly to ensure that we provide best practice support services to those who need them most.
Our Board
Mr Steve Edwards
Director and CEO
Mr Stephen Edwards has been working in the community services industry for over 20 years, beginning as a support worker proving direct care before beginning the journey as a service coordinator with Paraquad SA in 2004. This was followed by a number of years working in Disability SA (case management, senior practitioner, team leader), after which Steve left government to concurrently support two new organisations with service develop and strategic organisational management over six years, from start-up to successful establishment as recognised industry providers. Steve was one of the first practitioners to develop support structures and advocate for specialist forensic disability service types in South Australia. Likewise specifically cultural service types have been developed and introduced into the disability sector.
Steve has a passion for systemic best practice, including the development of process driven initiatives that incorporate accountability, drive quality, and achieve quantified quality outcomes. Steve has an undergraduate degree in sport and recreation, a diploma of community services, and is currently finalising a Master of Social Work and Master of International and Community Development.
Mr Wayne Newchurch
Director & Cultural Consultant
Mr Wayne Newchurch has a passion for supporting disadvantaged people across South Australia. He has exampled culturally respectful service delivery within his community across three decades. “Uncle” Wayne has earned credibility across South Australia’s government and non-government service providers, as a respected Elder within the Aboriginal community, and an innovative and professional practitioner supporting in particular young men living with psychosocial disability and in need of mentoring and advocacy.
Wayne brings to Nganana Inc. his considerable networks from within the Aboriginal community, and from within the community services sector in general. He has worked within many different areas of government including Child Protection, Department of Corrections, Disability SA, Exceptional Needs, Mental Health, and Forensic Mental Health.
Wayne has extensive experience, built remarkable knowledge and developed specific skills supporting individuals with complex psychosocial support needs; in particular mentoring, program design and delivery, and Aboriginal Elder support. This is in addition to Wayne’s professional qualification and experience as a personal trainer. Wayne is currently operating as Nganana’a professional cultural consultant guiding the organisation and supporting external human service providers.
Ms Linley Belford
Director & APY Consultant
Ms Linley Belford has over three decades of experience working within the community services sector, in particular serving remote communities across Australia, including those in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands of remote central Australia. Linley’s service delivery expertise within remote and marginalised communities have included supported employment, vocation training, and supporting education through attendance programs.
Since 2014 Linley has been the Manager of the Remote School Attendance Strategy in Coober Pedy (Kupa Pidi), guiding a team of 11 people to address the issues of non-attendance of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal children at Coober Pedy Area School.
Linley has a double degree in Social Work and Social Planning, has post-graduate qualifications in grief and loss, and has considerable lived experience supporting children in need; a mother of five herself, Linley has also supported young people within the foster care system.
Linley brings considerable cultural experience and expertise from working within remote communities for many years. Her ties into remote communities across the APY Lands are considerable and lasting. Linley serves as Nganana’s consultant on service delivery initiatives into the APY Lands.
Ms Julia Mourant
Director & Corporate Consultant
Ms Julia Mourant has a wealth of corporate experience spanning many decades. She has held positions of responsibility within government including ministerial, and policy advisor roles to several members of parliament. Ms Mourant has been Chief of Staff for a South Australian government department, Policy Advisor to the Chief Minister, Northern Territory, and Senior Advisor and liaise for an international collaboration between Australia and Indonesia. Ms Mourant has also held senior management roles within the media industry, including Channel Nine, Channel Seven and Austereo. Ms Mourant has held positions on over 15 community based boards as a director and trustee assisting their executive development and governance.
In her “spare time”, Ms Mourant supports her local community as a Justice of the Peace and community advocate, supporting groups and individuals with business, financial, legislative and legal concerns as required.
Ms Mourant brings extensive corporate experience and expertise to the Board of Nganana, utilising her considerable experience and knowledge garnished over a long and distinguished career in support of Nganana as a non-profit enterprise, and in turn the vulnerable people to which we provide care and support.
Do you need support?
Our team can help.
At Nganana, we care about providing compassionate care that respects individual needs. If you or a loved one requires support, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help.