Our Board
Jim Toohey
Chair
Board Member since February 2012
Over the last 30 years, Jim has worked with unpaid carers and has been an unpaid carer himself.
Caring for an elderly grandparent and working as a volunteer with adults with disability and the frail-aged has driven his motivation to advocate and improve the lives of carers.
Jim brings an extensive background in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, specifically in residential and home aged-care. His experience includes effective policy negotiation and development at all levels of government; successful senior management experience in large organisations; a wide experience in corporate governance and financial expertise as a senior manager in a commercial bank.
Jim’s aspiration is to ensure the community is aware of and passionately supportive of carers of all ages and backgrounds.
Louise Ferris
Deputy Chair
Board Member since November 2017
Louise has over 25 years’ experience as a HR Professional. She has worked for some of Australia’s largest law firms and international law firm Norton Rose Fulbright, where she worked with some of the nation’s leading lawyers in delivering the people strategy.
An important aspect of Louise’s approach to her role given her experience in law is to give back to the industry. Louise is an active supporter and regularly provides mentoring across the industry including at the student and young lawyer level where she provides insight and guidance into navigating the industry to enable careers to be built.
Some areas of focus for Louise’s work include inclusion and diversity. Louise plays an active role as Implementation Lead for the Queensland Male Champions of Change working closely with Chairman Dominic McGann.
Louise also is a strong advocate for education and awareness in the area of mental health and wellbeing. She was instrumental in McCullough Robertson being recognised at the Queensland Mental Health Awards in 2016 working closely with Mental Illness Fellowship Queensland (MIFQ) for delivering innovation education solutions to corporates.
In addition to her experience in the law, Louise has also worked in the retail industry working for Flight Centre and Angus and Robertson bookstores.
Ross Cook
Secretary
Board Member since 2012
Ross has been the fulltime carer for his wife Helen since 2000 and at Carers Queensland, he found the support he needed for his caring role.
His lived experience delivers an insight into the everyday lives of carers and brings him closer to his goal of contributing to our organisational excellence in the provision of services to caring families across Queensland.
Ross holds a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Business, a Cert in Governance for Not-for-Profits, and a Cert in Quality Management Assessment. He is also experienced in corporate governance, financial and operational management audit, risk management and organisational strategic management.
Glenn Bunney
Honorary Treasurer
Board Member since November 2019
Glenn has 30+ years’ experience as a CEO and has been serving in the health and community services industry for over two decades. His extensive leadership, management and governance experience brings valuable insight and advice to the group.
Caring for his mother before she passed away and having a grandson on the autism spectrum, has given Glenn a genuine understanding of the issues and benefits of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). He seeks to ensure that opportunities are available for all who need them through an inclusive and just society.
Glenn has a strong superannuation and investments knowledge. He is an accomplished conference speaker, industry representative and leader at state, national and global levels.
He holds a degree in Business. He is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia, the Institute of Management and Leadership and the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees.
Previously, Glenn has successfully engaged with Government at both policy co-design and implementation planning across a range of community service settings including aged care, hospital, child care and affordable housing.
Moya Pennell
Director
Board Member since November 2016
Moya is a journalist experienced in media, corporate communications, marketing and public relations, having specialised in research, writing, editing, publishing, speech-writing and annual reporting, particularly governance.
She serves on the Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA) awards committee as coordinator of and adjudicator for four industry groups: education and research; manufacturing; primary industry; and property and construction. A University of Queensland Arts graduate and member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, she is also a Director for a small property company. Other interests include property and share investment and management, and aviation as a private pilot and former light aircraft owner and operator.
Community activities range from membership of Soroptimist International Brisbane and regular voluntary work with Queensland State Archives to support for the Salvation Army and animal refuges.
Caring has always been a familiar concept, aligned with a family culture where elderly or infirm members retain a place in family life. This now extends to emotional and practical support for close, long-standing friends facing disability and terminal illness.
Sara Shams
Director
Board Member since June 2023
Sara is a disability advocate, speaker, model, and health care professional. Growing up disabled, the lack of visible representation of people with disabilities impacted how Sara perceived herself and identified with her disability. Combining her professional experience, education, and lived experience of disability, Sara is determined to change the narrative around people living with disabilities in every industry and platform.
A pharmacist and member of multiple advisory boards, Sara has a background in the for-profit and not-for-profit sectors, with experience in project management, stakeholder engagement and relationship management. She has worked in the development of evidence-based policy and programs. As a person with lived experience of disability, Sara has a genuine understanding of the issues and benefits of the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). Sara believes taking an intersectional approach to addressing societal challenges will result in improved outcomes and quality of life for all individuals.