Our staff and board

Kylie is an experienced Director having served on numerous other Boards, committees and reference groups, and is an owner of Canberra consulting firm, Parbery. She is committed to supporting, growing and improving the community in which she lives through active and meaningful action and participation.  

Kylie has lived experience of domestic, intimate partner and family violence and is able to draw on this lived experience in a measured and constructive way, contributing positively to discussions around strategic policy, advocacy, service development, delivery and improvement.  

Julie is a long-term Canberra resident, wife and mother of two gorgeous boys and has enjoyed a successful 20+ year career across the public and not-for-profit sectors in operational, policy, governance and project/program management. Julie is currently the National Strategy and Projects Manager at St Vincent de Paul Society National Council of Australia Inc. Julie has extensive volunteering experience and has lived experience with family violence.

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Karen has worked in private legal practice, the courts and more recently the federal Attorney-General’s Department, where she was a senior executive for nearly 20 years. She’s also lived and worked in Thailand and Papua New Guinea. Following her formal retirement, Karen now balances consultancy work and volunteering with other personal pursuits. Karen holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws, Master of Laws, Graduate Certificate in Public Sector Management.

With over two decades of professional experience spanning sales, marketing, business development, and strategy, Adam brings a wealth of expertise to the board. Known for his persistence in goal setting and his strong self-motivation, Adam excels in collaborative environments, driving growth and fostering meaningful partnerships. In addition to his board role, Adam runs a local marketing agency in Canberra, where he applies his skills to help businesses thrive in an ever-changing digital world. His success is underpinned by a commitment to continuous learning and adapting to the evolving technological landscape, ensuring his strategies remain relevant and impactful.

Manasi is a culturally and linguistically diverse woman who was born in India and migrated to Australia as a child. Whilst from Melbourne and having lived in a number of cities in Australia and Asia, Manasi now calls Canberra home. With a background in the visitor economy, she has worked in senior roles across commercial organisations, ACT Government and is currently a Program Manager in a Federal Government agency. As an outcome of COVID, Manasi decided that she wanted to use her experience and understanding of the world along with challenges that women face both in Australia and internationally, in a community-based tangible manner to better women’s lives.

Chelsea Holton brings extensive experience in human resources and organisational management across the public, private, and higher education sectors. A dedicated advocate for social change, Chelsea brings her leadership expertise and personal resilience as a victim-survivor of domestic violence to the DVCS board. Since rebuilding her life with the support of DVCS, she has committed to empowering others, championing initiatives that address domestic violence and promote safe, supportive communities. Chelsea is also a passionate endurance athlete, completing many ultra-marathons and adventure races since 2020.