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Kaya! Edmund Rice WA Whadjuk Noongar Boodja-k yaakiny
Hello! Edmund Rice WA stands on Whadjuk Noongar Country

Ngalak kadatj Noongar burdiya wer moort
We acknowledge Noongar Elders and families

Nidja Whadjuk Noongar Boodja – Kalyakoorl
This is Whadjuk Noongar Land – Always

Got it!

Our Board 

Our Board of Management

An independent incorporated organisation, Edmund Rice Centre WA is overseen by a Board of Management with robust governance and financial management processes.

Bruce Larson, Chairperson

Bruce is a former senior executive of Rio Tinto with extensive experience in community initiatives within Australia and overseas, including Board positions on numerous industry organisations, foundations and funds.

With a background in engineering and project management, Bruce has extensive experience as Chairperson and Non-Executive Director of numerous ASX listed companies including a number of IPOs, and has been Chairperson of a successful start-up bespoke engineering business for the last 10 years. He has extensive experience coaching youth and young adults in athletics to national and international level. An active golfer and Past President of a Western Australian golf club, Bruce is a former Board Member of GolfWA.

Rosemary Sayer, Vice Chairperson

Rosemary’s career is founded in writing and communications and includes diverse experience in general management in Australia and Asia over many years. She worked in senior positions at Wesfarmers Limited and Lion Nathan in Australia and in Asia pacific regional management roles at international bank, Standard Chartered and international communications consultancy, Golin Harris.

Previously Rosemary has served on the board of Princess Margaret Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital. She served six years on the board of WritingWA, two as Chairperson, and was a founding director of the Hong Kong International Literary Festival. Rosemary has written three non-fiction books and has a PhD from Curtin University which explored her dual interests in writing and human rights.

Keshan Sureshan, Treasurer

Kesh is the Corporate Finance Director for Australian Safety Engineers primarily focusing on Carbon Capture Usage and Utilisation. Since commencing his career in the Graduate Program at Woodside Energy in 2012, Kesh has gained wide experience in the Oil and Gas industry including working for ConocoPhillips and Origin Energy.

His career includes six years in Sydney working for a private Telecommunications infrastructure provider, Boldyn Networks as their Group Manager Financial Planning and Analysis, before returning to Perth. Kesh has a Chartered Accounting qualification as well as a Bachelor of Economics and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Western Australia.

Christine Smart, Secretary

Chris is a highly experienced senior manager with an extensive record of achievement in ensuring high quality services for children, young people and families. Growing up in Perth, Chris graduated with a teaching degree and moved to the Kimberley where she spent 25 years working, initially in teaching and then leading a Not for Profit community organisation supporting Aboriginal young people at risk of homelessness. Since returning to Perth, Chris has held senior roles in State Government and led multidisciplinary teams to deliver on significant programs and initiatives in community services, health and disability services.

Chris is currently employed in the recently established Office of Disability in the Department of Communities, playing a key role in implementing ‘A WA for Everyone State – Disability Strategy 2020 – 2030’.

Jim Elliott, General Member

Jim’s background is in education, having had a long career in Catholic secondary schools across the state. During this time, he has had 30 years in administrative roles including Principal and Deputy Principal which provided extensive experience in policy formulation and budgeting.

Jim has been a Board member and former Chairperson of Edmund Rice Centre over many years and wishes to continue this association now that he has retired from full time work.

Aleks Miller, General Member

As a lawyer in the WA public sector, Aleks practices criminal law, civil litigation and government law, and appears as counsel in the State Administrative Tribunal, Magistrates Court of WA, District Court and Supreme Court. Prior to this role, Aleks was a Judge’s Associate at the Supreme Court of WA. She has experience on committees in a variety of Not for Profit organisations including the Law Society of Western Australia and university student societies. In 2021, Aleks was recognised as a finalist for the Lawyer of the Year (WA) award and nominated for Junior Women Lawyer of the Year (WA).

Born in Poland, Aleks migrated to Australia as a child, growing up in Perth’s northern suburbs. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and a Bachelor of Science (Psychology) from the University of Western Australia and has been a Board member since 2021.

Richard Pilcicki, General Member

Richard is a senior commercial and strategy leader with a diverse career track record spanning industries including energy, mining, projects, logistics and management consulting across Perth and Melbourne. With a long history of community leadership in the fields of international mobility, education and sport, Richard has held Board positions at a leading Australian University and a peak body in the Australian subsea energy industry.

He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne, and Postgraduate Diplomas in Advanced Economics, Management, Legal Practice and Project Management.

Margaret Quirk, General Member

Margaret has been a member of the WA State Parliament for over 20 years. In that time she has performed a range of roles including Minister, Shadow Minister, Parliamentary Secretary and Chairperson of several Parliamentary Standing Committees. Margaret was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1981, graduated with a Bachelor of Laws degree with Honours from the University of Adelaide and a Master of Arts in Public Policy from Murdoch University. She has maintained her legal practice certificate, which requires undertaking annual professional refresher training.

She is committed to community service and advocating for greater representation of gender and cultural diversity in positions of leadership and has served on various boards including the Legal Welfare Rights Centre (Canberra), Renewable Energy Advisory Council, Catholic Social Justice Council, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital Board, Hudson Park Primary School Board and the Girls Academy at Girrawheen Senior High School. She presently serves on the Landsdale Primary School Board. Margaret is also the Australian Chair of the Global organisation of Parliamentarians against corruption

Irene Stainton AO, General Member

A highly respected Nyoongar Elder, Irene has over 30 years’ experience in the State Public Service and has served as Registrar of Aboriginal Sites and Chairperson of the Aboriginal Cultural Material Committee, in addition to advisory positions at state and national levels. Irene was Chairperson of the WA Museum Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee for 26 years and has contributed to the Museum as a Trustee for three terms of office. She has recently been appointed as a WA Museum Fellow, the only Aboriginal woman to be bestowed this honour. She has been the General Manager of one of the largest WA based Heritage Consulting Companies, is a past member of the Human Rights Committee which developed the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report and has presented discussion papers to the United Nations in Geneva and Switzerland.

A past member of the National Museum of Australia’s Indigenous Reference Group, Irene has also been a finalist in the Telstra Business Women’s Awards, Zonta International’s Woman of Achievement 2019 and in the same year was inducted into the WA Women’s Hall of Fame. Recently appointed as an inaugural Co-Chair of the newly established Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Council, Irene is currently working on the implementation of the new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021.