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Our Board
Our board brings both lived experience and governance, strategy, and leadership skills to guide our organisation forward.
Basim Alansari
DirectorBasim Alansari
DirectorBasim Alansari’s journey is one of resilience, learning, and a deep commitment to supporting others. Arriving in Australia as a child refugee with his family, Basim faced many challenges, including navigating the complexities of Australian policy and education as a humanitarian refugee. Despite these obstacles, he found stability and went on to pursue a broad range of academic interests, from Management and Medical studies to Bioethics and International Public Health. Along the way, he also embraced his cultural heritage, becoming fluent in Arabic, Persian, and English, and developing a love for poetry and public speaking.
Today, Basim is proud to lead in the healthcare and disability sectors, where he strives to make a positive impact on the lives of children and families. His work is driven by a simple yet powerful belief that everyone deserves respect, dignity, and the support they need to live fulfilling lives. He is actively involved in community work, including government committees and university boards, always looking for ways to give back and advocate for those who need it most.
Basim’s story is a reflection of the strength of community and the power of resilience. His experiences have shaped his approach to leadership, always with empathy, humility, and a focus on helping others navigate their own journeys with confidence and hope.
Debra Jefferis
DirectorDebra Jefferis
DirectorDebra is a parent to Molly and Sam. Sam, 21 years, was born with Down Syndrome and started Early Intervention at Noah’s Inclusion Services when he was 6 months.
Debra shortly after joined Noah’s Committee and helped with Fundraising as a volunteer before becoming an employee 15 years ago and for the past 11 years has held the role of Family Information Support Worker.
Debra is passionate about helping to guide parents through the maze when they first receive a diagnosis, supporting their child’s transition to the NDIS, connecting them with other families and empowering families to advocate for their child. Highlights include starting up The Parent Room monthly Information sessions, Family Advocacy Training, Peer to Peer Mentoring and Noah’s Annual Family Camps.
Jo Allwood
DirectorJo Allwood
DirectorJo is an experienced fundraiser having raised significant funds for some of Sydney’s most iconic green spaces including both the Royal Botanic Gardens and Centennial Parklands. Prior to fundraising, Jo worked in marketing and communications in the UK and UAE.
Currently Head of Fundraising and Development of Greater Sydney Parklands which includes Centennial Parklands Foundation, Jo is leading a major capital campaign to enable children across Sydney and NSW to benefit from a nature education. Jo is delighted to join such a passionate Board to help guide the evolution of Belongside Families over the next few years.
Kimberly Rathmanner
Treasurer and DirectorKimberly Rathmanner
Treasurer and DirectorKim is a senior finance and governance executive with over 15 years’ experience as a professionally trained chartered accountant working across professional services and several industries during her career. Kim is currently General Manager of Finance & Infrastructure and the Company Secretary for Civic Disability Services Limited, a dynamic not-for-profit organisation, dedicated to supporting individuals living with disability.
Inspired by her family’s own experience of raising a child with profound disabilities, Kim is passionate about empowering and educating the circle of supports around a child during their unique journeys.
Liam Brennan
DirectorLiam Brennan
DirectorLiam is an experienced corporate affairs and public policy professional with over 15 years experience across government and corporate sectors. He has held senior roles at Qantas Group and Woolworths Group, leading government relations and public policy initiatives during periods of significant business disruption and transformation. Prior to working in corporate roles, Liam spent a decade in senior political roles, including as Chief of Staff to the Australian Attorney-General and Leader of the Government in the Senate. With extensive experience in policy development, stakeholder engagement and strategic communications, Liam brings a comprehensive understanding of government and the parliament.
Passionate about mental health, suicide prevention and community wellbeing, Liam volunteers as a Crisis Supporter and Student Mentor with Lifeline. He works at the NSW Mental Health Commission and is also currently completing postgraduate studies in psychology at Monash University.
Liam is excited to be able to contribute to Belongside Families’s mission by supporting the team in delivering best practice, evidence-based approaches that empower families of children with a disability.
Nerida Bodycote
DirectorNerida Bodycote
DirectorNerida is an accomplished Chartered Accountant with over 30 years experience and is currently Finance Director at Taste Creative, an inclusive creative agency.
Nerida is mother to 12 yo Madison and is proud of the work she is doing as a passionate public advocate for rare diseases, disability, inclusion and medicinal cannabis for intractable epilepsy. Nerida’s advocacy sees her speaking regularly with media and local, state and federal politicians.
Nerida is also a strong ambassador in the community holding a variety of roles for a number of organisations, the local council and the children’s hospital. She also provides support to other families in their rare diseases/additional needs journeys.
Paul Pozzobon
DirectorPaul Pozzobon
DirectorPaul has over 20 years of experience in senior management roles and is currently the Managing Director of the paediatric neurorehabilitation clinic NAPA Centre, which has three locations in Australia. Having spent the early part of his career managing and marketing retail property assets for companies such as Lend Lease, Walker Corporation and Mirvac, Paul transitioned to the disability sector in 2018 in order to assist the NAPA business to grow its operations in Australia with a mission to help more kids.
Paul developed a passion for the disability sector after accessing therapy services for his youngest son Max, who was born with cerebellar ataxia – a condition that affects his general motor skills and ability to balance. Through his own lived experience with Max and since working at NAPA, Paul has seen first-hand how vital it is to surround a family with the right supports for whatever stage they are on their journey. One of Paul’s favourite parts of his role is seeing the lifelong connections and friendships develop between families and hopes to use his experience to help bring some of this same magic to the families of Belongside Families.
Our Team
Our team are parents and carers of children with disability who also bring deep sector knowledge. Together, we walk alongside families with empathy, practical tools, and real-world insight drawn from lived disability parenting experience.
Stacey Touma
CEOStacey Touma
CEOAs the foundational CEO of Belongside Families, Stacey has led the organisation from its establishment to becoming a trusted support for families of children with disability across New South Wales. She brings a wealth of experience across the disability, community and not-for-profit sector, combined with a deep commitment to strengthening family support and improving systems.
Her leadership is shaped by both professional expertise and personal experience as the parent of a teenager with disability. Stacey is passionate about fostering inclusion, independence and self-advocacy as her family navigates the teen years.
Throughout her career, Stacey has held senior roles spanning project management, family support, operations and stakeholder engagement. She serves on the NSW Government Carers Advisory Council and represents Belongside Families on a range of government and community committees, working groups and advisory panels, driving systemic change and advocating for stronger supports and better outcomes for children with disability and their families.
Stacey’s work is grounded in a commitment to practical solutions, high expectations for children and strengthening families’ capacity to be informed, connected and supported as they navigate complex systems and advocate for their children’s futures.
Bree Pennie
Program ManagerBree Pennie
Program ManagerBree began her career in medical practice management. After spending time living in Darwin and Karratha, Bree returned to NSW when her son Dax was born with Congenital Cytomegalovirus (CMV). This sparked a deep passion for disability inclusion and showing what’s possible for families like hers. Bree began sharing her family’s story through CMV Australia and Cerebral Palsy Alliance, helping to raise awareness and connect with other families on similar journeys.
Now, as Program Manager at Belongside Families, Bree leads the design and facilitation of programs that support, empower and connect parents and carers of young people with disability. She works across workshops, peer groups and webinars – creating spaces where families feel informed, uplifted and, most importantly, not alone.
What Bree loves most about her work is the feeling she gets after a session, knowing a parent or carer has walked away feeling heard, supported and more confident. She believes deeply in the power of connection and community.
Bree now lives with her family on the NSW South Coast. Bree, along with her partner Mitchell, loves to spend time outdoors and always finds a way to include Dax and their daughter Dylan in their adventures.
Leila Lang
Marketing and Communications ManagerLeila Lang
Marketing and Communications ManagerLeila began her marketing career at a Sydney agency working with charity clients, where she quickly discovered how much she loved working for purpose-driven organisations. She later worked with national and global commercial clients in Sydney and London but always felt drawn back to the not-for-profit space. That pull eventually led her to UNICEF UK, where she worked on campaigns that helped create change for children and communities around the world.
Becoming a mum to Otis introduced her to the world of disability, giving her a front-row seat to the beauty of diversity – and teaching her lessons which have made her not only a better parent but a better person.
After Otis was diagnosed with autism, Leila began attending Belongside Families’ workshops – never expecting that what started as a way to support her son would open the door to a new chapter of her career. Now, as Marketing and Communications Manager, her fingerprints can be found across almost all of Belongside Families’ social media, resources, publications and campaigns. She especially loves sharing the stories of people with disability and their families – some of which have reached over 100,000 people.
She hopes that families who come across Belongside see themselves reflected in our work and the experiences we share. And, in turn, feel less alone on their journey.
Leila is passionate about inclusion and equity for all children. And outside of work, she loves eating delicious meals, cooking and travelling – passions she regularly combines whenever she can!
Nerida Bodycote
Finance and Operations DirectorNerida Bodycote
Finance and Operations DirectorNerida is an accomplished Chartered Accountant with over 30 years experience and is currently Finance Director at Taste Creative, an inclusive creative agency.
Nerida is mother to 12 yo Madison and is proud of the work she is doing as a passionate public advocate for rare diseases, disability, inclusion and medicinal cannabis for intractable epilepsy. Nerida’s advocacy sees her speaking regularly with media and local, state and federal politicians.
Nerida is also a strong ambassador in the community holding a variety of roles for a number of organisations, the local council and the children’s hospital. She also provides support to other families in their rare diseases/additional needs journeys.
Andie Scibilia
Event ManagerAndie Scibilia
Event ManagerAndie comes from a varied background combining creative endeavours, organisation and management skills in fashion, HR and media. Her journey as a mum of two autistic children led her to Belongside Families.
When her youngest son, Sebastian, was first diagnosed, Andie attended workshops and peer groups to better understand how to support him and her family. That search for knowledge ultimately brought her to Belongside, where she now helps ensure other families have access to the same invaluable support.
In her role at Belongside Families, Andie manages all our projects and events – sometimes overseeing more than 100 each term. She thrives on scheduling, organisation and problem solving so everything (and everyone!) stays on track and families can focus on receiving the support they need.
A fun fact about Andie is she is an award-winning toy photographer. She collects action figures and uses them in her photography.
Outside of work, Andie’s interests include pop culture, fashion and photography. She is also a walking celebrity encyclopaedia.
Andie hopes that the events she organises give families access to the information and support they need, making things just that little bit easier.
Melo Kalemkeridis
Peer FacilitatorMelo Kalemkeridis
Peer FacilitatorMelo lives in Sydney with his wife, 15-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter. It is daughter Victoria, who has a significant intellectual disability, ADHD and physical challenges, that is the reason Melo now works in the disability sector. He does so in an effort to ‘pay it forward’, due to the positive impact other parents have had on his own parenting journey.
After decades of studying consumer behaviour and team performance, for the last ten years, Melo has been delivering parenting programs on Secure Attachment, Emotion Coaching and Family Leadership. He feels fortunate to not only do this in Australia, but also abroad, in New Zealand, Finland, Canada and the US. Melo currently sits on the Reference Group for Children, Families and Young People Advising the IAC to the NDIS, and also the Integrity Working Group as well as the Participant Reference Group to the NDIS, and is part of the Carers Advisory Group on Intellectual Disability for Clinical Innovation to NSW Health.
Melo is particularly interested in supporting fathers to be better partners, parents and people. He is also part of a co-design team from Melbourne University working on a research project to explore how to better support fathers of a child with a disability. He previously led a dads group for over five years, providing resources and a place for dads to connect.
Outside of work, Melo enjoys watching his son play soccer, and getting out into the community with his daughter to a farmers’ market, a shopping centre, or a café. Victoria has a huge energy and desire for social connection, which has helped Melo realise that ‘Anywhere there are people, is somewhere Victoria can thrive.’
Eliza Hoare
Peer FacilitatorEliza Hoare
Peer FacilitatorEliza was a primary school teacher over a period of ten years, until her journey as a mother of neurodivergent children redirected her passion for learning towards the disability sector.
Her children’s autism and ADHD diagnoses led to the pursuit of her own diagnoses – and she now identifies as AuDHD.
Like a lot of neurodivergent folks, when Eliza finds something that sparks passion, she soaks it in! With a desire to find out how she could best support her children while keeping her sanity, she launched herself headlong into the offerings of Belongside Families which naturally led her into a role within the team.
Her role now involves workshop development and facilitation, connecting and learning with other parents, and content creation, including the Count Me In guide.
Eliza hopes that through her work families realise that they’re not alone, and that this journey is another variation of ‘normal’.
Outside of work, Eliza loves to read, keep an exercise routine, journal regularly, and make digital collages of her children.
Kristy Cartan
Peer Facilitator & Community Engagement OfficerKristy Cartan
Peer Facilitator & Community Engagement OfficerKristy spent 15 years in the corporate world before stepping into her most rewarding role – being a mum to her incredible small human. When her child was identified as Autistic at 2.5 years old, she would often say, ‘He got it from his Mamma’, and she later discovered she is AuDHD herself.
A passionate community advocate, Kristy is deeply involved in the not-for-profit sector, working with a local queer arts and culture organization Coastal Twist, that brings an LGBTQIA+ festival to life on the Central Coast. In this role, she helps create inclusive, vibrant spaces where the LGBTQIA+ community can connect, celebrate, and be unapologetically themselves.
As a peer facilitator at Belongside Families, Kristy brings warmth, lived experience, and connection to her work. She hosts virtual MyTime sessions, facilitates ENVISAGE programs, and leads in-person catch-ups on the Central Coast – always championing the power of community and support.
Outside of work, Kristy is a passionate and curious creative who believes she can make anything if she sets her mind to it. She loves reading, spending time at the beach and – perhaps most impressively – can still name almost every horse breed in existence!
Pamela Rogers
Peer FacilitatorPamela Rogers
Peer FacilitatorPam studied Early Childhood Education at university, but it was raising, caring and advocating for her son Christopher that deepened her passion for supporting other families, especially mothers. The unique perspectives gained through parenting Christopher have shaped her values and understanding of the importance of community – insights that now guide her work at Belongside Families.
Pam is a storyteller and loves that she can honour her boy and their story, by sharing her wisdom and experiences – offering validation and companionship to other families raising children with disability on this path less travelled.
Pam works as a peer facilitator at Belongside Families, facilitating MyTime groups, Envisage and other parent workshops as well as supporting families in our community with high medical needs She enjoys writing about her experiences, and helped develop the resource ‘Finding Your Way’. Pam hopes that by offering a friendly ear, a shoulder or a virtual hug, parents and carers can leave the group feeling buoyed and connected – reassured that they are doing the very best that they can and that their challenges and hardships do not define the relationship they have with their child. Most importantly, she hopes they feel safe and secure in the knowledge that the love they hold for their child will always be enough.
Pam loves engaging in creative projects, including maintaining family albums and scrapbooks and making quilts out of baby clothes. While Pam cherishes spending time with her family, she especially enjoys time shared with girlfriends over a wine and some cheese that just sparks joy.
Sarah Elsleiman
Peer FacilitatorSarah Elsleiman
Peer FacilitatorSarah is the sole parent of two boys, one of whom is Autistic. She understands the challenges of juggling parenting and looking after her own self-care while managing her son’s supports. Despite the hurdles, she is proud of the journey and growth in herself and her family, always focusing on their strengths and interests to overcome any obstacle.
As an Early Childhood Teacher with over 20 years of experience, Sarah has worked in various settings, including pre-schools, long day care, and playgroups, in roles such as centre director, educational leader, manager, Early Intervention specialist teacher, and facilitator of intervention programs. Sarah’s passionate about empowering children and their families through programs that promote inclusion, embrace diversity, and difference, and celebrate the significant role families play in children’s lives.
Deb Herbert
Program Lead - Western SydneyDeb Herbert
Program Lead - Western SydneyBorn in northern England, Deb was drawn to social justice from a young age. She initially pursued athletics at a competitive level, but an injury shifted her focus to coaching – working in both underprivileged communities and with people with disability. This experience deepened her commitment to advocacy and ultimately led her to study sociology and social justice after moving to Australia.
When Deb was 12 weeks pregnant, she learned that her daughter, Elsden, has Down syndrome. Deb and her family are now proud members of the T21 community and see Elsden as a beautiful gift to the world. Through Elsden, Deb has learned to view life from a different perspective, and she admires Elsden’s enormous empathy for others.
In recent years, Deb has worked in various roles as a peer worker in the disability space, facilitating discussions that have taken her around Australia and to some parts of the world. She has even had the opportunity to interview some exceptional people with disability, including Paralympian Kurt Fearnley, actor Audrey O’Connor and advocate Summer Farrelly.
Deb is currently working as Belongside Families’ Program Lead connecting families of children with disability in Western Sydney. She is also a Learning Support Educator in a mainstream school and is passionate about supporting the inclusion of students with disabilities in their learning journey.
Outside of work, Deb loves to return home to the UK and connect with family and friends. She enjoys watching British comedy and drama as well as English football, particularly women’s games.
Kylie Aekins
Peer FacilitatorKylie Aekins
Peer FacilitatorKylie is an experienced Peer Facilitator, working to empower families raising children with disability. She collaborates with families and professionals, supporting peers using evidence-based, child-led and strengths-based approaches. Her work also incorporates mindfulness, growth mindset, emotion coaching and positive psychology.
She is a mum to two amazing neurodivergent school-aged kids. Her family lives the day-to-day journey of what a medical and disability diagnosis means. Her youngest is also Autistic and has taught her new perspectives she didn’t realise she needed.
Kylie is passionate about family leadership, advocacy and inclusion. Her work has taken her around Australia and the world, presenting at conferences, including the Global Leadership Exchange in 2024. She has also been featured in webinars and podcasts.
At Belongside Families, Kylie runs virtual MyTime sessions, always bringing a sense of warmth, acceptance and positivity to her groups. She also hosts Healthy Mothers Healthy Families workshops, supporting mothers of children with disability to create a healthy lifestyle that fosters their own wellbeing, alongside a healthy, happy family life.
A fun fact about Kylie is she’s a birth doula who holds space for women and families as they welcome their beautiful babies into their world.
Outside of work, Kylie love walks in nature as it resets her nervous system. She likes to escape by bingeing on Netflix, reading and discussing books with her book club.
Ginny Grant
Community LeadGinny Grant
Community LeadOver two decades Ginny has divided her time between two passions: books and advocacy.
She has worked as an editor for many of Australia’s leading book publishers, helping to create books for children, teenagers and adults across many subjects. She’s even written her own book, Australia’s Greatest Landmarks and Locations.
In 2016, Ginny’s two young children were diagnosed with Autism. Soon thereafter, Ginny was formally identified as Autistic, too – a pivotal moment in her life. Looking back over her experiences through the lens of Autism, so much finally made sense!
Following her Autism identification, Ginny felt inspired to share her experiences as a multiply neurodivergent person, and so she joined the team at Reframing Autism, then just a fledgling organisation, and began writing blog pieces, which have been read widely.
In her role as Communications Manager at Reframing Autism, Ginny hosted the podcast Amplified, interviewing Autistic advocates from around the world. She was also invited to share her own insights into neurodivergence at conferences and on podcasts.
Now, in her role as Community Lead at Belongside Families, Ginny has the pleasure of running our wonderful Facebook community and also developing valuable info posts for parents and carers based on our events.
Outside of work, Ginny’s passions include dogs, floristry and learning foreign languages.
Kelly Reid
Program ManagerKelly Reid
Program ManagerKelly’s teaching journey began in music education, eventually leading her to the primary classroom. She worked in this space over several years as both a music specialist and a primary classroom teacher.
After the birth of her third child, Lachie, Kelly experienced firsthand the gaps in the system for parents of children with disability. Knowing she couldn’t be the only parent feeling unsure and overwhelmed, she was driven to find a way to support others on a similar path. This led her to pursue further study into Counselling. As a counsellor, Kelly has particularly enjoyed working both in the school wellbeing space and with parents, adolescents and children. However, Kelly felt she needed to explore the social services space more and embarked on a Masters of Social Work which she is currently completing.
Now in the role of Parent Education Program Manager, Kelly is looking forward to meeting families from the Belongside Community, supporting their needs and learning from their experiences. Kelly hopes that through her work families will continue to benefit well into the future from the safe, knowledgeable, inclusive and supportive spaces Belongside Families creates.
Outside of work, Kelly loves holidaying with her family – especially if it is in a snow-capped village with massive snowflakes that are truly spectacular!