Management Group

Because every child deserves every chance to reach their full potential

Maxine Brushe

President

“By engaging whole of community to be true partners in improving the wellbeing of CQ children, now and into the future, we can bring about positive systemic change, where children are able to achieve, thrive and lead happy and fulfilling lives in the CQ region.”

With a strong interest in community well-being for over 50 years, Maxine Brushe has concentrated her efforts on improving the communities of Central Queensland, where she has worked, recreated and, most importantly, raised a family. She has extensive experience in governance and community leadership, serving as a Councillor with the Calliope Shire Council for 13 years, five years as Deputy Mayor, eight years as a Councillor with Gladstone Regional Council. Also, initiated and chaired group that built Bindaree Lodge Aged Care facility.

It is impossible to list all the activities that Maxine is involved in but her connection and passion for community is extremely evident.

Geoff Lee

Treasurer

FMBM and JP (Qual), has had a 40 year career in banking and lending experience in small business, corporate and agribusiness. All of his experience has been in rural and regional areas of Queensland, NSW and the Northern Territory. As a result, he has a deep understanding of the needs of rural and regional communities. He has been based in Rockhampton for the last 16 years where he has continued to be an active part of the Central Queensland community. He is currently the Treasurer of the Capricorn Chamber of Commerce as well as volunteering as a Justice of the Peace (Qual) at the JP signing centre at Stockland in North Rockhampton.

Wallace Taylor OAM

Secretary

Dr. Wallace Taylor OAM has a 45-year career which demonstrates a well-developed base of leadership skills in regional/rural socio-economic development with collaborative initiatives, policy development, monitoring and evaluation. His PhD is in the social appropriation of ICT for socio-economic development and he has published widely in this field as well as in rural and regional development. His experience is diverse and spans Education (universities), Government, Business and Civil Society resulting in improved socio-economic outcomes and sustainable impact across communities, locations, institutions & industries in both developed and developing economies. His efforts in these fields have been recognised by being awarded an OAM, a University of Queensland Gatton Gold Medal and Rockhampton Citizen of the Year.

Currently Dr. Taylor holds positions as the Founding Director & Chairman of The Information Society Institute (TISI; a not-for profit – registered in South Africa that consults in policy development, structural establishment and praxis) and as an Emeritus Governor on the Board of the Informing Science Institute (ISI; a global academic body that publishes 14 academic journals and academic books on transdisciplinary approaches for harnessing modern ICT to improve education, research and policy to address inequity). He is an Adjunct Professor, CQUniversity, an Honorary Professor at the University of the West Indies.

Dr Taylor is also a long-term Rotarian with a particular interest in multi-agency approaches for youth development and he serves on the Rockhampton Community Police Board.

Josh Ariens

Research and Partnerships Representative

Josh currently works within the Research Division at CQUniversity where his chief responsibility is to develop and broker research partnerships with industry, supporting the strategic goals of the University by developing university-business collaboration to increase research engagement and impact. His role brings him into contact with a wide range of government and non-government organisations as well as social change agents and entrepreneurs in communities across CQU’s national footprint.

Josh brings a wealth of local and international experience to the Management Group of Every Child CQ, specifically in the areas of education and training, community development, program management and cross-sector partnering. Previously, as Program Manager for a federally-funded local program, Gladstone Communities for Children, Josh was instrumental in facilitating a more joined-up approach to addressing challenges for service providers and brokered commitment to a charter to improve outcomes for local children and their families by strengthening collaboration between a range of NFP, community, government and corporate stakeholders. He has worked in PNG, Japan and Spain.