Board of Directors

Annabel has over 15 years experience in the fields of philanthropy and community engagement.  As Executive Officer of the South West Community Foundation, she has been leading their strategic reset for greater positive change and thriving regional communities.

Her expertise lies in philanthropy, funding, grants management and community engagement, with a deep commitment to social impact and using the ‘philanthropic toolkit’ to make a meaningful difference for south west Victoria.

Annabel believes in fostering social connection and building inclusive communities, and her work exemplifies the values of empathy, equity and empowerment.

Cameron has held various Director roles, including with Brotherhood of St. Laurence and with Australian Red Cross (Humanitarian Division).

Whilst with Red Cross, Cameron was responsible for the development of strategic foundations around financial sustainability, property master plan, and risk management. Prior to his role as CFO at Red Cross Humanitarian division, Cameron was a senior manager at the Red Cross Blood Service (now Lifeblood) where he implemented multiple systems and processes to help enable the Blood Service to become a world class and leading edge organisation.

Cameron is a fellow of the CPA, holds a Master of Business Administration, and is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.  As a passionate humanitarian, Cameron is focused on helping are-able achieve its vision to create strong communities that support individuals, families, and local businesses.

Michael is a Warrnambool-raised lawyer whose involvement in the Board is driven by an interest in “giving back” to the community in which he grew up. He particularly values the social connectedness and sense of purpose that work and employment provides to people with disabilities, and says he is proud to help grow an organisation which delivers these benefits for the local community.

Ian is a professional leader with entrepreneurial drive, planning orientation and a record of success in establishing and growing businesses in private, public and not for profit  arenas. Ian has sound financial, marketing, general management and change management skills with demonstrated experience in building, motivating and leading teams through the collaborative matching of resources and capabilities to marketplace opportunities.

Ian enhances the capability of the Board with broad experience in policy formulation and implementation, and a demonstrated commitment to regional and community engagement, and as a published researcher in strategy formulation, strategic alliances, marketing communications and relationship marketing.

Anita brings to are-able an extensive background in strategy and governance, having served in various Local Government Authorities in governance and strategy roles, most recently with Darebin City Council.  She uses her strength in HR and managing organisational culture and change within her own consulting firm, specialising in supporting teams to maximise their potential as individuals and within their teams and organisations.

Anita holds an MBA (specialising in Planning and Strategy), is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and holds accreditation in coaching and as a Human Synergistic consultant. Her role on are-able’ Board provides Anita an opportunity to use her skills to support and be involved in her local community.

Zoe is passionate about making a difference to the community by bringing the best out of individuals and teams, achieving high performance outcomes for both people, planet and organisations in diverse sectors.

Zoe has more than 20 years of international experience in healthcare and insurance industry working with public, not for profit and private organisations in Australia, UK and Asia.

She began her career as a physiotherapist working in different healthcare systems and progressed to helping set up systems and governance structure in new organisation and provides risk advice to State Government departments and agencies. Working across diverse sectors, she enables organisations to adopt sound governance and professional risk management practices to help manage their risks and deliver their strategy and vision.

She has held multiple management roles with special interests in strategic planning, risk management, quality improvement, sustainability, innovation, and technology. She holds a Master of Business Administration and Graduate Certificate in Sustainability. She is a graduate member of Australian Institute of Company Directors, member of Risk Management Institute of Australasia and associate member of Institute of Internal Auditors.

Mark has held a number of C-Suite, Executive Director, and Non-Executive Director roles across multiple sectors.  His executive experience was in the Automotive industry, serving as President, CFO and VP of Strategy across roles in the U.S., China and Australia.  He currently serves as an Associate Professor of Practice at the Monash University Business School.

His current Non-Executive Director roles are in the not-for-profit sector, and include U Ethical Investors and the Australia Battery Industry Association.  Previously, Mark served as a Non-Executive Director for Uniting Vic-Tas.

Mark holds degrees in Business and Engineering from the University of Michigan.  He is a graduate member of the Australia Institute of Company Directors.

Rex Validakis-Betar, was born with cerebral palsy and an NDIS participant, has forged a distinguished career path centered on driving value creation, particularly around consulting and Private Equity. With a wealth of experience spanning transformative leadership, meticulous diagnostics, business enhancement, and strategic visioning, Rex has consistently demonstrated his aptitude for orchestrating both large-scale and nuanced transformations.

Currently, Rex serves as a Non-Executive Director for Access Care Network Australia, contributing his expertise to enhance accessibility and care provisions. Previously, he dedicated 4.5 years to the Board of the Physical Disability Council of NSW (PDCN), where his strategic insights and advocacy significantly impacted the disability community.

Educationally, Rex holds a diverse academic background, with degrees in Philosophy and Law from the University of New South Wales, a Master’s in Human Rights Law from the University of Galway. Further enriching his qualifications, he obtained an MBA from the University of Oxford, solidifying his multidisciplinary approach to problem-solving and value maximisation.