Paul Melville LLB, Solicitor

Paul Melville has over 15 years of experience as a Director and Board member. He was formerly the joint Managing Director of Halcyon and is a Board member of the Urban Development Institute of Australia. 

Paul has an extensive legal background, previously operating as a solicitor and senior partner within his own firm. He holds a Bachelor of Laws from the Queensland University of Technology and was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court  
of Queensland. 

Sally Watson BSocWk, MPubPolicy

Sally Watson has extensive experience working in housing and homelessness services across the public and not-for-profit sectors in Brisbane, Canberra and Cairns. Sally is currently the Executive Officer of the homelessness service, Shelter Housing Action Cairns. 

Previously, she has lectured in Social Work at James Cook University, was North Queensland Coordinator for the Tenants Union of Queensland and Executive Director of Homelessness Australia. Sally holds a Bachelor of Social Work (UQ), a Master of Public Policy (ANU) and a Bachelor of Laws (JCU). She is also currently a Board member of both Tenants' Queensland and the North Queensland Women’s Legal Service. 

Steve Ryan CertTeach, MAICD, MAIST

Steve Ryan is an experienced Board member with over 40 years of experience in strategic leadership, governance and service delivery. He has worked across the public, union, superannuation, health, and not-for-profit sectors. Steve is a current Board member of Health and Wellbeing Queensland and GROW, a not-for-profit national mental illness program, and is the Acting Chairperson of Health and Wellbeing Queensland, a targeted state government statutory authority within Queensland Health. 

Steve was previously a Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees at QSuper, and a Board member of the Queensland Studies Authority’s Governing Body. He is also a former State President of the Queensland Teachers’ Union. 

Janet Benson MA (Public Sector Policy and Leadership)

Janet Benson is the owner and principal of Capstone Property Solutions and brings a comprehensive understanding of the Queensland property sector – in particular, residential property management. Janet has a background in the Queensland public sector, previously working as the Executive Director of the Human Services CEO Committee, and Executive Director of Homelessness Programs at the Department of Housing and Public Works. 

Janet brings extensive knowledge of social housing, rental affordability and homelessness issues in Queensland. She holds a Master of Arts (Public Sector Policy and Leadership) from Griffith University and is a licensed real estate agent in Queensland. 

Christine Castley Bachelor of Laws (LLB)

Christine Castley is currently CEO of Multicultural Australia. Prior to this, she was Deputy Director-General in the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and Deputy Director-General, Housing, Homelessness and Sport in the Department of Housing and Public Works. In this role she led the development of the Queensland Housing Strategy 2017–2027 and the transformation of housing and homelessness services. This was delivered by 1,500 staff and involved managing a $1.4 billion business and a $15 billion asset portfolio. In 2014-2015, Christine led the Secretariat for the Special Taskforce on Domestic and Family Violence, chaired by the Honourable Quentin Bryce, which delivered the landmark ‘Not Now, Not Ever’ report.

Christine is an experienced executive with a strong track record of delivering significant reform and innovation projects, including adult and youth criminal justice reform, disaster management response and recovery, and public sector ethics and integrity reform.

Christine holds a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts, Postgraduate Diploma of Arts and Master of Public Administration from The University of Queensland.

Cara Walsh

Cara Walsh has 25 years of experience working as a leader in Silicon Valley, New York City, and here in Queensland. She has undertaken large digital transformations for RACQ, as well as the City of Brisbane. In the United States, she built customer-focused digital products for AT&T, McAfee, and Thompson Financial. 

Cara believes in human-centric design and not technology-led solutions. She is Global Vice President of Customer for Outfit—a SaaS martech solution. She is also Chair of the Business Advisory Board for QUT's Business School, and a mentor for Ethni—a not-for-profit building skills for culturally diverse youth. Cara holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the State University of New York College at Oneonta.

Damian Wright  

Damian Wright is a Chartered Accountant and has been working in the accounting profession for some 30 years. Damian is currently the Partner in Charge of Audit at BDO in Brisbane and provides services to a wide range of businesses, across a variety  
of industries. 

Damian has held a number of Board positions and currently chairs Lives Lived Well Limited, a not-for-profit service provider in the health sector. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce from The University of Queensland, is a Registered Company Auditor and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia. He also has a Graduate Diploma of Applied Finance and Investment from the Securities Institute of Australia (now FINSIA).