Our People

Mix one part passion with two parts business leadership and throw in a big handful of disability sector experience, and you’ve got the Interchange Board and leaders. Always looking to keep things fun while getting the job done, the sum of this fabulous team is even greater than its parts.

The Interchange Team

Stephen
Whitworth

Board Member

Stephen, when not engaged in professional change and communication work, can be found wielding a spanner or many other tools tinkering with and restoring two classic cars; a 1961 Morris Minor 1000 and a 1981 Alfa Romeo Guilieta.

Both are taking far longer than originally anticipated but he blames that on the time taken out to help run the Morris Car Club of Victoria (he’s been the President for two years and the Vice Pres for the two years beforehand) and his involvement with Interchange, which he joined as a Board member in 2016. His attention to detail keeps us finely tuned and heading in the right direction.

Jan
Bence

Vice President

Jan has been the Interchange Manager at UMFC and a host carer for over 17 years. She served as President from 2007-2009 and re-joined the Board in 2014. Jan’s an early riser, she says it’s when she gets her best work done. She keeps us up to date on the latest happenings inside the world of a disability service provider and guides us with quiet grace along our path.

An avid walker, on her daily treks Jan plans her day and navigates her way through the intricacies of the NDIS and program commitments like a GPS finder. She takes everything in her stride and is never lost in the journey.

Graeme
Bird

Secretary-Treasurer

Graeme has extensive knowledge in the finance and banking sectors. He has worked in the areas of risk management, accounting, human relations, and media relations, with roles as company director, business manager and board member. Graeme has been involved in Apex Clubs for over 18 years and is a past District Governor and Life member.

He’s also been a Rotary Club member for 24 years, with a particular interest in the Rotary Youth Exchange program. This has led to many overseas excursions and lots of lifelong friendships with students and families overseas. Graeme is a Foundation Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Financial Services Institute of Australasia.

Janette
Martin

President

Janette has worked in the NFP sector for over 30 years and the disability sector since the early 90s and brings with her a wealth of experience in executive roles leading several organisations both here in Victoria and in Tasmania. She has three children, three grandchildren and two grand dogs!

When she first started in the disability sector, she thought it would be a pathway to another sector but here she is still loving it. She says, “to be invited into the lives of so many people who face the difficulties of each day with such tenacity and dignity is just the best thing I could have ever done!” How lucky we are to have her join our Board? She commenced in September 2021.

Fred
Brumhead

Board Member

Fred has been involved with Interchange services since 1989. Being the CEO of Interchange Outer East ‘just happened’, nothing planned or ever anticipated. Easily distracted, the fact that Fred is still at IOE pays testament to the variety and changes that occur daily in the work that Interchange does.

Growing up Fred aspired to being a pirate, explorer and professional sportsman. Thanks to the opportunities offered through Interchange all three have been achieved! Current obsessions still focus on sport and exploration, but the pirate philosophy has been assigned to the scrapheap. Never one to ‘follow the leader’, he has inspired the team at IOE to forge new paths that have shaped the development of IOE

Pam
Birkby

Board Member

Pam has held senior marketing positions across publishing and media industries and large global organisations. Her demonstrated ability to lead teams through times of change to deliver business strategy is a huge bonus for us. Plus, she’s our brand guru!

Pam joined the board in May 2020 after arriving in Melbourne from Britain right in the middle of a global pandemic. She’s settling into Australian life and looking forward to exploring the country. In the meantime, she can be found out and about sampling the local coffee.

Kerry
Uren

Executive officer

Kerry has been Executive Officer at Interchange Network since 2013 and is a passionate advocate for social service models and ensuring a diverse and sustainable sector. She currently sits on the Board of Volunteering Victoria and the National Disability Services Victorian State Committee.

In her spare time, she teaches yoga and meditation and loves gardening, long walks and cups of tea. Ok and cake. And maybe some chocolate. But don’t worry, she eats her (home-grown) vegetables too.

Belinda
Pearce

Board Member

Belinda has been involved in the Disability Sector for almost 20 years, first volunteering in camps, where she realised she wanted to support people with a disability full time. She was an Interchange host in the Grampians Region over 15 years ago, and still continues to support the same young person she was matched with.

Her hands on experience in disability roles including program delivery, support coordination and resourcing, will add so much value to the Board, we’re excited to have her join us over the past year.

In her spare time, she loves to travel (pre Covid) and explore different parts of the world. You will often find her on weekends down at the beach with her two dogs or curled up on the couch with her cat and a good book.