Office Bearers
President: Ms Christine Cook
Chris Cook is the adoptive mother of two Korean born daughters. She is a member of the Inter Country Adoption Resource Network (ICARN) Australia. Chris currently manages a Psychology practice in the north western area of Melbourne. Her earlier career included teaching in various secondary schools in the northern and western suburbs of Melbourne, which involved some years as an integration teacher working with students with a range of disabilities and backgrounds. She also spent some years working as a youth outreach worker, both in Britain and in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
Secretary: Dr Cas O'Neill
Cas O'Neill is the mother of three children, one of whom joined her family through a special needs adoption program. She has also been a respite foster carer for over 15 years. Cas is a Research Fellow in the School of Social Work, University of Melbourne. She is currently undertaking research in the area of home based care – permanent care, foster care and kinship care, and is a member of the Foster Care Association of Victoria.
Treasurer: Mr John Hulskamp
John Hulskamp is now a sole permanent carer of a teenage daughter, who was placed with his late wife and himself, as a young child, 16 years ago. Previously, the family had many respite and temporary foster placements. John was in academia until 1996, then took early retirement to look after the family. He maintains an interest in foster care, with an emphasis on developing foster care as the preferred out-of-home care for children, in developing countries around the world, through his involvement in the International Foster Care Organisation (IFCO).
Committee Members (in alphabetical order)
Dr Fiona Andrews
Fiona Andrews is the mother of two adopted children from Thailand. She is Program Coordinator for the Australian Society for Inter Country Aid (Children) Thai Program in Victoria supporting over 80 families who are in the process of adopting, or who have already adopted children from Thailand. Fiona works part time for La Trobe University School of Public Health as a sessional lecturer and tutor and undertakes project work for the Australian Institute for Primary Care at La Trobe University. She has a research interest in children's health particularly in the area of early intervention and access to primary health care services.
Ms Janet Elefsiniotis
Janet Elefsiniotis is a mother of three daughters and has three grandchildren. She has been a foster care manager for over twenty years and currently works for Good Shepherd Youth and Family Service. Janet’s earlier career included working in local government as a children’s service development officer and managing a childcare centre for the Australian Greek Welfare Society. Janet has served on the FCAV Management Committee. She is currently involved in developing kinship support programs for grandparents and newly arrived refugee communities, as well as a major respite care research project.
Ms Anne Farrelly
Anne Farrelly is a mother of two children who were adopted from The Philippines. She has a number of years teaching experience in primary classrooms and special education. Anne has worked as a conciliator for the Energy Ombudsman. She is currently working as a research assistant for Melbourne and Latrobe Universities on projects relating to diversity, parent/teacher relationships, psychology and the law.
Dr Bronwyn Francis
Bronwyn Francis is a paediatrician who is currently Director of the Inter Country Adoption Clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital, and Adolescent Physician at the Centre for Adolescent Health, RCH. Bronwyn has two children.
Dr Patricia McNamara
Patricia McNamara is a social worker and family therapist with twenty-five years clinical experience. She is also a qualified secondary teacher. Dr McNamara has worked in a range of child, adolescent and family mental health and welfare settings; these include residential and outpatient psychiatry, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools and a university counselling service. Her doctoral and post doctoral research has involved a fifteen year follow up with former adolescent psychiatric inpatients and their families. She currently works as an academic in the School of Social Work and Social Policy at La Trobe University, Bundoora. She teaches reflective communication and direct practice. Her current research projects include an exploration of respite foster care with a consortium of five local child and family welfare agencies and cross national mapping of parenting programs for families in the care system. Dr McNamara is a foundation board member of the International Association for Outcome Based Evaluation and Research in Family and Children's Services.
Ms Mary Natoli
Mary Natoli is the mother of three adopted Filipino-born children. She is a founding member of the Inter Country Adoption Resource Network (Aust) Inc. and of Friends of Kakuma, a network of people supporting newly-arrived Sudanese refugee minors and family groups. Mary works as a community nurse in the inner city suburbs of Melbourne with the Royal District Nursing Service (RDNS) and has a particular interest in meeting the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse clients.
Ms Pauline Peile
Pauline Peile is the mother of four children, one of whom is adopted. Pauline was the Senior Counsellor (now retired) at Adoption & Family Records Service, Department of Human Services (15 years). Of special interest during these years – facilitating, coordinating, supporting and training for Support Groups in the Local & Overseas Adoption and Former Ward communities. Prior to joining DHS, she spent 13 years as a School Counsellor, School Support Services, Ministry of Education.
