OUR PEOPLE & GOVERNANCE

At Camp Quality we remain committed to giving every kid facing cancer the chance to be a kid again, and bringing optimism and resilience to their daily lives.

We take our governance seriously.

Adopting best practice and adhering to corporate governance ensures Camp Quality remains well run and stays true to our vision, as well as engendering transparency and trust.

Some of the Camp Quality team members at our Sydney office

Meet the Leadership Team

Deborah Thomas
CEO/Manager Director

Experience

Deborah Thomas is an experienced executive and Board Director, across both the corporate and not-for-profit (NFP) sectors. With over 25 years of expertise in leadership, management and marketing skills, Deborah is the ideal person to lead Camp Quality into its next phase.

Deborah has managed some of Australia’s most popular magazine brands, including The Australian Women’s Weekly, where she was Editor-in-Chief for nine years. In 2015 she was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Ardent Leisure Group.

Throughout her time in the commercial sector, Deborah has also been involved with many national NFP organisations, including the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation, Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Streets, and is a founding patron of the Taronga Conservation Foundation.

On joining Camp Quality Deborah said, “I am honoured and excited by the prospect of working with Camp Quality and applying my skills and experience to such a worthy, trusted and important organisation. Camp Quality changes people’s lives for the better and I cannot think of a more fulfilling job than helping children and families deal with the trauma that comes with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”

Special Responsibilities

Member of Audit & Compliance Committee and Member of People & Culture Committee.

Meet our board

We're lucky at Camp Quality to have a group of dedicated professionals who freely donate their time, energy and professional expertise to Camp Quality. The Directors are responsible to the Members for the performance of the company in both the short and longer term, and seek to balance these sometimes-competing objectives in the best interest of the organisation as a whole.

A Director's term runs for three years, and they may be appointed at any time by the Board, as long as they are a Member of Camp Quality prior to the appointment. A Director may resign at any time or be removed from office by special resolution passed by the ordinary Members at a general meeting convened for that purpose.

The Board draws on relevant corporate governance best practice principles to assist it in contributing to the overall charitable performance of the organisation. Day-to-day management of the organisation's affairs, and implementation of corporate strategy and policy initiatives, are delegated by the Board to the Chief Executive Officer and management.

Deborah Thomas, Camp Quality CEO

Deborah Thomas

CEO/Manager Director

Deborah Thomas
CEO/Manager Director

Experience

Deborah Thomas is an experienced executive and Board Director, across both the corporate and not-for-profit (NFP) sectors. With over 25 years of expertise in leadership, management and marketing skills, Deborah is the ideal person to lead Camp Quality into its next phase.

Deborah has managed some of Australia’s most popular magazine brands, including The Australian Women’s Weekly, where she was Editor-in-Chief for nine years. In 2015 she was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Ardent Leisure Group.

Throughout her time in the commercial sector, Deborah has also been involved with many national NFP organisations, including the Sydney Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Royal Hospital for Women Foundation, Father Chris Riley’s Youth off the Streets, and is a founding patron of the Taronga Conservation Foundation.

On joining Camp Quality Deborah said, “I am honoured and excited by the prospect of working with Camp Quality and applying my skills and experience to such a worthy, trusted and important organisation. Camp Quality changes people’s lives for the better and I cannot think of a more fulfilling job than helping children and families deal with the trauma that comes with the diagnosis and treatment of cancer.”

Special Responsibilities

Member of Audit & Compliance Committee and Member of People & Culture Committee.

Kim Jacobs, Camp Quality Chairman

Kim Jacobs AM

Chairman

Kim Jacobs AM
Chairman

Qualifications

MBA Macquarie University, LLB Sydney University.

Experience

Chairman of Inteq Limited, an Australian corporate, strategic and financial advisory house; Chairman of Local Measure, a social media analytics company; member of the Advisory Board of UTS Business School; former Chairman of the Australian Israel Chamber of Commerce; and Director of a number of private companies.

Special Responsibilities

Member of Strategy & Revenue Committee and Audit & Compliance Committee.

John Higgins AO

Non-Executive Director

John Higgins AO
Non-Executive Director

Experience

Chairman of the Higgins Group of Companies, a privately owned business that invests in a variety of industries in Australia and overseas. John has over 35 years’ experience investing and running companies in Australia, Europe and North America.

John is also a member of the National Gallery of Victoria Foundation Board.

He is passionate about education, having previously funded the Gerry Higgins Chair of Irish Studies and, more recently, the Chair of Positive Psychology, both at Melbourne University. From 2006 to 2012 John chaired the Melbourne Grammar School Learning & Leadership Advisory Board, which focused on all areas of learning and leadership from prep to Year 12.

Special Responsibilities

Member of People & Culture Committee.

David Morris

Non-Executive Director

David Morris
Non-Executive Director

Qualifications

BEc (Accounting Major), Sydney University; LLB, Sydney University; and Harvard Business School Leadership Program.

Experience

Head of Corporate (Sydney), Lander & Rogers. Formerly Head of M&A and Corporate KPMG Law Australia; Joint Global Head of M&A and Corporate, KPMG Global Legal Services; and Member of the Global Leadership Group of KPMG Global Legal Services. David is a senior corporate lawyer specialising in the provision of M&A, corporate, capital markets and corporate governance advice.

Special Responsibilities

Chair of Audit & Compliance Committee & Board Member of The Oranges Toolkit.

Kate Burleigh

Non-Executive Director

Kate Burleigh
Non-Executive Director

Qualifications

MBA University of Technology, BA Sydney University.

Experience

Current Country Manager and Director, Amazon Alexa, Australia/NZ; Member of Board of Governors, Wenona School; 2016 UTS Business School, Alumni of the Year; Master of Business in Marketing (UTS), BA (Syd Uni). Former Managing Director, Intel Australia/NZ and Director of the Australian IT Industry Association.

Special Responsibilities

Member of Strategy & Revenue Committee and People & Culture Committee.

Damon Fealy

Non-Executive Director

Damon Fealy
Non-Executive Director

Qualifications

BInfTech Griffith University, GradDipMuTech Queensland Conservatorium, MAICD.

Experience

Damon has over 25 years’ experience in IT and business, and leads the Commercialisation, High Growth and Scale Up team in Queensland at EY. He has founded and successfully exited his own technology business, and sits on the Board of several private companies. He works with and invests in early stage and start-up / scale up companies, and as well as serving as an Industry Fellow with the School of Technology at Griffith University.

Special Responsibilities

Board Member of The Oranges Toolkit.

Dr Karen Luxford

Non-Executive Director

Dr Karen Luxford
Non-Executive Director

Experience

Dr Karen Luxford is the Group CEO, Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) & ACHS International. She has extensive experience in governance, strategic planning, safety and quality and healthcare standards, engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and leading organisational change.

Dr Luxford is a senior executive in health with over 25 years’ experience in a range of leadership roles in the public, not-for-profit and private sectors. These include CEO, Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons; A/g CEO and Executive Director, Clinical Excellence Commission NSW; and GM of the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre in Australia.

She is a Board member & President-Elect of ASQua; Board member ISQua and member of the ISQua Accreditation Council, and Board Director of the ISQua External Evaluation Association; Board member of the Bureau of Health Information (BHI) in NSW Health; Board member of Camp Quality (NFP charity); Council member of Standards Australia; Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD); Certified Health Executive (CHE) and Fellow of the Australasian College of Health Service Management (ACHSM) and the Australian Institute of Managers & Leaders (IML). Dr Luxford is an alumni Harkness Fellow in Healthcare Policy & Practice, Harvard Medical School in Boston, USA, and is passionate about health care.

Susan Neuhaus AM CSC

Non-Executive Director

Susan Neuhaus AM CSC
Non-Executive Director

Qualifications

MBBS, PhD, FRACS, FAICD, FAMA D.Dip Proj Mangt & Qual Audit

Experience

Susan has more than 25-years’ experience as a surgeon specialising in management of rare cancers, and has been actively involved in research, training and clinical trials.

Susan is the current Chair and President of the South Australian-Northern Territory Division of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and serves on a number of boards including Council of the Australian War Memorial and Aspen Medical. She has experience in governance, strategic planning and assurance across a range of sectors, including defence, health and research, commercial, government and Not for Profit (NFP) entities. Susan was previously a Non-executive Director of Cancer Council South Australia.

Rilka Warbanoff

Non-Executive Director

Rilka Warbanoff
Non-Executive Director

Experience

Rilka is a cook, entrepreneur, author and radio personality. While still at university, Rilka joined the family supermarket and hospitality businesses, running the Barossa Motor Lodge and winning the South Australian Tourism Award in 1982. In the early 1990s, Rilka established an Executive Placement business in Melbourne, acting as a global corporate recruiter and twice being named a finalist in the Telstra Business Woman of the Year awards.
A published food author, Rilka also has weekly radio segments on Nova’s FiveAA in Adelaide. She is known for her contribution to the community, serving on many boards and advising NFPs on fundraising corporate governance, structure and people.

Her current board interests include: Camp Quality, Director; Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce, Director; Museum Victoria, Ambassador; CCH, Board Member; The Hospital Research Foundation, Director; FareShare, Director

Lauchlan Wallace

Non-Executive Director

Lauchlan Wallace
Non-Executive Director

Qualifications

Bachelor of Engineering; Masters of Oil and Gas Engineering, University of Western Australia.

Experience

Lauchlan has enjoyed an extensive career as an executive in the resources industry in both technical engineering and leading the development of an innovative digital capability. He was recently the Chief Data Officer, and is currently commercialising digital ventures within Woodside Energy. Lauchlan holds particular strengths in strategy, digital transformation and innovation, and creating change from within.

A career highlight for Lauchlan has been driving a shift in attitude toward neurodiversity within Woodside Energy, and therefore creating a safe employer for people to be themselves. Lauchlan is passionate about people maximising their potential, and is always looking to build environments for this to occur.

Special Responsibilities

Member of Audit & Compliance Committee

REALLY IMPORTANT ADULT STUFF

Our voting members

Camp Quality welcomes a diverse membership to reflect the positive and optimistic spirit of supporting children and their families affected by cancer.

Directors and staff are committed to being accountable to Members. As part of our constitution, to become a Voting Member of Camp Quality you are required to submit a personal nomination form.

This includes being nominated by a current Camp Quality Member and a $27.50 annual fee. However, the fee is waived for any parent or carer of a current Camp Quality patient each year.

How membership works

Membership is available to any person with a commitment to Camp Quality’s objectives and mission, and who wishes to contribute to the cause.

The Directors will consider each application for membership at the next Board meeting after the application is received. The Directors may:

  • accept or reject the application;
  • or ask the applicant to give more evidence of eligibility for membership.
Responsibilities of members

Membership allows you one vote on any resolution at any general meeting of Camp Quality either in person or by proxy, however there is no obligation to vote.

The only obligation of a member is in the case of the organisation winding up. Under the constitution, if Camp Quality were to be wound up and there were debts/liabilities outstanding, each Member and each person who has ceased to be a Member in the preceding year would be liable up to an amount of $10. Please see section 54 of the constitution.

Our Risk Appetite

As one of the most reputable children’s charities in Australia we accept that appropriate risk is a part of what we do to take advantage of opportunities that improve and expand our services and programs and ultimately, a positive impact for children 0-15 years facing cancer.

We understand that considered risks are an inherent part of delivering our strategy, innovating and creating long term sustainable value for all of our stakeholders.

Our Board, CEO and senior management team, formally set and agree our risk appetite as part of the discussions on strategy, as well as the approval process for the annual operational plan and budget.

Risk, safety and compliance is monitored internally through the Risk and Safety Committee, which meets every six weeks. This Committee reports to the  Risk, Audit and Compliance  Committee.

Risk and safety is regularly assessed by the Risk, Audit and Compliance Committee with full oversight from the Board of Directors. This involves the Board discussing and agreeing the key factors which they believe can affect the level of risk we are willing to take to deliver our objectives and ensure we achieve our vision of giving kids facing cancer, and their family, the chance to be kids again, in a safe and inclusive environment.

Our full Risk Management document is available upon request. Please contact: [email protected].

Our Investment Strategy

At Camp Quality we believe it is our responsibility to strategically invest donated funds in a manner that is both ethical, and of long-term benefit to all children and their families impacted by cancer in Australia.

Below are key sections of our Investment Policy.

Investment Objectives

  1. The Principal Aim of Investment
    The purpose of the Camp Quality’s investment portfolio is:

    1. To provide funds to be available for use in case of catastrophic events, leveraging strategic opportunities for managing the growth of the organisation and meet operational temporary working capital deficits.
    2. To ensure that prudent medium-term and long-term returns are maintained within reasonable and accepted levels of risk.
    3. To grow the underlying capital base of Camp Quality to assist in offsetting and managing the effects of inflation, and cash flow requirements over the short-, medium- and long-term.
    4. To maintain an appropriate asset allocation to achieve the above.
  2. Purpose of Investment Policy
    The primary purpose of the Investment Policy is:

    1. To protect and manage funds under management from ad hoc initiatives.
    2. To maintain a long-term outlook when short-term market movements may be distressing.
    3. To refine the criteria to evaluate different investment opportunities and managers.
    4. To allow Camp Quality to review the performance of the portfolio and the asset classes that comprise the investment portfolio against appropriately established benchmarks.

The overarching objective of this Policy is to define the investment objectives and assist Camp Quality and its appointed Investment Manager(s) to effectively manage, supervise, monitor and evaluate the management of Camp Quality’s funds and other assets invested.

Prohibited Investments

Camp Quality’s funds must be invested in compliance with all applicable laws. In addition, the Investment Policy will take into account ethical, social, environmental and sustainable implications of all investments. In particular, no funds will be invested in tobacco, nor in assets that have returns significantly reliant on alcohol, weapons and firearms, pornography and gambling, or in organisations involved in violation of human rights. The Fund Manager will be required to provide a declaration on an annual basis that Camp Quality’s funds are not invested in prohibited investments.

For Australian investments, the ASX General Industry Classification System (GICS) will be used to determine the categorised activities of a company.

View the full Camp Quality Investment Policy.

More information about Camp Quality

Camp Quality families and volunteers at a Family Camp

Our reports and financial statements

Read our annual reports and financial statements to see how we are doing.

A Camp Quality volunteer at camp

Our memberships and accreditations

Camp Quality is proud to be affiliated with organisations and peak bodies that share our values.

A child, a man, and Camp Quality founder, Vera Entwistle, pose for a photograph at the first Camp Quality Family Camp in 1988

Our history

From a charity that struggled to fund its first camp and only ran one type of event, Camp Quality has come a long way!

Casey Donovan, a Camp Quality Ambassador, with the Camp Quality puppets

Our ambassadors

Camp Quality’s wonderful ambassadors come from every walk of life – yet they are all united in their passion to help us.