ACON Board

	Mark Orr, President Mark is a senior manager in a mental health not-for-profit organisation. He is a registered psychologist and has a long history of working with people with disabilities. Mark is a past director and Co-chair of the board of New Mardi Gras Ltd.
	Andrew Purchas, Vice President Currently working as a senior executive in the financial services sector. Andrew has significant commercial experience in business process redesign, change management and risk management.
	Jason Bradshaw, Treasurer Jason has over 14 years experience in the banking, finance and retail sectors and currently oversees the delivery of operations to the corporate and government clients of a leading telecommunications company. Twice nominated as Young Queenslander and Young Queensland Manger of the Year, Jason has a solid track record of community involvement ranging from mentoring university students through to volunteering with ACON and the Gay & Lesbian Rights Lobby.
	Jeremy Hutton, Secretary Experience as a political staffer and in the bookselling, advertising and marketing sectors. Jeremy has operated retail bookshops in country NSW and Victoria, and recently opened his own international media representation business.
	Wes Bas A serving police officer in the NSW Police Force with over six years experience in general duties and corporate policing. He is currently seconded to the NSW Department of Education and Training. Wes has been an active volunteer with ACON for a number of years. He is also affiliated with a number of youth development organisations. Wes is currently taking a leave of absence.
	Rod Bruem Rod Bruem is a communication specialist with 21 years experience in journalism, politics and media management. Currently employed as a corporate relations manager for Telstra. He has a keen interest in rural and regional issues and services.
	Louisa Degenhardt Louisa has a background in psychology and psychiatric epidemiology. She began in research ten years ago and is currently a Professor at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, University of NSW. She has examined illicit drug markets across Australia, and is involved in national and international collaborative projects examining illicit drug use and its links with mental health as well as physical harms including overdose and infectious disease transmission.
	Siri Kommedahl Has more than 16 years experience in IT business development and currently works as a financial and strategic development consultant. She has also chaired fundraising committees for several organisations including the Human Rights Campaign Federal Club, a 700,000 member civil rights organisation in the US which works to ensure equal rights for GLBT Americans.
	Rob Lake Rob Lake is the CEO of Positive Life NSW. He has been HIV positive since 1994, and involved in HIV care, support and advocacy issues at a National and State level. Since arriving from NZ in 1987, he has worked in the community sector for the past 20yrs.
	Nicolas Parkhill, CEO Nicolas Parkhill has over 15 years experience in the public and community health sectors. For the last three years, he has headed up both the health promotion and operational divisions of ACON. Prior to that Nic worked in a variety of senior management and policy development roles for NSW Health and the NSW Cabinet Office, many with a specific focus on alcohol and other drugs. He also has a background in campaign management and public relations.
	Garrett Prestage Senior Lecturer at National Centre in HIV Epidemiology & Clinical Research, & Senior Research Fellow at the Australian Research Centre in Sex Health & Society, with twenty-five years experience researching gay and lesbian community and health issues.
	Jonathan Stambolis Jonathan Stambolis works in international affairs at United Nations Headquarters in New York. He is also a consultant in public international health and financial sector reform in developing countries. He is also a researcher and consultant at the Lowy Institute for International Policy based in Sydney, where he works with Pacific Friends of the Global Fund to Fight HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria. When he joined ACON in 2006, he was a corporate lawyer at Allens Arthur Robinson and has 7 years of experience in corporate law, funds management and capital markets. He has a Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Economics (Macquarie University) and is a Master of International Law and International Relations (University of New South Wales).
	Matthew Vaughan Matthew Vaughan has been working within the community services sector over the past 7 years, and for ACON over the past 4 years within the Western Sydney Project. Matthew specialises in work with young people in a range of different settings, including community development, strategic planning, resource development, peer education, group facilitation and educational workshops. Matthew brings a wealth of knowledge in GLBT community development, health promotion, and human rights, especially in relation to communities in regional and rural areas across NSW.